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.

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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.

 

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.

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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.

3rd Week of Lent 2026 - Monday - Naaman and Nazareth: A challenging contrast

 

Each year, I’m always struck by the contrast between Naaman in our first readying, who came to believe, and the people of Nazarath, who hardened their hearts toward Jesus.

You would expect the stories to be reversed, no? You would expect Naaman, a pagan, a gentile, to reject the God of Israel. But he takes a  leap of faith—he follows the strange instructions of the prophet Elisha—he bathes in the waters of the Jordan, and he is cleansed, and comes to proclaim “there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel."

And then contrast Naaman’s faith, with the faithlessness of the people of Nazareth. They drive him to the edge of town to throw him over a cliff.

Mother Church presents us with this contrast during this Lenten season, no doubt to challenge us—to ensure that we are responding to God in faith and not hardening our hearts when we are presented with the call to conversion.

Naaman in a sense makes us think of the Catechumens—pagans, who have now come to believe in the one, true God. During Lent, they are praying, and fasting, and preparing for their Easter Sacraments—to wash in the saving waters. And they are doing so wholeheartedly.

Contrast that to the attitude of many life-long Catholics, who fail to seek any real conversion for themselves during the Lenten season. Many harden their hearts when their priests encourage them to go to confession, practice mortification, pray more fervently.

These scriptures present us with a warning, don’t they: be careful that familiarity and habit don’t  become obstacles to faith. The people of Nazareth thought they knew Jesus already. Their self-certainty became not just an obstacle to faith, but the genesis of hostility toward the Lord’s prophetic call to conversion.

We’re about halfway through the Lenten season, and we’re challenged to ensure that we don’t fall into this same trap. To say: I know God as well as I can, I already know what it means to be Christian, I am as conformed to the Word of God as I possibly can be.

Like Naaman, the Lord will certainly invite us to encounter him in some new way: new prayer, new penance, new act of charity. Let us respond like him in humble faith for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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That the season of Lent may bring the most hardened hearts to repentance and bring to all people purification of sin and selfishness.

For those preparing for baptism and the Easter sacraments, that they may continue to conform themselves to Christ through fervent prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

That we may generously respond to all those in need: the sick, the suffering, the homeless, the imprisoned, and victims of violence.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Grant, we pray, O Lord, that your people may turn to you with all their heart, so that whatever they dare to ask in fitting prayer they may receive by your mercy. Through Christ our Lord.

3rd Sunday of Lent 2026 - Scrutinies and the Samaritan Woman

We celebrated today, with our Catechumens, the first of the three Scrutinies. The three scrutinies are celebrated on the third, fourth, and fifth Sundays of Lent with those who are preparing to enter the Church at Easter.  The three scrutinies are solemn rituals in which we pray to help to purify, enlighten and strengthen the catechumens as they prepare for the Easter Sacraments.

The word "scrutinize" means to examine in minute detail, and in the scrutinies, the Church prays that every-last minute detail of the lives of the Catechumens may be converted to Christ. The ritual book for the scrutitines says that their purpose is to "heal all that is weak, defective, or sinful in the hearts of the elect" and "to give them strength in Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life".  And that’s something each of us need to seek, every day: to turn to the Lord to heal anything that is defective or sinful in our hearts.

Catechism says, “In order to reach perfection, the faithful should use the strength dealt out to them by Christ’s gift, so that . . . doing the will of the Father in everything, they may wholeheartedly devote themselves to the glory of God and to the service of their neighbor.” We are to utilize all of the strength at our disposal--the strength of our intellect and will, the gifts of the spirit—to root out sin so that we may live more fully for God.

We do this before Sacramental Confession of course. We thoroughly scrutinize our moral decisions since our last confession. But it’s a very good idea to get in the habit of doing this every day; before bed, make an examination of your day—your choices and decisions and conversations and interactions—scrutinize your day in the light of Christ. That daily scrutiny is a powerful spiritual help for growth in holiness.

“Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God” promises Jesus. We seek to purify ourselves of sin, so that we may see God in this life and in the next. Sin obscures spiritual vision—it clouds the intellect. We will hear more about the curing of spiritual blindness next week—in the gospel of the healing of the blind man at the pool of siloam. Yet, this Sunday’s Gospel also had to do with spiritual vision in a sense, as the Samaritan woman came to spiritually see Jesus for who he really is—the one who can quench our thirst for living waters.

This is really a powerful Gospel. There are a couple important details right at the beginning of the story: “Jesus came to a town of Samaria.” Jesus enters this place, where no pious Jew would go. . Samaria was filled with half-breeds—Jews who had intermarried with the Assyrians invaders of centuries past.

First, insight: Jesus doesn’t go around the unclean land or the unclean person. Jesus loves the unclean, the marginalized, the outsider. In the Second Reading, we are reminded by St. Paul that Jesus loves the sinner so much, he lays down his life for them.

Secondly: this woman, goes to the well, at the hottest part of the day, by herself. She is likely ostracized by her own people. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that she had five husbands and was living with a man to whom she was not married. She is surrounded with stigma, she’s living in sin. And it is precisely with her, that jesus converses and offers the gift of life-giving waters.

The Samaritan woman represents every one of us.  She is wounded, complicated, burdened by her past, and yet still sought out by Christ. Jesus waits for her at the well. And Jesus waits for us too. He is not afraid of the mess of her life, and He is not afraid of the mess in ours. He sees everything. He sees every sin, every compromise, every disappointment, every attempt we have made to find fulfillment apart from God—and still He speaks to us. Still He desires to give us living water.

This too makes the Samaritan woman’s faith is so striking—“Sir, give me this water”. She doesn’t quite yet understand who Jesus is completely. She doesn’t have a master’s degree in theology. But she recognizes that Jesus can do for her what no one else can. Her life may not be completely in order—but she gets this right. Recognizing Jesus as Savior, was life changing.

And then the next striking thing about this story: this encounter was so meaningful that she immediately becomes a missionary. This woman who had been avoiding others now runs to them. Once she encounters Christ, she can no longer keep Him to herself.

Here is a sign of authentic conversion. A real encounter with Jesus never remains private. It bears fruit. It changes how we speak, how we act, how we love, how we see others. When we ourselves have been healed, we are moved by love to desire that healing for others.

We know the suffering that comes from living apart from God, and so we desire to help others know Him. We know the emptiness the world has to offer, and so we desire to help others experience the fullness that comes from Him.

