Tuesday, March 31, 2026

 

Tuesday of Holy Week

(Isaiah 49:1-6; John 13:21-33.36-38)

Jack was a senior in college when he was diagnosed with cancer.  He battled the disease for two and a half years.  At the same time Jack embraced the Catholicism of his youth.  Whenever he could, he attended daily mass.  He studied the Bible and theology, watched apologetic videos, and participated in faith-sharing groups.  Jack’s reinvigorated faith lifted the hearts of everyone with whom he came in touch.  Even other cancer patients in the hospital where he was treated were affected by his message of hope. Jack’s serene death in the middle of the night with family and hospital staff around him made all ponder God’s ways.  How could something so terrible as death become such a glorious blessing to others?

The answer, of course, is Jesus Christ.  In today’s gospel Jesus anticipates his death the following day.  He is troubled not so much by that fact as by his unerring intuition that one of his trusted friends will betray him and another will deny him.  Night is closing in on Jesus.  Yet he does not speak with his disciples of doom but of glory. His death will atone for sin and bring about eternal life.  Many will then lift their voices to God, his Father, in praise and thanksgiving.  In turn, he too will be blessed and exalted. 

Monday, March 30, 2026

 

Monday of Holy Week

(Isaiah 42:1-7; John 12:1-11)

There is a rabbinic saying that contextualizes Mary’s anointing Jesus in today’s gospel. It goes,  “Good ointment spreads from bedroom into the dining room, but a good name spreads from one end of the world to the other.”  Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, is remembered throughout the world for her gracious deed.

Mary is even better known as the woman in Luke’s gospel who sits as a disciple at Jesus’ feet.  She carefully listens to his every word.  It would be a mistake, however, to brand Mary as solely contemplative.  As a true disciple of Jesus, she also serves.  Burying the dead has always been considered a Corporal Work of Mercy. Here Mary takes the first step of the process.

Our names may spread throughout the world as well.  Ironically, this takes place not when our good deed is recorded on a video that goes viral, but when we do it so that only God sees it.  God, who is everywhere, will take note and bless us in return.

Sunday, March 29, 2026

Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord
(Isaiah 50:4–7; Philippians 2:6–11; Matthew 26:14–27:66)

It is said that the crucifixion of Jesus is the most frequently depicted scene in art. It is certainly deeply engraved in the minds of Christians. Unfortunately, we tend to remember the events of the Passion as if they all appeared in all four Gospels. But this understanding is not correct. The events of one Gospel are not necessarily found in the others. For example, there is no mention of the scourging or the crowning with thorns in the Gospel of Luke. This fact should not diminish our faith in the Gospel. The crucifixion was such a profound experience for the apostles that no one version could fully express its meaning.

Since today we read the Passion according to Saint Matthew, let us focus on four events that are unique to this Gospel. Our purpose is to gain a deeper understanding of the death of Jesus from Matthew’s perspective.

When Jesus arrives at Gethsemane, he withdraws to pray alone. Matthew says that he “fell prostrate (on his face).” He is in anguish. He feels defenseless before the combined forces of the Jewish leaders and the Roman Empire. Overwhelmed, he asks his Father that, if possible, this trial be taken away from him. We see Jesus as truly human, facing a traumatic situation. At the same time, we have a peek of his divinity in his trust in the Father’s will.

After the Sanhedrin condemns him to death, Matthew interrupts the story of Jesus to tell what happens to Judas. Feeling shame for his betrayal, Judas repents and tries to return his reward money to the chief priests. Then he goes and hangs himself. Judas is not the only one who regrets having treated Jesus badly. Simon Peter, who once proclaimed him “the Son of God,” denies knowing Jesus. He also repents of his sin, but instead of despairing, he weeps bitterly. All of us offend Jesus in one way or another. When we become aware of our sin, which disciple do we want to imitate? The one who despaired or the one who wept?

Matthew recalls Jesus’ Roman trial through two key actions: Pilate’s wife reporting her dream about Jesus and Pilate’s attempt to wash his hands of Jesus’ blood. The woman provides another divine testimony to Jesus’ innocence, since in Matthew’s Gospel God often communicates through dreams. Pilate attempts the impossible: he cannot hand Jesus over to be crucified and at the same time remain innocent of handing a just man over to death. We should recognize that we cannot justify a wrong action by performing gestures that make us appear righteous.

Along with the Gospel of Mark, Matthew portrays Jesus’ death as a moment of profound abandonment. God allows his Son to experience complete isolation. Although he continues to trust in God, Jesus dies without immediate relief or consolation. It is a death that would seem fitting for a ruthless criminal. Yet Matthew, Mark, and Luke also testify to the positive effects of his death. They report that the veil of the temple is torn in two, signifying that Christ’s sacrifice has replaced the temple sacrifices for the forgiveness of sins. They also report that a pagan centurion recognizes Jesus’ innocence.

However, only Matthew recounts an earthquake that opens the tombs of the righteous. The shaking is so intense that some of the dead rise. More than an historical event, this moment connects Jesus’ death with victory over death. It is Matthew’s way of showing that Jesus’ suffering produces immediate fruits.

Each Passion narrative is deeply meaningful. None is merely a report of events. Each offers a unique and profound understanding of the mystery of the death of the Son of God. This year we have had the opportunity to contemplate this mystery through Matthew’s Gospel. It is not a pleasant story, but through his suffering we have been justified.

 

 

Saturday, March 28, 2026

 

Saturday of the Fifth Week of Lent

(Ezekiel 37:21-28; John 11:45-56)

When the high priest Caiaphas tells the Sanhedrin “’… one man should die instead of the people,’” he does not know half the truth he is expressing.  Caiaphas thinks he is making what might be called a utilitarian argument – better that one man dies than one million.  However, his words have a more profound spiritual meaning.  He is saying that one man, namely Jesus, will die to save not only the Jewish nation but the entire world from sin and death.  Since Caiaphas is high priest, his words carry God’s sanction and special import.

It is likely that when we say, “God loves us” or “Jesus saves us,” we likewise do not know the half of it. God loves us so much that he allows His own son to be humiliated, tortured, and crucified to redeem us from our sins.  Jesus saves us not just from sin and meaninglessness but from extinction.  As we begin Holy Week tomorrow, these realizations should permeate our minds and hearts.  In this most sacred time, we should want to offer God all the glory and honor that are His due.

Friday, March 27, 2026

Friday of the Fifth Week of Lent

(Jeremiah 20:10-13; John 10:31-42)

Today’s gospel looks forward to next Friday when the Passion of the Lord will be commemorated.  Its action takes place on the Feast of the Dedication, known as Hanukkah today.  The Jews are celebrating the rededication of the Temple altar that was defiled in Antiochus Epiphanes’ effort to crush Jewish culture. As grievous a crime as that was, John the Evangelist sees the Jews attempting an even more serious offense in trying to kill Jesus.

The Jews harass Jesus because he has called himself the “’Son of God.’”  They rightly conclude that making such a claim Jesus is equating himself to God.  Jesus defends himself by observing that Scripture itself calls “’gods’” some who have received the word of God.  He claims an even greater right to the title because he is the word made flesh whom the Father has sent.  Jesus’ argument only infuriates the Jews more.  He must leave Jerusalem and Israel until the moment comes for his sacrifice.

 Although we await the annual celebration of Jesus’ paschal mystery, we celebrate the same event in the Eucharist today and every day. In the Eucharist the altar replaces the cross as the locus of Jesus’ perfect sacrifice.  Our sins are forgiven, and we receive a foretaste of eternal life.  We do not need any church structure, much less the Jewish Temple, to realize these benefits.  All that is necessary are bread and wine, the words and actions of a priest, and our faith.

