The first reading for this second day in Lent is from the Book of Deuteronomy in the Hebrew Scriptures. In chapter 30 we read: "Moses said to the people: 'Today I have set before you life and prosperity, death and doom. If you obey the commandments of the Lord, your God, which I enjoin on you today, loving him, and walking in his ways, and keeping his commandments, statutes and decrees, you will live and grow numerous, and the Lord, your God, will bless you in the land you are entering to occupy."'
God's desire for us comes from the depth of his heart. It comes to us in deep love and it is not forced ... never forced. He desires for us to live ... to choose life ... to accept him and walk in his way ... to provide an opportunity for his blessing to find a home within us. But the choice is ours ... always ours. We may find excuses and place the blame for our predicaments on others, but it rests with us.
Lent is our time of taking stock. We are faced with a choice. We are to look at the alternatives before us and, if wise with the wisdom of God, choose life and growing numerous and being blest and sharing the blessings of God with others.
Lent is a long season of prayer and fasting, gratitude and almsgiving, growth in holiness. Do not procrastinate in the invitation given in these first days to choose life or to renew our decision.
"Entrust your cares to the Lord, and he will support you."
Thursday, February 27, 2020
Tuesday, February 25, 2020
LENT 2020
From "The Blessing of Ashes" of the Ash Wednesday Liturgy.
"O God, who are moved by acts of humility and respond with forgiveness to works of penance, lend your merciful ear to our prayers and in your kindness pour out the grace of your blessing on your servants who are marked with these ashes, that, as they follow the Lenten observances, they may be worthy to come with minds made pure to celebrate the Paschal Mystery of your Son. Through Christ our Lord."
"O God, who are moved by acts of humility and respond with forgiveness to works of penance, lend your merciful ear to our prayers and in your kindness pour out the grace of your blessing on your servants who are marked with these ashes, that, as they follow the Lenten observances, they may be worthy to come with minds made pure to celebrate the Paschal Mystery of your Son. Through Christ our Lord."
REPENT,
AND BELIEVE IN THE GOSPEL!
May this LENT be a journey of growth in holiness!
Tuesday, February 11, 2020
February Family Celebrations
The Stoviak family celebrates two special months. May sees the birthday of my sister, Jane and of myself ... and my ordination to the priesthood which took place on Janie's 23rd birthday. The other significant month is February.
On the 9th of February in 1920 my Dad, Bill Stoviak, was born of Bessie and John Stoviak (Stachowiak) in the small coal mining community (patch) called Continental # 3, about five miles outside of Uniontown. He grew up there, attended Georges High School, got his first job, courted Mom, did his duty during World War II in the Army on the European Front, and upon return, married Mom and attended the police academy before joining the Uniontown Police Department. He served there for many years as patrolman, sargent, and in retirement as a dispatcher. This capsule of his life does no justice to the legacy and effect that this good man and great husband and father brought to all whom he met. He went home to heaven on May 10, 2002 - 18 years ago. This past Sunday, February 9th, would have been Dad's 100th birthday.
On February 11 in 1919 my Mom, Frances Louise Lenard was born in Uniontown of Mary and Frank Lenard. She never went far from home, for she grew up four houses down the street from our family home. She attended Uniontown High School where the yearbook says she was homeroom president, student senate, Beta Pennsylvania Club, Nature Club, Advertisement Club, chorus, usher and the Dancing Club. We just found this tidbit of info recently. I never knew that Mom was a dancer. She worked for a few years in retail before marrying Dad and beginning our family. Mom was loving, supportive and loyal to her family and friends. She went home to join Dad in heaven three short years after his death, on March 3rd, 2005 - 15 years ago this year. Today would have been Mom's 101st birthday.
Our other family celebration was February 17th. On that date in 1946 Frances Lenard and William Stoviak were married at Saint Mary Nativity Church in Uniontown. 74 years ago this coming Monday marks the beginning of their journey together and our family. As their children, Janie and I were and truly are blessed.
As you can see - February is a special month for us - and this year those celebrations have taken on significant importance in the number of years ... 100, 101 and 74. Happy Birthday, Mom & Dad ... and Happy Anniversary!