We do not want the people around us to remain thirsty, burdened, wounded, confused, or far from God. We want them to know the One we have come to know. We want them to encounter the mercy that has begun to heal us. That is what we see in the Samaritan woman. Once she begins to recognize who Jesus is, she leaves behind her water jar and goes her family and fellow townsfolk. She becomes, almost immediately, a witness. She does not yet understand everything about Jesus. Her faith is still new, still developing. But even so, she has found something—or rather Someone—too important to keep to herself.

And that is often how conversion works. A person who has really encountered Christ may not yet be able to explain every doctrine or answer every theological question, but we know this: I was thirsty, and He met me. I was burdened, and He spoke to me. I was wandering, and He began to lead me. I was hurting, and he comforted me. That’s evangelization.

Evangelization is not only the task of apologists, theologians, clergy, and catechists. Certainly, we have an important role in the Church. But at its heart, Christian witness is simple. I was wounded and empty, and he healed me. It is one beggar showing another where to find bread; one thirsty soul showing another where to find water.

This Lent, the Lord invites us to scrutinize our lives—to lay them bare that we may drink every-more-deeply of the life-giving waters, then sends us out to make that invitation to others—for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

 

1st Week of Lent 2026 - Wednesday - Get serious about repenting

 

A week ago, we gathered on Ash Wednesday. We received Ashes on our foreheads as a sign that during this season we will seek to turn away from sin and turn toward God.

Well, just one week into Lent now, our readings today are about one of the grandest examples of turning away from sin in the entire old testament.

Jonah preached for forty days that unless the city of Nineveh repented, it would be destroyed. And what happened? Well, they weren’t destroyed were they? Just the opposite. And it was really amazing. The entire city of Ninevah, which was so big that it took a person three days to cross, the entire city-- the nobility, the peasantry, everyone—marked themselves with ashes, they fasted, and prayed, in order to turned away from sin and turn to God.

What a great story. I love this story. And apparently, Jesus loves this story too. For as we heard in our Gospel Jesus tells the people of his generation that they need to be more like the people of Nineveh. In fact, Jesus used more serious language than that didn’t he?

He said the failure to turn away from sin—the refusal to turn away from sin—will result in condemnation.

What’s Jesus talking about here? I think some of you know. Jesus is talking about hell. Condemnation to hell. Serious stuff.

God doesn’t want any of us to go to hell. God doesn’t want any one of us to be excluded from heaven. Which is why Jesus tells people to turn away from sin and turn toward God. Because that’s what it takes. That’s the choice we must make.

Will you turn away from sin or not? This is a serious message isn’t it? For lent is a serious time. It’s okay to be serious during serious times.

During Lent we get serious about sin and turning away from sin and doing penance for sin—serious prayer, serious fasting. “Turn to God with all your heart” we heard on Ash Wednesday. Not half-your heart, not the part of your heart you have left after you’ve given it your hobbies. Give God all of your heart—that it may be filled with life—the life which Jesus obtains for us on the cross.

So, get serious about turning away from sin this Lent. Show your repentance through prayer, fasting, almsgiving for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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For the Church throughout the world: that during this holy season of Lent her fasting, prayer, and almsgiving may bear fruit.

For those preparing for baptism and the Easter sacraments, that they may continue to conform themselves to Christ through fervent prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

For the students, families, and staff of Corpus Christi Academy: for a flourishing of faith, hope, and love and help from God in our trials.

For the sick, the suffering, the homeless, the imprisoned, and victims of violence.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Grant, we pray, O Lord, that your people may turn to you with all their heart, so that whatever they dare to ask in fitting prayer they may receive by your mercy.

 

Friday after Ash Wednesday 2026 - Conversion leads to Divine Intimacy

 

On this First Friday of Lent, we are immediately challenged by God’s word to ensure that our Lenten penances are rightly ordered.

In our reading from the prophet Isaiah, God says something startling.

The people are fasting. They are bowing their heads. They are wearing sackcloth. They are afflicting themselves. And yet God says: “You fast, but I do not see it.” Why? Because their penances have not changed their hearts. The people were performing religious acts. They are keeping the ritual. They are technically doing what is required. But at the same time: They continued to exploit their workers. They quarreled and fought with each other. They pursued their own interests. They neglected the poor.

Their penance were simply external. Their hearts remained untouched, unmoved, unconverted.

This is one of the central temptations of Lent: to reduce penance to religious performance: Give something up. Eat less. Pray a bit more. Check the box.

But Isaiah reminds us: God is not impressed by religious theater. He wants conversion. “This is the fasting that I wish: releasing those bound unjustly, setting free the oppressed, sharing your bread with the hungry, clothing the naked, not turning your back on your own.”

Notice the movement. True penance loosens the grip of selfishness and turns the heart outward in mercy.

When we fast properly, selfishness diminishes—our ego, our pride, our attachment, our indifference diminishes—in order to give way to charity—to that of the Lord’s own heart

If Lent does not conform our hearts more closely to His—if our fasting does not make us more patient, more merciful, more generous—then we are bowing our heads like reeds while our hearts remain stiff.

Our Isaiah read ends with a powerful promise. If you allow your heart to be converted, if you allow selfishness to be transformed into charity—then you will know the closeness of God: “Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer, you shall cry for help, and he will say: Here I am!”

What a beautiful promise that reminds us that the purpose of Lent is union with God.
Lent is not about impressing God. It is about removing the obstacles that prevent us from allowing his life to flow through us. Interior conversion leads to active charity which leads to divine intimacy.

Lord, may our Lenten penances soften our hearts, detach us from selfishness, move us to charity, and unite us more closely to you, for the Glory of God and the salvation of souls.

Trusting in the Lord, we call upon Him with sincere hearts.

For the Church throughout the world: that during this holy season of Lent her fasting, prayer, and almsgiving may bear fruit in true conversion and works of mercy.

For the Holy Father, bishops, and priests: that their lives may reflect the charity of the Sacred Heart and lead God’s people to authentic repentance and deeper union with Christ.

For civil leaders and all who exercise authority: that they may release those bound unjustly, defend the oppressed, and govern with justice and compassion.

For the poor, the hungry, the infirmed, the homeless, and those who suffer injustice: that our Lenten sacrifices may translate into concrete charity and real assistance for those in need.

For our parish community: that our fasting may soften our hearts, diminish selfishness, and make us more patient, merciful, and generous toward one another.

For those who struggle to repent or who feel distant from God: that they may experience the Lord’s promise of closeness.

For the faithful departed: that purified of every attachment to sin, they may rejoice forever in the fullness of divine charity. We pray to the Lord.

