Fourth Sunday of Lent

by | Mar 26, 2022 | Meditations

In the tradition of the Church, the Fourth Sunday of Lent has been known as Laetare Sunday. The name comes from the first word of today’s entrance antiphon in Latin, laetare, meaning “rejoice.” With Easter Sunday now twenty-one days away, we are symbolically at the...

Third Sunday of Lent

by | Mar 19, 2022 | Meditations

In the Sunday readings for this year’s Lenten journey, the Church gives us some snapshots from St. Luke’s narrative of Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem. In today’s Gospel, Jesus is told about some Galileans who suffered a tragic death at the hands of Pontius Pilate. It...

Second Sunday of Lent

by | Mar 12, 2022 | Meditations

We have begun the second week of Lent, a season of intense prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Yet our readings today seem to break the somber mood we would expect. Though the liturgical color is still penitential violet, the readings are painted in colors of radiant...

First Sunday of Lent

by | Mar 5, 2022 | Meditations

The second reading today ends with this line: “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” The question naturally follows, saved from what? Pope Francis gives us an answer in this week’s Spiritual Reflection: saved from the devil, an enemy who is...

Introduction to the Ashen Triduum

by | Mar 2, 2022 | Seasonal Introductions

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...