Thursday, March 26, 2026

 

Thursday of the Fifth Week of Lent

(Genesis 17:3-9; John 8:51-59)

Today’s gospel is difficult to understand.  It may be profitably seen as a trial with Jesus in the witness stand.  He has been accused of diabolical possession because he claims to have seen Abraham, the patriarch.  When Jesus suggests that he is divine with his testimony, “’I AM,’” the Jews find him guilty of blasphemy and try to execute him. 

At the trial Jesus gives as evidence the testament of Abraham.  The first reading provides background information on the patriarch.  Abraham’s faith in God gained him the honor of becoming the father of many nations.  His numerous descendants will possess the land of Canaan. 

Just as the first readers of John’s Gospel, we see God’s promise to Abraham fulfilled in Jesus Christ.  As his legacy grew immensely with non-Jews accepting Jesus, it continues to expand today.  Throughout the Global South and especially in Africa, the number of Christians is increasing.  The promise of “the whole land of Canaan” becoming the possession of his descendants is fulfilled as well.  We are not talking about real estate here but of the same “land” destined to the meek in the Beatitudes. Let us hope and work to be counted among its recipients.

Wednesday, March 25, 2026

 Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord

 (Isaiah 7:10-14.8:10; Hebrews 10:4-10; Luke 1:26-38)

 One scene will always stand out in the film classic, “Boys’ Town.”  A young boy enters the office of Boys Town founder, Fr. Flanagan, with an even younger child on his back.  With the priest’s face looking astonished, the boy tries to put him at ease.  “He’s not heavy, Father;” he says, “he’s my brother.” The wonder of today’s feast can be described with these words.

 The Annunciation commemorates more than the angel’s announcement of Mary’s divine motherhood.  More importantly, it celebrates God’s taking on human flesh.  It might be said that on this feast the Church praises God for becoming a brother.  God does so not that He might understand better the human experience.  After all, God knows all.  Nor is God looking for human praise.  He has no need for that. Rather, God becomes human so that humans might know how much He loves them.  Like the child being carried by his older brother, humans now have experienced directly God’s infinite care.

 God’s becoming human links us more closely to one another as well.  He is not just a common bond but also a constant reminder that we have to care for one another.  Remembering Christ’s promise of blessing to those who care for the needy, we should say with Mary, “May it be done to me according to your word.’”

Tuesday, March 24, 2026

 Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Lent

(Numbers 21:4-9; John 8:21-30)

The Pharisees in today’s gospel ask Jesus, “’Who are you?’”  Christian faith rests upon this question.  If Jesus is only the son of Joseph and Mary, a powerful preacher and healer, and the organizer of a small community of disciples, then there is scant reason to conform our lives to his. He would be like many other celebrated humans of history.  Conversely, if Jesus really is what he hints at being in this passage --the great “I AM” of biblical tradition, the Lord of heaven and earth -- then we would be foolish not to give him full allegiance.

The two principal readings indicate why we should adhere to Jesus.  In the first, the Israelites are roaming in the desert.  They should remind us of many people today in search of health and happiness.  As the Israelites find their salvation in looking at the saraph serpent mounted on a pole, we find peace in this reckless world around us by praying to Christ on the cross.  More importantly, in the gospel Jesus says that he is going where the Pharisees cannot come.  He is referring to his home with the Father.  Later in the gospel (John 14:2), he tells his disciples that he will prepare a place for them there.  The Father’s home is beatitude, eternal happiness and our destiny.

Within the next two weeks we will be celebrating Jesus’ death on the cross and Resurrection from the dead.  Like the well-worn paths of Christian holy places, these liturgies will mark us as Jesus’ faithful followers.  They will shuttle us closer to our eternal home.

Monday, March 23, 2026

 

Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent

(Daniel 13:1-9.15-17.19-30.33-62; John 8:12-20)

The woman whom Jesus confronts Jesus in today’s Gospel has committed a grave sin. Although adultery is not the worst of sins, its effects can be disastrous. It can destroy marriages and will undermine the upbringing of children. Furthermore, it leads other couples to suspicion and distrust. But this woman is not the only sinner in the Temple area this day. Jesus' challenge to the Pharisees reveals that they too have sinned.

Jesus offers the woman an opportunity to repent. As he will say in the next chapter of the Gospel according to John, he came not to "judge" (that is, to condemn), but to save. The woman, once forgiven by Jesus, has an open future. Jesus encourages her to follow the path of holiness.

C.S. Lewis is cited as having said that violating chastity is not a worse sin than pride.  Although they may have greater social repercussions, sins against chastity normally do not bring sinners to think of themselves as greater than God.  In sins of pride, on the other hand, perpetrators often see themselves as having greater authority than God. Although they would be loathed to admit it, the Pharisees of the gospel come close to making that claim.  They would have the woman stoned so that their supposed enemy, Jesus, might lose prominence among the people.  Temptations to both these kinds of sins are prominent in the world today.  As Jesus prompts the woman and the Pharisees, we also want to avoid both kinds of sin.

Sunday, March 22, 2026

 

Fifth Sunday of Lent
(Ezekiel 37:12-14; Romans 8:8-11; John 11:1-45)

The Gospel according to Saint John is a literary masterpiece. It tells a compelling story, but even more importantly, it reveals the meaning of the Gospel through literary devices. Before speaking about one of these devices in the Gospel, it may help to give an example.

Everyone knows the story of Pinocchio. He is the puppet whose nose grows longer every time he tells a lie. The growing nose functions in the story as a symbol, a type of literary device. In this case, the symbol shows how lying deforms a person’s character.

The evangelist John says that Jesus performed many “signs” during his ministry. For him, the miracles of Jesus are signs, but not exactly in the same sense as in the other Gospels. For Matthew, Mark, and Luke, Jesus’ healings are mighty deeds that show he comes from God. John has a deeper understanding of signs. For him, signs are symbols that reveal not only that Jesus comes from God, but also different aspects of who he is.

At the beginning of his Gospel, John writes about the “Word” who “was with God” and who “was God.” The signs help reveal who this Word is.  John recounts seven signs, although at the end of his Gospel he says that Jesus performed many others. The first sign is when Jesus turns the six jars of water into excellent wine at the wedding feast of Cana. In this sign, Jesus is revealed as the one who replaces the rituals of the Old Testament with the new worship that comes through him.

Today’s Gospel recounts the final sign before Jesus’ death: the raising of Lazarus. In this sign, Jesus is revealed as the living Son of God who has power over death.  In his First Letter to the Corinthians, Saint Paul calls death “the last enemy” of Christ. By this he means that death is not only the final enemy but also the greatest one. Death separates us from our loved ones. It makes us feel the weight and shame of our sins. It represents the unknown, where we might be lost forever. Finally, as the end of earthly existence, death seems to deny our value. Few people want their lives to be short; most of us want to live as long as possible.

To avoid death, some people try to live very healthy lives. They follow low-fat diets and exercise every day. Others, less realistically, believe they can defeat death through technology. Some even plan to have their bodies frozen when death approaches, hoping to be revived someday when a cure for their illness is discovered. The story of Lazarus in today’s Gospel points us to another remedy for death. It is less complicated than diets and exercise, and infinitely more reliable than technology.

Jesus, the Son of God who has power over death, is a friend of Lazarus. When he receives the news that Lazarus is gravely ill, he eventually comes and calls him out of the tomb. We too want to be friends with Jesus so that he will come and raise us when we die.  How do we do this?  First, by professing our faith in Jesus, just as Martha does in the Gospel. Jesus tells her:  “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, even though he die, will live; and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.”

It is also necessary that, moved by the Spirit we receive in Baptism, we practice works of charity. The Gospel of Matthew quotes Jesus saying that those who feed the hungry and visit the sick will be rewarded with the Kingdom of his Father.