Heavenly Father, you desire mercy and not empty show. Purify our hearts this Lent and hear the prayers we offer with confidence through Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

Holy Week 2025 - Tuesday - Greed, Grace, and the Glory of the Cross

 

When Jesus announced that one of his disciples would betray Him, the 12 were befuddled. How could one of their own be responsible for betraying the master? Each of the apostles had their flaws, of course. Some were a bit hotheaded or slow to understand Jesus’ mission and identity. But, who would willingly and knowingly place their own will in competition with Christ’s? No one would be that arrogant, would they?

The Apostle Judas was likely a very capable young man. He was given a position of some importance, to carry the money purse. He was trusted by his fellow apostles. He had been sent out, by Jesus, just like the others: to heal the sick and cast out demons and preach repentance and the coming of the Kingdom of God. He was trusted, loved, he was called “friend” and “brother.” 

How did Judas go from trusted apostle to committing the worst of betrayals?

Yesterday, we heard how Judas objected to the extravagant display of affection for Jesus, when Mary anointed the Lord’s feet with expensive oil and dried them with her hair. The oil, Judas explained, could have been sold for much and the money given to the poor. St. John tells us, his objection was not because Judas actually cared for the poor, but because he was a thief—he stole, he was greedy.

Was Judas always a thief? Did Jesus call him as an apostle knowing his tendency to skim a little something for himself? It could be. Jesus after all called Matthew a tax collector. Tax collectors were known for extortion.

Or was Judas becoming a thief a slow descent into corruption through a series of justifications—giving-in to one weakness after another.

If it can happen to an apostle, it can happen to us. And it probably already has. During holy week, we aren’t meant to point fingers at Jesus’ enemies and say, thank goodness I’m not like them. Rather, this week, we point our fingers at ourselves, we beat our breasts as Jesus goes to the cross, knowing that it is our fault, our fault, our most grievous fault.

And yet, he goes to the cross for you and for me out of love.

Judas’ greed is contrasted in the Gospel with the lavish love of Christ—which is evident not in lip-service. He doesn’t simply tell us he loves us. He shows us. He suffers for us. Judas stole from the poor, Jesus dies for the poor. Judas betrayed his friend, Jesus dies for his betrayers.  

Unlike Judas, however, in these final days of Holy Week, we acknowledge our need for a savior with ineffable gratitude that is meant to change us to become more like Christ. May we respond as we should to the unmerited grace of redemption for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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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 throughout the world: that during these sacred days she may lead all people to deeper repentance and a more faithful following of Christ, who gave himself up for us. Let us pray to the Lord.

For our Bishop, priests, and all of the faithful who will gather this evening for the Chrism Mass, and that the Charity of the Church of Cleveland may overflow like precious oil.

For those who, like Judas, have wandered from the path of truth through sin or scandal: that they may encounter the mercy of Christ and return with contrite hearts to the love of God.Let us pray to the Lord.

For those struggling with greed, dishonesty, or selfishness: that the example of Christ’s sacrificial love may inspire true conversion and generosity. Let us pray to the Lord.

For the poor, the forgotten, and the betrayed: that they may know the compassionate love of Christ, who suffered for them and never abandons them. Let us pray to the Lord.

For those preparing to be received into the Church at Easter: that they may be strengthened in faith and filled with love for Christ who calls them his friends. Let us pray to the Lord.

For our beloved dead: that through the mercy of Christ who died for all, they may be raised to new and eternal life. Let us pray to the Lord.

God of mercy, in your Son Jesus you have revealed your love even to those who betray and abandon you. Hear the prayers we offer in humility and gratitude, and grant us the grace to walk more faithfully in the footsteps of Christ. Through Christ our Lord.

 

5th Week of Lent 2025 - Wednesday - Growing hostility toward the Truth

 Our late Lenten scripture readings continue to help us understand the hostility Jesus faced culminating in his arrest and Passion. 

In the first reading from the Book of Daniel, King Nebuchadnezzar becomes livid when Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refuse to worship the golden statue he erected. Their refusal to worship his false god leads him to rage and violence. Their refusal is not simply an afront to the King’s pagan god, but also to his ego. They refused to bow to him, to his will, to his demands, to his concept of reality. 

In the Gospel, Jesus explains to his opponents that they are trying to kill him because his “word has no room among” them. The rage of Nebuchadnezzar mirrors the hostility encountered by our Lord. 

The Jewish leaders conspire to kill Jesus because his word challenged their pride, self-righteousness, and ego. His truth exposed their spiritual enslavement to sin, and their blindness to the truth about God. "If God were your Father, you would love me”. But exposing their lack of love, they sought to silence the Word permanently. 

Genuine faithfulness to God inevitably brings believers into conflict with the values and priorities of the world. The world's prideful and self-centered systems resist the message of humility, truth, and freedom that Christ brings. 

Like Nebuchadnezzar, who demanded absolute allegiance to his concept of reality, so many in our culture today do not tolerate challenges to their worldview. Consider the rage on social media when Judeo-Christian values are promoted. 

The readings help us to understand the hostility of the world toward the truth of God, but they also offer powerful encouragement. The three young men in the fiery furnace were not abandoned; God stood with them, protecting them. Likewise, Jesus trusted deeply in the Father's presence, even when His word was rejected and He faced crucifixion. The Father vindicated His Son’s faithfulness through the Resurrection.

As we approach Holy Week, let us consider where Christ’s word may find resistance in our own hearts. May we remain faithful, even when confronted with hostility, opposition, or temptation. Trusting in God's presence, may the truth live in us richly that we may bear it witness, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

- - - -  

Trusting in God’s steadfast presence and protection, let us present our prayers and petitions.

For the Church throughout the world, that she may courageously proclaim the truth of Christ, even in the face of opposition and hostility. Let us pray to the Lord.

For world leaders, that they may act with humility, justice, and openness to the truth, resisting the temptation to impose self-centered agendas or oppressive ideologies. Let us pray to the Lord.

For those who suffer persecution or hostility for their faith, that they may find strength, comfort, and encouragement in God’s unwavering presence and protection. Let us pray to the Lord.

For all who resist the truth of the Gospel due to pride or spiritual blindness, that their hearts and minds may be opened to God’s transformative and liberating truth. Let us pray to the Lord.

For those facing challenges, temptations, or struggles in their spiritual lives, especially the chronically ill, that they may experience God’s sustaining presence and grace, enabling them to remain steadfast in faith. Let us pray to the Lord.

For our deceased loved ones, that through the mercy and faithfulness of Christ, they may enter into the joy and eternal peace of God’s kingdom. Let us pray to the Lord.

Heavenly Father, hear the prayers of your faithful people. Grant us the grace to remain steadfast in your truth and faithful in your love. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

5th Week of Lent 2025 - Tuesday - Believing in Christ

 

Throughout John’s Gospel, Jesus speaks about the importance of believing. 

