2nd Week of Easter 2026 - Monday - Born again

Last week, throughout the Easter Octave, we read the different accounts of Jesus' resurrection and his appearances to his disciples from the four Gospels.

For the rest of the Easter Season, we’ll be reading predominately from the Gospel of John—the discussion with Nicodemus this week from chapter 3, the miracle of the multiplication and the great Bread of Life discourse next week, and then his teachings about the Holy Spirit up until Pentecost. 

The central theme of the Lord’s conversation with Nicodemus is new life— the biological life that begins in the wombs of our mothers, and the spiritual life that begins in the womb of the Church—a birth of earthly origin and a birth of heavenly origin.

We did not chose to be born biologically, but we certainly have a choice whether or not we will live for what is above. And this choice has eternal ramifications, as the Lord says today, “No one sees the kingdom of God without being born from above”. The refusal of spiritual rebirth will result in the failure to experience the kingdom of God. 

St. Justin martyr, writing just a few decades after St. John, commented on this passage. He wrote, “At our [biological] birth, we were born without our own knowledge or choice by our parents coming together. We were brought up with bad habits and wicked training. However, so that we may not remain the children of necessity and of ignorance but may become the children of choice and knowledge and may obtain in the water the remission of sins formerly committed, there is pronounced over the one who chooses to be born again and has repented of his sins the name of God the Father and Lord of the universe…”

The early Church clearly identified that when the Lord said to Nicodemus that “unless one is born of water and Spirit he cannot enter the Kingdom of God” he was speaking about the necessity of Baptism—spiritual rebirth involves reception of the Sacraments of the Church. 

And yet, the choice to live for what is above, to live out our spiritual rebirth, to pursue the kingdom of God, is a choice that we must make every day: will we live simply for our biological impulses or for that which is highest. The new life of the Christian entails seeking what is above our fallen disordered impulses—living for the highest ideals—truth, goodness, and beauty, and striving for the highest virtues—cultivating true self-mastery over our disordered passions. 

The Christian is to be open to constant sanctification--the gradual and continuous process whereby we are made more like Christ in character, desire, and action--increasingly reflecting God's character in our thoughts, words, and deeds.

God desires his life to flourish in us, as Jesus says, “I have come that they may have life and have it more abundantly. May we choose the path of being born again day after day, that we may come to experience the fullness of divine life in eternity, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

- - -  

Filled with Paschal joy, let us turn earnestly to God, to graciously hear our prayers and supplications.

For the shepherds of our souls, the pope, bishops, and clergy, that they may govern wisely the flock entrusted to them by the Good Shepherd leading us faithfully in the Gospel mandate.

For the whole world, that it may truly know the peace of the Risen Christ.

That our parish may bear witness with great confidence to the Resurrection of Christ, and that the newly initiated may hold fast to the faith they have received. 

For our brothers and sisters who suffer, that their sorrow may be turned to gladness through the Christian faith.

That all of our beloved dead and all the souls in purgatory may come to the glory of the Resurrection.

O God, you know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the desires of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. 

 

Divine Mercy Sunday 2026 - Unfathomable mercy

 

On the Sunday after Easter in the year 2000, Pope Saint John Paul II surprised the world, and even many of his cardinals, by declaring that the second Sunday of the Easter season is to be known as Divine Mercy Sunday.

Though the title for this Sunday is relatively new, the message of God's merciful love is certainly not a new concept.  It's the central message of the Christian faith preached for 2000 years.  God has mercy upon sinners; we are loved by God even when we are unlovable because of our sins—no matter how sinful, God's forgiveness is available to all who turn to Him.

The celebration of Divine Mercy is a fitting conclusion to the octave of Easter.  On Easter Sunday we celebrated the triumph of God's love over the powers of sin and death.  Jesus' resurrection shows that Sin and death do not get the last word.  God did not counter our sin with fiery wrath from heaven.  Rather, God defeated man’s sin in a totally unimaginable and unexpected way, Mercy.

Think about it.  On Mount Calvary, we violently rejected God in the flesh.  Everytime we sin, we reject God, but the crucifixion, in a sense, is man's ultimate rejection of God.  At that moment, more than any in human history, God would have been justified in simply ending this whole thing project, condemning us as too sick, too depraved, so corrupt we’d rather kill God than admit our errors. 

Yet from the cross Jesus pronounces not wrath, but forgiveness—not an end to mankind, but an end to the reign of sin and death. “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do”. And from his side flowed blood and water flowed as rays of divine mercy made available to all people in the Sacraments of the Church. 

The Gospel reading for this Divine Mercy Sunday echoes the message of mercy. Entering the upper room, in the midst of his disciples—he shows them, his wounds, and in doing so he wasn’t pointing them out as if to shame his disciples, or to announce his vengeance. “Look what you did, now it’s time for you to pay”. Rather, he points to his wounds, and says, “peace”. 

Today is a day for the Church to celebrate God’s mercy and to commit to making that message known.

Back in the year 2000, when Pope St. John Paul instituted today as the feast of mercy, he did so in the context of the canonization of a saint—a little known polish nun at the time named Saint Faustina Kowalska. 

In the 1930’s Sister Maria Faustina Kowalska, received a series of private revelations from the Lord himself about his desire to make known to the world his mercy.

Listen to the words of Jesus recorded by Sister Faustina:

“My daughter, tell the whole world about My inconceivable mercy. I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and a shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On that day are opened all the divine floodgates through which graces flow. Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet. My mercy is so great that no mind, be it of man or of angel, will be able to fathom it throughout all eternity. Everything that exists has come from the very depths of My most tender mercy. Every soul in its relation to Me will contemplate My love and mercy throughout eternity. The Feast of Mercy emerged from My very depths of tenderness. It is My desire that it be solemnly celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter. Mankind will not have peace until it turns to the Fount of My mercy.”

The Lord Jesus could have appeared at any moment in history, but he chose the 1930s. The 1930s began an era of cruelty and godlessness. It saw the rise of totalitarian atheistic governments and rampant materialism and the trampling of basic human freedoms like the right to life. Merciless governments, merciless war crimes, merciless genocides in Europe and Africa, merciless wars over the resources of the earth, merciless religious persecutions, merciless killing of babies, merciless pursuit of wealth at the expense of human life. And Jesus shows up, and tells Sr. Faustina, make my mercy known.

It is unfathomable, that in the face of evil, Jesus wants us to announce His mercy. Most of us would be quick to condemn the world for all of these grave sins, but Jesus says that our task to announce his mercy. “Mankind will not have peace until it turns to the Fount of My Mercy.”  

Though, of course, the Church must speak the truth about sin. We must never grow tired of announcing mercy. To whom? To everyone. To fallen away Catholics, “you are welcome back”. To those ashamed by their sins: “don’t be afraid of confession, Jesus is waiting for you there.” To filled with anger and hatred: “you will find peace in forgiveness”. To those who think their sins are too big for God to forgive: “God’s mercy is boundless”. To those trapped in patterns of sin, resentment, impurity, addiction, or indifference: Jesus Christ is not done with you: “Trust in Jesus, and you will find freedom, peace, joy, and meaning”. 

There are souls who feel that it is pointless to change their ways because they think are too far gone, they are too entrenched in sin to change: God’s mercy can save you. Allow yourself to be saved. Whatever your sins might be, they can be forgiven, whatever the direction of your life, it can be changed. 

Brothers and sisters, the world is starving for mercy, even when it does not know how to name what it is seeking. Beneath so much anger, confusion, and violence are wounded human hearts—estranged from God—locked in fear. And so the Church, like her risen Lord entering the locked room, must enter those locked rooms say again and again: God’s Peace be with you. No door is truly locked to Jesus. And the message of mercy can reach the most hardened hearts when we have the courage to share it.