Father Cecil was a kind and wise Benedictine monk. When he was around seventy years old, he was diagnosed with brain cancer. Knowing that death was near, someone asked him if he was afraid. “No,” the priest replied. “I have advised many people that God is there waiting to receive them. How could I fear my own death?” Like Father Cecil, when our time comes, may we trust in Jesus and die in peace.

Saturday, March 21, 2026

 

Saturday of the Fourth Week of Lent

(Jeremiah 11:18-20; John 7:40-53)

The so-called “New Atheists” are scientists and secular humanists who a generation ago presented arguments against the existence of God.  They created doubt in many but were ultimately refuted by believers with deeper knowledge and greater wisdom.  Ironic as it may seem, the chief priests and Pharisees of today’s gospel may be compared with the “New Atheists.”

The Jewish religious leaders are trying to make a purely religious case against Jesus.  Rather than examining Jesus’ teaching, they claim that he cannot be the Messiah because he does not have the right pedigree according to the Scriptures.  Their guards, however, who have heard Jesus’ teaching, find it to be credible.

We need not be shaken by claims against Jesus as our Savior or against belief in God.  Theologians have developed a solid defense for Christianity.  As much as we are able, we should examine their arguments.  More importantly, we need to have faith in Jesus.  It will guide us as it has countless others to a new way of living.  Faith overcomes temporal worries by instilling a security that lasts forever. 

Friday, March 20, 2026

 

Friday of the Fourth Week in Lent

(Wisdom 2:1a.12-22; John 7:1-2.25-30)

In both readings today, arrogant men claim to know the motives and destinies of just ones.  The reading from the Book of Wisdom shows the self-righteous judging a good person.  They resent the good person who points their faults and acts in ways contrary to their own. (Think of Richard Rich treatment of Thomas More in A Man for all Seasons.)

In the gospel the men of Jerusalem claim to know Jesus because they have heard where he is from.  They presume -- like Nathanael in the gospel’s opening scene: “’ Can anything good come from Nazareth?’”  But they are wrong.  Before Jesus grew up in Nazareth, he was with the Father from all eternity. 

We profess faith in Jesus, the Just One.  His life reveals to us who we are.  Like the men of Jerusalem condemning Jesus, we are sinners given to think of ourselves as better than others.  But when we repent of our sins as he preached, we experience the reconciliation he achieved on the cross.  Also, through his resurrection from the dead he instills in us a never-ending life of virtue.

Thursday, March 19, 2026

 

Solemnity of Saint Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary

(II Samuel 7:4a-5.12-14a.16; Romans 4:13.16-18.22; Matthew 1:18.18-21.24a)

In today’s gospel Joseph has a dilemma on his hands.  According to the Law, Mary should be put to death for seemingly having relations with another man while betrothed to Joseph.  But Joseph is “a righteous man”, who pursues the purpose of the Law.  As Jesus will tell the Pharisees later in the Gospel, that purpose is to exhibit “justice, mercy, and faithfulness.” Although the text does not say so directly, Joseph resolves his dilemma with prayer.  As righteous, Joseph constantly prays.  Moreover, he is obviously in touch with the Lord when the angel intermediary tells him to take Mary into his home. 

For the last three decades a dilemma has been building in the United States.  Millions of immigrants live here illegally.  Righteous Americans know that just laws must be obeyed.  They also realize that many of the undocumented have contributed significantly to the common good and have little to return to in their native countries.  Lawmakers should seek God’s help in forging a just resolution to the crisis.

All of us face similar situations from time to time.  We need to do what is right and to show love for neighbor.  Prudence will move us to ask the Lord for guidance.  Under the Spirit’s direction we will make decisions that result in the good of all involved.   

Wednesday, March 18, 2026

 

Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Lent

(Isaiah 49:8-15; John 5:17-30)

A lawyer and his ten-year-old son regularly attended Sunday Mass together.  The two were noticeable especially when they stood for the gospel.  Both looked intently at the missalette in his hand as they followed the reading of the deacon.  The boy was imitating his father.  In today’s gospel Jesus defends his healing on the Sabbath as likewise doing what his Father does.

As if he were on trial, Jesus is answering the accusations of the Jews.  He says that he does what and when he does because he is learning from his Father.  Since his Father heals, he heals.  Since his Father does so on the Sabbath, so does he.  In a sense, Jesus is on trial.  In the Gospel of John, unlike the other gospels, there is no judicial process before the Sanhedrin on the night before Jesus’ crucifixion. John chooses instead to have “the “Jews” force Jesus to defend himself at various points in his Gospel.  He is accused of crimes like working on the Sabbath and planning to tear down the Temple.  Despite the coherence of Jesus’ defense, the Jews will press Pilate to execute him.

Jesus came among us to fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah in today’s first reading.  He is the favored Son of God sent to heal the wounds of the world.  The very Jews, who accuse him in the gospel, are the first beneficiaries of his coming.  But the rest of the world follows in far greater numbers.  We will bear witness to Jesus’ healing in the coming weeks.

Tuesday, March 17, 2026

 

Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Lent

(Ezekiel 47:1-9.12; John 5:1-16)

A few Christians may think of the Jerusalem Temple as a place of worthless sacrifice and false piety. Jesus did predict its destruction, and three gospels tell of its veil being sundered at Jesus’ death.  However, Luke’s Gospel and Acts of the Apostles along with most of Scripture see the Temple in a positive light.  Today’s reading from Ezekiel tells why. The Temple has served for centuries as a font of life-giving grace.

Nevertheless, today gospel testifies that Jesus replaces the Temple as the source of grace.  He restores health to the sick man who has long waited in vain at the Temple’s gate.  Jesus shows himself to be living water more effective than the Temple’s.  He bestows life in abundance.

Rather than dwell on the shortcomings of the Temple, we should see it as a provisional measure.  In it God prepared Israel for the coming of His Son.  The animal holocausts offered there for the forgiveness of sins help us appreciate Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.  The beauty and magnificence of its structure bespoke God’s presence.  Now we find God’s integral presence in His Son.

Monday, March 16, 2026

 Monday of the Fourth Week of Lent

 (Isaiah 65:17-21; John 4:43-54)

 The “Age of Aquarius” portends the dawn of an age of peace based on astrological signs.  Some believed it arrived in the 1960s and 1970s with the hippie culture.  But that peace has proved delusional perhaps because hippies did not ground their hope in righteous living.  The readings today proclaim a more credible age of fulfillment with Jesus.

 In the first reading the prophet Isaiah announces that God is about to create something wonderful.  There will be no more fleeing one’s land because of war or famine.  Rather people will live in the houses they build and eat the fruit of the gardens they plant.  They will survive well beyond a hundred years because of their righteousness.

 We find the completion of this prophecy in Jesus.  As the gospel indicates, he restores health to those who believe in him.  Of course, we need to ask, “Why do not people live forever?”  But don’t we share that hope in Jesus?  Just as he rose from the dead to live in glory, we -- his followers – expect to enjoy eternal life without discomfort or distress.

Sunday, March 15, 2026

 

FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT
(1 Samuel 16:1-6, 10-13; Ephesians 5:8-14; John 9:1-41)

The Gospel of John is full of drama. Several times in the narrative Jesus encounters different people in order to lead them to his Father. Last Sunday we heard about his successful encounter with the Samaritan woman. But he is not always successful. When he meets Pilate on the day of his crucifixion, the governor is intrigued by his words, but in the end he rejects him for political convenience.

Today we hear about Jesus’ encounter with the man born blind. It is a first-class drama. In fact, it is often considered one of the best-constructed narratives in the entire Gospel.  It stands out because of its well-developed plot. With its twists and turns we see the man gradually growing in faith in Jesus. At the same time, the Pharisees gradually lose their faith in him. The loss is tragic because it will deprive the Pharisees of eternal life.

The reading begins with Jesus curing the man born blind by putting mud on his eyes. The healing causes so much discussion among the neighbors that they ask the man whether he is really the one who had been blind and how he was healed. The man replies that yes, he was blind, and that he was cured by “the man called Jesus.”

