By Wellspring
Fransalian Center for Spirituality
March 22. 2020
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
As we are going through difficult and challenging times due to COVID - 19, let us be together in spirit and prayer and place our unshakable trust in the Lord. Churches around the world have been closed for public worship this Sunday, calling the people of God to nourish their spiritual life with listening to the word of God, prayer and spiritual communion at home. I know that we have all missed being together in Church in prayer and worship. I hope that you have found grace in being together in prayer and worship at home.
I have prepared the following for your daily devotion at home alone or with family. I have given you references to the Scripture readings of the Mass of the day and a simple thought for your reflection and prayer and a prayer for spiritual communion. I hope that it helps you be strong in faith and continue to nurture your spirit as we live through difficult and troublesome days.
On Thursday, I will send you similar prayer and reflections for the Fifth Sunday of Lent.
God bless you and your family.
Fr. Gus
Fourth Week of Lent
March 23 – Monday Fourth Week of Lent
Scripture Readings: Isaiah 65:17-21; Psalm 30; John 4:43-54
Isaiah (first reading) shares his hope that God will renew his people and recreate a new heaven and a new earth. He says, the things of the past will not be remembered, but God’s people will be blessed with great rejoicing.
Be still! Share the hope of Isaiah. Be men and women of Hope! Our Hope is our power in our powerlessness.
Take a few moments to pray from your heart…….
For all leaders of our Church, our country and our world
For those suffering from Corona Virus and those who are caring for them
For those who are searching for a cure for Corona Virus
Our Father...
Spiritual Communion
Lord Jesus, I believe in your real presence in the Eucharist, the Sacrament of the Altar. I
place myself in your presence and adore you, worship you and glorify you. I am unable to
receive you in Holy Communion at Mass today. I hunger and thirst for your way, your
truth and your life. Come into my heart Lord and satisfy my hunger and quench my thirst.
Bless me that I may give witness to your presence in my life. Amen
Spend a few moments in silent prayer
May the Lord bless us, keep us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
Let us praise the Lord. Thanks be to God.
***************************************
March 24 - Tuesday Fourth Week of Lent
Scripture Readings: Ezekiel 47:1-9, 12; Psalm 46; John 5:1-16
Ezekiel (first reading) had a beautiful vision of a temple-centered land with life-giving waters flowing from beneath the threshold of the temple. He envisions a temple-centered people fed by life-giving waters from the threshold of the temple and becoming fruitful. Temple was the symbol of “God’s Presence” among his people. His vision translates into a vision of a God-centered people.
Be still! Share the vision of Ezekiel, the vision of a “God-centered” people, nourished by life-giving water, living godly lives and becoming fruitful in God’s way.
Take a few moments to pray from your heart…….
For all leaders of our Church, our country and our world
For those suffering from Corona Virus and those who are caring for them
For those who are searching for a cure for Corona Virus
Our Father...
Spiritual Communion
Lord Jesus, I believe in your real presence in the Eucharist, the Sacrament of the Altar. I
place myself in your presence and adore you, worship you and glorify you. I am unable to
receive you in Holy Communion at Mass today. I hunger and thirst for your way, your
truth and your life. Come into my heart Lord and satisfy my hunger and quench my thirst.
Bless me that I may give witness to your presence in my life. Amen
Spend a few moments in silent prayer
May the Lord bless us, keep us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
Let us praise the Lord. Thanks be to God.
**********************************
March 25 - Annunciation of the Lord
Scripture Readings: Isaiah 7:10-14; 8:10; Psalm 40; Hebrews 10:4-10;
Luke 1:26-38
Ahaz (first reading), a weak and worldly king, during a time of great turmoil, is promised a sign from God: “the virgin shall be with child and bear a son and shall name him Emmanuel, meaning, “God is with us”.
Be still! Renew your faith in Emmanuel, God-With-Us! Our God goes with us as we live through these difficult and troublesome days.
Take a few moments to pray from your heart…….
For all leaders of our Church, our country and our world
For those suffering from Corona Virus and those who are caring for them
For those who are searching for a cure for Corona Virus
Our Father...
Spiritual Communion
Lord Jesus, I believe in your real presence in the Eucharist, the Sacrament of the Altar. I
place myself in your presence and adore you, worship you and glorify you. I am unable to
receive you in Holy Communion at Mass today. I hunger and thirst for your way, your
truth and your life. Come into my heart Lord and satisfy my hunger and quench my thirst.