Today, on Divine Mercy Sunday, we thank God for his infinite mercy for each of us and for all—pro omnibus et singulis. But we also pray for the grace to be ambassadors of mercy—for as the Lord has proclaimed peace, so must we—to lead souls to the font of mercy: Jesus Christ, crucified and risen, whose mercy endures forever, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

Easter Octave 2026 - Friday - Come, have breakfast

 

On Easter Sunday morning, the angel gave instructions that the disciples were to leave Judaea and go to Galilee where the would see the Lord. Well, in today’s Gospel, the disciples have traveled to Galilee—to the Sea of Tiberius, which is another name for the Sea of Galilee—and there they see the Lord.

Now, notice that they’ve returned to Galilee, and they’re not exactly looking that hard for Jesus. They aren’t preaching, teaching, healing, or spreading the Gospel in his name. In fact, they seem to have reverted to their old way of life—they’ve gone fishing.

Well, they might not have been looking that hard for Jesus, but Jesus was looking for them. He makes himself visible to them, he calls out them from the seashore, and when they approach him, Jesus says, “come have breakfast”. 

There is something unique about breakfast. Breakfast is not a royal banquet, it’s a simple meal, typically shared with family. Breakfast is informal; everybody might still be a bit disheveled before having their favorite caffeinated beverage—not everyone is washed or totally awake. The disciples, after a night of working, certainly fit this description. Like a parent for children still groggy from sleep, the Lord makes breakfast for these groggy children, he even calls them children. And in his closeness to them, in sharing the meal, they recognize that it was the Lord.

Easter was 5 days ago, and we, like the disciples are already a bit groggy. Our catechumens, initiated at  the Easter Vigil are still wrapping their minds and hearts about meeting Jesus in the Sacraments.

Maybe, since easter, we like the disciples retreating to fishing, have retreated back into old bad habits already instead of allowing Easter to change us. Maybe, since Lent is over, we haven’t been looking for Jesus that hard in prayer. But it is good that we are here, at Mass. Weekday Mass is so powerful, and I wish more people would come to weekday Mass, because the Lord meets us here for an intimate family meal—like the Lord dining with his disciples on the seashore--to feed us, to reorient us and strengthen our faith for the work he has for us out in the world.

The Collect for Mass today asks God to dispose our minds that the faith we celebrate may be expressed in our deeds. That’s exactly what the Lord was doing on the seashore with the disciples, opening their minds to the reality of his resurrection, that their faith might impel them into the world. And he does the same thing here. May the reality and power of the Lord’s resurrection animate our words and deeds today, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

Filled with Paschal joy, let us turn earnestly to God, to graciously hear our prayers and supplications.

For the shepherds of our souls, that they may have the strength to govern wisely the flock entrusted to them by the Good Shepherd.

For the whole world, that it may truly know the peace of the Risen Christ.

For our own community, that it may bear witness with great confidence to the Resurrection of Christ, and that the newly initiated hold fast to the faith they have received.

For our brothers and sisters who suffer, that their sorrow may be turned to gladness through the Christian faith.

That all of our beloved dead and all the souls in purgatory may come to the glory of the Resurrection.

O God, you know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the desires of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our lord.

 

Easter Octave 2026 - Monday - “To the dead, he has given life.”

 

For the secular world, Easter is over now. For disciples of Jesus Christ, however, today is the second day of a fifty day season of glory—reveling in, celebrating, reflecting upon, basking in the light of the most important thing that ever happened. Jesus Christ rose from the dead, just as he said he would.

The Catechism says, “The Resurrection of Jesus is the crowning truth of our faith in Christ, a faith believed and lived as the central truth by the first Christian community; handed on as fundamental by Tradition; established by the documents of the New Testament; and preached as an essential part of the Paschal mystery along with the cross: Christ is risen from the dead! Dying, he conquered death; To the dead, he has given life.”

“To the dead, he has given life.” What powerful words these are! This truth resounds through every Easter Alleluia we sing. It is meant to animate every day of our life.

This is what we see already in today’s readings. In the first reading, Peter stands in Jerusalem and boldly proclaims that the crucified Jesus has been raised up by God. Peter himself is a sign of what the Resurrection does. The man who once hid in fear now speaks with courage. In the Gospel, Mary Magdalene runs to announce the news to the disciples. Sorrow has given way to joy and urgency.

The Resurrection is not only something that happened to Jesus; it is something Jesus now shares with us. His victory becomes our victory. His life becomes our life. Souls, dead because of sin, have been raised up. Lives under the sway of sin are freed. Again, fear is transformed into boldness. Sorrow is transformed into joy.

This season, the secular world, which has forgotten Christ, which never really knew him, is to witness His resurrection through us. That’s why on this 1^st day after easter sunday, we are given examples of Easter witness: Mary Magdalene sharing the news with the disciples, St. Peter boldly proclaiming Christ to the crowd. Mission. The Church has a mission. You and I have a mission. We

The world needs to see signs of his Resurrection in us: in deeper hope, in real joy, in renewed courage, in freedom from sin, in charity and peace. Christ is truly risen, and has given us new life—and that life is meant to be lived.

May the power of Christ’s resurrection continue to raise us to new life and help us to witness to his great victory for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

 

Brothers and sisters, rejoicing in the victory of Christ who has conquered death and given new life to his people, let us bring our prayers before the Father.

For the Church throughout the world: that, renewed by the joy of Easter, she may boldly proclaim that Christ is risen and bear convincing witness to his victory by lives of holiness, charity, and peace. Let us pray to the Lord.

For the Holy Father, bishops, priests, and deacons: that the power of the Resurrection may strengthen them in their ministry and make them fearless heralds of the Gospel. Let us pray to the Lord.

For those who govern the nations: that the risen Christ may turn hearts from violence, division, and despair toward justice, reconciliation, and the dignity of every human life. Let us pray to the Lord.

For those who were baptized or received into the Church at Easter: that they may remain close to the risen Lord and grow each day in the new life of grace they have received. Let us pray to the Lord.

For those whose souls are burdened by sin, fear, grief, illness, or hopelessness: that the Lord Jesus, who gave life to the dead, may raise them up with his mercy and fill them with peace. Let us pray to the Lord.

For those who have died: that they may come to share fully in the triumph of Christ’s Resurrection, and for the consolation of those who mourn them. Let us pray to the Lord.

Priest:
Heavenly Father, you raised your Son from the dead and made him the source of new life for the world. Hear the prayers we place before you and make us faithful witnesses of the Resurrection.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

Easter Sunday 2026 - Easter Renewal

 

He is Risen, Indeed He is Risen! Alleluia!

On Good Friday, the world was darkened by an eclipse of the sun. Evil was so tangible that even the earth shuddered with an earthquake. It was a day when lies and conspiracies and plotting seemed to conquer truth, and darkness seemed to eclipse light, and death seemed to have been victorious over life, and Satan seemed to have gotten the upper hand on God.

But enough of that. For now we celebrate a morning when the tomb was empty; a morning when light was so bright it blinded roman soldiers and burnt an image into a burial cloth; a morning when life triumphed over death, and truth trumped falsehood, and hope was victorious over despair, and faith championed doubt, and God put Satan in his place. For He is Risen, Indeed He is Risen! Alleluia!

The extraordinary news of Easter morning is that not only did Jesus Christ conquer death for himself, but that he shares that victory over death and sin and despair and darkness and sin and evil with us. His victory is ours. He invites us to share in his triumph. If that is not extraordinarily Good News, I don’t know what is.

On the High Holy Days, many of us come to Church for a lot of different reasons: perhaps you are here today because it’s simply family tradition or because it just seemed like the right thing to do; perhaps you are a life-long Catholic, and there was never a doubt that you’d be at Church on Easter Sunday.

Maybe there’s a bit of darkness, or a lot of darkness in your life, and you just needed to draw near to the brightest light you possibly could today. In that case, you’re in very good company, because I’m pretty sure everybody in this Church has experienced are periods in life that seem more like Good Friday than Easter Sunday. Periods of life when you wonder about life’s meaning, periods of life when we seem stuck on a cross, or overwhelmed, like life has buried us in a tomb, when we struggle to find God amidst all the chaos and violence and evil in the world.

