Spring Campaign in Full Swing!Join us to reach our $60,000 goal Mass Propers for Tuesday of the Third Week of Easter: says the Lord; whoever comes to me will never hunger Preface II of Easter: It is truly right and just but in this time above all to laud you yet more gloriously when Christ our Passover has been sacrificed Through him the children of light rise to eternal life and the halls of the heavenly Kingdom are thrown open to the faithful; for his Death is our ransom from death and in his rising the life of all has risen every people exults in your praise and even the heavenly Powers sing together the unending hymn of your glory we believe that we shall also live with Christ Tuesday of the Third Week of Easter: O God who open wide the gates of the heavenly Kingdom to those reborn of water and the Holy Spirit pour out on your servants an increase of the grace you have bestowed they may lack nothing that in your kindness you have promised who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit » Enjoy our Liturgical Seasons series of e-books! After taking part in the Crusades against the Albigensians he used his inheritance to free Christian prisoners held by the Moors He later founded the Order of Our Lady of Mercy (Mercedarians) beginning in 1218 devoted to ransoming Christians John the Apostle was taken to Rome under the Emperor Domitian and plunged into a cauldron of boiling oil; by a striking miracle he came out safe and sound from this torture This disposition to forgive did not die with St but has continued to be one of the most characteristic virtues of the saint Benedict as related in the Dialogues of St that he was continuously and severely persecuted by a delinquent priest who lived in the neighborhood of the monastery in order to protect the virtue and the vocations of his disciples Benedict decided to abandon the site of his monastery and move to another location He and his monks had hardly left their monastery when word was brought that the persecutor had died suddenly Contrary to the expectation of the messenger who brought the news Benedict broke out in loud lamentations that his enemy had died suddenly and had not had an opportunity to repent The saints see so much more clearly than we the relative unimportance of the hardships and injustices we suffer in this world and the importance before all else of the sinner's being converted and repenting of his sins How long and how persistently we harbor grudges in our hearts against those who have offended us How difficult we find it to forgive freely and from our hearts Yet we proclaim ourselves to be Christians and to practice all the Christian virtues Do we forget that our Lord told us that if we expect our prayers to be heard and our sacrifices to be pleasing in the sight of God and go first and make peace with our brother Nor is the disposition to forgive our enemies peculiar only to the saints and martyrs of the ancient Church; nor should we expect it to be and if His disciples were commanded to forgive their enemies in His day Father Pro was executed in Mexico some years ago he was asked by his executioner if he had anything he wished to do or anything he wished to say before the sentence was executed Father Pro said that there was; he wished to be given an opportunity to pray for his executioners and to give them his blessing before he died During the persecutions in Spain during the late civil war one of the religious who was to be put to death by the communists was led to his death with his hands bound asked to be allowed to give his blessing to the members of the firing squad It is said that the officer in charge of the guard untied his hands and then swiftly struck off the hands of the priest with his sword raised his right arm and traced the sign of the cross over the heads of his murderers This is the true sign of the authentic martyr the characteristic mark of the true saint of the Church Who His own self bore our sins in His body upon the tree" (Epistle) The redemption of man as accomplished by Christ might have been accomplished in other ways but none of them would have been as perfect as the way Christ chose God might have forgiven man outright without requiring any satisfaction for sin This would have been a splendid manifestation of the infinite mercy of God but it would have ignored His infinite justice God might have refused redemption and forgiveness altogether and this would have been in complete conformity with His justice but it would not have satisfied His infinite mercy Perfect redemption required that both God's mercy and justice be satisfied Any act of satisfaction on his part would only have been of limited and finite value An act of reparation offered by a divine person would have been adequate since it would not have been offered by the offending party The only possibility of a perfect redemption was for the divine person to become incarnate could perform acts of infinite value; since he was a human being He could act in the name of the human race and offer an act of reparation which would be both adequate and authentic But the martyrdom of the latter Apostle called for a scene worthy of the event was not a sufficiently glorious land for such a combat whither Peter had transferred his Chair and where he died on his cross and where Paul had bowed down his venerable head beneath the sword alone deserved the honor of seeing the beloved disciple march on to martyrdom with that dignity and sweetness which are the characteristics of this veteran of the Apostolic College In the year 95 John appeared before the tribunal of pagan Rome the worship of a Jew who had been crucified under Pontius Pilate He was considered a superstitious and rebellious old man and it was time to rid Asia of his presence sentenced to an ignominious and cruel death A huge cauldron of boiling oil was prepared in front of the Latin Gate The sentence ordered that the preacher of Christ be plunged into this bath The hour had come for the second son of Salome to partake of his Master’s chalice the boiling liquid lost all its heat; the Apostle felt no scalding when they took him out again he felt all the vigor of his youthful years restored to him After six Fridays of not eating meat, Christians observing Lent are nearly at the finish line The tradition dates as far back as 601 AD, when 64th leader of the Catholic Church, Pope Gregory cemented the Lent as permanent tradition, according to the Museum of the Bible Lent lasted 46 days consisting of 40 days of fasting where only one meal and no meat was allowed with the exception of six Sundays considered "feast days." the tradition is practiced by Christians and Catholics across the world Additionally some people choose to give up certain foods or behaviors throughout the duration This year, Lent began on Wednesday, March 5. The first day of Lent is called Ash Wednesday The final day of Lent is also known as Holy Thursday Lent's 40 days represents the 40 days that Jesus spent fasting and praying in the desert before starting his public ministry Why does Lent involve fasting?Fasting during Lent represents the fasting Jesus did while in the desert "Abstinence is a form of penance. Penance expresses sorrow and contrition for our wrongdoing, indicates our intention to turn away from sin and turn back to God," the Archdiocese of Saint Paul & Minneapolis shared on its website ashes are placed on a worshiper's forehead in the shape of the cross This represents that a person belongs to Jesus Christ and that a person is grieving and morning for their sins Why do worshipers abstain from eating meat on Fridays during Lent?During Lent some worshipers abstain from eating flesh meat on Ash Wednesday Worshipers abstain from meat on Fridays during Lent to honor Jesus sacrificing his flesh on Good Friday, according to the Archdiocese of Saint Paul & Minneapolis Lent began with Ash Wednesday, almost 40 days ago. But did you know Lent used to be less than 40 days The religious tradition as many Catholics and Christians know it today can be traced back to Rome in the 300s why Easter 2025 falls in late April this year and a little bit about the religious holidays that surround it Easter Sunday 2025 is this weekend, on Sunday, April 20. The date, 4/20, also happens to be a big unofficial holiday for weed smokers. Easter has fallen on 4/20 before and will again in the future although this year's will be the last time until the 2080s Has Easter ever fallen on 4/20? Easter Sunday will fall on the unofficial smokers' holiday in 2025 According to The Old Farmer's Almanac and long-term averages calculated by Harvard Second place goes to April 24 and third place goes to March 23 The Lent season – which is a 40-day period of prayer and fasting leading up to Easter – starts on Ash Wednesday and ends on the Thursday before Easter Sunday every year Good Friday always falls on the Friday immediately before Easter Sunday and commemorates the day Jesus was crucified “For Christians, Good Friday is an important day of the year because it celebrates what we believe to be the most momentous weekend in the history of the world,” Christianity.com says Christians have proclaimed the cross and resurrection of Jesus to be the decisive turning point for all creation.” According to Vatican News early Christians originally began preparing for Easter with just two days of fasting and penitence Emperor Constantine called a meeting of church leaders the council decided on a set of agreements to guide how the church would observe teach and practice its beliefs about the life of Jesus Christ Some historical context: The Council of Nicea – and establishment of the 40-day Lent that many Christians and Catholics still observe today – took place 13 years after Constantine converted to Christianity in 312 A.D. and 11 years before the first recorded Christian Christmas (Dec the Council of Nicea already testifies to a 40-day preparation for Easter after the ‘model’ of Jesus who spent 40 days in the desert…” Vatican News says “Not to mention other highly significant 40-day or 40-year periods such as the flood that lasted 40 days and 40 nights the 40-year sojourn of the people of Israel in the desert and the 40 days in which Moses fasted on Mount Sinai Easter Sunday sometimes falls in late April because the holiday is not tied to a specific date all of the related religious holidays leading up to Easter also fall later in the year The date of Easter and its related holidays also depend on if you’re Eastern Orthodox or not. The Eastern Orthodox Church uses the Julian calendar, a solar calendar that was used by the Roman Empire. This year, Easter and Eastern Orthodox Easter fall on the same date, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac “Easter is a “movable feast,” so it doesn’t happen on the same date from year to year it is always observed on a Sunday between March 22 and April 25,” the almanac says Easter can be observed between April 4 and May 8 in the Eastern Orthodox Church…According to long-term averages Easter’s date changes because it is based on the lunar calendar, much like Lunar New Year Easter Sunday always falls on the first Sunday after the spring equinox full moon “While Christmas is fixed to a solar calendar (and near the winter solstice) Easter is based on the lunar cycles of the Jewish calendar,” the almanac says the Last Supper (the final meal Jesus shared with his apostles before his crucifixion) was a Passover feast Because Easter is based on a lunar month (which is 29.5 days) marking an end to the Lenten season — often observed by the religious as giving up something for weeks and abstaining from meat on Fridays — as the final days of Holy Week Holy Thursday is the commemoration of Jesus Christ’s Last Supper Good Friday, which is on April 18, is the day on which Christian and Catholic churches across the world commemorate the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ, USA TODAY reported Good Friday was observed as a day of sorrow DMV and banks schedulesNormal operations are in store for the U.S and bank branches will largely be open on Good Friday The California Department of Motor Vehicles offices will be open on Good Friday More: Are banks, post offices, UPS and FedEx open on Good Friday in California? USA TODAY reporter Gabe Hauari contributed to this report not your garments.” Between this verse from the first reading and Jesus’ “do not be like the…” theme in the Gospel Make sure you really mean in your heart what you say and what you do and make sure you don’t say and do those things out of pride I have four sons and just about all of them are past the ‘bring cute but ugly projects home from school’ phase just last week I came home from a work trip and my youngest son gave me a present: a few popsicle sticks glued together with the words “I love you Dad” written in green and purple washable marker It was the exact opposite of the gestures described by Jesus in the Gospel and it came into my heart as I prayed with today’s readings No parent would look at a poorly constructed message of love from their kindergartner and say Are you sure you really love me?”And neither does God Just like a child doesn’t need to do much to delight the heart of the parent God doesn’t need much from us to delight his heart Too often we get caught in the “good enough” trap We ask ourselves if we have done or said something good enough to please our Lord how well we dress or sing in Church… It is different for each of us We can fall into the trap of worrying that somehow it isn’t quite good enough to please God knowing that he is delighted not by the quality OR the quantity of our gestures of Love And that’s a message you can share with the whole world thank you for all the ways you show us you love us Help us to focus not so much on the quality or quantity of our acts of love to you but instead on who we really are: You’re beloved children Help us to remember how delighted in us you are consider what is your favorite and most natural act of love to God consider how you can take one step further this Lent Maybe it’s going to Mass on a weekday instead of just Sunday or reading the Bible just five minutes longer than you normally do Take something you love to do for God and dive in just a little deeper Dominick Albano is the former Director of Digital Communications for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati He is the author of two books and travels across the country to speak at parish missions Dominick now lives in Northern Illinois with his wife and four sons Reflection:  Are you an Old Testament Christian or a New Testament Christian For what could an Old Testament Christian even be – there weren’t ANY Christians in the Old Testament – Jesus wasn’t born yet For that matter what is a New Testament Christian These labels represent stereotypical views some have about the Old and New Testaments is all about rules; think the 10 Commandments the book of Leviticus and today’s reading from Deuteronomy it’s all Jesus loves me; think John 3:16: “For God so loved the world…”  For the so-called stereotypical Old Testament Christian sin is breaking the rules and God is more akin to Santa Claus than the divine creator of the universe:  “He knows if you’ve been bad or good so be good for goodness’ sake!”  For the so-called stereotypical New Testament Christian there’s almost no such thing as sin As long as we are “nice” and don’t kick puppies Even though these are stereotypes there must be something to them That was God’s promise to Abraham – I will make of you a great nation and He did God had to start teaching Abraham and the great nation that came from him the basics of what it meant to be the chosen people of God many generations this culminated in Moses and the 10 Commandments God couldn’t start by giving Abraham the Beatitudes to teach the people They simply wouldn’t be able to understand them or put them into practice But starting the lesson with the Beatitudes would be like teaching kindergartners that they must be kind They would all pay attention to the lesson and nod their heads eagerly when asked if they understood But the first time someone started playing with their favorite toy some of them would probably run over yelling “Mine grab the toy and push their classmate down They simply need time to grow and mature so they can understand what being kind and generous and no longer need rules for they live out what the rules were there to teach them and generous – it’s part of their nature now – who they are It’s the same with us in our spiritual journey we are being called to mature as Christians to take up our cross daily and follow the Lord It took thousands of years of preparation before the time was right for Jesus to come and teach us the Beatitudes It will probably take more than a few seasons of Lent for the Beatitudes to become 2nd nature to us – to be who we are Ultimately sin is not about breaking a rule it’s about breaking a relationship:  our relationship with God is indeed a story about how much God loves us The question for us to ponder this Lent is how much do we love God help me to fully enter into Lent this year reveal to me where I need to mature as a Christian may I be a blessing to others and thereby give you glory and praise let us joyfully take up our cross and follow Him Deacon Rusty Baldwin is assigned to the St He has been married to his wonderful wife Heather for 40 years He is retired but keeps quite busy serving in various roles in his Family of Parishes we come to you thankful for your grace and mercy lift up your voice like a trumpet blast; Tell my people their wickedness and the house of Jacob their sins.” (Is 58:1) as we step fully into this season of fasting open our hearts to not seek to come closer to you but also to bring our world and everything in it closer to your kingdom Closing: In the spirit of stewardship and mercy where is God calling you to bring the gifts God has given you – your skills and strengths – into the world and boldly work for peace that I may walk in your truth.” (Ps 86:11) Reflection: In the first interview since his election to the papacy in 2013 Pope Francis was asked “Who is Jorge Bergolio?” “I am a sinner This is the most accurate definition,” he replied The Pharisees in today’s Gospel would have done well to understand that all are tempted to sin Most of us regularly fall short of the love that God calls us to know and to share they would have been able to recite from memory today’s Psalm abounding in kindness to all who call upon him.” Yet rather than striving to walk God’s path more closely to draw all people toward right relationship with God Jesus embodied what the prophet Isaiah proclaimed in today’s first reading: “If you remove from your midst oppression false accusation and malicious speech; if you bestow your bread on the hungry and satisfy the afflicted; then light shall rise for you in the darkness and the gloom shall become for you like midday.” As Christ’s people we are called to embody this care and compassion for all who long for relief and to allow the Holy Spirit to guide us toward God and God’s ways the physician who comes to call us to repentance and hear him say “Follow me.” The question we must hear today is “Who are you?” Are you a Pharisee ready to judge others for their shortcomings and eager to show yourself as superior Or are you a sinner who hears the call of Christ and is eager to follow with open heart and mind Closing: Take time today to reflect on your life Be honest with yourself: what sin or failing tempts you Resolve to avoid this sin and to follow Jesus more closely toward right relationship with God and others Leisa Anslinger is a Parish Vitality Specialist for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati She has served in parish and school ministry and is an author and speaker Leisa and her husband Steve reside in Lebanon Invitation to Prayer: For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” You are “my refuge and fortress Reflection: The first reading recalls the mighty work of God in the land of Egypt There God’s chosen people were enslaved and oppressed “He brought us out of Egypt with His strong hand and outstretched arm Moses is urging the people to offer their first fruits to the Lord in remembrance of Him giving them such rich soil in the promise land The wonderful saving work of God is echoed in the second reading from St If our hearts are focused on God and we believe His Son then God will hear us in our need and save us from the slavery of sin “For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved’” Rom 10:13) we have seen Jesus raised from the dead and expect that we too will be brought from death into life we seek to root out the things that keep us from trusting in the mighty work God Much like Israel in the Old Testament and the early Church of Paul we can forget that God has worked life-giving miracles Already we might be struggling with our Lenten resolutions Those habits we have given up or devotions that we have added might be wearing on us We must hear the words of hope today: God can work in your life and lead you to new life; have trust The Gospel shows that we have a Lord who knows what it is like to suffer temptation No matter what is to come in this forty-day journey I will deliver him; I will set him on high because he knowledge’s my name” (Ps 91:14) be with me in times of distress or temptation Closing: How can invite God into my anxiety or temptations today What might I do grow