Sunday, 17 March 2024
5th Sunday of Lent | 3rd Scrutiny
The Raising of Lazarus from the Dead
‘As long as the day lasts I must carry out the work of the one who sent me; the night will soon be here when no one can work.
As long as I am in the world I am the light of the world.’
Gospel of John 9: 3-5
Excerpts from the Lectionary for Mass ©2001, 1998, 1970 CCD.
LIVE THE LITURGY
Inspiration of the Week
Though weighed down by grief, Martha rushes out to meet Jesus. She may not understand why he was absent upon the death of her brother, but her faithfulness is undeterred. In the hour of her heartbreak, she knows her only solace is in the embrace of the Lord.
Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead.
I am the Resurrection and the Life.
Gospel Meditation
Encouraging Deeper Understanding of Scripture
Of all Jesus’ miracles, the most unsettling might be when he made a dead person alive. We know of three times when he did so: a girl, a young man, and Lazarus. The miracle teaches us he has the power of life and death. He anticipates his resurrection. Sin hurts us. Some sin kills us, spiritually. The three miracles reveal to us that no matter our circumstances, Jesus can give life to us.
The three miracles are instructive of the three ways we feel dead. The little dead girl symbolizes sin before it has time to mature. She’s in bed and, once alive, gets right back to her life. The young man is lying in his casket in a funeral procession. This is sin allowed to fester, to grow and become somewhat normalized. Once raised, he has a short walk back home. Lazarus, a full-grown dead man, lies wrapped in burial bands in the tomb. Once he is raised, much needs to be done. He’ll need to remove those bands, find new clothes, and travel all the way back home. That is sin allowed to go all the way, unchecked for months or years. It’s the most spectacular of the three and reveals Jesus’ glory more than the others.
What hope that should give us, for us and those whom we love! Jesus knows our sin hurts us and can even kill us spiritually. No matter the extent of the damage, he is always ready for the miracle of making the dead fully alive.
- Father John Muir
© LP1 2024
Questions of the Week
Invite Parishioners to Reflect and Respond to Scripture
First Reading
God revealed to the prophet Ezekiel his divine plan for the resurrection of the dead: “I (will) open your graves and make you come up out of them, my people.
As a person of faIth, how does this promise give you hope?
Second Reading
Paul insists that for believers, the Spirit dwelling within us gives life to our mortal bodies, raising us from the dead as Christ was raised from the dead.
How does this impact your thoughts about Jesus himself?
Gospel Reading
In her grief and sadness at the death of her brother Lazarus, Martha professes her belief in Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God..
As the season of Lent draws to a close, in what ways have the last 40 days strengthened your faith in Jesus as our Lord and Saviour?
Recognising God in Your Ordinary Moments
Offer it up?
“Offer it up.” My grandmother used this phrase with her children and my mother, in turn, used it with me. It’s a kind of verbal heirloom, a gift of wisdom from a generation that knew suffering all too well.
We know it to be true that God will work through our suffering if we invite him to. We know it and we have seen it — we have only to look at Lazarus and his sisters Martha and Mary.
But, often, I invite God into my suffering only to tell Him where I want Him to stand. I make an offering of suffering but expect God to do something very specific with it. Teach me this, please. Give me this specific grace. Show me this specific answer.
The happy ending in today’s Gospel is not the alleviation of the sorrow Martha and Mary feel because it isn’t alleviated, Lazarus is still human, and death still awaits him. Someday, his sisters will have to mourn at his tomb. That loss and pain will not be avoided.
The happy ending is that he is resurrected now, and in doing so, brings so many to belief. The happy ending is that Martha and Mary do not abandon discipleship because things didn’t work out exactly the way that they wanted. They run out to meet Christ, eyes dim with tears. They fling themselves into his company and onto his providence.
They made an offering of their suffering, and their happy ending is that their offering was accepted.
“You are not in the flesh, on the contrary, you are in the spirit.” — Romans 8:9
Ministers for Sunday, 17 March
Taupō & Tūrangi
Here’s what's happening in March
NEW PLANNED GIVING ENVELOPES ARE AVAILABLE IN THE CHURCH FOYERS
PLEASE COLLECT BEFORE LEAVING CHURCH. THANK YOU.