The message of course today is that Good Friday does not get the last word. Easter morning does. Our faith in Jesus Christ allows us to be confident that evil and death do not get the last word. So, if there is a part of your life, that still seems to be stuck in Good Friday, I invite you to ask Jesus very sincerely today, to enter that part of your life, to transform it. Ask him to come into that Good Friday broken relationship, that Good Friday doubt or confusion, that Good Friday sense of defeat. And to allow him to bring Easter Victory to your Good Friday sufferings.

A number of years before his death, Pope Francis offered these words on Easter: “Let the risen Jesus enter your life, welcome him as a friend, with trust: he is life! If up till now you have kept him at a distance, step forward. He will receive you with open arms. If you have been indifferent, take a risk: you won’t be disappointed. If following him seems difficult, don’t be afraid, trust him, be confident that he is close to you, he is with you and he will give you the peace you are looking for and the strength to live as he would have you do.”

In just a few moments we will renew our baptismal promises. From time to time I meet a college student or older adult who, though baptized as an infant has left the practice of the Catholic faith: they aren’t coming to mass and they don’t accept the truth behind particular Church teachings.  I ask them why they’ve left the practice of the faith in which they were raised.   And they often say, “well, I was baptized as a baby, so I didn’t get a choice to become Catholic or not.”

Well, to all of you, who feel like you didn’t get a choice, today, and every Easter, we renew the promises of our baptism, we renew our faith that Jesus rose, we renew our belief in all the Church teaches in his name.  You will then be sprinkled with the Easter waters, that the Lord may breathe new life into your religious commitments.

In fact, the Early Christians celebrated every Sunday as a “little Easter”. They knew that without this little Easter every week, they’d be allowing those forces which conspired against Christ on Good Friday to have power over them. So, if you want to make this Easter part of your deliverance out of the Good Fridays in your life, make every Sunday a “little Easter”

For, if the power of Christ’s resurrection is to overflow in your life, constant faith must be an open conduit. Don’t shut off the flow of grace. If you are tempted to do so, remember that it’s the power of the world trying to isolate you again.

So today, the priest will ask every one of you here six questions for the renewal of your baptismal promises.  The first three have to do with Sin.  Christ’s Easter victory was a victory over sin, so the Christian is to seek to be rid of anything that has to do with sin.  So the priest will ask, “Do you renounce sin, so as to live in the freedom of the children of God. Do you renounce the lure of evil, so that sin may have no mastery over you? Do you renounce Satan, the author and prince of Sin?”

What are we saying, when we say “I do” to these questions?  I’m promising to do everything in my power, with the help of the power of Easter, to put an end to sin in my life, to put an end to all self-absorption and all selfishness. I’m promising to do everything in my own power to change my life, to alter my daily and weekly routines, that they can better reflect the Christian faith as taught by the Catholic Church.  I’m renouncing all of those excuses of laziness which hinder the power of Easter becoming more manifest in me. All the powers of lust which cause me to focus on passing earthly pleasure instead of eternal heavenly joy. Today, we readily turn away from these things. For those excuses, those sins, are the most likely culprits for not enjoying the peace and joy God wants for us.

The last three questions of the baptismal promises concern the doctrines of the Faith.  Do you believe in God the Father, do you believe that Jesus Christ suffered and died and rose again, do you believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church.

These are teachings the Church professes every Sunday when we profess the Creed.  These are the truths upon which our religious life rests.  These are the truths that give us strength in the face of temptation, they are the light of truth in the darkness of the world’s confusion and error. Amidst all of the nonsense in the world, all of the error perpetuated through modern media, all the fake news out there, the Christian can say, I know these things to be true.

We renew our baptismal promises today, and by doing so open ourselves to the power of Christ’s Easter Victory. Through them, we become heirs of the promises of Christ, that we, like him, shall be risen from the dead and live forever. For he risen from the dead, indeed he is risen, alleluia, alleluia. 

 

 

Easter Vigil 2026 - Our place in Salvation History

 

On this Easter Vigil night, our Scripture readings took us on quite a journey, through the various stages of salvation history.

We began at the beginning, with creation itself. In Genesis, God brings light from darkness, order from chaos, and life where there had been nothing. Man and woman were made in God’s image and likeness, created for communion with Him. Already, there at the very beginning, are foreshadowing of what we celebrate tonight: the giving of life, the restoration of communion.

Our second reading, saw Abraham willing to offer his only son as a sacrifice to God, so strong was Abraham’s faith. While God spared Abraham’s Son, God did not spare his own, but handed him over to us for our salvation. And through Abraham came the promise of a great people, a family too numerous to count—a promise fulfilled in us—in the Church, in which God gathers people from every nation into his family through faith and Baptism.

In our third reading, God delivers his enslaved children through the waters of the Red Sea. This is not only Israel’s story; it is ours. For again this reading foreshadows, what God does here tonight and in the life of the Church—God delivers us from the slavery of sin through Baptismal waters to the freedom of the children of God.

In our fourth reading, Isaiah recalls the waters of Noah, through which God brought a cleansing of the wickedness of the world. These waters, you guessed it, foreshadow the cleansing waters of baptism.

In our fifth reading, Isaiah again speaks of water: the water that quenches thirst, but also grain that becomes food, and the promise of everlasting covenant. Here Isaiah foretells not just baptism, but Eucharist, the body and blood of the new and everlasting covenant.

In our sixth reading, Baruch speaks of the wisdom of God which is meant to guide the lives of his people—"those who cling to this wisdom will live” says Baruch. Here Baruch foreshadows the Wisdom of Christ—whose words are everlasting life.

In the seventh reading and last of the Old Testament readings from Ezekiel spoke of the day when God will sprinkle his people with water and put a new spirit within them. Here of course is a foreshadowing of Baptism, and Confirmation, the giving of the Spirit.

Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist all given to us, so that we may share in the Victory of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, which we proclaimed in the Gospel and by St. Paul in his letter to the Romans.

All of these Scripture readings are not just a collection of important moments from Israel’s history. They help us to understand and experience that from the beginning, God has been preparing humanity for what we celebrate tonight: deliverance and new life through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Tonight, all of those promises, all of those foreshadowings, all of that long preparation comes to fulfillment. For, tonight is not merely the anniversary of something that happened long ago. Tonight, the risen Christ acts in his Church. Tonight, he draws people into his death and resurrection. Tonight, he makes all things new.

That is why this night is so fitting for the initiation of our catechumens. Dear catechumens, tonight you do not simply join an institution or adopt a set of religious ideas. Tonight, by Baptism, you are brought through the waters. You are freed from the slavery of sin. You are cleansed. You are claimed. You are made sons and daughters of God. In Confirmation, the Holy Spirit will be given to you in a new and powerful way, sealing you as belonging to Christ. And in the Holy Eucharist, you will come to the altar to receive the Body and Blood of the risen Lord, the food of the new and everlasting covenant. Tonight, the whole history of salvation which we have heard proclaimed becomes personal in you.

And for the rest of us, tonight is a summons to remember who we are. For following the baptism of our Catechumen, all of the baptized, with lighted candles, will renew our baptismal promises. We will renounce Satan, and all his works, and all his empty show. We will profess again our faith in God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

The renewal is to be for each of us, not an empty recitation of familiar words, but a true renewal of our identity, as baptized members of the body of Christ. We are baptized into his victory, and that victory is to resound in our lives.

So tonight let us rejoice. Let us rejoice for those who are about to be initiated into the mystery of Christ and his Church. Let us rejoice that the same grace once poured into our own souls is still alive and powerful. Let us rejoice that the God who created, called, delivered, cleansed, fed, instructed, and renewed his people throughout salvation history has done all this so that we might share in the victory of his risen Son for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

Holy Saturday 2026 - Morning Prayer - Jesus descended into Hell

 

In the Apostle’s Creed we profess that after Christ was crucified, died and buried, “He descended into Hell.” Christ was not condemned to Hell, like the rest of humanity. Rather he descended; he went willingly and with purpose.