my trust in the Lord and His work in my life Invitation to Prayer: In the desert of our heart Prayer: Open my eyes Lord to those around me think about those in your family and friends that may be suffering and reach out to them Greg Hartman is the New Media Editor of The Catholic Telegraph Invitation to Prayer: Your Father knows what you need before you ask him Jesus gives his disciples a model of prayer teaching them what we call today the Lord’s Prayer and focus on the central tenets of prayer make it a powerful tool for us Christians the Lord’s Prayer has been famous for being recited in dire circumstances to comfort the faithful One example of this is when passengers of United Flight 93 prayed the Lord’s prayer before retaking control of the plane from the terrorists on September 11th A 911 operator recounts that Todd Beamer led passengers with the Lord’s Prayer before they retook the aircraft from terrorists The passengers were able to revert the plane and crash the plane into a field in rural Pennsylvania instead of its planned terror route in Washington I challenge you to pray with passion and expectancy In combination with prayers of worship and submission Pray with expectancy that God will equip you and use you for his will here on Earth Jake Emser is the director of strategy and communications at the Center for the New Evangelization Ohio with his wife Elizabeth and son Charlie Introduction: Create in me a heart contrite and humbled Jesus said to the people of his own time that “this generation is an evil generation” We do not care for our most vulnerable as we should: the unborn We are tasked with upholding the dignity of all but there are voices pulling us to defend some lives and persecute others And there are other voices pulling us in other ways again defending some and persecuting others God sent Jonah to Ninevah and at his preaching There is no sign but Jesus and the teachings he left us Have we repented in our hearts and shown that through our prayers and actions let us remain strong and disciplined in our penance giving our whole heart to the Lord for he will and letting it pour out through me into the world take some time in quiet to reflect on God’s mercy and how His Love has moved you towards repentance How does that Love manifest in you and how do you offer it to others Jillian Foster works in the Catholic Social Action in Dayton Having spent time in Haiti as a Maryknoll Lay Missioner she now lives in Dayton and enjoys singing with the choir at church and still loves learning about other countries and cultures you answered me.” Esther asked and God answered her May this Lenten season open our heart to “always ask and knock” for God’s grace to renew our heart with His eternal love I was in the depths of a head cold that held my head in a vice-grip clamp that would not let go I lay helpless in our bedroom with a box of Puffs Kleenex daytime and nighttime severe cold and flu caplets my eyes burning like an all night camp fire why now kept haunting me in my thoughts and dreams I slept most of those days away but the temptations in those dreams were making me feel worst A place where darkness seem to embrace all my thoughts I remembered my Blessed Mother’s most holy rosary their love for me as Jesus thirsted for all of us from his Cross I remembered his promise in the Gospel of Matthew; “ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you No matter if things are going well or life throws us a knuckleball or one may find themselves in some dark place; remember what a beautiful invitation Jesus offers today and everyday of our lives; his eternal love good and gracious Lord you always answer our call Closing: “How much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him.” Matt 7:12 Invitation to Prayer: Cast away from me Lord all the sins I have committed and instill in me a new heart and a new spirit Reflection: Jesus teaches us today to settle with our opponents quickly This was not a lesson in legal advice; rather Jesus was imploring us to model His mercy toward anyone and everyone who could be seen as our opponent Forgiveness is essential and simply the right thing to do; even when we are wronged intentionally or cut to the quick in the resulting pain Forgiveness is not always easy but we can be sure it is always not enough of a gesture taught us to seek the grace of reconciliation To reconcile with another and to reestablish a true friendship means that you not only forgive but also do all you can to ensure that you reestablish a relationship with that person it means that we must press on and work to establish this reconciliation your relationship with them has been damaged Have you prayerfully forgiven that person before God Have you prayed for that person and asked God to forgive them especially if the other person has not yet offered an apology Jesus says to settle; to not wait for the other person to make the first move Don’t hold their sin before them or hold on to a grudge Ezekiel speaks the words that we may feel: the Lord’s way is not fair While the expectations that Jesus places on us may seem unfair at first it is clearly not because of the depth of mercy that our Lord offers to us every day I thank You for forgiving me and for loving me Thank You for reconciling with me despite my imperfect contrition Give me a heart that always seeks to love the sinner in my life Help me to offer mercy to the fullest extent in imitation of Your divine mercy upon the person who comes to mind with whom you need to fully reconcile and rekindle a relationship of love commit yourself to it and look for opportunities to do so Do it without reserve and you will never regret your decision Gregory the Great family of parishes: Immaculate Heart of Mary He is the Business Manager and serves also as deacon at the Cathedral Basilica of St and ears this day so that we may receive all you have in store for us I remember a kid who would pick on me relentlessly I always think of him during today’s Gospel from Matthew that you may be children of your heavenly Father for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.” Why do I have to love this guy who makes me feel Insignificant every single day I carried this baggage with me for a long time and it really hindered my ability to grow personally and spiritually because there was this resentment and anger that I carried I remember bringing this up with my spiritual director at the time who reminded me that the Our Father specifically says as we forgive those who trespass against us.” I’d like to encourage you to take some time to look at those who you harbor resentment towards I encourage you to sit with the Lord in prayer and ask Him for the graces necessary to forgive them and experience the freedom Christ has in store for all of us give us the graces necessary to love ALL our neighbors and loving all our neighbors can be even harder Know that I am praying for you as I also continue wrestling with this calling Alex Bodenschatz served as a NET Missionary from 2018-2020 and now works with NET Ministries as the Eastern Regional Recruiter Invitation to Prayer: The Lord is my light and my salvation (Ps 27) Reflection: Have you ever had a true ‘mountain top experience?’ A moment when you came to really experience God’s glory Or maybe a moment when you felt totally connected with the awesomeness of who Jesus is I imagine that you’d want to stay on that mountain and James ask of Jesus when they see His true glory “It is good that we are here!” They want to stay and erect booths Continue the experience…the feeling of being close to our Lord He was calling them to go out into the world to take up their crosses and to follow Him Maybe a good question as we begin this Lent is: are we good reflectors What smudges do we need to clean up in our lives to clearly reflect His glory Are we pointed in the right direction (charity) so we can shine His love on others What do we need to let go so that we can shine Christ’s love on others this Lent please help me to be a good reflector of Your Son’s glory Deacon Jesse Fanning serves the Mother of God Family of Parishes (NE-5) in Kettering and assists the Archdiocese with the formation of aspirants to the permanent deaconate Molly Gallagher is a YDisciple Coach for NET Ministries and parishioner at St Cecilia of the Eastside Catholics in Cincinnati Invitation to Prayer: For they preach but they do not practice They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry and lay them on people’s shoulders but they will not lift a finger to move them Today’s readings are cringe-inducing with a dash of “you talkin’ to me?” thrown in we might see some descriptions of actions that really look a lot like what we do – sometimes without thinking but only if they are in our zip code or in our political circle Does Jesus mean neighbors are those people who live in remote corners of the world who are hungry or could benefit from learning new agriculture practices in a challenging climate but who could merely survive with international aid assistance from a richer nation Does it feel like we are standing in front of a mirror when we hear about putting a heavy burden on others Before that burden of guilt weighs heavy on us identifies the kind of sacrifice we should be giving Sacrifice ourselves to be a servant to others as we encounter you in the Eucharist this Lent unite us in communion with our sisters and brothers that we may be moved to share bread for life with our global family and work for a world where all can thrive Closing: This day consider a donation to Catholic Relief Services’ Rice Bowl and advocate for the continuation of the merciful work they do and have been doing around the world for the past 50 years Pam Long is the chair of the Social Action Commission for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and the Director of Love in Action for the St She also is a co-lead of a Catholic Relief Services Chapter in southwest Ohio and co-lead of the Ohio CRS Coalition She and her husband Bob celebrated 50 years of marriage last October They gave birth to three children with one now in heaven and are grateful for three grandchildren Invitation to Prayer: “’You are my father Reflection:  What a gift to be able to learn from St He has long been one of my favorite patrons; in fact today’s Gospel option from Luke was pivotal in my discernment to pursue my now-wife and now that we’ve recently welcomed our first child into the world on January 8 this year Joseph has become a model for me in a whole new way as I embrace the joys and responsibilities of fatherhood As I reflect on what we have to learn from him today there are two things that strike me about today’s readings:  he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.” A