Concluding his conversion with Nicodemus in Chapter 3 of the Gospel, the Lord sums up all he has explained, with these words, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. Whoever rejects the Son will not see life. Instead, the wrath of God remains on him.”

In the very last words of the 4th Gospel, St. John writes about the purpose he even wrote it: “these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

An interesting note, that in contrast to St. Paul and the other 3 Gospels, St. John never uses the noun “faith or belief”, instead, he uses the word “to believe”. Believing is always an active verb, not an object or thing that one possesses, it is an action, an ongoing relationship with the Truth revealed by God—the One who makes the truth known and the Truth himself. 

St. John even records different stages of believing in his Gospel. There are those who hear the teachings of Jesus or see his signs, yet refuse to believe. There are those who begin to believe, but don’t fully recognizing Jesus’ identity. There are those who come to believe in Jesus, but are evidently afraid to acknowledge their faith publicly. There are those who encounter Jesus and come to believe in him, and are recognized as his disciples. And there are those who will come to believe through the preaching of his disciples: “blessed are those who do not see, yet believe, the Lord announces to doubting Thomas. Do not be unbelieving, but believe.”

In today’s Gospel, the Lord teaches about what is at stake for believing in Him or not. He states to the Pharisees, “you will die in your sin. where I am going you cannot come.” Believing in the Lord or not has eternal consequences. Notice though, as he concludes his teaching today, many of those Jesus come to believe: “Because he spoke this way, many came to believe in him.”

Part of the Lent certainly doing penance for ourselves and our own sin, but we also pray, fast, and give alms for others. We lift up our catechumens who have begun to believe and will be baptized at Easter, but also we lift up those who fail or refuse to believe: that their hearts, and minds, and eyes might be opened. Every year on Good Friday, we offer up special prayers who do not believe in God and those who believe in Christ. 

And we commend ourselves to God—believing in Christ—we will continue to walk in his ways, and make him known in our words and actions—that others who have not seen may be believing, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

- - - - 

Trusting in the mercy and truth of God revealed in Christ, let us bring our prayers before the Father, who desires that all might come to believe and have life in Christ Jesus.

For the holy Church of God: that she may continue to proclaim Christ with clarity and conviction, inviting all people into a living and active belief in the Son of God. Let us pray to the Lord.

For all catechumens and candidates preparing for the Easter sacraments: that their journey of faith may deepen into a lasting relationship with Jesus, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Let us pray to the Lord.

For those who do not yet believe in Christ, and for those who once believed but have fallen away: that their minds and hearts may be opened by grace to the truth of the Gospel. Let us pray to the Lord.

For those who are afraid to profess their faith publicly: that the Holy Spirit may strengthen them with courage to witness to Christ in word and deed. R: Lord, hear our prayer.

For those who suffer or are persecuted because of their belief in Christ: that they may be sustained by the hope of eternal life and the prayers of the Church. Let us pray to the Lord.

For our parish: that we may not only profess belief with our lips, but live it actively in our thoughts, words, and actions each day. Let us pray to the Lord.

For the sick, the suffering, and those weighed down by sin: that they may encounter the mercy of Jesus and come to believe more fully in his healing love. Let us pray to the Lord.

For the faithful departed who believed in Christ: that they may now see him face to face and rejoice in his eternal presence. Let us pray to the Lord.

Heavenly Father, you sent your Son into the world that we might believe and have life through him. Hear the prayers we bring today, and strengthen our faith, that we may remain in your truth and lead others to believe. Through Christ our Lord.

5th Week of Lent 2025 - Monday - Susanna and Jesus

Today we have one of the longest First Readings that we have in the entire lectionary.  It is the 13th Chapter, a long chapter, from the book of the Prophet Daniel.  It is almost 60 verses long.  It is the story of this beautiful, faithful woman, Susanna, who is falsely accused by two corrupt evil old men, who wanted to have their way with her.  Lying to protect themselves the two wicked elders seek to have Susanna put to death.

Then Daniel steps in, advocates for her: and the two corrupt judges were convicted and Susanna goes free.

As I mentioned last week, our scripture readings for the last part of Lent point not so much to Lenten penances that we are to undertake, but to Christ. They help us prepare to why Jesus suffered, the hostility toward him, and what he accomplished through his death and resurrection. 

How does the Susanna story point to Christ? Who is Christ in the story? In a sense he is Susanna: beautiful, faithful, innocent, arrested because of the words of corrupt elders. 

And though, like her, he suffers—in his case—humiliation, torture, revilement, mockery, suffering, and death—he is exonerated—vindicated by God, as Susanna was by Daniel.  His Father testifies on Christ’s behalf, as we heard in the Gospel, when Jesus is raised from the dead.

In our responsorial Psalm, we proclaimed the beautiful words of Psalm 23: “Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side”.  Both Susanna and Jesus exhibit trust in the Father’s will throughout their sufferings.

In the midst of her ordeal, Susanna cried aloud to God in prayer: “O eternal God, you know what is hidden and are aware of all things”. Like her, Jesus prayed to his Father throughout his ordeal, particularly in the Garden, trusting his Father, bowing to his Father’s will. 

If these final Lenten weekday readings only helped us understand and appreciate what Jesus suffered in holy week, they would be beneficial for that. But that also help us to follow his example. In the course of the Christian life we will face opposition and suffering. The carrying of our own unique personal crosses will be difficult. But in the midst of our crosses, we must turn to God and trust in God. He is at our side. 

At the end of the first reading, we heard how “the whole assembly cried aloud, blessing God who saves those who hope in him.”  Not only is Jesus foreshadowed in the Susanna reading, but his body the Church as well.  We are that assembly who now cries out, blessing God who saves those who hope in him.

May that cry of hope resound in our lives, as we unite our crosses with the cross of Christ, that we may testify in word and deed that salvation is found in him, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

- - - -  

Trusting in the Lord who saves those who hope in Him, let us confidently offer our prayers and petitions.

For the Church, may all her members remain steadfast in faith, courageously witnessing to the truth and justice of Christ. Let us pray to the Lord.

For leaders and judges throughout the world, that they may act with integrity, honesty, and justice, protecting the innocent and vulnerable from harm. Let us pray to the Lord.

For all who suffer unjust accusations, persecution, or false judgments, that they may find strength, consolation, and vindication in Christ, who Himself endured injustice. Let us pray to the Lord.

For those experiencing difficulties and sufferings in their lives, that they may trust deeply in God's presence and providential care, recognizing His closeness even in dark times. Let us pray to the Lord.