Amazed by what he says, the neighbors bring the man to the Pharisees to verify his account. After their investigation, the Pharisees are divided. Some say it is a legitimate healing—that is, something done by God—while others doubt it. When they ask the man how he received his sight, he again says that Jesus cured him, but this time he adds that Jesus is a prophet.

Then the Pharisees question the man’s parents whether he is truly their son and how it is that he now sees. They acknowledge that he is their son, but out of fear of the Pharisees they say they do not know how he was healed. They suggest asking him directly.

When they question him a second time, the Pharisees are no longer in doubt about Jesus. They all agree in saying that Jesus “is a sinner,” and they throw the man out for saying otherwise.

It is no coincidence that Jesus meets again the man born blind but now with perfect sight. He is the Good Shepherd who cares about mistreated sheep. When Jesus sees him, he asks whether he believes in the Son of Man, that is the one in the Book of Daniel who receives from God authority to judge the world. At first the man hesitates because he does not know whom Jesus is referring to. But once Jesus identifies himself as the Son of Man, the man falls at his feet in worship.

Meanwhile the Pharisees are watching everything. They ask Jesus if they are blind. Jesus tells them that although they have sight, they do not see the truth. They walk in spiritual darkness that prevents them from recognizing what is truly good.

At the beginning of this drama Jesus calls himself “the light of the world.” Like every light, he creates shadows. The characters in the story must decide whether they want to live in the light by recognizing Jesus as Lord or in darkness by denying his authority.  The man born blind opts for the light of Christ, while the Pharisees choose the shadows by rejecting his lordship.

Every human person must make the same decision. Am I a person of the light of Christ, living according to every word that comes from his mouth? Or am I a person of the shadows who follows the leading “influencers” of the world of entertainment, sports, or the internet?  For our good and for the good of others, Jesus wants us to live in his light.

 

 

Friday, March 13, 2026

 

Friday of the Third Week of Lent

(Hosea 14:2-10; Mark 12:28-34)

 The name “social media” sounds promising.  It speaks of people coming out of their shells to know others.  The reality of social media – it turns out – has been as much harmful as helpful.  From the first, on apps like Facebook many have used social media for exaggerated self-promotion. With more sophisticated apps like X (formerly Twitter), WhatsApp, Instagram, and Tic Tok along with Facebook, social media has enabled groups to foment common prejudices and hatred.  

As much as anything else, social media is a human invention that is given godlike attention. In today’s first reading the prophet Hosea foresees a time when such artificial creations will cease to enthrall people to distort truth.  He hopes that society “… shall say no more, 'Our god,' to the work of (its) hands.”  Condemning social media, however, is no more a remedy to the problem than condemning television was fifty years ago when sociologists became aware of all the violence it projected.  Rather than that, there must be a reform that takes society back to the first priorities of a vibrant social life.

Jesus names these priorities in today’s gospel.  First, people must strive to do God’s will.  Then, proceeding from this principle, they must treat others like they want to be treated.  This is a tall order in a pluralistic society where many do not know God and many others understand Him in different ways.  It calls for us to pray that God acts in His mysterious ways.  It also summons our testimony to Jesus Christ through public worship and sacrifice of self on behalf of those in need.

Thursday, March 12, 2026

 

Thursday of the Third Week of Lent

(Jeremiah 7:23-28; Luke 11:14-23)

In today’s gospel, the expression “finger of God” is likely the same earthy metaphor that Jesus used when preaching in his own Aramaic tongue.  In the Matthean parallel of this passage Jesus says that he casts out demons “by the Spirit of God.”  It may be worthwhile to meditate on our use of finger and Jesus’ use.

Beyond the vulgar expression “giving another a finger,” pointing one’s finger in the air often is a way of boasting one’s supremacy.  Around championship time or even in midseason, students whose college team (football, basketball, whatever) will raise their finger and proclaim, “We’re number one!”  Sacred artists have painted God’s finger with an entirely different motivation.  In the center of the ceiling of the Sistine chapel Michelangelo painted God creating Adam by pointing His finger.  In what is said to be a take-off on Michelangelo’s creation scene, Caravaggio painted Jesus’ call of his disciple Matthew with a pointed finger.  The lesson is obvious.  Humans are apt to use the finger to promote oneself or one’s group where God would use His finger to create or promote another.

Hopefully, during this holy season we are becoming more God-like.  That is, we are using not just our fingers but our whole bodies to assist others to know God's love.

Wednesday, March 11, 2026

 

Wednesday of the Third Week of Lent

(Deuteronomy 4:1.5-9; Matthew 5:17-19)

In the Gospel of Mark Jesus tells the Pharisees, “The law was made for man, not man for the Law’” (2:27).  This statement is readily misunderstood.  Jesus does not mean that the law is endlessly malleable such that humans might do whatever they want.  Rather, Jesus wants to assure his disciples that the law is meant for human development.  They are fulfilled when they follow it.  In today’s gospel from Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount Jesus tells his disciples that he has come to fulfill the law.  His disciples should see in him how the law is to be lived so that they might live their humanity to the fullest.

Jesus shows himself the law’s fulfilment in two ways.  First, he teaches that the law is best expressed by two commandments very much related to each other.  Humans are to love God above all and to love their neighbor as themselves. In loving God and neighbor and in accepting the love of God and others, humans achieve full realization of what being human means.

Severely limited by pride, we find it difficult to love.  This is so because God cannot be readily seen and touched.  Also, it is true that human faults can repel as much as they draw us to one another.  But we have access to the grace of the Holy Spirit which enables us to transcend these difficulties.  The Spirit moves close to God in prayer.  Likewise, the Spirit moves us to make sacrifices for one another which fosters the growth of our love. 

Tuesday, March 10, 2026

 Tuesday of the Third Week of Lent

 (Daniel 3:25.34-43; Matthew 18:21-35)

 Protestants often criticize the Catholic practice of confessing to a priest.  They ask, “Why do you have to tell your sins to a man?  It is God who forgives sins.”  Yes, certainly sins offend God, and He alone can forgive them, but Jesus has given his apostles authority to function as God’s regular agents (Matthew 18:18).  There is a further reason.  When a Christian sins, she or he does harm to the Church which is entrusted with the mission of announcing God’s love to the world.  Gossiping, viewing pornography, cheating on taxes or whatever sin obstructs the deliverance of this message.  The readings today present examples of a sincere confession and what proves to be a faulty one.

 The first reading pictures Azariah, one of the three Jewish youths chosen to serve the king of Persia, expressing contrition for the sins of his people.  As the prophets tell, God desires such a contrite heart more than sacrifices.  The servant in the gospel parable sounds like he has undergone a change of heart as he pleads with his master for an extension of his debt, but actually he has not.  If he were sincere, he would show the same understanding to a fellow servant who is indebted to him.

 It is recommendable that all Catholics go to Confession during Lent whether or not they are in mortal sin.  The Sacrament of Reconciliation humbles us to admit that we make mistakes -- sometimes grave ones -- that divert us from the path of holiness.  Also significant, Reconciliation reminds us that religion is not just a personal affair between God and me but a communal enterprise in which all of us have a role to carry out.

 

Monday, March 9, 2026

 

Monday of the Third Week of Lent

(II Kings 5:1-5ab; Luke 4:24-30)

It may seem odd, but Jesus is speaking to us when he preaches repentance.  We know that it is a vital message for drug dealers, Internet trawlers, and the porn industry.  But we may not think that it applies to ordinary sinners like you and me.  After all, our contempt, lustful suspicions, dismissive remarks, and slothful habits don’t do much harm, do they?

