FEBRUARY 21ST 2021 FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT
WEEKLY MASS INTENTIONS
Mon Feb 22nd NO MASS
Tues Feb 23rd NO MASS
Wed Feb 24th
9:00am +DOMINICA DAOUST
Requested By Barb & Mike Daoust
Thurs Feb 25th
9:00am +EMY & DODY BELTRAN
Requested By Cora & Adrian O’Conner
Fri Feb 26th
9:00am +ROD WILCOX
Requested by David Wilcox & Family
Sat Feb 27th
5:15pm +GEORGE STEWART
Requested by Jean & Family
Sun Feb 28th
11:00am +ELIZABETH POWICHROWSKI
Requested by Marek
The Sanctuary Lamp Burns
For the Verbickas Family
Feb 21st to 27th, 2021
Offertory Feb 14th , Inc PAG $1000.00
WHY A PRE-AUTHORIZED GIVING PLAN?
PAG allows St. Mary’s parishioners to make their regular Sunday offering and if they wish their ShareLife offering using the “Direct Debit” system. PAG is an option, not a requirement!
When you participate in the pre-authorized giving, your offering is withdrawn from your account one a month on or about the 20th day of each month.
BENEFITS FOR YOU AND FOR ST. MARY’S
PAG is convenient. Your offering is deducted automatically. There is no need to search for your cheque book or stop by a bank machine on the way to Mass. PAG allows you to support St. Mary’s when you are away – a benefit for the church since expense continue all year long. Most importantly, you are in control; you can increase or decrease the amount or withdraw fro the PAG plan simply by dropping a signed note in the collection basket or the parish office.
HOW DO I ENROLL IN PRE-AUTHORIZED GIVING
Decide the amount of your monthly offertory contribution, fill out the PAG authorization form, we have forms at each entrance to the church and in the parish office. Include a blank cheque marked “VOID” and place both in a sealed envelope. You can place the envelope into the collection basked or drop it into the parish office.
WILL I STILL USE ENVELOPES
If you still wish to use envelopes you can, there is a box on the front of the envelope that you can check it says “PAG Donation”. You can also use the envelopes for any of the special collections not covered by your PAG.
PAG only covers regular offertory and ShareLife.
Please call the office if you are interested in signing up for our PAG program.
On the first Sunday of Lent, the Gospel reading in each Lectionary cycle is about Jesus’ temptation in the desert. This event in the life of Jesus is reported in each of the Synoptic Gospels—Matthew, Mark, and Luke—but it is not found in John’s Gospel. This year we read Mark’s account of this event.
Compared to the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, the details throughout Mark’s narrative are sparse. This is evident in Mark’s account of Jesus’ temptation in the desert. Mark tells us only that Jesus was led into the desert by the Spirit and that for 40 days he was tempted by Satan. The Gospels of Matthew and Luke explain that Jesus fasted while in the desert, that Satan presented him with three temptations, and that Jesus refused each one, quoting Scripture. Only the Gospels of Matthew and Mark report that angels ministered to Jesus at the end of his time in the desert.
In each of the Synoptic Gospels, the temptation of Jesus follows his baptism by John the Baptist. In Mark’s Gospel, we are told that Jesus went into the desert immediately after his baptism, led by the Spirit. Jesus’ public ministry in Galilee begins after his temptation in the desert. Mark’s Gospel makes a connection between the arrest of John the Baptist and the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. Jesus’ preaching about the Kingdom of God is in continuity with the preaching of John the Baptist, but it is also something new. As Jesus announces it, the Kingdom of God is beginning; the time of the fulfillment of God’s promises is here.
The fact that Jesus spent 40 days in the desert is significant. This recalls the 40 years that the Israelites wandered in the desert after being led from slavery in Egypt. The prophet Elijah also journeyed in the desert for 40days and nights, making his way to Horeb, the mountain of God, where he was also attended to by an angel of the Lord. Remembering the significance of these events, we also set aside 40 days for the season of Lent.
