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'For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works.' Sunday Reflections, 4th Sunday of Lent, Year B

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  Nicodemus Unknown Flemish Master [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   John 3:14-21 ( English Standard Version Anglicised: India) Jesus said to Nicodemus: And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,   that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.   For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.   Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.   And this is the judgement: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were e

Reflections For Holy Week

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REFLECTIONS

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Trust and Mercy

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Divine Mercy Sunday: Acts 4:32 - 35 1 John 5:1 - 6 John 20:19 - 31 (April 8, 2018; this homily is from April 7, 2002) Divine Mercy Sunday, 2018 By Deacon Lawrence N. Kaas April 8, 2018 (originally April 7, 2002) 20 years ago we wanted to dedicate our community to the Mercy of God. The story of which is far too long to share with you this morning. But you need to know that we asked our Bishop Speltz to conduct the dedication but were told, 'no he can't come because of confirmations.. Just days before the dedication, he personally called and said that it was too important for him not to be here and so changed appointments to be with us. At one point he said, he saw this as a way to get the Sacred Heart enthroned in every home and saw this was a means to fulfill that because The Divine Mercy image fits perfectly with the Sacred Heart - as well it should. Now what does he do? Not only does he dedicate our community, but dedicates the whole Diocese to The Mercy of God: t

REFLECTIONS

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Reflections from Sauk Centre's Our Lady of Angels Church

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"Reflections by Deacon Lawrence N. Kaas, who serves in this area — and who also is my father-in-law...." A link list to Deacon Kaas' reflections, updated: " Reflections from Sauk Centre's Our Lady of Angels Church "

"Blessed are You Who Believe"

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"Blessed are you who believe that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled." [ Luke 1:45 ] We all like to get our way. Okay, I won't speak for everyone. So let me rephrase that, 99.9% of us like to get our way as often as possible (myself included of course). Okay, I don't really know the exact number, but my guess is, it's pretty high. From a very early age we start striving to make sure that our wants are being met (even long after we start realizing that others have needs, wants and feelings too). And so, we grab toys away from other kids. We beg mom and dad to make our favorite food for dinner. We want to have absolute control of the TV. (Who can stand those shows adults watch anyway?) And we cry and throw tantrums when things don't go our way. (But I don't want to go to bed now!) More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Guest post)

Reflections for the Soul

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Jesus Christ is Risen!

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Easter Sunday 2015: Acts 10:34a , 37 - 43 Colossians 3:1 - 4 or 1 Corinthians 6b - 8 John 20:1 - 9 Easter Sunday 2015 By Deacon Lawrence N. Kaas April 5, 2015 Jesus Christ is risen! This means that life takes on a new horizon. Have you ever thought of yourself as immortal? Have you ever considered that you have "forever" to live? The resurrection from the death of Jesus casts a new light on our human existence. No longer are we bound by finite ends. Our life has an all new endless and brilliant horizon, and we come to share in this new resurrected and glorious horizon gifted us by Christ Jesus through our baptism. In baptism, we are born into the resurrected life of Jesus Christ, a life that knows no end, no boundaries.... More, at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Time for Reflections

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Love, Hate, and "Silent Night"

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Epiphany Sunday, 2014: Isaiah 60:1 - 6 Ephesians 3:2 - 3a , 5 - 6 Matthew 2:1 - 12  Epiphany of the Lord, 2014 By Deacon Lawrence N. Kaas January 4, 2015 Epiphany is still Christmas, especially for all of us who are Gentile. The gifts we have received really do not compare to the greatest gift of all--- the babe of Bethlehem, the word made flesh and dwelt,s amongst us, is the precious Son of the Father. Music is a part of this special gift, for music is a gift from God. How many of us are put in a mood of joy and hope through music, especially Christmas music. I listened to the sound of music a week 10 days ago and even after hearing it many times it still seemed like the first time. We can even here in our minds, Bing Crosby's White Christmas and if you are on a little more of the low brow side of music you may hear Elvis singing I'll have a blue blue blue Christmas without you... (Guest post) More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Fear of the Lord: Ancient, Timeless Wisdom

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time 2014: Proverbs 31:10 - 13 , 19 - 20 , 30 - 31 1 Thessalonians 5:1 - 6 Matthew 25:14 - 30 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time 2014 By Deacon Lawrence N. Kaas November 16, 2014 Our Catholic Christian tradition teaches us that happiness and friendship and marriage should all be based on a healthy loving fear of the Lord. In the Hebrew Scriptures, the psalmist expresses it very simply and poetically. "Blessed are those who fear the Lord," and then he explains what, exactly, that means: "to fear of the Lord is to walk in his ways." This is the wisdom of the ages. It is the perennial principle of human happiness. And it is the foundation of true success in marriage.... (Guest post.) More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Love, Death, and Families

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By Deacon Lawrence N. Kaas I've been asked, to write something for this Sunday's bulletin, but what to write? How about something of an 80-year-old, celibate, Deacon. Right off someone is going to ask, "well, priests retire at 70 what about Deacons?" We are required to send a letter of retirement to our Bishop when we turned 70 years of age and so I did. I got a letter back from the Bishop when we turned 70 years of age and so I did. I got a letter back from the Bishop saying, "your time clock is not run out yet, you can go on for a while." I was so proud of him that he even remembered that I worked on clocks. So now 10 years later having had lunch with our Bishop a few months ago and for some reason telling him I was 80 years old, he said, "Ak, only 20 more years ago." I'm not sure what that means, are you stuck with me or am I stuck with you? Ha.... (Guest post) More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Guide, Friend, Counselor, Comforter: the Holy Spirit

Readings for the Sixth Sunday of Easter 2014: Acts 8:5 - 8 , 14 - 17 1 Peter 3:15 - 18 John 14:15 - 21 Sixth Sunday of Easter 2014 By Deacon Lawrence N. Kaas May 25, 2014 In an anonymous e-mail, we are told a story we need to hear on this Memorial Day weekend. It's about an old man and his wife sitting in the parking lot of a supermarket. The hood is up on their car. Evidently they were having engine problems. A young man in his early 20s with a grocery bag in his arms walks in the direction of the older couple. The older gentleman emerges from his car and takes a few steps in the young man's direction. He points to the open hood and asks the young man for assistance. The young man puts his grocery bag into his expensive SUV, turns back to the old man and yelled at him: "you shouldn't even be allowed to drive a car at your age." And then with a wave of his hand, he gets into his car and speeds out of the parking lot. The old gentleman pulls out h