In today’s gospel when Jesus does not perform a wonderwork for his compatriots of Nazareth, they show no interest in his call to reform.  He tries to open their eyes with stories of the prophets of old.  Still they pay him no heed.  He warns that rejection will cause him to reach out to others as did Elijah and Elisha.  Jesus’ scenario will be realized after his death and resurrection.  Having been mostly spurned by the Jewish nation, Jesus’ apostles will turn to Gentiles with his message. 

Hopefully, we are doing better than the Nazoreans in listening to Jesus.  Heeding his call to reform this Lent, we look for the good in others, pray to keep our chastity, and get on top of our work.  Lent was not meant to be easy, but the struggle will bring us closer to the One near whom we want to be.

Sunday, March 8, 2026

 

THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT
(Exodus 17:3–7; Romans 5:1–2, 5–8; John 4:5–42)

Today’s Gospel highlights the encounter between Jesus and the famous “woman at the well.” It is so important for the catechumenate that it may be read every year on the Third Sunday of Lent. It describes a dynamic of the spiritual life: how Jesus, the Good Shepherd, seeks out the lost sheep in order to give her eternal life.

Jesus is alone as he waits for the Samaritan woman at the well. He wants to speak with her about her life. When she arrives, Jesus does not hesitate to begin the conversation. But he does not start by referring to sin. Rather, he says, “Give me a drink.” It is a reasonable request at noon in a dry land. For her, however, it is an unexpected remark. She is a woman, a stranger, and from a rival nation—that is, the kind of person with whom respectable Jews would not speak directly. Yet what concerns Jesus is not her sociological profile but her soul.

The fact that the woman comes alone indicates her isolation. The other women probably avoid her because she lives in sin. But she is not unintelligent. She confidently replies to Jesus that it is not customary for a Jew to ask something of a Samaritan woman. Then Jesus raises the level of the conversation. He moves it from the physical to the spiritual by offering her “living water.” He explains that living water not only satisfies thirst forever but also brings eternal life. But she—whether because she cannot imagine the grace symbolized by baptismal water or because she is mocking him—asks for this water so that she will not have to return to the well each day.

Now Jesus addresses the woman’s sin. He reveals that she has been married several times and is currently living with a man outside of marriage. Uncomfortable speaking about her personal life, she tries to change the subject to religion. She notes that Samaritans and Jews worship in different places. Jesus then offers her the way to overcome these differences and to worship God “in spirit and in truth.” This expression should be understood as referring to the Spirit of Truth—that is, the Holy Spirit. Jesus is offering her the Holy Spirit, who is the source of grace.

The grace of the Holy Spirit is to the spiritual life what water is to natural life. Just as water removes toxins from the body, grace forgives sins. Just as water carries nutrients to body members, grace enlivens the whole body to give praise to God. And just as water regulates temperature to sustain bodily processes, grace moderates the passions so that a person may seek God.

When the woman says that the Messiah will bring perfect worship, Jesus identifies himself as that Messiah. She accepts him and, like a good disciple, she goes to tell everyone about him. She leaves her water jar behind because she is no longer concerned about natural water, having received supernatural water from Jesus.

All of us are like the Samaritan woman—not only because we sin, but also because we try to satisfy our deepest desires with material things. Yet since God has made us for himself, those desires cannot be satisfied by BMWs, champagne, or European vacations. Our deepest desires are to know that we are truly loved, to have the awareness of having done what is good, and to possess the assurance of salvation. To attain all this, we need the grace of the Holy Spirit. Grace springs forth in the waters of Baptism and grows to help us face life’s challenges through the other sacraments. Grace gives us eternal life, strengthens us, and directs us toward God. Do you know of anything in life more valuable than the grace of the Holy Spirit?

 

Saturday, March 7, 2026

 

Saturday of the Second Week of Lent

(Micah 7:14-15.18-20; Luke 15:1-3.11-32)

People usually contrast the two sons in the “Parable of the Prodigal.”  One is older; the other, younger.  One leaves his father; the other stays home.  One squanders his fortune; the other is as tight as a clam.  And so on. Perhaps readers might profitably compare the brothers’ similarities.  They have the same father.  They also have the same sense of privilege.  Both believe that the inheritance is his by right, not by the father’s will.  And both spurn their father.  One leaves him as if he were dead.  The other refuses to call him “father” when he hosts a party at his son’s return.  Finally, both are stymied by pride.  The younger when he hesitates to return home after spending his money.  The older by refusing to recognize his chastened brother.

In noting the similarities, we should not fail to see their common traits in ourselves.  We likely think in terms of rights and privileges.  Many of us are not above claiming our rights and forgetting our responsibilities to others.  We too often allow pride to blind us from doing what is right.

The turning point in the parable comes when the younger son contemplates the lot of the pigs that he is forced to deal with.  He sees that the pigs have food and that he doesn’t.  He likely notices as well how the pigs eat in filth and fight among themselves for more pods to eat.  The young man then “comes to his senses.”  He remembers that on his father’s farm there is food aplenty.  He should realize also that he is a human being, and not a pig.  As such, he should not behave like them but emulate the best of his kind.  He seems to do so when he overcomes his pride and returns to his father with a confession on his lips.

The parable ends without saying whether the elder son comes to the same realization.  As the father offers this son a chance to repent of his anger against his brother, God offers us an opportunity to curb our pride and selfishness during Lent.

Friday, March 6, 2026

 

Friday of the Second Week of Lent

(Genesis 37:3-4.12-13a.17b-28a; Matthew 21:33-43;45-46)

Today’s gospel signals a change in direction for the season of Lent.  Its “parable” is very much an allegory, a one-for-one representation of the players in a historical event.  Rather than promote Lenten discipline, the allegory looks forward to Christ’s coming passion, resurrection, and ascension. 

In the allegory the landowner is God the Father, who established the Kingdom of Israel, represented by the vineyard.  The tenants are Jewish leaders, who exploit their positions by not leading the people to holiness.  When the owner sends his servants, who are the prophets in salvation history, the tenants mistreat and even kill them.  Finally, the vineyard owner sends his only son, that is Jesus, Son of God.  The vicious tenants kill him also in attempt to acquire the owner’s legacy.  Finally, the owner takes the land from the original tenants and gives it to others.  These are the members of the Church, the New Israel.

As members of the Church, we must not think that the rules God establishes for the Jewish leaders do not apply to us.  We too are expected to help one another (of course, this goes double for bishops and priests) to attain holiness.  We do this by encouraging prayer and upright living among one another.  We also seek to improve the lives of those living at the margins so that they too may prosper.  Finally, we reach out to the people of other faith traditions to tell them of our Father’s love in Jesus Christ.

Thursday, March 5, 2026

 

Thursday of the Second Week of Lent

(Jeremiah 17:5-10; Luke 16:19-31)

Ludwig Beethoven along with many others felt that Napoleon Bonaparte would bring the values of democracy to all of Europe.  Beethoven wrote his third symphony in honor of the French general, entitling it “Bonaparte.”  But when Napoleon crowned himself emperor, Beethoven tore up the title page and renamed the work “The Eroica” after the ideals which Napoleon abandoned.  Jeremiah in today’s first reading feels a similar disillusionment.

The prophet, who experienced much hope and disappointment with Judah’s leaders, writes that placing one’s hope in human beings is fruitless.  Indeed, he likens such hope to a shrub in a desert that cannot produce fruit.  Jeremiah finds salvation in following the ways of God, which are truthful and, in the end, productive of human flourishing. 

Jesus’ parable of the “Rich Man and Lazarus” provides testimony to Jeremiah’s conclusion.  The rich man ignores God’s Law which extols almsgiving.  He also violates the wisdom of the prophets who railed against neglect of the poor.  In our prosperity we better take heed of the rich man’s fate and help protect the vulnerable.

