First Sunday of Lent

In today’s Gospel we read about Jesus’ forty days in the desert, where the Holy Spirit led him to do battle with the devil. There are many references in the Bible to periods of testing and trial that last for forty days or forty years. The great flood in the days of...

Introduction to the Ashen Triduum

Lent begins with Ash Wednesday, but the First Week of Lent begins with the First Sunday. This leaves the three days between Ash Wednesday and the First Sunday in an unusual liturgical interval; they are part of Lent, but not part of the weeks of Lent. Their official...

Ash Wednesday

The solemn and striking Liturgy of Ash Wednesday alerts us to the new Season that has begun and gives us a time to reflect and discover what sins and attachments God wants to free us from so that he can fill us with his own life. There is much more to Ash Wednesday...

Seasonal Introduction to Lent

In our journey through the Seasons of Advent and Christmas, we discovered that, in spite of all we have received, our efforts at holiness are ineffectual. We recognized that we are still living a lie. Instead of relying on God and giving him the glory, we take the...

Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord

Holy Week, or Passion Week, ushers us into the very pinnacle of our Catholic faith. It gives us a new opportunity to immerse ourselves in the heart of the salvation story, and to encounter the very essence of Jesus and his saving mission. It is an opportunity not to...