THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT – March 8, 2026

Please, check out the Hungarian section (link at the bottom) as well, as some Hungarian related news or information may be found only there.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM: If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

TODAY’S MASS INTENTIONS:

9:00 AM Parishioners of St. Emeric Parish

11:00 AM Mátyás & Erzsébet Horváth, by Margit Csiszár

MASS SCHEDULE & INTENTIONS FOR THE COMING WEEK:

FROM THE DESK OF FR. BONA: Today, on the third Sunday of Lent in the year “A”, we read gospel passage of the encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:5–42). This gospel passage, although it belongs to year “A”, is among the several ones recommended to be read at the Masses also in the years “B” and “C.” The reason is that the gospel passage highlights the most pivotal moment in everyone’s life: the need to find the true living water.

Sometimes we ignore the spiritual longing for deeper and deeper life with God and can push it out of the center of our hearts into the background. In those moments, we tend to seek more the natural water than the spiritual one. However, Jesus’ words are clear: “…whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:14). The natural water (the joys of the world) will never fully satisfy us. On the other hand, the living water (a metaphor for the presence of God within, the Holy Spirit and eternal life) does — quenching the soul’s deepest thirst for meaning, love, forgiveness, and peace.

Lent is a season of intentional reawaking of this longing—a time to reflect on what we truly drives us and what we thirst for. It is a season to learn to distinguish between a water and the true living water. The season of Lent is asking us: can we sincerely pray with the Church Psalm 63:1, “O God, you are my God—it is you I seek! For you my body yearns; for you my soul thirsts, in a land parched, lifeless, and without water”? This psalm captures the essence of Lenten spirituality—a hunger for God that drives us to prayer, Scripture, sacraments, and conversion. As a Lenten exercise, perhaps we can finish reading this psalm at home (it is not that long).

Nowadays, as we continue our Lenten pilgrimage, the invitation remains: rediscovering the personal offer of Jesus Christ of His true living water after which we will never thirst again. Nobody and nothing can satisfy our longing for acceptance and success – except for Jesus Christ.

PRESIDENTIAL VISIT – THANK YOU: Last Sunday we were honored to welcome Dr. Sulyok Tamás, president of Hungary and his wife for a visit. There were 175 of us here for the Mass and well over 300 at the Shrine of St. Elizabeth. The feedback we received from the delegation and others was very positive. Thank you very much to all of you who have helped in running this event.

CATECHESIS: today, March 8, we will continue our catechetical meetings. We will meet after 11AM Mass in our hall and will watch a short video or a presentation, followed by a Q&A. The plan is to keep it under half an hour. All of you are invited. This program is in Hungarian.

CONFESSIONS: In preparation for Easter, before the Sunday Mass, even during the Stations of the Cross, I will be hearing confessions 10:20–10:50AM in the Infant Jesus of Prague classroom (to the left of the sanctuary, that is the side of the Market parking lot).

A Review of Lenten Regulations for Latin Catholics: 1. Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of abstinence from meat and also days of fast, that is, only one full meal is allowed. Two other meatless meals, sufficient to maintain strength, may be taken according to one’s needs, but together they should not equal another full meal. 2. All Fridays during Lent are days of abstinence from meat. 3. The obligation to abstain from meat commences at 14 years old. 4. The obligation to fast commences at 18 years of age and ends at 59 years of age.

LAST WEEKEND’S COLLECTION: Sunday Collection: $2,749; Initial Offering: $9; Maintenance: $560; Solemnity of Mary: $40; Easter Flowers: $10; Easter: $20; Boiler cost offset: $60; Renovation: $5. May God reward your generosity in supporting the church. Thank you for sending in your donations by mail or using our website https://stemeric.com/donations/.

PLEASE PRAY FOR THE SICK, especially for Bev Kimar, Teréz Kalász, Lajos Boday, Márta Takács, Kathy Szabó, Alex Szaday, Virginia Kachmar, Margaret Falk, Mária Hokky, and Balázs Bedy.

PLEASE PRAY FOR THE DECEASED.

THIS SUNDAY the 11:00 AM Mass from St. Emeric church will be livestreamed at https://www.facebook.com/saintemeric/

LET US PRAY THREE HAIL MARYS FOR OUR PARISH EVERY DAY!

Ez a bejegyzés olvasható Magyar (Hungarian) nyelven is.