Wednesday, March 4, 2026

Wednesday of the Second Week of Lent

(Jeremiah 18:18-20; Matthew 20:17-28)

As we approach the middle of Lent, we may find our initial Lenten resolutions losing traction.  It is a parallel process to the capitulations found in today’s readings.  In the first, the people are unwilling to accept Jeremiah’s teaching that allegiance is to God alone.  They want to dally with other gods as a way of hedging their bets on divine assistance.  In the gospel no one seems to grasp what Jesus is saying about self-sacrifice for the good of others.  James and John allow their mother to promote their advancement.  Meanwhile, the other disciples resent the brothers for reducing their chances for places of honor. 

During Lent the Lord seeks our conversion from the ways of the world to the virtues of the Kingdom.  Where the world says “look out for number one,” Jesus tells us to “lose our lives for his sake and for the gospel.”  We have to renew our efforts continually so that we will always serve others joyfully.

The saints model Jesus’ self-abnegation for good of others.  Stanley Rother was an American priest defending the rights of the indigenous in Guatemala during the 1970’s and early 1980’s.  He was threatened with death if he did not leave his parish.  In fact, he tried going away but made the realization that, as he said, “A shepherd cannot run from his flock.”  He returned to Guatemala where, shortly afterwards, gunmen entered his rectory and killed him.  As a martyr, he did not need a miracle to be declared “Blessed Stanley.”

Tuesday, March 3, 2026

 

Tuesday of the Second Week of Lent

(Isaiah 1:10.16-20; Matthew 23:1-12)

After scoring the winning goal at the Olympics last week, hockey star Jack Hughes said that he was proud to be an American.  He meant that he was grateful to be part of a nation that values sportsmanship and excellence.  There is nothing sinful about this kind of pride.  It is a love of self and of one’s loyalties based on truth.

Pride at the same time can be a vice.  In fact, it has been called the mother of all evil.  Sinful pride ignores the truth by an exaggerated assessment of one’s own virtue.  Its love of self goes beyond all warrants as it seeks to garner everyone’s admiration.  Jesus accuses the Pharisees of this inordinate love in today’s gospel.  He says that they love to wear pretentious clothing, to use misleading titles, and to seek undeserving places of honor.

As our human legacy, all of us are touched by sinful pride.  From the president of the republic to a Mississippi sharecropper, we tend to think of ourselves as greater than what we are. In today’s first reading the prophet Isaiah tells us that we might overcome this vice even if we have exploited it a thousand times.  His antidote is to ingest the word of God.  Isaiah says that if we obey God’s commands, we might enjoy all the goodness that life offers.  Jesus tells us the goodness includes eternal happiness.  But if we do not obey, however, Isaiah warns our pride will lead us to everlasting conflict.

Monday, March 2, 2026

 

Monday of the Second Week of Lent

(Daniel 9:4b-10; Luke 6:36-38)

Facing a rule that interferes with their designs, workers with a kind-hearted supervisor are tempted to violate the rule.  They may rationalize their transgression saying, “It is easier to get forgiveness that permission.”  Perhaps it is true, but still it is dishonorable to presume a supervisor’s mercy.

In today’s gospel Jesus extols the virtue of mercy.  He calls it God-like and then describes it as non- judging, forgiving, generous and productive.  However, he never says that mercy should be presumed.  To the contrary, he indicates that it should be initiated.

Lent should render us more merciful.  It gives us occasion to recall our sins like Daniel does in the first reading.  Conscious of how easy falling into sin is, we should be more willing to forgive those who offend us. 

Sunday, March 1, 2026

 

Second Sunday of Lent
(Genesis 12:1–4; 2 Timothy 1:8–10; Matthew 17:1–9)

We have reached the Second Sunday of Lent. Each year on this day we hear in the Gospel the account of Jesus’ Transfiguration on the mountain. There are three versions of this event: one in Matthew, one in Mark, and one in Luke, but they do not differ greatly from one another. Today we hear the version according to Saint Matthew. It is distinctive in that it does not say that Peter “did not know what he was saying” when he suggests building three tents for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah.

Perhaps we ask ourselves: “Why do the evangelists include this rather unusual story in their writings?” Usually, three reasons are given. First, the story confirms Peter’s declaration that Jesus is “the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Second, it will help the disciples endure the anguish of seeing Jesus crucified. Finally, it gives believers a glimpse of their destiny. Like Christ, they too will shine in glory. Today we will focus on this third reason: the parallel transformation of the Christian like the glorified Christ.

Let us begin with the first reading. It shows Abram being instructed by the Lord to leave his country, his relatives, and his father’s house to go to a foreign land. Only through these costly sacrifices can he come to shine as the father of many nations. It is true that the grace of the Holy Spirit, which makes Christians shine in glory, is a gift. Nevertheless, it requires sacrifices to receive and preserve it, as in the case of Abram. Many prepare, sometimes for years, in classes for sacraments that communicate transforming grace. The sacrifices multiply as they live in the world where temptations abound. They must reject the seduction of pleasure, power, and prestige if they are to shine in glory.

In the second reading, Paul asks his disciple Timothy to join him in suffering for the Gospel. He wants his help in the demanding work of bringing the Gospel to the world. The first Christians received grace freely, but proclaiming it cost the apostles dearly. If the followers of the Gospel will shine like the face of Jesus on the mountain, those who proclaim it will shine even more. It is no accident that saints are depicted with halos in art. Our faces too will bear the radiance of the saints if we talk with others about the Good News.

The Gospel account of the Transfiguration leaves us with a profound lesson about the spiritual life. Toward the end of the story, the three disciples experience a theophany: God the Father speaks to them from a cloud. His message is almost the same as at Jesus’ Baptism, but this time He adds the exhortation that they listen to Jesus. As is to be expected in a theophany, the disciples fall to the ground in fear. Then Jesus’ touch calms them.

The spiritual life requires that we feel awe in the presence of God. He is tremendous and awesome, more powerful than a volcano or a star being born. Yet, through the assurance given to us by Jesus, we know that God is our Father. Once we realize this truth and submit our will to His, our fear is transformed into the desire never to lose His love.

We have completed a fourth of this Lenten season. By now we should have established a pattern of fasting, prayer, and charity, so that we no longer feel apprehension about these practices. Let us move forward with the hope of becoming stronger through our sacrifices, more devoted to proclaiming the Gospel to others, and more deeply in love with God, our Father.

Friday, February 27, 2026

 Friday of the First Week of Lent

(Ezekiel 18:21-28; Matthew 5:20-26)

Children have difficulty comprehending the message in today’s reading from the prophet Ezekiel.  They see not forgiving the offense of someone who has always lived virtuously as unfair.  Before one agrees with them, she should realize that children are, by definition, young.  They don’t have a treasury of memories for which continual thankfulness to God is due.  God will reject the sinner, even if he has priorly lived an exemplary life, for not having expressed gratitude with increasing virtue.

Childishness is also behind the rebellion that causes a person to call a brother or sister “fool.”  Children often act out when they do not get their way because they have not yet learned how to control their emotions.  They think that they have a right to express what they feel inside.  Maturing, especially under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, should temper their rebellious ways.

The season of Lent aids the maturing process.  It is a time of intense reflection on our actions and our lives.  We are to recall God’s beneficence and to respond with gratitude. We are also to review our relationships and to reconcile ourselves with anyone we have mistreated.

Thursday, February 26, 2026

 

Thursday of the First Week of Lent

(Esther C,12.14-16.23-25; Matthew 7:7-12)

One major quality of the Christian life is dependency.  Because this word is so associated with addiction, perhaps it is better to speak of reliance.  Although many find it hard to admit, Christians rely on one another and primarily on God for assistance.  They realize that they have been saved from death by the Cross and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Without him they are doomed to sin egregiously and to die forever.

Although Queen Esther In today’s first reading is not Christian and has lived apart from her Jewish community, she finds herself desperately needing God’s help.  She cannot depend on her extraordinary beauty or her rank as queen to deliver her and her people from death.  She does what Jesus recommends in the gospel.  She asks the God of her fathers for assistance.  Of course, she receives it.  God, loving her and her people, will not allow them to perish.