similar event occurs later when St Joseph is told to flee with his family to Egypt to escape the Slaughter of the Innocents by Herod I don’t expect many of us to be in the habit of waking up from dreams and taking drastic action of any kind Joseph is that he was a man who was deeply familiar with the voice of the Lord: he knew how to discern between a message from God and any other kind of dream And not only could he recognize God’s voice he had also built up enough trust over his entire life to act without reserve or hesitation in his response to the will of God Jesus asks what seems to be a rather impertinent question to his parents Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” He says it as if it’s so obvious and though they didn’t understand what he said I wonder whether he said it because he knew that Mary and Joseph knew what it meant to be in his Father’s house and to have that intimacy with God How can we grow in our own responsiveness to God Only by going to our Father’s house ourselves and striving to allow him to help us learn to trust completely in him The second thing that stands out to me is that though we aren’t asked to be the parents of God I think we underestimate the greatness of what God desires to do with us The promise he makes to David and to Abraham is fulfilled in Jesus and this promise is not just of a kingdom or of descendants and he shall be a son to me.” And through our Baptism we are made adopted children of the Father and co-heirs of Christ sharing in Jesus’ own relationship with the Father that we finite creatures could call the Creator of the universe our own Father And what does our Father desire for his children He wants to make us nothing less than saints but for the sake of every person we encounter He has a unique and unrepeatable vocation for each of us which is not merely the choice of a state-in-life at a single point in our journey but a consistent and lifelong call to communion and mission so that every time our Father invites us to take the next step in our great adventure with him we have the faith and love to respond wholeheartedly through the example and intercession of St Paco Patag delights in helping others discover and is grateful to be able to do so as the Associate Director for Adult Evangelization & Pastoral Ministry for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati are parishioners in the Queen of Apostles Parish Family and to have the fortitude to allow Your Word to penetrate my entire being Reflection: This Gospel passage calls to mind the reality of eternity in Heaven or eternity in Hell I don’t think we spend enough time thinking about Heaven and Hell or even acknowledging that Hell exists We have a God that loves us and it’s hard to imagine a life without Him but God’s love for us is so radical that He doesn’t force it on us and gives us a choice Humanity chooses Hell instead of choosing to live a life with God The rich man at the end of the Gospel is begging for someone to go tell his brothers that God is real in order for them to repent and not have eternal life in torment but that means that I need to detach myself from sin and even from some of the comforts of this world in order to make more room for the Lord What might the Lord be calling you to repent of or detach from this Lent The other area of reflection this stirred up in me was the people in my life who need to hear about God’s love and plan for them Who are the people that I would want to send a messenger to so that they could repent now and spend eternity with God Is God calling me to walk with them to share my faith more intentionally or to pray more fervently for their conversion prepare our hearts to receive you more fully Help us to welcome others into our lives and your Church Grant us the grace we need to repent of our sins and turn to you and the Sacraments to receive your love and mercy the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit.” Matthew 21:43 Reflection: We hear in today’s Gospel that Jesus is addressing the “chief priests and elders of the people” as he tells them the parable of a landowner who plants a vineyard and then rents it out to tenants before going away When I have taught high school students about parables I teach them that parables are used by Jesus to tell us something about the Kingdom of God…what it is like and/or what is necessary to enter the Kingdom Today’s parable focuses in on what it takes to enter the Kingdom with the vineyard representing the house of Israel; the tenants are God’s chosen people specifically the leaders of Israel; and the landowner is God The tenants are expected to care for the vineyard and provide a portion of the harvest to the landowner the tenants refuse to fulfill their obligations they mistreat and kill the servants sent by the landowner to collect the fruits of the vineyard This repeated rejection escalates to the ultimate act of defiance when the tenants kill the landowner’s son who is sent as a final attempt to reclaim what is rightfully his Jesus uses this story to illustrate the relationship between God and His chosen people emphasizing how the leaders of Israel have failed in their duties and have rejected the prophets sent to guide them culminating in the killing of God’s own son in Jesus The conclusion of the parable reveals a stark warning: the landowner will destroy the wicked tenants and lease the vineyard to others who will honor their responsibilities This moment highlights the message of Jesus concerning the transition of God’s covenant from the Jewish leaders to the broader community of believers it also underscores the idea that those who are entrusted with God’s message must be faithful and accountable if they are to enter God’s Kingdom I also teach my students that when listening to or reading a parable we are called to ask ourselves who we are in the narrative This parable prompts us to consider our own responsibilities as stewards of the gifts and opportunities we have been given It raises significant questions about accountability and the consequences of our actions ignoring our duties and rejecting God’s guidance Are we bearing the fruit God is asking of us consider God’s invitation for us to reflect on how we react to His authority and our moral responsibilities to one another The message is clear: accountability to God and the acceptance of His son are essential if we are to live in God’s abundant vineyard for all of eternity I pray that Your Kingdom will grow and that many souls will come to know You as their Lord and God for the upbuilding of that Kingdom and help all my actions in life to bear abundant and good fruit Closing: What are you doing this Lent to show that you can be entrusted to care for God’s vineyard Al Kovacic is the Director of Campus Ministry at Elder High School He also coaches cross country at Villa Madonna Academy (KY) and enjoys spending time outdoors Al and his wife Melinda have 4 sons and reside in Villa Hills KY as members of Saint Joseph Parish in Crescent Springs as we journey through the desert of this lenten season help us to know that you offer us your very Self Reflection: Today’s Gospel is often referred to as “ The Prodigal Son” but there is more than one prodigal son in this story I want to focus this reflection on the older son I think we regular church goers are probably a lot like the older son   The father’s desire is to restore his relationship with both of his sons Both sons miss the point of what the father is really like limitless forgiveness and true affection he wants to lavish on them They are confused when he throws caution and respectability to the wind in order to have this relationship with them The older brother coveted the possessions of the father as much as the younger son did; he might not have run off and spent the father’s money but he is concerned about how long he’s served him and what he’s doing with the fatted calf He thought he could earn his father’s love and work towards deserving his possessions is unconcerned with his goods; he doesn’t ask for them back He wants his older son to have a father/son not a father/servant relationship The older son is also in need of  lessons on forgiveness The father goes out and invites the older son into the celebration he invites him to have mercy on his brother and also to share in the overflowing love that he has for both of them His anger seems more directed towards the father His underlying problem is that he doesn’t believe in the love of the father The possibility of restoring right relationship is always present in this life Can we  learn from these prodigal brothers to find courage and make our way back help us to commit to spending time with You daily so that we can unite our crosses with Yours Jesus addresses the crowd about the tragic events of his time He emphasizes that these tragedies are not signs of greater sin in those who suffered Jesus uses these events as an opportunity to reflect on the brevity of life and the need for spiritual readiness This passage invites us to consider how we view suffering and calamity in the present day and acts of violence often lead us to question the reasons behind them Jesus reminds us that these events are not punishments for specific sins where we are confronted with global challenges and personal hardships this reflection calls us to focus not on judging others or trying to explain the “why” of suffering but on living with a sense of spiritual urgency where the owner gives it one more chance to bear fruit before cutting it down also speaks to the idea of grace and the opportunity for transformation Just as the fig tree is given another year to produce we are called to make the most of the time we have I humbly acknowledge my shortcomings and ask for your forgiveness Help me to turn away from my sins and walk in your ways Closing: Jesus’ message is as relevant today as it was in His time and it challenges us to examine our hearts knowing that our time to make a difference in the world is limited let us ask God for the guidance and strength to follow His path Sean Ferguson is a Development Officer with the Stewardship Department for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati He and his wife Liz are excited to be expecting their first child later this summer KY and met through campus ministry at the University of Dayton Reflection: In Luke’s gospel ,Jesus said to the people in the synagogue at Nazareth: “Amen no prophet is accepted in his own native place.” As we journey onward this Lent it’s easy to get distracted by the news of the day to be distracted by the thirst to be accepted And our Saviour tells us no prophet is accepted in his own native place Later they looked for a way to get rid of him as he