The upper west wall has been framed which will allow the roof to be finished. The cement for the east sidewalk and the northeast gathering area has been poured. The tower roof is ready to be lifted. The fire suppression system is being finished. The framers and the mechanical teams continue their work.

Next week the grading will begin, again depending on weather. The team will start on the south side of the building. A major milestone will also occur next week. The lifting of the tower roof and the cross (4,800 pound) to the top of the bell tower (70 feet). For safety concerns, during the lifting process the Parish Office will be closed, along with access to all of the Annex buildings.

The Season of Lent is approaching its close and we are on the last of the trifecta of lengthy Gospel Readings from St. John in the Liturgical “Year A”. Next Sunday is Palm Sunday which will usher us into Holy Week, and as we draw closer to Easter, we find the Readings revolving around the theme of Death, Resurrection and Life.

The First Reading, taken from the Prophet Ezekiel, is God’s own interpretation of the “Dry Bones” vision; shown to the Prophet where Ezekiel was instructed to prophesy life to the vast army of dry bones which received restoration of flesh and came to life as soon as the Prophet did as he was instructed. Here (in the First Reading), God reveals to the Prophet the meaning of the preceding vision. God was going to terminate Israel’s hopelessness in exile and effect a restoration that would see Israel returned to her ancestral habitat. Israel’s exile is interpreted as some kind of death, so real that all that is left of her is a mass of disjointed skeletons. Through the power of God’s Word, God’s Spirit will resuscitate and restore Israel to her pre-exilic state where she enjoyed liberty on her own land. Through this, Israel shall know that God is the Lord.

The framers and iron workers continue to work on the bell tower roof. The target for framing to be completed is the end of this week. The roof decking should arrive by Friday, this week. The concrete framing for the east and northeast sidewalks has been delayed due to the weather. As soon as it dries out, this work can continue. The mechanical team is doing a great job. The A/C mechanical work is approximately 80% complete. The electrical rough-in has begun.

Beginning last weekend, using the Gospel of St. John and forming a trifecta of liturgical weekends, the Church introduced us to the mysteries of the Sacraments. This is to increase the understanding of the Catechumens about the mysteries they are about to receive, and to the Baptized, a renewal and recommitment to the fruits of the Sacraments. The Readings last weekend exposed the mysteries of sanctifying Grace which Christ bestows on all believers through the Sacraments in order to graciously grant them eternal life. This weekend, the Readings are themed around anointing and light.

The weather continues to impact our outside work. Where is the sun and dry weather? This will allow the soil and the building block to dry out. The bell tower roof is being constructed on the south east side of our parking lot. When finished, it will be lifted to the top of the bell tower. Our 10-foot Cross will be anchored to the center pole on the rooftop. Framing in the Nave, the transepts and the ceiling of the Narthex continues. The duct work is progressing.

Water is among the most essential needs of a human being, the absence of which is very likely to ignite an irrepressible thirst that can only be satisfied by it or a similarly drinkable liquid. On their way to the Promised Land, the people of Israel had to journey through deserts that lacked sources of drinking water. The people grumbled against Moses who turned to God for a solution to the problem. The Lord instructed Moses to strike a rock with his staff and the people drank the water that flowed from it. The physical thirst of the Israelites in the desert was a sign pointing to a greater thirst, our thirst for God Himself which cannot be satisfied with physical water. In Psalm 42:1-2, the Psalmist puts it succinctly, “like the deer that yearns for running streams, so my soul is longing for you my God.” Like Israel, we often mask our real longing for God with the deal for pleasure and material things.

Framing and the A/C duct work continues to progress. Decking has begun to be installed, starting with the bell tower then proceeding to the southside of the building. The team will continue to work around the building. A ladder, which is the only access to the upper roof, has been installed. The power to the 2 future monument signs have been installed, one by the south entry drive and one by the north entry drive.

The Season of Lent is always an important annual segment of our journey of faith. For this reason, we are invited by the Church, through the Readings, to reflect on the beginning of the journey of faith embarked on by Abraham our Father in Faith, and the defining moment of the Transfiguration, Jesus’ theophany after which Scripture reports “He set His face towards Jerusalem” (LK 9:51). Both journeys provide a living standard by which we, as Christians, can measure our own journey of faith.

The framers, electricians and the mechanical team continue their work inside of the building. Iron support is being added to the ceiling in the office to support the new air conditioners. The target date is March 20, weather dependent, to start installing the roof allowing the inside of the building to begin to be weather tight.