Fourth Sunday in Lent, March 14th, 2021

 Fourth Sunday in Lent (Laetare Sunday), 

March 14th, 2021

Those who know me are already aware that for my secular job I work for the Department of Corrections as a counselor.  Yet when I meet a person and they find out where I work I can see the look of surprise on their face.  And  they usually have many questions about "life in a prison."  This is because most people would never dream of working in a prison.  Honestly, until I began working for the Department of Corrections, I never would have dreamed of working in a prison either.  Most people understand that you do not want to go to prison, whether that is an an employee or as an inmate.  And yet despite the fact I find myself going in and out of a prison on a daily basis along with my fellow D.O.C. employees.   And as you enter the facility you hear the door close and lock behind you.    Locked in behind closed, locked doors . . .  . fences . . .  barbed wire . . .  .    And some people who are incarcerated do the same thing . . . . they go in and out of prison . . .  in and out of prison.  They do their time and get released and before you know it here they are all over again.  I see some of the kids where I work come back again and it is so sad.  In and out of prison.  In and out of prison.  

And yet in a certain sense, don't all of us do the same thing?  We find ourselves in sinful behavior and we repent and then we go right back to the sinful behavior.  And then the circle starts all over again.  We shake our heads in disbelief at the people who . . . . through their actions .. . . . give up their freedom and go back to prison.  We can't believe why someone would willingly go back to prison.  And yet most of us do the same thing.  We may not go in and out of an actual, physical prison but it's just as bad, if not worse in many ways.  We give up the freedom we find in Christ because we are chained to the sinfulness of the world.   In the Fourth Chapter of St. Paul's Epistle to the Galatians, St. Paul presents us with an analogy between bondage and sinfulness.  St. Paul says that as the children of God we are indeed the "children of promise." (v. 28)  But if this is the case . . . . if we truly are the "children of promise" . . . .  why do we go back to our sinful ways?  Why do we get caught up in the ways of the world?  Why do we "spin our wheels" and never move forward because of our dependency on our addiction to material things here on earth?  Whether it is substance abuse, or alcoholism, or addiction to food, or power or riches or status, etc., etc., etc.  God offers freedom.  Christ has paid our debt of sin when He died on the Cross.  And yet despite our debt being paid we keep turning our back on the freedom that God offers and to back to living in bondage to the sinful ways of the world.  In and out of prison . . .  in and out of prison.  Why do we shake our heads and question why people go in and out of prison when we do the same thing on a daily basis?  We should focus on the fact that we are the children of promise  . . . . we should rejoice in the fact that we are sons and daughters of the Most High . . . . we should glory in the fact that our debt to sinful flesh has been paid by Our Blessed Savior!  With so much to be thankful for, why do we keep going back to our sinful ways?

PLEASE NOTE:  St. Margaret Church will NOT meet on Sunday, March 14th, 2021.

St. Margaret Church is still being affected, as is the whole world, by the Coronavirus outbreak.  Specifically, our church is not allowed to meet as we would like due to CDC and State recommendations.  But despite these recommendations, our members still continue to pray to Our Heavenly Father.  Our members still continue to reach out to their neighbors and loved ones.  Our members still continue to be the face and hands and instruments of the Lord throughout these troubling times.  Additionally, Fr. Todd also continues to post his sermons and reflections online.  So, please continue to pray for St. Margaret Church and all the Christian Churches throughout the world that we may continue to stay close to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.   

And please remember that you can still show support to St. Margaret Church by sharing these posts on social media . . . sharing the sermons and reflections of Fr. Todd on social media as well.  In this way, despite any sort of "lock-down," you will help St. Margaret Church continue to spread the Gospel and continue to tell the world about our love for Our Blessed Saviour!