challenged their world not always easy to accept that description Even when you’re at the most devout of your life in fact sometimes the darkness invades our soul Thomas Merton was quoted “I have come to think that care of the soul requires a high degree of resistance to the culture around us simply because that culture is dedicated to values that have no concern for the soul.” Mark Twain Observed: “Be good and you will be lonesome.” in Following the Equator GK Chesterton said “So I guess being counter cultural is just rediscovering what it means to be Christian.” I definitely struggle with taking the stand having strength to spread the gospel Christ I’m an alcoholic and though sober for a while a lot of that was the culture: I was the fun guy and I liked the adulation only to realize the foundation of that culture can crumble at a moments notice There was a time I felt honored when others told the stories from yesteryear of my antics: and letting the devil himself enter my soul to where I justified the antics as “hey everyone had a good time didn’t they” except I was destroying my own life drink by drink accepting the lie Lent is always a literal cleaning house and building for the future and it’s never too late to start but something you didn’t want anyone to know and I tricked myself that no one will  know until the realization that God knows the relief of truth is the greatest tonic in the world And the reaction nine times out of ten is “we knew that.” We’re not as mysterious as we think Following Christ is a path to a true freedom Begin the exercise of reading great writings from the likes of GK Chesterton Reflection: We celebrate the Solemnity of the Annunciation today hearing the angel’s proclamation that Mary will give birth to the long-awaited Messiah her “yes” to the call to be the Mother of God has rung throughout the centuries as the model for every follower of her Son: listen be honest and question when you don’t understand “How can this be?” but do not let the mystery or the fear or the risk of the call prevent you from responding loves us so deeply that he gave himself completely for us Our Lord suffered an agonizing death on the cross in total surrender to the loving will of the Father so that the world might forever know God’s mercy or perhaps for the first time in a real way in whom we have been immersed in the waters of baptism as we remember the angel’s announcement of the incarnation to Mary in the midst of the season of Lent we might ask ourselves how we are to announce God’s justice How are we called to give ourselves completely pouring out the love of God in our time and place conform my heart and mind to delight in your will Guide my life so that my words and actions may announce your justice Inspire me to bring your kindness and truth to all without fear; strengthen me to be your messenger so that the world will know your mercy Closing: Take stock of your Lenten journey today What mid-course action or correction might you make so that you may more deeply know as your heavenly father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48) Reflection: I have always appreciated the parallels that we see throughout scripture and our lectionary does an incredible job of reflecting these connections in accordance with our liturgical year As we journey through our own desert of Lent we wander with the Israelites as they seek out the promised land Today’s readings focus on the commandments as gifts from God demonstrated through two happenings first through the revelation of the commandments to Moses and again through Christ- the fulfillment of the law who reminds the people of Israel to obey the statutes and decrees of the Lord as they prepare to enter the promised land He remarks on the uniquely intimate relationship between the Lord and Israel “For what great nation is there that has gods so close to it as the LORD gave them the gift of his law through divine revelation to guide them toward salvation Jesus reinforces the importance of the commandments by introducing his teaching about the law during the Sermon on the Mount “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.” But what does it mean to fulfill the law Christ is the fulfillment of the law in two ways Christ demonstrates to all of humankind how to live a life of holiness grants us the salvation that the law has promised He is the completion of God’s covenant with Israel ensuring eternal life for all who follow him Christ emphasizes that he has “come not to abolish but to fulfill.” The law remains but salvation is now completely attainable through the death and resurrection of Jesus we are called to be His imitators and follow His perfect example- we must follow the law of the Lord in our path toward holiness we are called to participate in the sacrament of Reconciliation during this Lenten season This is an opportunity to reflect on the times we failed to “be perfect as our Holy Father is perfect.” We examine our consciences according to the law of the Lord to receive the grace of forgiveness let us seek to embrace the law of the Lord and be penitent for our shortcomings you have given us your law in love and fulfilled it through Christ our Savior Draw us closer to you so that we may one day share in your promise Closing: In what ways can I better embrace God’s law as a gift of love rather than a burden How is Jesus calling me to imitate His holiness in my daily life this Lenten season What sins or shortcomings must I bring before God in the Sacrament of Reconciliation to grow closer to Him Invitation to Prayer: “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste…but if it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons then the Kingdom of God has come upon you.” Reflection: I’m a member of a ministry team called “That Man Is You;” men striving after God’s own heart Several weeks ago we watch a video titled “A Limitless Love.” The speaker a feared enforcer and bouncer in the underworld shared his story of how God transformed He stated that he lived without God for 28 years Reflecting on John’s testimony I couldn’t help but consider how his life was “divided.” He was born and raised Catholic but after his parents’ divorce By 13 he had been arrested several times for fighting By the age of 15 he was accustom to life in jail John was angry; he was mad at his father for marrying a terrible violent woman mad at God for allowing all this to happen to him He sought the gangs and up until the age of 28 he was involved in the London mafia Being such a big man John worked his way up the chain of command in the mafia and became a notorious gangster and plenty of girls and drugs but John was not happy He knew he had to make a change or he was going to hell John went to Confession after 28 years and asked for Jesus help God reached down into his heart and pulled out all those stones of sin and refilled his heart with His unfathomable God’s hand was upon John and he was transformed transfigured and the Kingdom of God was embedded in John’s new way of life the importance of going to Confession is essential in our Catholic lives We do not want our heart to be “divided,” especially from the one who loves us We do not want to be away from His eternal limitless love Thank goodness John felt God’s absence in His life and desired Him back Thank goodness John accepted God’s invitation of grace to go to Confession and be reunited with God we come before You in humble prayer to touch our heart with Your eternal limitless love and forgiveness and to remove those stones of sin that divide us Provide for us the grace to make a good Confession so that we made never be separated from You and Your presence in our lives Closing: John’s story touched our hearts that Saturday morning of the importance of Confession the importance of remaining united with God serves in the Queen of Apostles Family of Parishes serves as Secretary on the Board of Trustees for Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Center and is father of three children and seven grandsons in the 2nd Letter to the Corinthians God told St Paul “In weakness My power is made perfect” and “My grace is sufficient for you.” This Lent may we in our weakness rely on your grace and strength to overcome our sinful desires and seek your forgiveness Reflection: The book of Hosea is among the most poignant and profound of the Old Testament It tells the story of God longing for Israel But she has left Him for another god; for any other god it seems So often has Israel been unfaithful that the Lord likens her to a harlot who who was openly and widely known to be a prostitute In this way God enabled all of Israel to see with their own eyes how they were prostituting themselves by worshipping false gods And Hosea lived out this sign painfully and publicly before all of Israel for Gomer did not cease prostituting herself after they were married Yet Hosea remained faithfully committed to his adulteress wife and showed her unwavering fidelity despite her infidelity sometimes he would become angry with her obstinance and shameless behavior But he was always willing to take her back For she would soon leave yet again to be with someone else Hosea and Gomer mirrored the history of God and Israel in microcosm: the love of God for Israel and then the tragic repetition of this cycle over and over again Yet God never stopped loving Israel – his chosen he always sought her out and longed for her to come back and be faithful to Him just as God called ancient Israel to come back to him God calls you and I in just the same way when we separate ourselves from Him through sin There is a song about the story of Hosea and Gomer called “Come back to me.” The song reminds us of God’s unending love for us and his desire to start our relationship anew One of the most poignant lines is: “Long have I waited for your coming home to me and living deeply our new lives.” God will always take us back may we know in our heart of hearts that no matter how we have failed you are always ready and even eager to forgive us may we readily acknowledge our weakness and rely on His grace and strength Jesus gives us two examples: the Pharisee and the tax collector The tax collector is the one who humbles himself to the Lord It is a good reminder in the middle of this Lent the disposition we should have in encountering the Lord The psalm further develops how we should approach the Lord The interior disposition is of upmost importance Showy offerings and boastful prayers have no effect Hosea adds that we are to know the Lord and this is better than sacrifice (Hosea 6:6) A humbled heart is one that is open and docile to the will of the Lord By humbling ourselves to the knowledge that God gives us In offering our hearts to the Lord “He will come to us…like the spring rain that waters the earth” (Hosea 6:3c) This water – which cleanses and renews – is a powerful image one disposed to the newness of the Gospel message Help me to better offer myself to the love you offer me and forgive of my sins Closing: In what ways do I approach the Lord as the Pharisee How can I better encounter the Lord and open my heart to his will Matt Hess is the Director of Ministry at the Maria Stein Shrine of the Holy Relics we praise you and are most thankful for your mercy and guide us to share you with all of your people Reflection: This is a Sunday to be grateful today’s readings repeatedly remind us of what God has done for us and why we should be so thankful have arrived and are eating of the fruit of the land Paul is celebrating becoming a new creation through Christ and being reconciled to God however we waste God’s blessings and turn away from God eager to welcome us back into God’s loving arms What we don’t see today is anyone being forgotten There is no mention of harsh judgement or anyone being too far gone to be welcomed (back) into God’s loving presence Do we remember the hardships we’ve come through the ways we’ve turned our back to God – and that every time God is there for us Are we celebrating how God has changed us and joyfully encouraging others to see God’s work in their lives or is our love limitless and without ceasing because we know that God will continue to pour love back into us As we stand at the midpoint of our Lenten journey and let us recommit ourselves to this time of prayer Let us draw nearer to God – and bring everyone with us Closing: In the spirit of gratitude and mercy where can you better recognize God’s loving presence in your life How can you share that story and that love with your neighbors for you have rescued me… You changed my mourning into dancing Reflection: In today’s readings we hear a lot about weeping and rejoicing; mourning and dancing; death and life My wife and I still have young kids in our house so these readings reflecting on weeping and rejoicing strike home It is not uncommon for us to have a toddler who is crying one minute and laughing the next Or to have one of my grade school children storming off at one moment and then sharing their latest joke with me the next One of the hardest things as a parent is knowing how to react to those moments of weeping know perfectly when to step in and when to “rescue” us God sent His only Son to rescue us from sin and death so that we might know joy and life eternal believe and trust in God’s work to bring me joy and life and may I ever cooperate with his plan to rescue me and those I love you desired happiness and life for us so greatly that you allowed your son Help us to embrace the plan and life you have in store for us now and in eternity May we not despair in the sorrows and trials of this life but rather rejoice always in your promises of eternal happiness with you in Heaven Matt Reinkemeyer is the Director of Leadership Giving for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati Stewardship Office He helps coordinate the annual Catholic Ministries Appeal where he loves the opportunity to connect the generosity of donors with ministries that carry forward the works of mercy here in our archdiocese Invitation to Prayer:  A clean heart create for me O God; give me back the joy of your salvation we are reminded of the Sacrament of Baptism The catechumen eagerly preparing for their own baptism The Gospel readings for the Scrutiny Rites speak to these baptismal saving waters; to the light of Christ; and to being raised from the death of sin to be reborn as a child of God  So it is that the waters of the font are foreshadowed in our readings from the prophet Ezekiel and the Gospel of John today Having received grace from our own baptism we accept the responsibility to be the bearers of fresh and good and righteous fruit We have the responsibility to do as the Rite of Baptism tells us: to go forth The psalmist reminds us that the Lord of Hosts is with us as we live a Christ-like life The crippled man in today’s Gospel was in pain for nearly 40 years   Jesus’s heart was full of compassion as He understood the man’s desire to be healed Jesus saw in the man what He sees in us when we totally abandon our lives to Him: the virtue of patience and endurance This virtue is the food that sustains us in the midst of trial we know that we will endure some of the hardships that He did during His ministry We will need to remain steadfast in our faith The 40 days of Lent are our time to focus anew on patient endurance as we put aside our temptations and as we walk in the desert with Jesus to achieve the goal of one day climbing God’s mountain to be with Him for all time there is a spiritual strength that emanates from us radiating for others to see the light of Christ that is within each of us You endured so much in life and persevered through it all in perfect obedience to the will of the Father Give me strength so that I can grow strong in the hope and the joy that comes with that strength May I turn away from sin and turn to You in complete trust upon the grace of your baptism and the virtuous gift of patient endurance The trials of life need not be seen solely in a negative way but as an invitation to trust in the God that created us; an invitation to hope Pray for the gift of this virtue and seek to imitate the crippled man Reflection: What powerful words from Jesus but only what he sees the Father doing; for what he does the Son will do also.” As I was reading and reflecting upon these readings I find that I often try to” tough it out,” or “pick myself up by my bootstraps” when life gets tough I have a really bad habit of wanting to fix my problems We regularly see Jesus retreating in prayer to the Father for comfort and aid why is it so difficult for us to follow Jesus’s example I sometimes fall into the trap of thinking that God is not listening you may recall my struggle to forgive someone I looked at the struggle I was in and said “He doesn’t deserve my forgiveness I can get over this on my own.” Guess how well that went Since I kept all of this inward and refused to bring it to the Lord for so long it created a wall between me and the Father that made prayer feel empty and pointless Similar to how today’s reading from Isaiah ends ‘The LORD has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me.” I had an awesome spiritual director who entered my life and he reminded me of the last part of this Isaiah passage be without tenderness for the child of her womb This is such a needed reminder in today’s world the Lord our God holds you so close to His heart “For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything that he himself does and he will show him greater works than these let’s take some time to truly sit with the Lord Let’s bring him all the things that make us feel isolated and removed from him and hand them over to him Let’s lower our defenses and make ourselves vulnerable to God our Father so that he can do mighty works in our lives the love of God the Father and God the Son help us to truly experience God’s Love in a new way today Alex Bodenschatz served as a NET Missionary from 2018-2020 and now works with NET Ministries as the Easter Regional Recruiter please give us the desire to desire you above all Jesus tells his listeners: “you do not want to come to me to have life” (Jn 5:40) How often are we those listeners who don’t want to go to him How often are we like God’s chosen people we hear about in the First Reading and Psalm Those people were led out of bondage in Egypt and into a covenantal relationship with God at Sinai only to forget him weeks later and turn to a golden calf as the life of their party we forget God and seek sources of life elsewhere We get distracted by the lights and sounds of our decadent culture We become nervous at the thought of God and we think he will ask too much of us or take something away that makes our lives joyful or patterns of addiction that have sunk deep roots in our way of being and disordered our desires Too often we position ourselves as masters of our own destiny — doing what we want when we want it we like the idols we’ve made of ourselves or for ourselves just because we like the feeling of control instead making ourselves the source of our lives That’s why we don’t come to him to have life Lent invites us to consider our desires and to repent of those that are not ordered to the Lord and his will for our lives It invites us to consider our own hardheartedness It’s interesting how the Israelites were saved from Pharoah’s hardness of heart only to later transplant his dead and stony heart into their own chests that we may not even want to want to do it We may not even want to want to come to the Lord grant me the desire to desire you above all as Moses stood before you and interceded on behalf of a sinful people Through Jesus’ intercession and the help of the Holy Spirit may we come to desire you above all things and trust that you are the source of life Closing: What prevents you from coming to the Lord as the source of your life Are you willing to allow God to transform your desires ask him for that grace and persist in this request till Easter Reflection: Has God ever granted you an encounter with a person in your life whose goodness or earnestness or rightness or kindness or insert-positive-attribute-ness irked you Maybe what you saw in them was what you wanted to see in yourself but you just weren’t quite there yet Or maybe you did not want it for yourself but knew you should want it because that attribute or virtue or fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) is your call as a follower of Christ It’s clear to me that “the wicked” in the first reading are describing the feeling of being convicted by “the just one” and his words and actions When faced with an image of how we should be living and acting we hear a word of hope: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.” I believe it should break our hearts when we see our weakness or sin or both when we are rightly convicted in our hearts through the holiness of another it is just as important to remember that it is to that very heart that the Lord draws near He does not turn away; He does not run from us He is not overwhelmed by our pain or weakness or sin Invitation to Prayer: Others said “This is the Christ” Reflection: The Pharisees are getting uncomfortable in today’s Gospel The Gospel states “a division occurred in the crowd.” But what division and why is it occurring now The Pharisees begin to define a division between themselves and their people An unhealthy us versus them mentality appears when they say “but this crowd