For our parish community, that during these final days of Lent, we may unite our own crosses to the cross of Christ, offering a powerful testimony of faith and hope to the world. Let us pray to the Lord.

For our departed loved ones, that they may experience the eternal vindication and joy of heaven, resting forever in God's merciful embrace. Let us pray to the Lord.

Heavenly Father, hear the prayers of your people gathered here in faith. Help us to remain hopeful and trusting, knowing you walk with us always. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

 

5th Sunday of Lent 2025 - (Year C) - "Neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more"

 

This week we celebrate the last Sunday of Lent prior to Palm Sunday next week which begins Holy Week.

And our Scripture readings today raise some pretty important concepts as we prepare for the week called Holy, our Gospel particularly: the dramatic scene of Jesus and the Scribes and Pharisees who have brought before him a woman caught in the act of adultery.

Firstly, notice the peculiar nature of this scenario. The woman was supposedly "caught in the very act of adultery." But adultery, by its nature, involves two people. Where, then, is the man involved? The law of Moses clearly required both parties to be held accountable. Leviticus 20:10 says, “If a man commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife, both the adulterer and the adulteress shall be put to death.”

Yet the Pharisees have conveniently omitted one party. From the outset, it is clear that their concern is not for justice or the enforcement of God’s law, but manipulation. They are using this woman as a pawn in their effort to trap Jesus.

In asking him how he would deal with her, they try to trap Jesus between two codes of law: the Roman Law and the Jewish Law. If Jesus says, "Stone her," he violates Roman law, since only the Roman authorities held the power to sentence someone to death. Such an action would immediately label him a rebel and enemy of the Empire. On the other hand, if Jesus says, "Let her go," he openly defies the Law of Moses, discrediting himself among devout Jews as one who disregards sacred law.

This scene foreshadows an event during Jesus’ passion. After he is arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane , the Jewish leaders will admit before Pontius Pilate, "We have no authority to put a man to death." They conspire to force the Roman authority to sentence Jesus to death.

In today’s case, though, Jesus masterfully turns the trap back upon the scribes and pharisees. His response: "Let the one among you who is without sin cast the first stone." Jesus puts the responsibility for the woman’s execution squarely on the shoulders of those who accuse her.

So Jesus has turned the tables: if THEY throw stones, they will be arrested by the Romans. If they don’t, they will appear to be claiming publicly to be sinless, which denies numerous scripture passages that remind us that before God, all men have sinned.

With their hypocrisy exposed, they are compelled to walk away. And with no accusers left, no legal plaintiffs remaining, the case collapses entirely.

At this point, Jesus turns to the woman with profound mercy, yet also clear, unwavering moral authority: "Neither do I condemn you. Go, and sin no more."

Jesus’ words call the woman to repentance and a new way of life initiated by his mercy. Notice, he doesn’t explain away her sin. He doesn’t relax the very clear biblical teaching that adultery is gravely sinful. He is neither indulgent nor permissive toward sin. Yet, simultaneously, he exhibits mercy. “I do not condemn you”

And here is a great paradox that lies at the heart of the Christian way. Jesus’ absolute moral clarity about sin—“go and sin no more”--is matched by an equally absolute willingness to forgive—“neither do I condemn you”.

He doesn’t say, “Well, your circumstances were hard,” or “Who am I to judge?” No—Jesus names sin as sin. The command, “Go and sin no more,” presumes that real moral boundaries exist and that breaking them wounds not only ourselves, but others and our relationship with God.

Jesus is clear about sin and calling us away from sin because he loves us. God desires not the death of the sinner, but that the sinner might live. Jesus is not a therapist who validates our decisions. He is a savior who works to free us from sin. He intervenes and seeks to stop the cycles of sin in our lives by calling us to sin no more.

“Let him who is without sin cast the first stone”. Jesus, if anyone, could have stoned her. For he is like us in all things but sin. But he doesn’t cast the stone, rather, he calls her to change, to repent, to metanoia—change your life, change your habits, turn away from sin and walk in the newness of life. He doesn’t belittle her. He speaks the truth that invites her to a new way of life. He calls to conversion and he is merciful—fully both, never one at the expense of the other.

Nowhere is this truth more fully revealed than in the Passion we are about to commemorate during Holy Week. On the Cross, Jesus doesn’t minimize sin—“Continue on in your sin, I’m just going to forgive you anyway.” He bears its full weight. And in doing so, He opens the gates of mercy to all. At the Cross, God’s justice and mercy meet.

At this point in Lent, perhaps we ourselves feel a bit like the woman in today’s Gospel. Maybe our Lenten practices have faltered, or perhaps we have even abandoned them altogether. We might feel ashamed or discouraged at our failures or shortcomings. Perhaps we have old sins that have still gone unconfessed. Yet, today, Jesus reassures us clearly: forgiveness is offered, a new beginning. Just as he did with the woman, Christ invites each to begin again, to recommit ourselves wholeheartedly to pursuing holiness in response to his merciful love.

So let us approach these final weeks of Lent with renewed resolve, embracing the fullness of Our Lord’s teaching,  committing ourselves anew to holiness, motivated not by fear or guilt, but by love—knowing deeply and confidently the inexhaustible mercy of Jesus, who continues to whisper gently but firmly to each one of us today: "Neither do I condemn you. Go, and sin no more" for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

 

5th Sunday of Lent 2025 - (Third Scrutiny) - Raising of Lazarus

 

Two weeks ago, we heard the story of the woman at the well.  She encountered the Lord Jesus, who said to her, “I will give you living water, which alone can satisfy”.  She represents all of us, all thirsting for God. Jesus invites all people of all time to drink deeply of the living waters of God through Him.

Last week we heard of the man born blind.  Again, he is all of us, born in the blindness of sin.  We desire to do good and avoid evil, but it’s not always easy to see clearly. Sometimes our egos and our sinful attachments are so great, they blind us to seeing how God wants us to live rightly. Jesus says to the man born blind and to all of us, “I am the light of the world.”  If you want to see rightly, let the light of Christ and His teachings enlighten you.

These stories in John’s Gospel move toward a sort of crescendo. I am living water which quenches thirst. I am the light by which you see. And today Jesus says, “I am the resurrection and the life.” He’s not just water, He’s not just light. He is Life itself. And he desire that His life might animate us in this life, that it might sustain us through death, and animate us in all eternity, including the resurrection.

One of my favorite quotations from the early Church fathers is from St. Ireneus of Lyons, who said, Gloria Dei Homo Vivens, “the glory of God is Man fully alive.”  Jesus himself said, I came that they might have life, and have it to abundance. Christ died, that we may live, free from sin, full of divine life.  God’s glory, what gives God happiness, is that we are fully alive.  Conversely, what saddens the heart of God is when we allow death to reign in us at any level: physically, emotionally, or spiritually.  Sin diminishes us, God restores life.

