In the Gospel at Mass today, Mary of Bethany pours costly oil over Our Lord, and weeping with remorse for her sins, wipes His feet with her hair. Jesus speaks of her great love which merits great mercy. Tuesday, the prophet Isaiah trumpets himself as the strong, fine-edged servant of God, a weapon in the hands of his Lord. In the Gospel, Jesus reclines at table at the Last Supper, “deeply troubled,” offering Judas a chance to turn away from evil, hearing Peter avow his undying loyalty.

This last weekday before the Easter Triduum is also known as Spy Wednesday, when, as we hear in the Gospel, Judas Iscariot bargained for Christ’s arrest.

There's still plenty of time to join the spring 2023 campaign in Barre, Burlington, or Rutland. The activities run from the kickoff this past weekend, Feb. 19 through Sunday, April 2. Here's an internet address to fine the local 40 Days groups and sign up for a vigil time: 40daysforlife.com/en/

Season 2 of the Chosen, the television series on the life of Jesus, will air in St. Elizabeth's hall Wednesday evenings in March. Two episodes will run each week from 6:00 - 8:00 PM. No need to sign up, simply show up.

Father Harlow and faithful attending the 8:30 AM Saturday Mass this week consecrated (or re-consecrated) themselves to Jesus through Mary. Father Harlow preached on St. Louis de Montfort's writing True Devotion to Mary at the Saturday morning Masses during the past few weeks, and Saturday, preached on consecration to Our Blessed Mother. Each person placed a rose in a vase next to Our Lady's statue as Our Lady of Fatima and lit a candle that remained there until the end of Mass. After Mass, everyone processed with his candle to the votive candle holder in front of the Sacred Heart of Jesus statue as a reminder that they are giving everything to Jesus through Mary. Video Link to Saturday's Consecration: https://youtu.be/GmwD4X_KBDM Thank you to Edie Aremburg for her photographs of the consecration. You may buy Father Harlow's book Echo of God through the parish office at St. John, or on Amazon.

This week, we hear Our Lord’s promises of our resurrection from the dead from the prophet Ezekiel: “Thus says the Lord God: O my people, I will open your graves and have you rise from them.” “I trust in the Lord,” affirms Psalm 130, and St. Paul tells us, “The One who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also.” The Gospel of John relates the story of the death and raising of Lazarus. The two-week period Passiontide begins this weekend. Church statues and crosses and crucifixes may be covered with veils, usually purple, simple and unadorned. Various authors describe different reasons for the veiling: shielding these beloved images helps us fast, in a sense, from images of God and his saints, and hunger for their return at the great Easter Solemnity. The shrouds also connote death, as the Church will journey through the Lord’s passion and death soon, and wait in silent vigil for the Resurrection at the end of the upcoming Holy Week. We also may view this allusion to death as a symbol of our own Lenten struggle to die to sin and be born anew at Easter. A Gospel of Passiontide in the Traditional form speaks of Jesus hiding himself, as we hide these images. Veiling statues also calls to mind Jesus’ hiding or veiling his divinity during his Passion. Another author likens the removal of these statues from our sight as one of the steps taken during this time in Lent, to hide and reduce more aspects or our faith, just as we had earlier put away the Gloria and Alleluia, and soon lose bells and the Mass itself at the end of Holy Week. The veils are removed before the Easter Vigil Mass.

Enjoy spaghetti with choice of beverage, homemade meat or marinara sauce, salad, homemade bread, and dessert. All for purchase by donation. This is a GSCS fundraiser, organized by the PTG. *Reservations are required, with several seating times available and take-out orders are available, by advance request. *Call 802-751-8223 to make your reservation! *Open to our school community AND the public! Invite your families, friends, and neighbors!

Fr. Harlow will preach at all the Saturday 8:30am Masses at St. John on the True Devotion. St. Louis de Montfort tells us that devotion to Our Lady is the fastest way to grow in holiness. Personal consecrations will take place at the March 25th Mass - the Feast of the Annunciation.