who has separated from the law is accursed.” They forget that they belong to these very people and they draw distinctions between those “in the know” and those who “don’t understand” what the law is about But the people are educated in a different law The law of love that is shifting their hearts to believe in the person of Jesus Christ This is revealed when the guards say “never before has anyone spoken like this man.” Jesus was not rejecting the law God’s laws are good; the Church’s laws are good – they guard The Pharisees – at least these Pharisees – didn’t see that the laws were in place to lead them to a relationship with God The Pharisees up to this point tolerate Jesus the Pharisees no longer see him as just a sideshow that is distracting their followers with His miracles When the people begin to transfer loyalty from the Pharisees to Jesus What will they do if they can’t control the people through the law They cross a line from dislike into hatred as they encourage each other in their anger until it turns into a consuming desire for revenge and destruction And all costs were indeed paid when that anger led “religious” people to crucify our Lord Are we guarding our own hearts against unchecked anger that leads to hatred Do we let angry thoughts consume us and drive us to desperate means for revenge and thoughts of silencing our adversaries Do we separate ourselves from our brothers and sisters with faux boundaries letting His commandments transform our hearts to be like His own Or are we trying to save ourselves by following laws All the while disassociating from the love we ought to have for the person who came to save us and ultimately gave all for us as we journey on in life open my eyes through my sins of revenge that blind me to your kingdom Sarah Franck is the Pastoral Associate at the St especially in small group settings for teens and middle schoolers Reflection: This is a tough reading for today and in our times We always look at the woman who is condemned and breathe a sigh of relief for her – and maybe for ourselves but if we look at it from the perspective of the people wanting to condemn her then we might learn the lesson that Jesus and Saint Paul seem to be trying to teach us We have to set aside our condemnation of others and pray that as followers of Jesus they’ll set aside their condemnation of us but it is the way forward as Saint Paul says Now here comes the really scary part – If we do this The answer is clear – to follow Jesus in love We read the writing in the sand and drop our stones Walk away and sin no more against our neighbor or our God and we don’t condemn our neighbor Closing: Today drop the stone of condemnation and talk to someone you know who does not agree with you on one or more issues Speak out of love and listen with understanding Invitation to Prayer: “Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side.” Psalm 23 described as a beautiful and virtuous woman she becomes the target of two elders who are infatuated with her beauty taking advantage of their societal status to manipulate the situation They attempt to coerce Susanna into a compromising position but she refuses to submit to their advances In the elders’ desperation to maintain their power and reputation claiming to have witnessed her with a young man and the assembly believes them without question God intervenes and sends Daniel who ultimately catches the elders in their lie and turns the tables on them Today’s gospel shows the Pharisees attempt to confront and challenge Jesus in order to trap him and find a reason to arrest him Jesus does not back down but speaks the truth right back to them in clear language about who he is and where he came from Today’s readings have the theme of trusting in God and His plan even as we are under attack from those who seek to do us great evil and harm but we also get a lesson on hope…hope that God will ultimately triumph over evil and will make a great good come from all suffering We all struggle with forces that seem to overwhelm us or powers that seek to destroy us Susanna was ultimately saved from execution because she relied on her faith in God’s saving power Jesus was not arrested at the time as God did not permit it “because his hour had not yet come” This shows that God is ultimately in control of even the malice of others and will only allow malice to appear to triumph when He sees some greater purpose for allowing such a thing to happen The Father ultimately permits the malice of the Pharisees to be the instrument of Jesus’ glorification through the sufferings He endured in this hour His hour does not become one of defeat; rather Soon we will enter into the glories of Holy Week and ponder that the Father did permit Jesus to enter into the cruelest suffering and death imaginable We will be confronted with the apparent scandal of His arrest and the illusion of the victory of the malicious leaders of the day But their victory is only an illusion since the permissive will of the Father had other intentions I glorify You for Your wisdom and power and rejoice in the perfect will of the Father in Heaven Help me to see that you are at my side through all the trials and sufferings I face Give me faith to know and believe that you use evil and malice to bring about your greater glory and permit me to rejoice in Your glorious victory begin preparing for this annual celebration of the hour of Jesus and enter into it with the utmost confidence and faith Trust in God’s plan to have ultimate victory over evil Be strong in the face of temptation and pray for God’s will to triumph Reflection: This Gospel passage calls to mind the reality of eternity Jesus hints to eternity and His own death as He tells them you cannot come.” The Pharisees did not understand Him I judged the pharisees and thought how little do they understand I reflected on my own life and how easy it is to distract myself from believing in God and putting him first in my life How much more could the Lord judge me for not understanding but instead the Lord looks upon me with love and mercy That is why I told you that you will die in your sins.” If we do not believe in Jesus Christ many came to believe in him.” I pray that in reflecting on today’s readings many more will come to believe in the Lord and even more will make the time to go to confession and receive forgiveness of their sins I have found this lent a calling to fast from my snooze button and to start each day in prayer open my lips and my heart will proclaim your praise but I am still tempted to lay my head back down and hit the snooze button I have also been working on fasting from my phone It’s amazing how easy it is to pick up my phone and scroll anytime I have a spare minute but it is so much better to spend that time in prayer or investing in the person that is in front of me What is the Lord calling you to repent of and detach from this Lent Can I make time this week to go to confession so that I don’t die in sin prepare our hearts to receive you more fully as we enter into Holy Week Invitation to Prayer: “Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart and yield a harvest through perseverance.” (Verse before the Gospel) Reflection: Throughout this Lenten season our Pastor as been preaching that we need to pray and persevere for a “transformative heart” for this is our mission This is our willingness and desire to encounter the Paschal Mystery more fully and forever be changed; forever becoming that intentional disciple of the Lord Our parochial vicar has complemented the Pastor’s mission by expressing through his mission talk this year the three weapons to persevere through all temptations as Jesus shared with us in His desert experience with prayer and almsgiving which transforms one’s heart and prepares us to battle the tempter’s lies The beautiful harvest of perseverance I have witnessed in our family of parishes lies rooted in this mission to strive with a “transformed heart” to generously give time and time again to step up and embrace the many ministry opportunities to serve and extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist and many other mission oriented ministries our Pro-Life team stepped out their comfort zone to battle the culture of death Planned Parenthood promotes They ran a benefit drive “Love Them Both” to raise awareness for those women who struggle with having a baby in this embattled culture where abortions reign supreme as a reproductive health care model for these women who need our unconditional love when they need it most and items for Mom along with literature and thousands of prayers offered up was a remarkable testimony to their “transformative hearts” persevering in their called to mission Prayer: Father God “transform our hearts” as we lift up this year all those struggling with their faith and struggling just to make it through their day May they encounter Your presence in their life and forever persevere to be changed with a generous heart to yield Your harvest Closing: May this Lenten season reminds us that our mission is to persevere through the year with prayer and almsgiving as we heard in that verse before the Gospel: “Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart and yield a harvest through perseverance.” and is father of three children and seven grandsons and a huge shout out blessing to his brother Frank Invitation to Prayer: If today you hear His voice Reflection: Even from the beginning of my life in the Church Lent has been a difficult season for me both spiritually and emotionally; perhaps you can relate when we joyfully anticipate our Savior’s birth I know how the story ends – with His glorious resurrection and ascension into heaven and triumph over sin and death – yet sometimes my despair overcomes me during this liturgical season Perhaps our forty days reliving our Lord’s journey to the cross reminds us of the times we fail to follow Him I struggle: how can I face Jesus as He suffers on the cross when I am burdened by all the times I have shunned Him by my thoughts Jesus explains to the crowd of Jews a crucial truth: God is faithful to us always The Old Testament is chock-full of God’s promises to His people I AM” – even before God’s promise to make Abraham’s descendants as numerous as the stars and the divine plan for humanity’s salvation was in motion and almsgiving devolve into fearful self-pity about my sins I’m missing out on the opportunity God has placed before me to see the ways He remains faithful to me through every circumstance God blessed my husband and me with our son and in the pain of losing him to miscarriage God sheltered our health and our hearts with family and community Even in the midst of my failures at my new job – the times when I lose