Bless me that I may give witness to your presence in my life. Amen
Spend a few moments in silent prayer
May the Lord bless us, keep us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
Let us praise the Lord. Thanks be to God.
****************************************
March 26 - Thursday Fourth Week of Lent
Scripture Readings: Exodus 32:7-14; Psalm 106; John 5:31-47
The Hebrews have been liberated from their slavery in Egypt. However, they continued to remain slaves to their own gods, to their idols. Choosing false gods have been part of their continuing journey of life. We are not that different from the Hebrews. We have our own idols while we claim to have deeper knowledge, sound theology, great spiritual traditions, etc. Each of us needs to reflect on the kind of idols that control our lives.
Be still! Reflect on idols in your own life and the need to be free from them. Reflect on the need to re-center your life on God and God’s ways.
Take a few moments to pray from your heart…….
For all leaders of our Church, our country and our world
For those suffering from Corona Virus and those who are caring for them
For those who are searching for a cure for Corona Virus
Our Father...
Spiritual Communion
Lord Jesus, I believe in your real presence in the Eucharist, the Sacrament of the Altar. I
place myself in your presence and adore you, worship you and glorify you. I am unable to
receive you in Holy Communion at Mass today. I hunger and thirst for your way, your
truth and your life. Come into my heart Lord and satisfy my hunger and quench my thirst.
Bless me that I may give witness to your presence in my life. Amen
Spend a few moments in silent prayer
May the Lord bless us, keep us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
Let us praise the Lord. Thanks be to God.
******************************************
March 27 - Friday Fourth Week of Lent
Scripture Readings: Wisdom 2:1, 12-22; Psalm 34; John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30
This is a call to uphold goodness, virtue and fidelity to God’s law. Search for the “hidden counsels” of God - that is, the wisdom of God, which alone can help us rise above ways of “wickedness” into ways of “holiness”.
Be still! Keep searching for the wisdom of God to make good, right and wise choices.
Take a few moments to pray from your heart…….
For all leaders of our Church, our country and our world
For those suffering from Corona Virus and those who are caring for them
For those who are searching for a cure for Corona Virus
Our Father...
Spiritual Communion
Lord Jesus, I believe in your real presence in the Eucharist, the Sacrament of the Altar. I
place myself in your presence and adore you, worship you and glorify you. I am unable to
receive you in Holy Communion at Mass today. I hunger and thirst for your way, your
truth and your life. Come into my heart Lord and satisfy my hunger and quench my thirst.
Bless me that I may give witness to your presence in my life. Amen
Spend a few moments in silent prayer
May the Lord bless us, keep us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
Let us praise the Lord. Thanks be to God.
**************************************
March 28 - Saturday Fourth Week of Lent
Scripture Readings: Jeremiah 11:18-20; Psalm 7; John 7:40-53
Jeremiah says that he was aware of a plot against him, but he didn’t fully grasp the seriousness of the problem. So, he moved with great confidence in God, to fulfill his mission. Now as he has come to realize, more fully, the extent of the plot against him, he says, “Lord, to you, I entrust my cause”.
Be still! Cast your cares into the hands of God! We don’t fully understand what is happening with us. We just surrender our cares into the hands of our God.
Take a few moments to pray from your heart…….
For all leaders of our Church, our country and our world
For those suffering from Corona Virus and those who are caring for them
For those who are searching for a cure for Corona Virus
Our Father...
Spiritual Communion
Lord Jesus, I believe in your real presence in the Eucharist, the Sacrament of the Altar. I
place myself in your presence and adore you, worship you and glorify you. I am unable to
receive you in Holy Communion at Mass today. I hunger and thirst for your way, your
truth and your life. Come into my heart Lord and satisfy my hunger and quench my thirst.
Bless me that I may give witness to your presence in my life. Amen
Spend a few moments in silent prayer
May the Lord bless us, keep us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
Let us praise the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Fr. Gus Tharappel, msfs
Joseph Strickland
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland was named the fourth bishop of Tyler in September of 2012 by Pope Benedict XVI. Prior to being named bishop, he served a number of roles in the diocese, including vicar general, judicial vicar, and pastor of the Cathedral parish. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1985. 