Sunday, 17 March: Feast of St Patrick | School Mass
9am Mass
Sunday, 17 March: Seek (Baptism Course): Session Four
Welcoming new members to the parish: After Mass | Faith Formation Centre.
(See advertisement below)
Tuesday, 19 March: Tuesday Community Lunch
1.00 pm | Taupō (then weekly during school term)
Tuesday, 19 March: Youth Groups
6.00 pm – 7.00pm (Years 7 & 8) | 7.00 pm – 7.30pm (dinner) | 7.30 pm – 8.45pm (Years 9 & 13) | Taupō
(weekly during school term)
Wednesday, 20 March: Depth Charge Connect
10.00 am | Dennis and Catherine Hancock’s place
(weekly during school term)
Wednesday, 20 March: Foundations
6.00 pm | Cafe
(then weekly during Lent)
Wednesday, 20 March: Lenten Reconciliation Service | Tūrangi
7.00 pm
Thursday, 21 March: Lenten Reconciliation Service | Taupō
7.00 pm
Thursday, 21 March: NO Endurance Connect | Men’s Group
Lenten Reconciliation Service instead
Friday, 22 March: Stations of the Cross
Fridays in Lent, 6.45pm (February – March):
School community
Friday, 22 March: Women’s Group Pietà Lenten Study
7.30pm: Church
Sunday, 24 March: Palm Sunday
End of Lent
Sunday, 24 March: Seek (Baptism Course): Session Five
Welcoming new members to the parish: After Mass | Faith Formation Centre.
(See advertisement below)
Monday, 25 March: Beginning of Holy Week
Tuesday, 26 March: Chrism Mass | Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Hamilton
12.15 pm
Tuesday, 26 March: Tuesday Community Lunch
1.00 pm | Taupō
(then weekly during school term)
Tuesday, 26 March: Youth Groups
6.00 pm – 7.00pm (Years 7 & 8) | 7.00 pm – 7.30pm (dinner) | 7.30 pm – 8.45pm (Years 9 & 13) | Taupō
(weekly during school term)
Wednesday, 27 March: Depth Charge Connect
10.00 am | Dennis and Catherine Hancock’s place
(weekly during school term)
Wednesday, 27 March: Foundations
6.00 pm
Practice for Easter Vigil
Thursday, 28 March: NO 9am Mass | Taupō
See below
Thursday, 28 March: NO Endurance Connect | Men’s Group
See below
Thursday, 28 March: Mass of the Last Supper of the Lord | Taupō
7.00 pm
Friday, 29 March: NO 12noon Mass | Taupō
See below
Friday, 29 March: Stations of the Cross | Tūrangi
10.00 am
Friday, 29 March: The Passion of the Our Lord Jesus Christ | Taupō
3.00 pm
Saturday, 30 March: NO 9am Mass
See below
Saturday, 30 March: NO Vigil Mass in Tūrangi
See below
Saturday, 30 March: Holy Saturday Easter Vigil | Taupō
8.00 pm
Sunday, 31 March: Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord | Taupō
9am
Invite someone you know to come and join us for these sacred days.
Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA)
For the last twelve months four people in the parish have been learning about the Church and what it means to be Catholic.
LENT IS A SPECIAL TIME for them as they journey towards Easter.
At the Easter Vigil they will be welcomed into the Church through baptism & the Holy Spirit. They will profess with us the Faith of the Church. Then, they will join us at the Altar of the Lord, so be nourished with the Body and Blood of Christ.
Have you been considering baptism for your child or infant? Now is your chance for 2024.
SEEK is a fun and interactive 5 week adventure for parents and their children as they explore faith and journey towards baptism. We can’t wait to have you join us for the adventure.
Condolences
To the Rudnicki family on the death of Anne Rudnicki, a loving wife, mother and grandmother.
Eternal Rest grant to her, O Lord.
Anne Rudnicki
“May She Rest in Peace. Amen.”