In Mark’s Gospel, the desert marks beginning of Jesus’ battle with Satan; the ultimate test will be in Jesus’ final hours on the cross. In a similar way, our Lenten observances are only a beginning, a preparation for and a reinforcement of our ongoing struggle to resist the temptations we face in our lives. During Lent, we are led by the Holy Spirit to remember the vows of Baptism in which we promised to reject sin and to follow Jesus. Just as Jesus was ministered to by the angels, God also supports us in our struggle against sin and temptation. We succeed because Jesus conquered sin once and for all in his saving death on the cross.
PRAYER, FASTING, & ALMSGIVING
Lent is the Church's primary penitential season in the liturgical year.
Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and lasts until the Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday.
The season has six Sundays: the final one, known as Passion (or Palm) Sunday, begins Holy Week.
The origin of Lenten observances dates back to the fourth century or earlier. The length of the season reflects the forty days Christ spent praying and fasting in the desert (see Matthew 4: 1-11) and is a time of preparation for the great feast of Easter.
Tips for making Lent more meaningful.
· Slow Down - Set aside 10 minutes a day for silent prayer or meditation. It will revitalize your body and your spirit.
· Be kind - Go out of your way to do something nice for someone else every day.
THE LAMB OF GOD
The next day John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and declared “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away he sin of the World!”
You, dear Lord, holy, spotless, innocent Lamb, are the only one who can truly offer a sacrifice to God and so enter into the heavenly sanctuary where you want to bring me with you into the presence of your Father. (Heart Speaks to Heart, 41)
How do you suppose John knew who Jesus was, the “Lamb of God”? Was it the way Jesus walked with a steady confidence heading into John’s direction? Or maybe it was the way Jesus looked at John with eyes of understanding and love….
The way he looks at us.
Nevertheless, John knew it was time for his disciples to take their eyes off him and put their eyes on Jesus, who would take away the sin of the world. What John told his disciples to do seems critically important for us still today; namely, focus on the One that really matters in this life: “The Lamb of God,” Jesus.
Jesus, the “Good Shepherd,” comes to fill our hearts with faith to see what John saw, so that we begin to follow Jesus into the heavenly sanctuary of our Heavenly Father.
Lord, help me to see Jesus with eyes of faith as John did, and open my heart to believe that you truly are the saviour I’ve been waiting for. Amen
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS LOTTERY DRAW
Welcome to our first ever province wide online 50/50 draw! 
https://www.kofcontario5050.com/
During this pandemic, your Knights of Columbus has come up with a fantastic way to continue to raise money for our
local charities and organizations. This lottery will help us locally continue to support critical charitable organizations when they need it most. Now more than ever our food banks, social services, and health care facilities need our help. With your contribution through our Provincial Knights of Columbus 50/50 lottery, your helping provide the funds to YOUR community needs. It takes a village for us all to be healthier, happy, and safe. It’s easy to help and you could be a BIG winner. The draws run 4 per year with draw dates as follows: 1st 50/50 starts January 20,2021 - draw date on April 1st, 2021 2nd 50/50 starts April 2nd, 2021 - draw date on June 30, 2021 3rd 50/50 starts July 1st, 2021 - draw date on September 30, 2021 4th 50/50 starts October 1st ,2021 -draw date on December 31, 2021 Now for the fun part. Click here to enter: https://ontariokofcraffle.5050central.com/Home/SelectTickets
All the rules and info are located on the main page. Please share the link above and if asked, be sure you select organization: Collingwood 5793
St. Mary’s Angels –
Coldest Night of the Year
Thank You St. Mary’s for again supporting our Angels.
We have raised $4170.00, we have surpassed our goal I want to thank those who have already donated.
Home Horizon is a very deserving cause, and their goal is to support vulnerable youth in rebuilding their lives and integrating back into their communities, as opposed to continuing down a path of homelessness.
100% of moneys raised will go towards this goal.
Please consider a donation to help youth rebuild their lives and become a contributing part of our community.
Achieving Starts with Believing