The Catechism says, “Jesus, like all men, experienced death and in his soul joined the others in the realm of the dead. But he descended there as Savior, proclaiming the Good News to the spirits imprisoned there.
From the time of Adam, all who died, whether evil or righteous were deprived of the vision of God. And Christ went to those who souls who awaited their Savior. The ancient homily for Holy Saturday puts it this way: “he has gone to free from sorrow the captives Adam and Eve…the Lord approached them bearing the cross, the weapon that had won him the victory.”

I remember my first holy Saturday as a seminarian. I was home for the triduum, and I went to pray in my home parish church. And I brought with me my breviary, the liturgy of the hours, and for the first time encountering the famous patristic reading describing Jesus descending into hell preaching to Adam, the first man, who has been asleep in death from time immemorial.

Listen to these words, spoken by Christ: ‘I am your God, who for your sake have become your son. Out of love for you and for your descendants I now by my own authority command all who are held in bondage to come forth, all who are in darkness to be enlightened, all who are sleeping to arise. I order you, O sleeper, to awake. I did not create you to be held a prisoner in hell. Rise from the dead, for I am the life of the dead. Rise up, work of my hands, you who were created in my image. Rise, let us leave this place, for you are in me and I am in you; together we form only one person and we cannot be separated.

In order to prepare for easter, Jesus descended to the depths of hell, to those who were distant from God, maybe we reach out today to someone towards whom we’ve grown distant, wish them a happy easter and invite them to church tomorrow. The Lord no doubt wants to use us to knock on the doors of the hearts of the fallen away. We do well, certainly to pray for those who reject the invitation to return to Church.

We quietly and prayerfully wait for easter today, but we also recognize that though he was in the tomb, Christ was still at work announcing the Gospel, which is our easter mission. May these last few hours before Easter, prepare us well for the great celebration and our share in the great mission for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

Good Friday 2026 - Press the Cross to your heart

 There was a young boy, about 8 years old, who liked to have his own way, and would become very angry anytime his will would be contradicted.  He would talk back to his parents and teachers, fight with his brothers and schoolmates. He would be disciplined in school and at home, but nothing seemed to alter his behavior or attitude, and his parents began to despair.

One day, there was an unexpected change.  His selfishness seemed to entirely disappear; he became one of the most obedient and gentle children.  His parents began to wonder about this change of behavior, and then they noticed that from time to time, the boy would put his hand to his chest, and press something under his shirt close to his heart.  

The boy’s father asked what he was doing.  The boy said, just something grandpa gave me to help me.  The boy took out a crucifix which hung from a thin chain which he had been wearing underneath his shirt.  “When I am angry that I’m not getting my way, I press this image to my heart, I think of what Jesus suffered, and then I find it easy to be good.”  

Today we press the cross to our hearts.  

An eastern orthodox saint named St. Symeon the Theologian who was a monk in the 11th century wrote, “The only way to protect oneself against the devil is by constant remembrance of God: this remembrance must be imprinted in the heart by the power of the Cross, thus rendering the mind firm and unyielding”.

Today, we press the cross to our hearts, that its power might be imprinted there—the power of self-emptying love. When the Cross is pressed to the heart, it teaches us how God loves us, and it teaches us how to endure trial, temptation, and suffering. The devil tempts us toward pride, resentment, despair, and self-will. The Cross teaches us humility, forgiveness, hope, and surrender to the Father.

We venerate the cross today in some outward sign of devotion, so that we may venerate it every day in our actions, in our attitudes, in our speech. Self-emptying love is to mark everything we do, because Jesus self-emptying love has marked us. 

We press the cross to our hearts because we have been pressed to God’s heart, by God himself. In the Passion of the Lord, we see just how near God has drawn to us. He has not loved us from a safe distance. He has entered into our suffering, our betrayal, our loneliness, our fear, even into death itself. The Cross is the proof that there is no human misery Jesus has refused to touch, no sinner is unwilling to seek.

Today we offer solemn intercessions on behalf of the world and the Church, pressing our needs and struggles to his cross and those of the whole world.  We also solemnly venerate the wood of the cross, we press the cross to our lips, or our foreheads, to remember his great love, and that we may be rendered firm and unyielding in the face of temptation and confirmed in the desire to carry our crosses in union with the Son of God, and to bear the message of his love to a world in desperate need of it for the Glory of God and salvation of souls.

Holy Thursday 2026 - "Do this in memory of me"

 “In the Sacred Triduum, the Church solemnly celebrates the greatest mysteries of our redemption, keeping by means of special celebrations the memorial of her lord, crucified, buried, and risen.

Pastors are given special instruction on their responsibilities during these holy days. The instruction in the Roman missal itself says, “Pastors should not fail to explain to the Christian faithful, as best they can, the meaning and order of the celebrations and to prepare them for active and fruitful participation”

This evening we celebrate what is called the Mass of the Lord’s Supper. As normal, this mass includes the liturgy of the word, from which we read from the sacred scriptures, and also the liturgy of the Eucharist, which contains special orations unique to this day, particularly about the Lord’s institution of the Holy Eucharist and the Ordained Priesthood at the Last Supper. Between the two normal parts of the mass is a special ritual of the Washing of the Feet. After the distribution of Holy Communion, the Eucharistic fragments will be processed through the Church back to the Tabernacle.

Tomorrow morning we will celebrate the Church’s official Morning Prayer at 9am tomorrow. Followed by the Stations of the Cross at noon and the Good Friday Passion Liturgy at 3pm. It is a particularly solemn liturgy, beginning with the priest laying prostrate in the bare sanctuary. After readings from Isaiah and the letter to the Hebrews, the entirety of St. John’s Passion will be proclaimed. Special solemn intercessions are offered before we have the beautiful once a year ritual of the veneration of the cross. Holy Communion which is confected this even will be distributed tomorrow, and we then depart in silence.

That’s the order of things for Holy Thursday and Good Friday. The Easter Vigil, the Mother of all Vigils, will be celebrated at 8:30pm, and that Liturgy, well, you just have to experience for yourself. 

That’s “what” we are doing, but why are we doing it?

“Do this in memory of me”. Three times we heard it already. Twice in St. Paul’s description of what the Lord said at the last supper in our second reading. And the third time in the Gospel, when the Lord says that we must remember what he has done for us, and do it for others. 

During the Triduum, we remember how Jesus washed feet. We remember how Jesus took bread and wine and transformed them into his body and blood and how he made the Apostles the first priests of the Church, so that Sacrament could be repeated for all ages. During the Triduum we remember how he took up the cross. We remember how he spoke words of forgiveness from the cross. We remember how he gave his blessed mother to be the mother of all disciples. We remember how he gave up his life as a sacrifice. 

Why do we do, what we do? Why do we remember what we remember? Because he told us to. We celebrate and remember because he told us to. We eat his flesh and drink his blood because he told us to. We keep watch in prayer because he told us to.

In the first reading, we heard how the Lord commanded the Jewish people through Moses to keep the memorial feast of Passover every year, as a way to remember and celebrate what God did for them in delivering from slavery in Egypt. And now we too remember our deliverance by God over these three Sacred Days, by gathering in prayer, reading the scriptures, singing hymns, processing, venerating, prostrating. 

Personally, these are my favorite days of the year. I love being a Catholic because of these Sacred Three days. And I love being a priest because of these Sacred Three Days. For as a priest, not only do I get to speak such beautiful prayers in the name of the Church, I get to witness your faith and devotion as you have your feet washed, and as you venerate the cross, sometimes with tears in your eyes, and to witness your joyful fire on the easter vigil, and the sense of renewal on Easter Sunday. 

Holy Thursday in particular is a special night for priests. For we trace back our priesthood back to the Last Supper on that first Holy Thursday. This is the origin of the priests’ mandate to serve the Church, to put the needs of the Church before our own, to lift up the worries of the Church and the struggles of the Church in prayer. Please offer special prayer for priests tonight, that your priests may continue to put God and the Church first in our life, always.