LENTEN PRACTICES 2024
DIVINE MERCY
Fridays & Sundays during Lent 3pm | Taupō
STATIONS OF THE CROSS
Fridays during Lent | 6.45pm | Taupō
Booklet will be printed and available each Friday.
16 Feb: Filipino community
23 Feb: Tokelau community
1 Mar: Indian community
8 Mar: Pākeha community
15 Mar: Māori community
22 Mar: School community
WOMEN’S GROUP
PIETÀ LENTEN PROGRAMME
Fridays during Lent | 7.30pm |
Taupō
CONFESSIONS
During Lent come and celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation
Confession | Penance
Rite II Reconciliation Service
Celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession | Penance) is perfect way to prepare for Easter
THREE PILLARS OF LENT
The word LENT comes from an old English word meaning “spring,” or “a new birth”. This time of year helps us to renew our lives as Catholics and renew our life in Jesus, his Church, and his Father.
The three traditional pillars of Lent are prayer, fasting and almsgiving.
Through these three pillars we journey to develop a closer relationship to God.
LENTEN APPEAL 2024
The Time Is Now
Lenten Envelopes are available in the church foyers. This is one of the ways we can give alms.
Lenten Reconciliation Service
Pope Francis celebrates the Sacrament of Reconciliation in St Peter’s Square, Rome.
The act of confessing your sins is not only getting those sins out of the shadows, it’s giving God the chance to forgive them.
Lenten Reconciliation Services
Wednesday, 20 March, 7pm in Tūrangi
Thursday, 21 March, 7pm in Taupō,
Diocesan Family Weekend
Family weekend will be held 19 - 21 April 2023, central to Hamilton.
Accommodation is at Narrows Camp.
The theme for this year is based around the domestic church - what can we be doing in our homes.
Our guest speakers are Carrie and Luke McCormack, who have a passion for the domestic Church. They are members of the Emmanuel Community, Brisbane. Luke and Carrie are graduates from Encounter School of Ministry and are teachers at the Encounter School of Ministry Brisbane Campus.
Retreats
Tyburn Monastery, Ngakuru &
Cluny Retreat Centre, Tauranga
Sunday Mass Schedule
Vigil Mass: Saturdays, 5pm | Tūrangi
Sunday Mass: Sunday, 9am | Taupō
Weekday Mass Schedule
Monday: 7pm | Taupō
Tuesday: 9am | Taupō
Wednesday: 12noon | Tūrangi
Thursday: 9am | Taupō
Friday: 12noon | Taupō
Saturday: 9am | Taupō
Public Holidays: 9am | Taupō
Confessions | Reconciliation | Penance
Wednesday: After Mass | Tūrangi
Saturday: 9.30am | Taupō
Adoration
Monday – Saturday: 30 minutes before Mass | Taupō
Regular Events
Prayer for Life
1st Sunday of the month | after Mass | Cafe
Tim Tam Connect | Book Club
2nd Monday of the month | 10am | Cafe
Youth Groups
6.00 pm – 7.00pm (Years 7 & 8) | 7.00 pm – 7.30pm (dinner) | 7.30 pm – 8.45pm (Years 9 & 13) | Taupō
(weekly during school term)
Healers’ Connect | Care for the Sick & Housebound
2nd Tuesday of the month | after 9am Mass | Cafe
Community Lunch
Tuesdays during the school term | 1pm | Cafe
Depth Charge Connect
Wednesdays during the school term | 10am | Dennis & Catherine Hancock’s place
Rosary
Wednesdays 11.30am, Tūrangi | 7pm, Taupō
Purl Connect
Thursdays | 1.00 pm | Lesley Mac’s place
SVDP
2nd Thursday of the month | 5.30pm | Cafe
Endurance Connect
Thursdays during the school term | 7pm | Cafe
Anointing of the Sick Mass
2nd Friday of the month | 12noon | Taupō
SVDP Lunch
2nd Friday of the month | after Mass | Cafe
Divine Mercy
Fridays & Sundays | 3pm | Taupō
Praise & Worship
3rd Friday of the month (except during Lent) | 6pm | Taupō
Film Evening
1st Friday of the month (except during Lent) | 6pm | Taupō