Father Harlow will end the Consecration to Jesus through Mary Saturday morning after the 8:30 AM Mass at. St. John. Father has been speaking on True Devotion to Mary, the famous work by Marian devotee St. Louis de Montfort. Father Harlow published his own book, Echo of God, explaining Montfort's Marian devotion. Today we mark the magnificent entry of God into human life and time, the conception of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit, in the womb of the lowly Virgin Mary. Conceived without sin, Mary bowed her head to the will of God, and accepted the sword of suffering, and the joys and glory that awaited her as Mother of Our Lord. We are told of important parallels with Eve and her yielding to temptation by the fallen angel Lucifer in the garden of Eden. There, some accounts say, a woman spoke with an angel and erred. Today, another woman spoke with an angel and pronounced the great saving, “Yes,” to God’s will, countering Eve’s terrible “No,” to obeying God.

We are joyful this day because Easter draws near. Our priest may wear rose-colored vestments instead of purple or violet. It’s a good time to add to our joy by going to Confession, preparing for receiving Our Lord at Easter. Church flowers and more music are allowed today before we return to a penitential mode. At Mass, we hear the reading from Samuel recounting the discovery and anointing of David, the shepherd youth, as the future king of Israel. In keeping with the shepherd theme, our Psalm is No. 23, “The Lord is my shepherd.” Next, we pass on to the message of light, as Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians exhorts to shun the works of darkness, to “Awake, O Sleeper … and Christ will give you light.” The Gospel from St. John continues this motif with the story of the blind man.

THIRD SUNDAY IN LENT This week at Holy Mass, our first reading is from the Old Testament Book of Exodus, when Moses struck the rock in the desert to give his people miraculous water. God hears Moses’s stricken plea for help and directs him to draw water from the stone. Psalm 95 urges us to resist hardened hearts, referring to the Israelites from the first reading. In the second reading, St. Paul in his Letter to the Romans encourages us to stay strong in the face of adversity. The Gospel is a long one with a famed lengthy dialogue between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well, a fascinating story that the Church prizes. It is full of gems of meaning from our Catholic faith. You may wish to consult your Lenten guides for more insights into this priceless tale of Our Lord’s thirst for us, our thirst for Him, and how to satisfy both desires.

The Knights of Columbus is holding a fish fry on Friday March 17, St. Patrick's Day from 4:00 - 6:00 PM at St. Elizabeth. Here's the menu: Fish (baked; fried), fish chowder, potatoes, green beans, coleslaw, assorted desserts, coffee, punch. Prices: $10 per person; $30 per family. Take-out available. During the year 2022 the K of C donated more than $29,000.00 to various charities in our local area. If you are interested in joining the K of C or want more information, contact Stan 802-626-8723 or Jim 802-626-9510 or any member.

"This year, the Memorial of Saint Patrick falls on Friday, March 17. It is well known that Saint Patrick’s Day is a day of convivial celebration for many American Catholics. In addition, St. Patrick is the secondary Patron of the Diocese of Burlington. I, therefore, decree that on Friday, March 17, 2023, all Catholics of the Diocese of Burlington, no matter where they may be, and all other Catholics actually present in the Diocese on that day, are, by my authority, dispensed from the obligation (can. 87 §1). For those who make use of this dispensation, I recommend embracing some additional penance or act of charity during this Lenten season." The Most Reverend Christopher J. Coyne Bishop of Burlington. The Bishop's statement allows the faithful to eat on St. Patrick's Day as long as one practices another penance that day.

"Because I believe so strongly in the Mission of GSCS, I am going to match the $500 tuition discounts for the first three families that enroll in GSCS and complete the first year. That would mean a $1,000 discount for those families for the first year's tuition." - Father Lance Harlow, Pastor, Corpus Christi Parish.

Please get in touch with Deacon Pete Gummere is you are an Extraordinary Minister who can take Holy Communion to parishioners confined to home or a care facility. Deacon Pete also is looking for volunteers to take parishioners to Mass. These people have no car, are unable to drive, or have no other transportation.. Please contact Deacon Pete to help with these requests: cell phone number - (802) 274-0942 or [email protected].

St. John could use a hand keeping the sanctuary neat and clean - dusting, vacuuming, arranging items. If you would like to help, please call the parish office at 802-748-8129.