And as a beautiful reminder of how priests must always be men of humble service, I now call forward those who have been chosen for the washing of the feet. May they be a reminder for us all, of the need to allow the Lord to wash every part of our lives, our bodies, our minds, our souls, of the filth of sin, and to pour ourselves out in humble service to the Lord always, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

Holy Week 2026 - Wednesday (School Mass) - Preparing for the Sacred Triduum

Tomorrow begins the three Sacred Days of the Church Year known as the Sacred Triduum: Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday.

All of our Lenten practices and penances are aimed at preparing us for what happens over the next three days.

Our Lenten prayer has been preparing us to remain close to Jesus. On Holy Thursday, the Lord says, “Stay with me. Remain with me”. We are to prayerfully accompany Jesus into the upper room for the Last Supper on Holy Thursday, we are to prayerfully accompany him as he sweats blood and is arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, and as he goes to the cross on Good Friday, and as his body is laid in the tomb on Holy Saturday.

Our Lenten fasting has been preparing us to take up our crosses as Jesus takes up his. Jesus does not cling to His own comfort, safety, or life. He empties Himself completely. Lenten fasting has enabled us to practice that same self-denial in a small but real way, and to appreciate the suffering Jesus undergoes for us.

Likewise, our Lenten almsgiving has been preparing us to give of ourselves in sacrificial love and generosity as Jesus did on the cross. 

Our Lenten repentance and confession of sin has been preparing us to see our sins honestly. For during the Triduum we see exactly what sin does. Sin is not just some small mistake or a private weakness. Turning away from God—separation from God has real consequences. And Lenten repentance helps us come to Holy Week with clearer eyes: not merely feeling sorry for Jesus, but recognizing that He suffers to save us from our sins.

Finally, Lent prepares us to renew our Christian identity at Easter. For at the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday, the Church celebrates baptism of those who have heard the Lord’s call to the waters of everlasting life. And on Easter Sunday, the Catholic Church collectively renews the promises made at our baptisms—to reject sin and live in the newness of life won for us by Jesus Christ.

In the Gospel today, the disciples approached Jesus and asked him how best they could prepare for the Passover. Each of us does well to do the same? Jesus, how can I best use these short hours we have left to best prepare for Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday? What prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and repentance can help me best be prepared to follow you to the cross, to grave, and to the resurrection, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

- - - - -  

As we stand on the threshold of the Sacred Triduum, let us bring our prayers before the Father, asking for the grace to follow His Son more closely through His Passion, Death, and Resurrection.

That the prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and repentance of Lent may bear fruit in a deeper love for Jesus and a more generous readiness to remain with Him in the days ahead, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, hear our prayer.

For catechumens and candidates preparing to receive the Easter Sacraments, that the Lord may strengthen them, purify them, and fill them with joy as they approach the waters of new life, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, hear our prayer.

For God’s blessings upon Corpus Christi Academy students and faculty, and for safety over Easter break. Lord, hear our prayer.

For those who suffer in body, mind, or spirit, and for all who carry heavy crosses, that by uniting their sufferings to Christ they may find strength, peace, and consolation, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, hear our prayer.

For the faithful departed, that having died with Christ, they may share forever in the glory of His Resurrection, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, hear our prayer.

Heavenly Father, in your love you gave us your Son, who suffered, died, and rose again for our salvation. Hear the prayers we place before you, and prepare us to enter these sacred days with faith, gratitude, and love. Through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

 

Holy Week 2026 - Tuesday - Judas' sins against faith, hope, and love

 

Three characters have three different responses to Jesus in the Gospel today. John, the beloved disciples lays his head on Jesus’ chest.  Peter, confesses his desire to follow Jesus even unto death, but at the sight of the cross flees in fear.  And Judas, with betrayal in his heart goes into the night. 

Sometimes we are like John: we have moments of great intimacy with Jesus, of deep prayer and unshakable love for the Lord.  Of all the apostles, it is John who stands at the cross with the Blessed Mother. 

Sometimes, we are like Peter: we can be so pious and enthusiastic one moment, saying, “Master, I will lay down my life for you”, and then the next moment, when discipleship becomes difficult and costly, we are running away in fear.

And then sometimes we are like Judas: rejecting the light and slinking off into the darkness—to sin.

We’ve have all been like Judas, from time to time, in some form or another. Judas betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver, we betray him often for so much less, a moment of passing pleasure, a juicy morsel of gossip, a resentment allowed to grow into hatred, greed for money and material things that keep us from charity towards the poor.

What led Judas to betray the Lord?

Unlike the other disciples that called Jesus “Lord,” Judas never used this title for Jesus and instead called him “Rabbi,” which acknowledged Jesus as nothing more than a teacher—nothing more than a human teacher. While it is never stated explicitly, it seems that Judas failed to make the leap of faith—that Jesus was God.

When the synoptic gospels list the Twelve, they are always listed in the same general order with slight variations. The general order indicates the relative closeness of their personal relationship with Jesus. Despite the variations, Peter and the brothers James and John are always listed first, which is consistent with their relationships with Jesus. Judas is always listed last, indicating his lack of love. Not to mention Judas' scoffing complaint when Mary anoints the Lord's feat with oil from the alabaster jar.

Third, Judas was consumed with greed to the point of betraying the trust of not only Jesus, but also his fellow disciples. He put his hope in mammon.

Judas lacked faith, hope, and love. And so do we, every time we sin.

Christians, rather, are to be animated by faith, hope, and love—what we call the three theological virtues. We are to practice faith, that he is God, and center our lives in worship and obedience to Him. We are to practice hope, putting our trust not in money, or created things, but in Him to save us and fulfill us. And we are to practice love—laying our ear next to the heart of Jesus, like John the beloved, through daily and frequent prayer.

Faith, hope, and love. The three theological virtues unite us with the life of God. As we enter into the most sacred three days of the Church year—the sacred triduum—may our faith, hope, and love increase, that as Jesus, the Lord, journeys to the cross for our salvation, we may journey with him, uniting our lives to Him, entrusting our souls to Him, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - 

 As we journey with Christ to the cross, let us bring our prayers before the Father, trusting in His mercy and seeking the grace to follow Jesus with integrity and love.

For the Church, that she may remain close to the heart of Christ, faithful in worship, steadfast in hope, and radiant in charity, let us pray to the Lord.

For those preparing for Christian Initiation at Easter: for the grace to follow Christ through death into new life. Let us pray to the Lord.

For those who flee the cross out of fear, for those whose faith is weak, for those who have placed their trust in wealth, success, pleasure, or other passing things, for those trapped in serious sin, resentment, greed, or betrayal: for God’s grace to touch theirs and the most hardened hearts, let us pray to the Lord.

For all who suffer, especially the poor, the anxious, the lonely, and the sick, that they may find comfort in the Sacred Heart of Jesus and be aided by the charity of His disciples, let us pray to the Lord.

For the faithful departed, that having hoped in Christ in this life, they may now share forever in the joy of His Resurrection, let us pray to the Lord.

Heavenly Father, you call us to remain with your Son in faith, hope, and love. Hear the prayers we place before you, and draw us ever more deeply into the mystery of His saving Passion. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

 

Holy Week 2026 - Monday - Jesus God worthy of our lavish love

 I was talking with a group of third graders about the events of Holy Week, and we discussed the scene from our Gospel today. “Why did Mary take a jar of perfumed oil that cost thirty thousand dollars in today’s money and pour it all out and wash Jesus’ feet with it?” I asked the third graders.  And one of the children raised their hand and gave the perfect answer: “Because he is God.”