On the 9th of February in 1920 my Dad, Bill Stoviak, was born of Bessie and John Stoviak (Stachowiak) in the small coal mining community (patch) called Continental # 3, about five miles outside of Uniontown. He grew up there, attended Georges High School, got his first job, courted Mom, did his duty during World War II in the Army on the European Front, and upon return, married Mom and attended the police academy before joining the Uniontown Police Department. He served there for many years as patrolman, sargent, and in retirement as a dispatcher. This capsule of his life does no justice to the legacy and effect that this good man and great husband and father brought to all whom he met. He went home to heaven on May 10, 2002 - 18 years ago. This past Sunday, February 9th, would have been Dad's 100th birthday.
On February 11 in 1919 my Mom, Frances Louise Lenard was born in Uniontown of Mary and Frank Lenard. She never went far from home, for she grew up four houses down the street from our family home. She attended Uniontown High School where the yearbook says she was homeroom president, student senate, Beta Pennsylvania Club, Nature Club, Advertisement Club, chorus, usher and the Dancing Club. We just found this tidbit of info recently. I never knew that Mom was a dancer. She worked for a few years in retail before marrying Dad and beginning our family. Mom was loving, supportive and loyal to her family and friends. She went home to join Dad in heaven three short years after his death, on March 3rd, 2005 - 15 years ago this year. Today would have been Mom's 101st birthday.
Our other family celebration was February 17th. On that date in 1946 Frances Lenard and William Stoviak were married at Saint Mary Nativity Church in Uniontown. 74 years ago this coming Monday marks the beginning of their journey together and our family. As their children, Janie and I were and truly are blessed.
As you can see - February is a special month for us - and this year those celebrations have taken on significant importance in the number of years ... 100, 101 and 74. Happy Birthday, Mom & Dad ... and Happy Anniversary!
Monday, February 3, 2020
Let me try to explain!
Sunday at lunch at our place (February 2nd) I found myself saying "Let me try to explain!". We were finishing lunch and one of our newer residents, a young and charming priest from Nigeria by the name of Father Anthony who is a new member of our International Priests Program and is living with us as he gets his papers, drivers test, clearances, etc. taken care of. We had greeted each other earlier with "Happy Feast of the Presentation of the Lord" and "Happy Groundhog Day". Well, he asked: "What is groundhog day?"
To someone from another culture and another climate, try to explain that tid bit of lore! Let me try to explain!
The few of us at lunch proceeded to explain the tradition of Punxsutawney Phil, the local groundhog personality from the nearby small town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, who predicts every year on the morning of February 2nd that we will see either an early Spring or six more weeks of Winter. It all has to do with Phil seeing or not seeing his shadow. The event is a great celebration for the townsfolk and a multitude of visitors who party hardy! The news covers it in great detail. And this has been happening on February 2nd since 1887. With a few odd years that were missed, the score is: 103 years of a longer Winter ... 20 years of an early Spring. This year was an early Spring prognosis. Try to have that make sense to an intelligent person from another culture.
The other thing that we tried to explain is our Winter weather. Father Anthony has rarely seen snow and the cold is uncommon for him. We have been warning him of our winters ... but his experience since he arrived in early January has been strange at best. We've had a rather mild January ... we are behind in regular snowfall ... even yesterday at lunch we had at least an inch of snow on the ground and it was in the low 30's ... and today it was 64 and sunny. So again, Father Anthony, let me try to explain our weather. I did reassure him that he will know Winter when he finally experiences it.
To someone from another culture and another climate, try to explain that tid bit of lore! Let me try to explain!
The few of us at lunch proceeded to explain the tradition of Punxsutawney Phil, the local groundhog personality from the nearby small town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, who predicts every year on the morning of February 2nd that we will see either an early Spring or six more weeks of Winter. It all has to do with Phil seeing or not seeing his shadow. The event is a great celebration for the townsfolk and a multitude of visitors who party hardy! The news covers it in great detail. And this has been happening on February 2nd since 1887. With a few odd years that were missed, the score is: 103 years of a longer Winter ... 20 years of an early Spring. This year was an early Spring prognosis. Try to have that make sense to an intelligent person from another culture.
The other thing that we tried to explain is our Winter weather. Father Anthony has rarely seen snow and the cold is uncommon for him. We have been warning him of our winters ... but his experience since he arrived in early January has been strange at best. We've had a rather mild January ... we are behind in regular snowfall ... even yesterday at lunch we had at least an inch of snow on the ground and it was in the low 30's ... and today it was 64 and sunny. So again, Father Anthony, let me try to explain our weather. I did reassure him that he will know Winter when he finally experiences it.
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