Next, week, on Palm Sunday, we’ll come to understand the price the Lord pays to defeat the powers of death in us. But on this fifth Sunday of Lent, we’re invited to consider how the Lord commands us to live.

Today, our three catechumens present themselves for the last of the three scrutinies. They do so because they want to live and they recognize that Jesus is the resurrection and the life. So, you’ll notice in the scrutiny prayers many references to life, being restored to life and raised to life, like Lazarus in our Gospel today.

We heard in our first reading about God’s desire to free us from the powers of the grave: “I will open your graves and have you rise from them…I will put my spirit in you that you may live, and I will settle you upon your land” we heard in our first reading.

Our three Catechumens will receive the gift of new life in Baptism this Easter Vigil. They have heard that same promise that God made to Israel all those centuries ago, the promise of life, and through prayer and fasting and study have opened themselves to the fulfillment of that promise in them. Thanks be to God. They have heard the Lord calling them to come out of their tombs, like Lazarus. Thanks be to God.

Why follow Jesus Christ? Why seek baptism and faithfulness to him? The promise of being raised from the dead is a pretty good reason. Living forever in God’s kingdom of peace is a pretty good reason. And it’s not just an empty promise--the promise of some delusional California cult leader.

Resurrection: it’s really the ultimate argument against anyone who says all religions are the same. No. They aren’t. Show me a member of another religion who not only raised the dead but also rose from the dead.

“I will open your graves and have you rise from them. Here the Lord is not just speaking of the promise of rising from our graves on the last day, when he returns. The grave is also wherever the powers of sin and evil and death reign in us still: an addiction, a habitual sin, an inability or unwillingness to forgive, anger and bitterness, perversion, fear of leaving behind the comfortable to follow Christ more devoutly, lack of fervor for the spiritual life…the grave is whatever limits the life of God in you. Think of laying in a grave, there is no place to move, you are constricted, unable to move, tied up, and God says, from your graves, I will have you rise up.” 

In the Gospels, we have not one story, but three stories of Jesus raising the dead. We just heard the story of Lazarus; can you think of the other two? The first one is the daughter of Jairus. Remember the little girl who died in her home when Jesus was on the way to heal her?  The second is the son of the widow of Naim.  Jesus sees the widow weeping as they brought out the body of her son, and Jesus is moved to raise him from the dead.

St. Augustine offered a spiritual reading of these three encounters with the dead.

Because Jairus’ daughter dies inside her house, St. Augustine says that her death symbolizes the sort of spiritual death that remains locked up in us—the sort of sins that poisons us from the inside: the resentments, the old grudges.  They aren’t necessarily expressed in words or actions, they just sort of fester within us, poisoning our thoughts, and our wills, and our imagination.  These are the sins we do in private—though no sin is private to God, of course. Jesus raises this little girl, just as he wants to heal us from all of our interior sinful attitudes.

Secondly, the son of the widow of Naim.  He had died and was being carried outside the house to the cemetery. St. Augustine says, he symbolizes the sins that have begun to express themselves in action.  When the interior anger and resentment, selfishness and lust bubble over in words of actions. But Jesus forgives these too.

The third person Jesus raises from the dead, his friend Lazarus.  Lazarus had been carried out of the house and placed in a tomb.  By the time Jesus gets there, Lazarus has been in the tomb for four days.  His sister, famously says, when Jesus instructs them to roll away the stone that blocks the tomb, “but Lord, surely, there will be a stench.”

St. Augustine says that Lazarus in his grave, symbolizes that evil, that spiritual death, that not only has come out of the heart in words and actions, but has established itself as a habitual.  Now, the anger, the hatred, the violence, the lust, have taken root, and have become such a part of my life and my activity, that, like Lazarus in the tomb, there is a stench, and it’s affecting the people around me.  That anger, addiction, selfishness or lust now affects the well-being of the family. Neighbors begin to avoid us because of our stench.

Jesus is of course able to heal those sins too, but like the others, there must be confession, there must be acknowledgement that these sins exist in me, and that I need a savior.

May we have the humility and honesty to recognize the need to be raised by Jesus, healed by Jesus, that we may truly live with him for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

4th Week of Lent 2025 - Friday - A spotlight into the darkness of our hearts

 During the final weeks of Lent, the weekday scripture readings detail the growing hostility towards Jesus culminating in his crucifixion.  Why do Jesus’ enemies hate him so?  

Our first reading from the book of Wisdom depicts a group of the wicked-hearted conspiring to condemn a just and holy man to a shameful death. Why? What has he done to offend them so? They claim: “he is obnoxious to us” because he corrects us, he points out our violations of the law, he judges us debased. A line from John’s Gospel says, “everyone who practices evil hates the light”.   

This passage helps us to understand the psychology of those who opposed Jesus and conspired to have him killed. 

His teaching, His actions, His holiness—was like a bright, spotlight shining into the dark corners of their hearts, exposing pride, envy, hypocrisy, and corruption. Instead of responding with humility and repentance, they responded with resentment, hostility, and ultimately violence.

Yet, it would be a mistake to consider this hostility as something limited only to the historical enemies of Christ. We, too, must examine our own hearts. Are there parts of us that resist the light of Christ’s truth? Are there moments when we feel uncomfortable, even hostile, because Jesus challenges our sins, our bad habits, and our selfishness?

Lent invites us precisely into this examination, urging us to confront these hidden corners of darkness within ourselves. Rather than turning away in resentment or denial, we are called to respond with humility, openness, and repentance. When we allow the light of Christ to enter our hearts fully, we are not condemned but healed, forgiven, and restored.

As we approach Holy Week, let us pray for the grace to welcome the transforming and purifying light of Christ. Let us allow His truth to penetrate deeply, that our lives may bear witness to His holiness, compassion, and love—for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

- - - -  

Trusting in God’s mercy and grace, we humbly present our prayers and petitions, seeking the transforming and purifying light of Christ.

For the Church throughout the world, that during this Lenten season, all members may courageously confront their personal darkness, allowing Christ’s light to heal, forgive, and restore them. Let us pray to the Lord.

For all leaders and those in authority, that they may be guided by humility, justice, and integrity, resisting the temptations of pride, envy, and corruption. Let us pray to the Lord.

For those experiencing hostility, persecution, or opposition because of their faith, that they may find strength and comfort in Christ’s own sufferings and remain faithful witnesses to His truth. Let us pray to the Lord.

