Church of the
Annunciation

This is the final Sunday before Holy Week. Holy Week is the culmination not only of Jesus’ ministry, but the fulfillment of God’s plan for salvation. It is fitting then, that the final reading before Holy Week shows the true message of our relationship with humanity. To be faithful to God means to sacrifice daily for the faith. While sacrifice takes place in different forms, it is to set us free from condemning others. As humans we have this need to judge and validate. We see this in our daily lives. The distinction we must discern within our judgements is whether or not we are working for the truth our faith commands us to follow. Various words further this truth, intention, justice, virtue, common good. What our scriptures tell us today is that our prayer must be central in determining if we are working on behalf of the truth.

    This is shown perfectly in our Gospel. Many are willing to condemn others, until Jesus reveals their own faults and sins. If our sins were written out for all to see, we would not be so hasty to condemn. Even more so, the grace we encounter is that God does not expect perfection but rather the pursuit of it. To seek God means to truly be willing to follow Him in all things.

    As we move into Holy Week let us continue to pray for one another for the conversion of our hearts, minds, and souls to

be united with Christ’s.

In Christ, 

Fr. Aaron