Why then do we often find prayers of petition difficult to make?  Perhaps we recognize personal sin that makes us think we are unworthy.  Or maybe the independent spirit of our society prompts us to keep searching for personal resources to meet challenges.  We might even doubt that God exists or that He cares about us.  These reasons and, no doubt, others may be summed up in pride.  In the end, it is our thinking too much of ourselves that gets in the way of asking God for help.  We need to humble ourselves and look to God and perhaps brothers and sisters in Christ for help.

Wednesday, February 25, 2026

 

Wednesday of the First Week of Lent

(Jonah 3:1-10; Luke 3:29-32)

We are all sinners – one out of every one of us.  We think too much of ourselves and too little of others.  Have you ever said something derogatory and only half-true about another person just to produce a laugh?  I have.  It is one source of my sinfulness.

During this season of Lent we make a collective effort to examine our lives, locate the sources of our sinfulness and decide to root them out.  With this effort we hope to become more like Jesus.  He is the best model for lives which please God and bless others.

Both readings today convey this message.  The Book of the Prophet Jonah is neither oracle nor history, but a story intended to catalyze repentance.  In the gospel Jesus uses that story to remind his generation and ours of the necessity of reform.

Tuesday, February 24, 2026

 Tuesday of the First Week of Lent

(Isaiah 55:10-11; Matthew 67-15)

Katabasis is a Greek word meaning going down or descent.  Christian theology has employed the term in reference to Jesus’ coming from heaven to save humanity.  This use reflects Isaiah’s prophecy in today’s first reading.  God’s word, which in its most prescient form is the Son, descends from heaven to earth to effect the divine will.

Today’s gospel suggests a mirror image of heavenly katabasis.  Human words in the form of prayer go up (anabasis in Greek) to God who provides what the person needs.  Jesus tells us that prayers should not be multiplied beyond the simple petitions of the Our Father.  The petitioner after recognizing God’s holiness makes four requests.  First, she asks for the peace of God’s Kingdom.  Then, she requests bread both for the earthly table and the heavenly journey.  Third, she looks for forgiveness of past sins.  Finally, she wants guidance to avoid pitfalls on the way to her eternal home.

We understand the season of Lent as our heavenly journey.  It is an ascent from worldly desires to the purity of mountaintops.  This ascent begins with recognizing how sin has distanced us from God’s love.  It proceeds with our being purified and strengthened through Lenten disciplines.  It ends at the celebration of the Lord’s resurrection from the dead and the pledge of our own. 

Monday, February 23, 2026

 

Monday of the First Week of Lent

(Leviticus 19:1-2.11-18; Matthew 25,31-46)

Today’s first reading is taken from the famous “Holiness Code” in the Book of Leviticus.  The code lists a series of precepts that are to be followed so that one may become holy like as God.  The precepts mirror the Decalogue, but today’s reading has a striking peculiarity.  It tells the reader not to show “partiality to the weak.”  Doesn’t this conflict with the blessing that Jesus bestows on those who serve the needy in the gospel reading?

It doesn’t if one considers the context of the prohibition of partiality.  The command applies to judicial proceedings.  A criminal suspect should be judged guilty or innocent according to the evidence, not according to socio-economic status.  Nevertheless, a poor or sick person should be assisted in meeting physical needs.  In the gospel Jesus extends the scope of beneficiaries.  They are not only members of one’s family or community but strangers as well. 

Despite our reluctance to think of ourselves as holy, achieving holiness is our vocation in life.  It is also the immediate objective of Lent.  We recognize that it is a long road that often seems endless.  But through the years and with continual effort, progress becomes evident.

Sunday, February 22, 2026

 

FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT, February 22, 2026
(Genesis 2:7–9; 3:1–7; Romans 5:12–19; Matthew 4:1–11)

We have begun the long journey of Lent. To help us make good use of these forty days, the Church offers us some of the most profound readings in the entire Bible. We know them well, yet they are always worth revisiting.

It is often said that the story of Adam and Eve describes the first sin. This is true, but it also describes every human sin. At the root of all human sin lies the pride of the first human beings. We sin whenever we consider our own will more important than the will of God. In this story, the serpent tempts the woman with the promise that if they eat from the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, they will be like God. Rejecting God’s command not to eat from that tree, both eat the fruit. Every time we sin, we do the same thing: we reject God’s will to satisfy our own desires.

We say “we,” but we should not include Jesus Christ in that statement. Although Jesus shares our human nature, he never placed his own will above the will of God the Father. In today’s Gospel, we see him overcome pride in each of the three temptations presented to him by Satan.

In the first temptation, Jesus is in the desert suffering intense hunger. Satan urges him to satisfy his desire by turning stones into bread. Jesus, however, recognizes that doing so would disappoint his Father. He decides that satisfying his hunger is not worth displeasing God, and he rejects the temptation. We can place ourselves in Jesus’ sandals. If, after working all Sunday and missing morning Mass, would we choose to attend Mass in the evening instead of immediately satisfying our hunger?

Then Satan tries to test Jesus’ relationship with his Father. He suggests that Jesus perform a reckless act to see whether God will save him from death despite his foolishness. Jesus has no difficulty rejecting this challenge because he knows that God’s love for him—and for all—is infinite. But beyond the question of paternal love, Jesus knows that he must do things in God’s way, not his own. We might ask ourselves: when faced with a difficulty, are we ready to handle it in God’s way? Or do we insist on doing things our way while assuming that God will forgive us later?

Finally, Jesus is tempted with power over the world. It is easy to imagine how appealing this temptation is to pride. All Jesus would have to do is perform an act of adoration to Satan to gain control of everything. But Jesus recognizes the stench of deceit. Satan is the father of lies.  Furthermore, Jesus did not come to earth to serve himself—much less to worship the devil. He came solely to serve his Father.

In the second reading, Saint Paul speaks of “the overflowing grace that makes us righteous.” This is the grace that flows from Jesus Christ. He twice conquered the pride of the first human beings that brought death to all. First, he overcame the three temptations in the desert. Then, he definitively overcame human pride on Calvary. To benefit from this overflowing grace, we must live in relationship with him. Here, in the Eucharist, he offers us his Body and Blood as our strength. He does not abandon us when we go out to face life’s challenges.  Rather, he walks with us so that nothing may cause us to stumble. With him at our side, we trample pride underfoot and pass from death to eternal life with God.

Friday, February 20, 2026

 

Friday after Ash Wednesday

(Ezekiel 18:21-28; Matthew 5:20-26)

Tac had a rough life.  He grew up the son of a bar owner and married a woman who worked in the bar.  The two lived loosely with much partying.  Then Tac’s father died of alcoholism, and he told his wife that they must reform.  They quit their jobs in bars and began a family. One day Tac went home and found his wife raped and murdered.  He was accused of the crime but easily cleared himself.  However, Tac could not clear the anger in his head.  When the murderer was caught, Tac tried to take revenge by getting himself arrested in the same jail as the murderer.  The plan failed, but Tac was sentenced first to probation on a drug charge, then after being caught with more drugs to a state abuse punishment center. 

There things turned for the better.  Tac met a chaplain who, as he says, “saw Christ in me.”  With the chaplain’s assistance, Tac forgave his father and finally his wife’s murderer.  Tac attended the execution of the murderer and heard his final statement.  The man thanked God for his friends and family who enabled him to reform. Right before his death, the murderer turned to Tac and asked, “Can you forgive me?”  Tac nodded yes.

This true story teaches that reconciliation is more than praying for your persecutors and telling yourself that you forgive them.  It is seeking them out to forge a relationship of mutual care and respect.  Jesus demands us to do this in today’s gospel.  He tells us, who come to mass, that as we arrive and remember that we have done something wrong to another, we must seek that person out, offer our apology and pray that it is accepted.  If we cannot do this, we should not expect God to be lenient with us on judgment day.