For individuals struggling or unwilling to confront sin and selfishness in their lives, that this Lenten season may inspire a spirit of honest self-examination, openness, and true repentance. Let us pray to the Lord.

For our parish community, that the coming celebration of Holy Week may deepen our understanding of Christ’s passion and sacrifice, leading us to greater love, compassion, and holiness. Let us pray to the Lord.

For those who suffer physically, emotionally, or spiritually, that the healing and comforting presence of Christ may touch their lives, bringing hope, peace, and renewal. Let us pray to the Lord.

For our deceased loved ones, that they may be welcomed into the fullness of eternal life, forever basking in the light and love of Christ. Let us pray to the Lord.

Heavenly Father, shine your light upon us, that we may recognize our need for your mercy and experience your transformative grace. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

4th Week of Lent 2025 - Wednesday - Growing opposition to the Truth of Christ

 In yesterday’s Gospel, we heard how following Jesus’ healing of the paralytic at the pool of Bethesda on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute Him.

There has been a change in focus of our Lenten readings. We’ve gone from readings where the Lord teaches us about the importance of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving to stories of the mounting hostility toward Jesus.

He came to the attention of the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem by curing on the Sabbath. For this, they began to persecute him. This means that they likely spoke against him publicly, warned the people against his teachings, and publicly discredited him as a religious authority.

But in today’s Gospel, things escalate. St. John tells us, “For this reason, the Jews 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.”

According to the Jewish leaders, Jesus was now guilty of the greatest blasphemy imaginable: he claimed to be God. He wasn’t simply an irreverent rabbi who shirked the law about the Sabbath. Rather, from his own mouth, he claims to be one with God.

As we near Holy Week, our Lenten readings help us to understand what happened and why. They draw our attention to why he suffered and what he suffered. They shift our focus from the works that we do in our Lenten penances to the work that he has come to do: to save us from our sins. He is one with the Father who raises the dead and gives life. What to the hard-hearted Jewish leaders appeared as the greatest blasphemy is actually the most important truth because he’s telling the truth. He is the truth, and to prove it, he’s willing to suffer and die, so we can know the truth, and the truth can set us free—that we who hear his word and believe in Him might pass from death to life.

As we continue our Lenten journey, let us reflect deeply on Christ’s willingness to suffer rejection, persecution, and death out of love for us. It will certainly help us stand firm in the opposition we face in the Christian life. If you can’t get to mass every day, please at least read through the daily Gospel, to grow in appreciation, understanding, and humble gratitude for what Jesus undergoes for us for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

- - -  

Trusting in Christ, who willingly embraced suffering and death out of love for us, we now offer our prayers and petitions.

For the Church, that during this Lenten season, Christians everywhere may reflect deeply on Christ’s sacrifice, growing in humility and gratitude for His redeeming love. Let us pray to the Lord.

For world leaders, that they may recognize the dignity and sanctity of human life, promoting peace, justice, and respect among all peoples. Let us pray to the Lord.

For those experiencing persecution and hostility for their faith, that they may draw strength and courage from Christ’s own perseverance in suffering and rejection. Let us pray to the Lord.

For those struggling to believe or who have hardened hearts, that they may be moved by the truth and love revealed in Christ’s willingness to suffer and die for humanity. Let us pray to the Lord.

For the sick, suffering, and those experiencing difficulties, that Christ’s loving and compassionate presence may bring comfort, healing, and hope. Let us pray to the Lord.

For all who have died, especially our loved ones and members of our parish community, that they may experience the fullness of eternal life promised through Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection. Let us pray to the Lord.

Heavenly Father, in your mercy hear these prayers and help us grow ever closer to Christ through our Lenten journey. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

4th Week of Lent 2025 - Tuesday - Healing Waters of Christ

 

Yesterday, I reflected upon how Lent is a spiritual springtime—a time of new life, spiritual healing and spiritual growth. Today, the scripture readings continue these ideas of fruitfulness, healing, and new life.

In our first reading from the Prophet Ezekiel, we encounter a magnificent vision: waters trickling forth from beneath the temple, gradually deepening into a vast river. This river brings renewal and abundant life wherever it flows, transforming even salty seas into fresh waters teeming with life. Trees lining the riverbanks flourish abundantly, their leaves serving as medicine and their fruits as nourishment.

The imagery from Ezekiel reminds us that wherever God’s grace flows, new life emerges, healing occurs, and everything it touches is renewed and restored. During this Lenten season, God’s grace can renew us, as we engage in Lenten prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

In the Gospel, Jesus brings healing and life to a man who had been suffering for nearly forty years.  The man is healed when he listens to and obeys the command of Jesus.

Just as Ezekiel’s river healed and revitalized everything it touched, Christ Himself is the living water, bringing renewal to the sick, the broken, and the despairing. Yet, just as importantly, today's Gospel challenges us to reflect upon our openness and willingness to be healed by Christ.

The man at the Pool of Bethesda represents all who have experienced long periods of spiritual stagnation or brokenness. We often remain spiritually "paralyzed" by sin, fear, resentment, or doubt. Like the man, we might find ourselves waiting passively, feeling helpless. Jesus asks the same question to each of us during Lent that he asked to the man: "Do you want to be well?" Do you want healing? Do you want restoration?

Many Christians fail to recognize their need for spiritual healing. They think. I’m fine. I’m a good person. But Lent is a time of honest self-examination, where we recognize that there are always parts of us that need healing. They way we treat strangers, they way we spend our free time, the way we react when we are stressed, frustrated, what we do when we are anxious about the future.

When we allow Christ to heal and cleanse us, something transformative occurs—not just within us, but in how we impact the world around us. Just as Ezekiel’s life-giving river spread outward, nourishing everything it touched, our healed and renewed lives extend God’s grace to others. A Christian who experiences genuine healing and renewal becomes a source of life and blessing to others.

Let us respond well to the Lord’s offer of healing this Lent, that we may become vibrant streams of Christ’s life-giving grace in the world, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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Confident in God's desire to heal, renew, and restore, we now present our prayers and petitions with hopeful hearts.

For the Church, that during this Lenten season, she may continue to proclaim the healing and transformative power of Christ, inviting all people to experience renewal and new life, especially those who feel spiritually stagnant, broken, or discouraged. Let us pray to the Lord.

For leaders throughout the world, that they may be guided by God's wisdom and grace to foster justice, peace, and well-being, enabling communities to flourish. Let us pray to the Lord.

For those who suffer physically, mentally, or emotionally, that they may experience the healing presence of Christ, who restores strength, hope, and wholeness. Let us pray to the Lord.

