Around the Parish – February 15, 2026
Published on February 14, 2026
Standing at the Threshold
This Sunday always feels like we’re standing in a doorway.
Lent is just around the corner. Ash Wednesday is nearly here. We can already sense that familiar shift, from Ordinary Time into a season that asks more of us: more honesty, more intention, more willingness to let God work on us.
And fittingly, the Gospel this weekend places us right at the heart of what Lent is really about.
Jesus tells us that He has not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it. Then He goes further, much further, than anyone expects. It’s not enough, He says, to simply avoid murder; we must examine anger and resentment. It’s not enough to avoid adultery; we must look honestly at what we desire and how we love. Faith, Jesus makes clear, is not about checking boxes or doing the bare minimum. It’s about the heart.
That’s uncomfortable, and deeply freeing at the same time.
Lent is not meant to be a season of spiritual self-punishment or gloomy obligation. It’s an invitation. An invitation to let God go deeper than our surface-level habits and touch the places where we struggle, where we settle, and where we need healing. Jesus is not raising the bar to make holiness impossible; He’s showing us what a transformed heart actually looks like.
This Sunday gives us a gentle but honest preview of Lent’s purpose. Before we think about ashes, fasting, or giving something up, we’re asked a more fundamental question: Am I willing to let God work on my heart, not just my behavior?
That question can shape how we approach the coming weeks. Maybe Lent this year isn’t about adding more religious tasks, but about creating space: space for prayer that is honest, for reconciliation that is real, for choices that reflect love rather than convenience. Maybe it’s about letting go of grudges, softening hardened attitudes, or paying attention to how we speak to and about others.
Jesus reminds us that holiness isn’t about appearing righteous, it’s about becoming whole.
As we approach Lent, I encourage you not to rush past this moment. Take a breath. Stand in the doorway. Ask the Lord where He wants to work in you this season, not out of guilt or pressure, but out of love.
God desires not just our actions, but our hearts. And that is very good news.
May these final days before Lent help us prepare, not just for a season, but for a deeper encounter with Christ.
Pax et Bonum,
Fr. Andy
The Power and Tradition of Mass Intentions
The Mass is considered the greatest prayer of intercession in the Church. This is because it is the perfect offering of Christ to the Father, making present the Paschal Mystery of His death and resurrection. Traditionally, a Priest may be requested to offer a Mass for a specific intention, even if the requester cannot be physically present.
Offering Masses for the Deceased:
Having a Mass offered for a deceased person is an ancient and commendable practice. A Mass is offered to pray for the departed, that they may find peace in heaven. Since each Mass holds infinite value, requesting one or several Masses is of tremendous benefit to the person prayed for, as well as their family, who can take comfort in knowing that their intention is united with the prayers of the Church.
The Mass: Center of Christian Life:
Every Mass is a precious gift from God. It is the center of the Church’s life, known as “the source and summit of the Christian life,” because in the celebration of the Mass, we are brought back to Jesus’ Last Supper, the first Mass. We consciously recall the love of God poured out for us through the life, death, and resurrection of His only Son, Jesus Christ. At each Mass, all the intentions of God’s people, both living and deceased, are included. As Pope Paul VI noted in his motu proprio “Firma in Traditione,” the faithful, moved by an ecclesial and religious sense, join their own sacrifices to the Eucharistic sacrifice, participating more intensely and supporting the Church’s needs, especially its ministers.
Requesting a Mass Intention:
Anyone may request a Mass Intention for a living person, a deceased person, members of a family, or a special intention appropriate to the celebration of the Eucharist, such as World Peace, Vocations, or Respect for Life. The Church allows only one intention per Mass.
Offering a Mass Stipend:
The normal stipend offering for a Mass is $10. However, a Mass Offering can be more or less than the suggested amount, depending on the financial position of the person requesting the Mass. Envelopes for Mass intention requests are available at the entrances of the church. These envelopes can be placed in the collection basket or returned to the parish office. The requester may also ask for a card to be sent to notify someone that a Mass Intention has been requested (one card per intention). Please note that the name of the person(s) requesting the Mass is not announced.
