<!--
/* What it does: Remove spaces around the email design added by some
email clients. */
/* Beware: It can remove the padding / margin and add a background
color to the compose a reply window. */
html,
body {
Margin: 0 !important;
padding: 0 !important;
height: 100% !important;
width: 100% !important;
text-align: center;
}
/* What it does: Stops email clients resizing small text. */
* {
-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;
-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;
}
/* What is does: Centers email on Android 4.4 */
div[style*="margin: 16px 0"] {
margin:0 !important;
}
/* What it does: Stops Outlook from adding extra spacing to tables.
*/
table,
td {
mso-table-lspace: 0pt !important;
mso-table-rspace: 0pt !important;
}
/* What it does: Fixes webkit padding issue. Fix for Yahoo mail table
alignment bug. Applies table-layout to the first 2 tables then removes
for anything nested deeper. */
table {
border-spacing: 0 !important;
border-collapse: collapse !important;
table-layout: fixed !important;
Margin: 0 auto !important;
}
table table table {
table-layout: auto;
}
/* What it does: Uses a better rendering method when resizing images
in IE. */
img {
-ms-interpolation-mode:bicubic;
}
/* What it does: Overrides styles added when Yahoo's auto-senses a
link. */
.yshortcuts a {
border-bottom: none !important;
}
/* What it does: A work-around for iOS meddling in triggered links.
*/
.mobile-link footer a,
a[x-apple-data-detectors] {
color:inherit !important;
text-decoration: underline !important;
}
-->
<!--
/* What it does: Hover styles for buttons */
.button-td,
.button-a {
transition: all 100ms ease-in;
}
.button-td:hover,
.button-a:hover {
background: #555555 !important;
border-color: #555555 !important;
}
/* Media Queries */
@media screen and (max-width: 600px) {
.email-container {
width: 100% !important;
}
/* What it does: Forces elements to resize to the full width of their
container. Useful for resizing images beyond their max-width. */
.fluid,
.fluid-centered {
max-width: 100% !important;
height: auto !important;
Margin-left: auto !important;
Margin-right: auto !important;
}
/* And center justify these ones. */
.fluid-centered {
Margin-left: auto !important;
Margin-right: auto !important;
}
/* What it does: Forces table cells into full-width rows. */
.stack-column,
.stack-column-center {
display: block !important;
width: 100% !important;
max-width: 100% !important;
direction: ltr !important;
}
/* And center justify these ones. */
.stack-column-center {
text-align: center !important;
}
/* What it does: Generic utility class for centering. Useful for
images, buttons, and nested tables. */
.center-on-narrow {
text-align: center !important;
display: block !important;
Margin-left: auto !important;
Margin-right: auto !important;
float: none !important;
}
table.center-on-narrow {
display: inline-block !important;
}
}
body {
background-color: #fff;
width: 100%;
margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
p{
line-height:20px;
}
h1, h2, h3, h4, h5{
color:#7A9534;
}
.signup a {font-family: Roboto Condensed, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;
color: #4F4293; padding-bottom:0px; padding-top: 15px;
font-weight:600; margin-bottom: 0px; text-decoration: none}
-->
Catholic Charities USA
First Sunday of Lent
Readings of the Day
[link removed]
Lent has just started so I am still optimistic that I will be a better
person by Easter Sunday. Every year I am eager to give up or add
something to my daily life to bring me closer to Jesus. As the
Coordinator of Parish Social Ministry at a church just south of
Houston, my professional goal this year is to avoid the sin of
silence. Let me explain.
The readings today are all about temptation and sin. Which led
me to the question: "What is and is not a sin?" Being poor
is not a sin. Being from another country is not a sin. Being homeless
is not a sin. Being a single mother is not a sin. Being in need
of mental health services is not a sin. But, treating any of
God's people, or watching as other people treat any of
God's people as if they are "less than," that is a
sin.
I love today's Psalm because it shows us a basic but meaningful
relationship between me, a sinner, and our merciful Lord. It starts
out by asking God: "...in the greatness of your compassion
wipe out my offense." Not just help me or forgive me but
completely wipe out my offense. Wipe out any chance that I will ever
treat someone in a way that is not pleasing to you, O Lord.
It goes on to say: "Against you alone have I sinned." It
doesn't matter what the sin is. When I judge someone, when I
avoid someone who needs me, when I am not the voice for the voiceless
or any other sin, I am sinning against God. All sins are against
someone God created and loves. Let me emphasize - all sins are
against someone God created and loves.
The Psalm finishes up by acknowledging that because of God's
mercy I will be able to "open my lips, and my mouth shall
proclaim your praise." When I sin, I am hurting God because I am
hurting someone He loves. Through His mercy and compassion, I can
learn to be compassionate, proclaim His praise, and be the voice for
the voiceless. I can learn to use my voice (and my actions) and
not be silent. So, this Lent, I want to avoid the sin of
silence.
Chris Austgen is the Coordinator of Parish Social Ministry at Mary
Queen Catholic Church in Friendswood, Texas. She is on the
Catholic Charities USA Parish Social Ministry Leadership Team.
Her greatest blessing is being a wife, mother of four and grandmother
of two.
Sign up to receive the Daily Lent Reflection emails and other CCUSA
messages here.
[link removed]
View in your browser |
Forward to a friend |
Unsubscribe
[link removed]
[link removed]
[link removed]
2050 Ballenger Ave., Suite 400, Alexandria, VA 22314 | (703) 549-1390
Catholic Charities USA ©
2020 All
rights reserved.