Thursday, February 19, 2026

 Thursday after Ash Wednesday

 (Deuteronomy 30:15-20; Luke 9:22-25)

 “Choose life.”  We have all seen bumper stickers with this anti-abortion message.  No doubt, people who feel burdened by an unexpected pregnancy find the message ironic.  To them life is being liberated from the responsibility of a child so that they may pursue their own felt needs.  Life, then, is one of those simple words with a range of meanings. 

 In the reading from Deuteronomy today, Moses exhorts the Israelites to “choose life.”  He has in mind following God’s commandments which bring prosperity to both individual and community. As always, Jesus intensifies Moses’ message.   In today’s gospel he says that life comes when people surrender themselves to God as he does.  This will often mean a renunciation of one’s personal desires.  But the life that Jesus has in mind is eternal happiness with God.

 We have already chosen Jesus’ way of life, but we have not always been faithful to it.  During Lent we make the necessary adjustments to renew our choice. It requires sacrifice for sure. To help us in the process we have the Lord himself in the Eucharist as well as one another.

 

Wednesday, February18, 2026

 Ash Wednesday

(Joel 2:12-18; II Corinthians 5:20-6:2; Matthew 6:1-6.16-18)

A guest editorialist recently wrote in a national newspaper about his experience of receiving ashes on Ash Wednesday.  He said that like most Catholics he does not attend Mass every Sunday. But -- he defended himself -- he always goes on Ash Wednesday.  He said that it is a good thing to receive the ashes and hear the words, “… you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

It would be fair to ask the writer, “Good for what?” if he does not repent of sins like not giving due worship to God.  Ashes are administered to do more than remind one of human mortality once a year.  Obituaries do the same every day.  Ashes are the first step in the process of repentance and reform.  They move recipients to stop thinking about conforming to the Lord’s ways and to start doing it.

In today’s gospel Jesus tells us that our repentance must be sincere.  It should not be done to impress others or – more foolishly – to think we can fool God by fasting, giving alms, or praying publicly.  These requisite practices are to be carried out without drawing attention to ourselves or convincing ourselves that we are better than others.  No, we practice repentance for love of God whom we have often failed.

Tuesday, February 17, 2026

 

Tuesday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

(James 1:12-18; Mark 8:14-21)

Novice hikers in the Rockies are told what to do if they spot a bear.  They are not to run.  Running would provoke a bear to attack if it is threatened or hungry.  Rather than run, hikers are to hold their backpacks over their heads and walk away from the bear.  Bears do not have 20-20 vision.  They would see a hiker with a pack held high as a giant with whom they would rather not tangle. 

What has this to do with today’s gospel? Only this: like a hiker with backpack raised high will appear formidable to a bear, pride and arrogance will distort the vision of a sinner.  She will think herself better than she is.  In the gospel Jesus warns his disciples not to think like this.  The “leaven of the Pharisees” is pride which puffs up one’s self-perception.  Disciples do not have to boast about who is smarter. stronger or more beautiful.  They have Jesus -- the one loaf – with them.  He is both sustenance and consolation for one and all.

Tomorrow we begin Lent.  It is a time of grace.  We will walk with Jesus forty days to temper our pride -- our love of self -- and to bolster our charity -- our love for others. 

Monday, February 16, 2026

 

Monday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

(James 1:1-11; Mark 8:11-13)

The Letter of James is a New Testament enigma.  No one knows who wrote it or to whom it was written.  Some think it was written by James, “the brother of the Lord.”  Perhaps, but if so, why does the author never relate a personal experience with Jesus?  In fact, he hardly mentions the Lord.  For this reason, others wonder if it is not a Jewish document that has been “baptized” with a few Christian references.  Yet the work echoes Jesus’ passionate defense of the poor.  This is seen in today’s passage which speaks of the lowly being exulted and the sun scorching the richly endowed flower of the field.

Today’s reading also mentions “the twelve tribes of the diaspora” as the letter’s addressee.  This may sound like a reference to Jews living outside of Palestine.  However, the First Letter of Peter begins with a similar reference.  Perhaps, then, the phrase refers to the communities of the twelve apostles. 

Since the Reformation, the Letter of James has been most noted for its apparent refutation of St. Paul’s claim, “… a person is justified by faith apart from works of the law” (Rom 3:28). James states his case bluntly, “Faith without works is dead” (James 2:26).   Paul himself bows to this truth in the Letter to the Galatians where he says, “For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love” (Gal 5:6).  Let us note as well James’ testimony to faith in today’s passage.  He writes that when faith is tested, it produces perseverance which leads to perfection.  The perfection of sanctity is what we consider essential for eternal life.

Sunday, February 15, 2026

 

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

(Sirach 15:16–21; 1 Corinthians 2:6–10; Matthew 5:17–37)

Worldly wisdom. Isn’t this what our Uncle John used to describe as necessary for a good life? He outlined some of its principles for us: it is good to help your neighbor, but it is even better to be seen helping. Also, what matters most is not what you know, but whom you know.

In today’s second reading, from his First Letter to the Corinthians, Saint Paul also speaks about worldly wisdom. He does not so much criticize it as he points out that it is not equal to divine wisdom. Indeed, in some ways human wisdom can help us move through life with a certain ease. For example, it suggests that we study when we are young so that we will not have to work as hard when we are adults. There is nothing radical about that.  Another saying of worldly wisdom, certainly more controversial, is this: it is good to be loved, but it is better to be feared. Dictators put this piece of worldly wisdom into practice.

The main problem Paul has with worldly wisdom is that it cannot save us from sin and death. On the contrary, according to Saint Paul, if we follow only the advice of the wise of this world, we will end up dead forever. That is why he exhorts the Corinthians to seek the wisdom of God. Where can it be found? Paul says it is no farther away —nor more difficult to grasp— than surrendering ourselves to Christ crucified.

In last Sunday’s reading, Paul spoke about how he himself surrendered to Christ’s cross when he came to preach in Corinth. He said, “When I came to you, brothers and sisters, proclaiming the mystery of God, I did not come with sublimity of words or of wisdom… for I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.” Paul did not speak of an invincible warrior or an athletic champion who might gather mass allegiance.  Rather, he spoke of a man who gave his life for others. Somehow, this preaching won the minds and hearts of many listeners.

Preaching Jesus Christ crucified qualifies as the wisdom of God because it favors the poor and the humble rather than the powerful. Jesus died at the hands of the powerful in order to save the multitudes from sin and death. It is also divine wisdom because it works mysteriously: it does not attract people through a display of power, but through a story of universal love. Without a doubt, Paul preached the resurrection of the Lord along with his apparently complete defeat on the cross. Yet the acceptance of this message was the work of the Holy Spirit, not the charm of country folk tales, since the Corinthians were city people, not very tolerant of rural folktales.

In the Gospel, Jesus challenges his disciples to put the wisdom of God into practice. He says that it is not enough not to kill; they must also avoid anger toward a brother or sister. In this way, everyone will know that they belong to God. Likewise, they must not only refrain from committing adultery, but also avoid looking at a woman with lust. In this way, people will recognize that it is God’s grace that is at work, not merely human discipline. Finally, Jesus says that his disciples should not take oaths, but should “let your ‘yes’ mean yes, and your ‘no’ mean no.” (We understand this prohibition as a condemnation of unnecessary, casual, or deceptive oaths.) His disciples are not meant to impress others with lengthy words, but to bear witness to the simple truth of the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ..

In a few days we will begin the season of Lent. It is an opportunity for us to practice the wisdom of God. May our sacrifices and our prayer not be ways of impressing one another. Rather, may they be a testimony of our love for God and for our neighbor.