For our deceased loved ones, that through God's merciful love, they may experience the fullness of life and eternal joy in His presence. Let us pray to the Lord.

Heavenly Father, pour forth your healing grace upon us. Hear these prayers we offer with confidence and trust, through Christ our Lord.

4th Week of Lent 2025 - Monday - Spiritual Springtime

 

Yesterday, after the morning masses, I was able to enjoy some of the nice weather. So I sat outside, sipped some tea, read a book, and listened to the birds. What was also lovely to notice, was that trees are budding, flowers are starting to push up from the ground. Winter is over, and springtime, the time of new life is here. 

That is one reason why the english speaking church adopted the word Lent for this liturgical season. In latin, the season is called Quadragesima, the 40 days. But our word, Lent, comes from the old english word, Lencten, which means the time of the lengthening of days, when the sun begins to be seen more after the dark days of winter, when the elements of creation seem to wake up and new life begins to flourish again.

It is no surprise that many of our Lenten scripture readings focus on new life and new creation, for Lent truly is a spiritual springtime. Our reading from Isaiah this morning speaks of God creating a new heaven and a new earth, where infants, young men, and old are not limited by brief days, but enjoy an abundance of food and reliable shelter.

Then, in the Gospel, we encounter a royal official who experiences the power of God’s new creation directly, when Jesus heals his dying son. Christ came to bring new life not only physically, as seen in the healing of the boy, but spiritually as well.

Lent invites us dispose ourselves to the new life God wants for us. Our prayer, fasting, and almsgiving help prepare the soil of our hearts, removing the obstacles of selfishness, distraction, and sin, and creating space for the seeds of grace to grow. Just as we see nature awakening and new life emerging around us, Lent encourages us to open our hearts to God's life-giving grace, allowing Christ to heal us and renew us deeply from within.

In these final weeks of Lent, let us embrace this season of renewal with openness, eagerly anticipating the transformative power of Christ’s resurrection. May our hearts become fertile ground for God’s grace, allowing us to experience the abundant life Jesus offers—life that heals, restores, and renews. Through our sincere observance of Lent, let us prepare ourselves joyfully and intentionally for the new life that awaits us at Easter.

May we be open to the divine work God wishes to do within each of us, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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Trusting in God's promises of new life and renewal, let us present our prayers and petitions with open hearts.

For the Church, that throughout Lent, all Christians may open their hearts fully to the renewing power of God’s grace, preparing joyfully for the celebration of Easter. Let us pray to the Lord.

For world leaders, that they may be guided by the wisdom of the Holy Spirit in working toward justice, peace, and prosperity, allowing all peoples to experience new hope and abundant life. Let us pray to the Lord.

For those who feel spiritually dormant or disconnected from God’s presence, that they may experience a profound renewal of faith, hope, and joy. Let us pray to the Lord.

For those suffering from illness, despair, or hopelessness, that the healing presence of Christ, who restores life, may touch them and bring comfort, strength, and renewal. Let us pray to the Lord.

For our beloved deceased, that they may share fully in the eternal life promised by Christ, experiencing forever the joy and renewal of heaven. Let us pray to the Lord.

Heavenly Father, you continually bring forth new life and hope. Hear our prayers and renew our hearts, that we may live joyfully in anticipation of the Resurrection. Through Christ our Lord.

3rd Week of Lent 2025 - Friday - Rediscover divine love in the desert

On Ash Wednesday, we heard God’s powerful invitation through the prophet Joel to all of us: “return to me, with all your heart.”  The heart, in biblical language, symbolizes the center of the person, the whole person.  So that Ash Wednesday call to return to God with your whole heart sets a tone for the whole season of Lent. That Lent is about returning to God fully, wholly, and entirely.

Return from where? From our sins of course, from our wandering, from our cavorting with empty promises and false Gods. Sin always involves venturing into territory we should not enter.

In the reading today from the prophet Hosea, we hear again that call to return to God: “Return, O Israel, to the LORD, your God; you have collapsed through your guilt. Take with you words ,and return to the LORD”

Hosea is the story of Israel, called to be God’s bride. Yet, instead of clinging to God her husband, she has been like an unfaithful adulteress; she allowed herself to fall into forbidden relationships with the false gods of the surrounding Canaanite culture.

So God said, “I will lead her into the desert and speak to her heart.” In order to free Israel from her adulterous relationships, God would bring her into the desert. He would lead her away from those sinful attachments, that she might realize the importance of that fundamental relationship with God—that she might fall in love with God again, and allow God to love her as he wishes.

So, too, for all of us. Lent is the call to allow God to lead us into the desert—that place free from distractions and sinful attachments. There are no tv’s, no iphones, no gossiping, no casinos, no bars out in the desert.  It is the place where we are free to hear God beckoning us back into a relationship of love and trust. It is the place where we are most free to return to God with all our heart.

But we have to make use of this time, by allowing God to lead us deep, to that place where we are free to hear him. So many fail to allow God to lead them away from their distractions, they fail to enter the desert. They are like the addict who cannot imagine himself happy without his drug.

But when we trust God and let go of our attachments we come to experience such healing and peace in his presence.

In the Gospel, Jesus repeats that language, and takes it even further: “love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your understanding, with all your strength.”

To love God with everything, to love God with total self-abandonment, to love God utterly, completely, wholeheartedly: this is the point of Lent.  All of our Lenten penances, all of our prayer has the aim of freeing us from all that keeps us from the pure love of God.

May we accept the Lord’s invitation, that, we may be constantly drawn away from our disordered and unruly desires, that we may come to know God’s purifying love, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

 

 Trusting in God's merciful love, let us humbly present our prayers and petitions.

For the Church throughout the world, that this Lenten season may draw all her members closer to God, freeing them from distractions and sin to experience His purifying love. Let us pray to the Lord.

For those in positions of authority and leadership, that God may guide them in wisdom, justice, and integrity, leading nations away from conflict and toward peace. Let us pray to the Lord.

For all who struggle to break free from sinful attachments and addictions, that during this Lent they may courageously enter the spiritual desert, finding healing and peace in God's loving presence. Let us pray to the Lord.

For the success of our parish Lenten mission this weekend, and for blessings upon our mission leader Fr. Laniaskas.

For the sick, the suffering, and the lonely, that they may experience God's comforting presence and be strengthened by His grace to persevere in faith and hope. Let us pray to the Lord.

For all who have died, especially our family members and parishioners, that they may rejoice eternally in God's merciful embrace. Let us pray to the Lord.

Heavenly Father, lead us away from all that distracts us from your love. Hear our prayers and help us return to you wholeheartedly, through Christ our Lord.