It is not surprising that we find this story in the Gospel of John—which so often—emphasizes Jesus’ divinity. He is the Word Made Flesh. Throughout the Gospel Jesus ascribes to himself the divine name “I Am”; he possesses divine attributes—glory and grace and truth, having life in himself; he performs divine works: the miracles, especially raising the dead; he claims to be able to do what only God can do granting eternal life to whomever he wills, exercising divine judgment. And showing himself to be worthy of faith and divine honor: “you have faith in God, have faith also in me”. Thomas after Jesus’ resurrection exclaims “my Lord and my God”.

It is important for us, at the beginning of Holy Week, to recall that Jesus is God, a fact that Judas, and the chief priests, and all those who called for his crucifixion, failed to believe. Otherwise we misunderstand the events of this week. If Jesus were merely a good man, then His Passion would be tragic, moving, even inspiring—but no more than that. It would be the sad story of a righteous man who was rejected and killed. 

But because Jesus is truly God, His suffering and death have saving power. His Cross is not simply an example of courage; it is the altar of our redemption. His blood is not merely the blood of a martyr; it is the blood of the Son of God poured out for the salvation of the world.

Jesus’ suffering and death is the great account of God’s love—divine mercy freely poured out

Jesus is God come to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves, and because Jesus is God, He is worthy of the extravagant love Mary shows Him in today’s Gospel. Her anointing is not excessive. Love is never wasted when it is given to God. He is worthy of all praise, honor, glory, and thanksgiving. 

May our faith, hope, and love for Jesus be lavish this week. May we give Jesus the best we have in adoring Him, in contemplating Him, recognizing that He is God come to save us out of love for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

- - - - - -  

As we enter into this most sacred week, let us lift up our hearts in prayer, offering God our love and trust as Mary of Bethany once did, with confidence that He hears and answers.

For the Church throughout the world: that she may be filled with the fragrance of holiness, drawing all people to the love and mercy of Christ during this Holy Week. Let us pray to the Lord.

For all bishops, priests, and deacons: that in their preaching, celebrating the sacraments, and personal prayer, they may pour out their lives in love for Christ and His people. Let us pray to the Lord.

For those preparing to enter the Church at Easter: that this Holy Week may deepen their love for Christ and strengthen their desire to follow Him faithfully. Let us pray to the Lord.

For all Christians: that like Mary of Bethany, we may spend time this week contemplating Jesus—adoring Him, listening to His word, and offering Him our very best. Let us pray to the Lord.

For those who have fallen away from the Church: that the witness of Christian love—visible and fragrant in our lives—may draw them back to seek the Lord who gave His life for them. Let us pray to the Lord.

For the poor, the lonely, and all who suffer: that through the compassion and generosity of others, they may know the tender love of Christ poured out for them. Let us pray to the Lord.

For our beloved dead: that having sought the face of Christ in this life, they may now behold Him in eternal glory. Let us pray to the Lord.

Heavenly Father, receive our prayers and pour out your grace upon us. May we offer the best of ourselves in love and adoration, that our lives may bear witness to your glory. Through Christ our Lord.

Palm Sunday 2026 - Unique perspectives of the Passion

We just heard the great Passion according to St. Matthew. All four Gospels contain an account of the passion of Jesus –the events leading up to and including his suffering and death on the Cross. There are similarities between each of the Gospel accounts. But like any event described by different authors, each Passion account contains the evangelists' unique perspective.

St. Mark’s passion, is the shortest. It is fast-paced and concise, written for the Roman Christians already being persecuted by an empire working to destroy the Church. Mark emphasizes Jesus’ suffering, his agony, likely to embolden the Christians who were already being persecuted for his name.

St. Luke’s Passion highlights the Lord’s compassion, forgiveness, and universal love. St. Luke recorded the merciful words of Jesus on the Cross: “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.”

We read St. John’s Passion every year on Good Friday, which focuses on Jesus’ divine nature, his fulfillment of His Father’s plan. “It is finished”, the Lord says, as he accomplishes the salivific mission for which he was sent.

St. Matthew’s original audience were the Jewish converts—those who came to believe that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah. And so, Matthew’s Passion, as we heard contained explanations of how Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament Messianic prophecies. St. Matthew even recorded Jesus from the cross quoting one of the Psalms in Hebrew: “"Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?"which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

To quote the famous biblical scholar Raymond Brown: “Matthew emphasizes Jesus as the fulfiller of Old Testament prophecies, Mark emphasizes Jesus’ abandonment and the scandal of the cross, Luke emphasizes Jesus’ compassion, and John emphasizes Jesus’ sovereignty and control over events.”

Again, each of the Gospel writers narrate the Passion from unique perspectives. What about yours? What does the Passion of the Lord mean to you, at this particular moment in your life, at the beginning of Holy Week 2026.

For our Catechumens, perhaps this is the first time they’ve ever heard the entire Passion. Christ’s journey to the cross parallels their own journey to the Sacraments at Easter. As they prepare to die and rise with Christ in Baptism, they are reminded that to belong to Jesus is not simply to admire him, but to follow him—to pass with him through suffering, surrender, and death into new life.

But what about the rest of us? What does the Passion mean to us?

For those who are undergoing illness and suffering, the Passion means that suffering is no longer meaningless. The Son of God has entered into pain, weakness, humiliation, and agony. He knows what it is to suffer in the body, to feel abandoned, to endure suffering patiently and out of love. And so your suffering, united to his, can become a participation in his redeeming love—in God’s very life.

For those who are struggling with faith, the Passion shows us, what? That even in darkness, confusion, and fear, God is present. Jesus, united even to the portion of humanity which feels forsaken by God, showed us the importance of persevering in crying out to God, having faith even when God is difficult to see.  If your faith feels weak, if prayer feels dry, if God seems silent, look at the crucified Jesus and know that he has entered even that darkness, and he has not abandoned you.

What does the Passion mean, for young people discerning what God is calling them to do with their life? The Passion reveals that the purpose of our life is discovered not in seeking our own will, but God’s. Jesus embraces the will of the Father, even when it is costly—and teaches us to seek how God is calling us to love, to sacrifice, to trust, and give of ourselves for the kingdom. 

What does the Passion mean for married people raising a family? The Passion reveals the shape of authentic love. Love is not merely a feeling; it is sacrifice, perseverance, forgiveness, patience, and fidelity. To love your spouse, to care for your children, to provide, to endure the daily dying to self that family life requires—this too, when done with faith, is a sharing in the cross of Christ, and therefore in its fruitfulness.

What does the Passion mean for those who are advanced in the Spiritual life? The Passion is an invitation to accompany Jesus not only in consolation but in desolation. Deep prayer always draws us more deeply into the mystery of Christ crucified.

What about those struggling to overcome sin? The Passion reveals both the seriousness of sin and God’s mercy—sins remedy. Our sins are not small things; they led to the crucifixion of the innocent Lamb. And yet Christ’s response is not vengeance, but love poured out to the end. Holy Week is the time not to hide our sins like Adam and Eve hiding in the Garden, but to humbly repent of them, bringing them to the crucified Lord who blood is our deliverance from sin.

What about those who like the Lord betrayed by Judas have been betrayed by a trusted friend or family member? The Passion reminds you that Jesus knows that pain, too. He knows what it is to be wounded not just by enemies, but by one close to him. If your heart has been pierced by betrayal, bring that wound to the Lord, who will help you to forgive and to know peace.

Maybe the Passion is a reminder to some of us, who acted like the chief priests with the scribes and elders mocked Jesus, or like Peter denied Jesus before others. For us the Passion is humbling, but also cause for such great gratitude, that contempt and cowardice have been replaced with faith and Love. 

The Passion means something a little different to each of us, depending on where we are standing at this moment in our life. And yet in every case, it means this: that Jesus Christ loved us to the end. He entered suffering, betrayal, injustice, humiliation, and death itself in order to save us. And so, whatever our particular walk of life may be at the beginning of this Holy Week, we do not stand outside this story. We are somewhere in it. 

I invite you to read through the various Passion stories this week—and to consider what the Lord is saying to you at this moment in your life—in the concrete details of your life. How is the Lord calling you to follow Him more faithfully, with greater gratitude for his self-sacrifice, with greater faith, hope, and love for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

 

5th Week of Lent 2026 - Tuesday - Remedy for the serpent's poison

 

For forty years, God had provided for his people as they wandered the desert, giving them manna from heaven. God had fed them, God had sustained them. And yet, as we heard in the reading from the book of numbers today, “the people complained against God and Moses: We are disgusted with this wretched food!”

With their hearts hardened against God, the Israelites became subject to the deadly poison of serpents.

There is a bit of a parallel to Adam and Eve in the garden. God had provided food aplenty for Adam and Eve. But they were discontented with the food God provided, and looked to the fruit of the forbidden tree. They too became subject to the deadly poison of the serpent at the forbidden tree. They were poisoned by the serpent’s bite, and that poison brought death, not only for them, but for the entire human race.

The story from the Book of Numbers looks back to Adam and Eve and the consequences of sin, but it also foreshadows the victory of the New Adam in the Gospel.

The bronze serpent, mounted on a pole, becoming a source of life for the poisoned Israelites, foreshadows the saving death of Jesus Christ, mounted on the cross, which becomes a source of eternal life for all who believe in Him.

The drama of Adam and Eve, the drama of sin, the drama of the Israelites in the desert, plays over and over again in our lives.  We allow trust, love, and gratitude to God to die in our hearts whenever we turn to sin. We allow ourselves to grow discontent with the good food God has provided for us and seek to satisfy our hunger for God in so many artificial substitutes. We allow the serpent to whisper to us, that we should grasp for more than what God has provided. The story warns us of the folly of turning our hearts from God and the consequences that inevitably ensue.

For us and for all people, Jesus is the remedy for this cycle of sin and death. Lifted up on the Cross, He becomes the healing we could never provide for ourselves. To break the cycle, we must turn our ears away from the poisonous words of the serpent, but to turn our eyes to Christ with faith.

Lent teaches us to recognize the poison of sin in our lives and to turn again to the Crucified One. If we look to Him with repentance and trust, He will heal what sin has wounded and lead us from death to life for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

- - - -  

Trusting in the mercy of God, and turning our eyes to Christ lifted up for our salvation, let us bring before the Father our prayers and petitions.

For the Church, that she may faithfully proclaim Christ crucified as the true remedy for sin and death, and lead many souls to repentance and healing.

For the defense of our nation from all threats foreign and domestic; for a quick and peaceful resolution to all violent conflict and safety for all first responders.

For those preparing to receive the Easter Sacraments, that by God’s grace they may be protected from evil and drawn ever more deeply into the saving mystery of Christ’s Cross and Resurrection.

For those whose hearts have grown hardened through sin, complaint, or ingratitude, that the Lord may soften their hearts and restore in them trust, love, and gratitude, let us pray to the Lord. Lord hear our prayer.

For the sick, the suffering, and those burdened by illness of body, mind, or spirit, that the healing power of Christ may strengthen them and give them peace, let us pray to the Lord. Lord hear our prayer.

For the faithful departed, that having looked to Christ in faith during this life, they may now behold Him face to face in the glory of heaven, let us pray to the Lord. Lord hear our prayer.

Heavenly Father, you sent your Son into the world to heal us from the poison of sin and lead us from death to life. Hear the prayers we place before you, and grant them according to your holy will. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

 

4th Week of Lent 2026 - Wednesday (school mass) - Eyes fixed on Jesus

 

We have reached the half-way point of Lent. For the first half of Lent, our Scripture readings focus on prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

Now, as we get closer and closer to Holy Week: to Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, and Good Friday, our Scripture readings shift focus. No longer are the daily scriptures reminding us of the importance of prayer and fasting. By now, prayer and fasting are our dear friends. We know them well. And we understand their value.

But now, half-way through Lent, our scriptures begin to focus more and more on Jesus, specifically the hostility and opposition he faces leading up to his arrest and crucifixion. Our readings help us to understand, “why?”. Why did they hate him so much that they lied about him, mocked him, conspired against him, arrested him, whipped him, crucified and killed him?

This morning, our Gospel reading contains a very clear answer to these questions: “For this reason they tried all the more to kill him, because he not only broke the sabbath but he also called God his own father, making himself equal to God.” They hated him, they tried all the more to kill him because he claimed to be God.

That is very important for us to understand. Jesus was not simply a nice man who told people to be kind. He was not merely a wise teacher with good advice. He was not just a miracle worker or even a prophet. Jesus claimed something much greater. He claimed equality with the Father. His work, his ministry, his preaching—was the work and words of God.

Because Jesus is God, we cannot be indifferent to Him. We cannot treat Him as unimportant. We cannot just fit Him in when it is convenient. We must listen to Him, trust Him, obey Him, and love Him.

These readings also help us to understand that all that Jesus suffers during Holy Week, especially on Good Friday, he does so because He loves us, God loves us. And he endures all of these things to save us from our sins, to save us from being people who turn their hearts away from God, like those who sought to murder him because they didn’t like his words.

So in these remaining weeks of Lent, let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. Praying and fasting, yes, but also growing in faith, gratitude, and love for Him. And may our hearts not harden against His word, but open more fully to the God who suffers to save us, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

 

As we continue our Lenten journey and fix our eyes more closely on Jesus, true God and true man, let us bring our prayers before our heavenly Father.

 

For the Pope Leo, and all bishops, priests, and deacons, that they may preach Christ faithfully and lead God’s people more deeply into the mysteries of His Passion, Death, and Resurrection.  Let us pray to the Lord. Lord, hear our prayer.

For a quick and peaceful resolution to all violent conflict in the world, and that the wisdom of God may govern all of our national and international affairs. Let us pray to the Lord. Lord, hear our prayer.

For those whose hearts have grown cold, distracted, or indifferent toward the Lord, that God may soften their hearts and draw them back to faith, repentance, and love.  Let us pray to the Lord. Lord, hear our prayer.

For our parish and school community, that in these remaining weeks of Lent we may keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, listen to His word, and grow in gratitude for all He endured to save us from our sins.  Let us pray to the Lord. Lord, hear our prayer.

For the sick, the suffering, and all who carry the weight of the cross in their lives, that they may find comfort in Christ, who suffered out of love for us and who never abandons His people.  Let us pray to the Lord. Lord, hear our prayer.

For the faithful departed, that they may come to share forever in the glory of the risen Christ.  Let us pray to the Lord. Lord, hear our prayer.

Heavenly Father, hear the prayers we place before you. Keep our hearts fixed on your Son, that walking with Him through His Passion, we may come to share in the joy of His Resurrection. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

4th Week of Lent 2026 - Monday - Focusing on Christ

 

The fourth Sunday of Lent marks a threshold.  No longer will our weekday readings emphasize prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. The Church assumes, that at this point, we have habituated these practices. Rather, from now until Holy Week, our weekday scripture readings will focus on the identity of Jesus as the Divine Messiah, and the mounting hostility he faced leading up to his arrest and crucifixion. 

The gospel book changes as well.  Since Ash Wednesday, the weekday scripture readings have been taken from the Synoptic Gospels: Matthew, Mark, or Luke.  For the rest of Lent, we will read predominately from the Gospel of John.

Where the Synoptic Gospels are filled with stories of Jesus’ miracles: Matthew includes about 20, Mark, the shortest Gospel has around 18, Luke records about 24, John features only 7. 

The seven miracles of John’s Gospel serve to emphasize to the reader, Jesus’ identity—he is the Word made flesh come to accomplish what no one else can do—to save us from our sins. 

Chronologically, today’s Gospel is the second of the seven miracle stories: the healing of the nobleman’s son.  

It is good for us to remember that has we progress through Lent.  Jesus is not merely a teacher, telling us to be nice to each other.  He just doesn’t cure people’s ailments, like an itinerant medicine man.  He is God come to save us from our sins.  

If the Scripture readings for first three weeks of Lent helped us to focus on prayer, fasting and almsgiving, how should we be responding to God’s Word in this latter half of Lent?

I think the answer is this: with deeper faith and focus on Jesus himself. The first half of Lent teaches us what to do. The second half of Lent reminds us why we are doing it, and for whom. We pray, fast, and give alms not as ends in themselves, not as spiritual exercises for their own sake, but to be drawn more fully to Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the one who alone can heal and save.

Look at the nobleman in today’s Gospel. He comes to Jesus with faith, though it is still imperfect. He begs for his son’s life. And Jesus calls him to an even deeper faith—not merely faith in what he can see, but faith in the power of Christ’s word. “You may go; your son will live.” And the man believed what Jesus said and left. That is the response these later Lenten readings are meant to awaken in us: to take Jesus at His word, to trust Him more completely, and to entrust our lives to Him.

So in these coming days, as the readings reveal more clearly who Jesus is and as opposition to Him increases, we should ask for the grace for our love, and grace, and sympathy for Him to be deepened. We should not give up on our Lenten practices, but our hearts are not to be fixed on them, but on Jesus—in appreciation, and wonder, and awe, for what he endures for us for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

- - - -  

Let us lift up our prayers to the Father. 

For the Church, that during these latter days of Lent she may proclaim with clarity that Jesus is the Divine Messiah, and lead many hearts to deeper faith in Him.  Let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, hear our prayer.

For those preparing to receive the Easter Sacraments, that the Lord may deepen their faith and draw them into a living and lasting friendship with Jesus.  Let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, hear our prayer.

For those whose faith is weak, imperfect, or burdened by doubt, that like the nobleman in the Gospel they may learn to trust in the power of Christ’s word and entrust their lives more completely to Him.  Let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, hear our prayer.

For those who oppose the Gospel, persecute Christians, or harden their hearts against Christ, that the mercy of God may soften them and lead them to repentance and faith.  Let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, hear our prayer.

For those who are sick, suffering, or carrying heavy burdens for loved ones, that they may turn to Jesus with confidence and find in Him healing, strength, and peace.  Let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, hear our prayer.

For the faithful departed, that they may behold forever the face of Christ, whom they trusted on earth and now see in glory.  Let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, hear our prayer.

Heavenly Father, hear these prayers we offer in faith. Deepen our trust in your Son, fix our hearts upon Him, and lead us through this holy season to the joy of Easter. Through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

4th Sunday of Lent 2026 - To see with the eyes of Christ

 

The story of the man born blind comes just a few chapters after last Sunday’s Gospel, the story of the woman at the well. Last week, we heard of the woman estranged from her community, going from one assumably failed marriage to the next, estranged from her God. Yet, Jesus comes into the messiness of her life, and offers her a drink of the life-giving waters that well up to eternal life. Her story is our story. Jesus doesn’t wait for our lives to be perfect, he enters into the messiness of our lives, and offers us water to drink—and sends us out to offer that life-giving water to others.

In the Gospel today, we heard of the man born blind.  His story, also, is our story. Each of us struggles with some amount of spiritual blindness. We don’t see as we should.  We don’t see our neighbor as we should, we don’t see our God as we should, we don’t see ourselves as we should, we don’t see the changes we need to make in our lives, in the patterns of our speech and behavior, as we should.  As Jesus offered sight to the blind man at the pool of siloam, so too, He offers sight to us, as well.

Jesus Christ came to restore sight to the spiritually blind, and so by the light of Christ, we are now able live in the light of the truth, not only avoiding those behaviors and attitudes that are harmful to our souls, but seeing how good it is to live virtuously. Spiritual sight helps us to be ever-more attentive to the needs of the suffering, so that we may come to their aid. Spiritual sight even enables us to see ourselves as God sees us, as sons and daughters worth dying for.

The ancient theologian Origen said, “to be holy is to see with the eyes of Christ.”  “To be holy is to see with the eyes of Christ.” 

Here’s an illustration from my own life. During the semester I studied in Rome, I attended several masses at St. Peter’s basilica. Pope St. John Paul II was Pope, and the basilica would often be packed with those hoping to get close to the saintly Holy Father. During Holy Week that year, I went to St. Peter’s for the Chrism mass at which the Pope blesses the holy oils for the upcoming year. I got there very early so that I could get a good seat, and I found myself right on the aisle, where the Pope would be processing up to the altar.

This was in 2004, and the Pope’s health was not great, but he walked up the aisle that day, and I tell you, for a moment, the saint and I locked eyes. And it was if I was looking right into the eyes of Jesus. This spiritual light emanated from the eyes of the Pope. And I felt seen by God, and loved, and confirmed in my vocation. It was so beautiful. I saw the love of Jesus in the Pope’s eyes—a love that was for me and for all. He was truly a saint, for he “saw with the eyes of Christ”, as Origen said, which are eyes of love.

And that’s the goal for all of us: to be so filled with the light of God, the peace of God, the wisdom of God, the compassion of God, that we see with the eyes of Christ. But that only happens when we allow ourselves to be washed, and cleansed, healed and anointed.

When people look into your eyes, what do they see? Harshness, criticism, rash judgment, annoyance? Or do they see patience? Do they see welcome and understanding? Do they see someone who will calmly lead them to the God? If not, why not?

What has yet to be healed in you, so that the light of God can be seen in your eyes? What spiritual blindness is causing you to see not with the eyes of Christ, but with the eyes of the world—the cold, calculating, critical, self-interested eyes of the world? Do you see others as inconveniences or people God has put into your life for you to love?

When we seek to see Christ in others, they will see Christ in us. That was certainly true for the other saintliest group people I have ever met, the missionary sisters of charity, the order of consecrated religious sisters founded by St. Mother Theresa.

I told this story during my first weekend as pastor, how each Friday, when I lived in Rome I would volunteer at the missionary sisters of charity men’s homeless shelter. 

Each week, a group of us seminarians and college students were blessed to work along the sisters in their care for the homeless. And it was always so powerful to be serving alongside these holy woman. Each one of the sisters had this beautiful Christ-like light in their eyes. For their charism was to see Christ in others, and to serve the poorest of the poor as they would serve Christ himself.

We would assist with serving breakfast to the homeless men, and helping the sisters do the laundry. Since Mother Theresa didn’t believe in modern conveniences like electric washing machines, this meant washing the homeless men’s clothing, soiled sheets and towels on old fashioned scrub boards.

One Friday, during Lent, one of the seminarians asked one of the sisters, “Sister, are you ready for Easter?” And in all seriousness she replied, “No, I still have much dying to do.” And she was probably one of the most joyful people I had ever met. “No, I still have much dying to do”. Here was a woman who lived every day in what appeared to be total- selflessness—no possessions, no comforts, spending her days washing soiled sheets and washing the grime off of the homeless. Yet she said, “I still have much dying to do.”

I think about her words quite a bit. For, I know that her words contain one of the most important lessons: that without dying to self, without learning to see with eyes purified by the salve of Christ, we will never have real joy.

On the fourth Sunday of Lent—Laetare Sunday—the priest vests in rose-colored vestments, the color of dawn's first light before sunrise. The liturgical color, rose, symbolizes joyful anticipation for easter—signaling that easter joy is on the horizon. And, yet at the half way point of Lent, it is a reminder that if we want to see that joy, we still have much dying to do.

Our Lenten prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, our Lenten repenting, our Lenten penances, our Lenten confessions are aimed at helping us to die to self that we may see rightly. “Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God”.

From what do I still need to be purified? What impurity is still rooted in me so deeply that I don’t even detect it? Or what impurity am I afraid to acknowledge because of the change that will be demanded of me if it is healed?

To remain in spiritual darkness is to be deprived of joy. There are none so blind than those who choose not to see, and they are quite joyless as well.

 But, the Lord wishes that joy may be in us and joy may be in abundance. So may we not be afraid to expose the darkest parts of our lives to the light of the Lord, to allow him to heal us, to fill us with light, to help us to see with His eyes and joyfully love with his heart, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.