my patience and neglect – God protects the people I serve and gives me the encouragement I need to keep showing up and doing better The most important part has already happened and this Lent is our much-needed reminder of the depths of His faithfulness to us throughout the remainder of this Lenten season with sincere sorrow for my sins and deep desire to submit to Your goodness Where I am tempted to give in to discouragement remind me instead of Your great faithfulness what are the ways you can acknowledge your failings and refocus your gaze on Jesus is an eager member of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul and has embraced her life-long tenure as a well-meaning loudmouth she became a 911 call-taker for the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office help us to understand your works and accept who You are Reflection: What a way to begin a Gospel Reading After receiving the words of the prophet Jeremiah and the Psalmist – words which speak of being beset by adversaries and how God can deliver us from these troubles – we are greeted in John’s Gospel with Our Lord where Jesus is being aggressively confronted by those He has been sent to speak to Jesus was not the kind of Messiah that the Jewish people had been expecting or felt they had been promised He offered something radically new and regenerative – a continuation of God’s great promise to the people of Israel The beginning of this chapter sees Jesus famously refer to Himself as the Good Shepherd and we His own sheep to whom He offers life in abundance Directly before the reading we hear at Mass the Evangelist sets the scene of this confrontation between Jesus and the Jewish authorities We are told that it takes place in the winter We may know this more readily as the eight-day festival of lights known as Hanukkah This feast celebrate the triumph of the Jewish people over a culture that wished to supplant the worship of God with their own weak one might be acutely attuned during this time to anything that sounded like someone trying to assert a divinity other than the one true God whom they worshiped The conflict with Jesus that our Gospel describes comes in part because those who wish to stone Him fundamentally misunderstand who Jesus is blaspheming against God or trying to place Himself in the role of divine judge They are so afraid that He is their adversary that they cannot receive the truth that He is their Good Shepherd They are convinced that they have Him pinned as a charlatan or deceiver How many today struggle with knowing or accepting who Jesus is One might struggle to accept that Jesus is God as He claimed or that He is truly as forgiving as He promises We might bristle at the things He wants to speak into our lives rejecting His authority to invite us to conversion and repentance We can sometimes be just as ready to stone Jesus (metaphorically) when all He wants to do is offer us a way to the life He has planned for us let’s put down our guard (and our stones) and be willing to accept Jesus as who He truly is Your name means “God saves.” Help us to see your mighty works since You have given Yourself completely to us Closing: What misconception of God do I need to lay down in these last weeks of Lent despite all the evil there is in this world Open our hearts to receive you and trust in your unending mercy the highest and holiest days of the Christian calendar We’ve come to the end of our Lenten journey and tomorrow we celebrate the arrival of Jesus in Jerusalem which is the place where he will be crucified we face this dual reality – joy and sorrow The readings today provide another juxtaposition Reading 1 and the Responsorial Psalm (both from the prophets) are comforting and supportive pointing to a resolution of difficult times through the grace and mercy of the Lord the Gospel gives the next step in the plot to kill Jesus we read these powerful words: “I will be their God and they shall be my people.” God unequivocally states God’s commitment to God’s people It echoes the words of Ruth – “Your people shall be my people and your God my God.” (Ruth 1:16-17) – but takes on a much more profound depth and universal reality I will console and gladden them after their sorrows.” We might have gone through the most difficult and tragic of times but God is there for us and will heal our souls we read this fateful and horrifying words: “So from that day on they planned to kill him.”  Even if we turn our hearts and minds fully towards the Lord and the Lord’s work we are bound to face difficulties and failures The risk of putting your love and energy into your work is that it might not go well our success in whatever we do is not the standard by which we are measured The Lord knows our hearts and our intentions knows when we are open to God’s love and seeking to pour it out on others When we act not to receive love but because we ARE loved we are becoming the best versions of ourselves – the version that is most Christ-like – and the Lord will always be there to comfort us and say my good and faithful servant.” (Mt 25:21)   Closing: Where might you be forgetting God’s infinite love and mercy and how can you remind yourself of this miracle Andrew Musgrave has served as the Director of the Catholic Social Action office since 2019 He is a member of the Crescent Family of Parishes and he is married to Ana with whom he has two amazing daughters as we again walk with Our Lord in His Passion and injustices we have experienced to you for the sake of those “who know not what they do.” or some other holy person – you would rightly and naturally feel some measure of pride You didn’t lovingly care for thousands of dying and disease-ridden men and women in Calcutta Neither did you condemn millions of innocent Jews and others to the gas chamber – men So why then do we feel pride or shame for what someone else in our family has done It’s because our family’s story is OUR story and in a very real way it defines our mission in life – a mission to continue a noble family legacy or perhaps to start one Today in the Gospel of Our Lord’s Passion we hear again a family story – our family story for we are all brothers and sisters in Christ The story of Our Lord’s passion reminds us of who we are Our family story is the greatest story ever told It’s the ultimate epic struggle of good versus evil It’s about the unfathomable love Our Father has for us – a Father we didn’t even know we had until Jesus told us It’s a true story about the unbreakable bond of love between a mother and her son – our Mother Mary and Jesus our brother – a brother who came on a rescue mission to save his family – you and me and heartbreak all enter into the epic struggle and women close to the family are brave enough to stand by him Our family’s story is a love story about our Father’s overwhelming love for his children even though most of them take him for granted most of the time And even though we know everything works out; we want to hear the rest of the story we won’t hear the rest now; we’ll have to wait for Easter help me to never forget the price you paid to redeem me from my sins May I always be mindful that you have entrusted me with a mission and the grace to accomplish it; a mission to be a bold witness for you in the world and to care for the poor and needy Closing: In imitation of Our Lord in His Passion Reflection: Have you ever experienced something for the last time I vividly remember the last time I was on my high school’s soccer field and I was playing against my cousin’s school I did my normal post-game routine: I shook hands with the opponents and the referee and listened to the coach’s closing remarks Coach B wrapped his arm around me and said “You gave 110% out there tonight and you should be proud of that but you can.” I said thank you for a great season “This is the last time I will ever be on this field.” Memories of success I began to cry knowing that something I loved was about to end when I stepped off this field and walked me off the field to see my family I think Mary may have experienced something similar to this The Gospel of John tells us that it was 6 days before the Passover and Jesus had predicted His death 3 times by now Mary probably realized that this may be the last time Jesus would ever set foot in her family’s home She brings out the most expensive perfume she can buy What an act of love and recognition of what was to come this is the start of Holy Week and the ending of Lent and almsgiving we took on for Lent have led us to this moment of preparing to say goodbye to our savior in the Triduum Will you kneel before the Lord and wash his feet with the best you have Or will you simply let this week be like any other and let it pass you by Will you finish Lent knowing that you gave 110% Or will you look back at this Lent and say “I wish I gave more?” Do not miss this opportunity to sit at Jesus’s feet and hear him say help us to treat this last week of Lent as if it were our first week Don’t get complacent and give everything to the God who is about to do something AMAZING for us Invitation to Prayer: “For the Lord hears the poor and his own who are in bonds he spurns not.” I hate that just reading that question has me squirming as it brings to mind the most recent of my sins I’ve been Judas – I am Judas – over and over and over I too have turned away from the source of all goodness to satisfy my appetites for the paltriness of passing pleasures Immersed as we are in our subtle American Pelagianism it’s easy to get frustrated when even our most tenacious efforts to rid ourselves of our most deeply ingrained vices prove to be insufficient This self-reliance can cut both ways: perhaps I might dismiss my sin as being such a little thing with a thousand justifications; or perhaps I might turn back on myself until the shame and guilt that the accuser piles upon me destroys me While his betrayal seems to have defined his life and it is evidence that not all is as it should be but it is not so weighty that it cannot be lifted by a love that is stronger than death Judas might have at any point turned back to be reconciled to the Lord but instead gave into despair Through the grace of the Sacrament of Reconciliation we have that same opportunity for forgiveness – do we take it we could never hope to overcome our woundedness nor ever be worthy of the calling we’ve been given But this is the very reason that Jesus Christ came: to redeem us from our sins and to share with us his own relationship with the Father Do we have the humility to ask for healing from the Lord whom we have wounded remembering that it is we who tire of asking for his grace grant us the grace to turn back to your mercy and receive your forgiveness and love may our trust in Jesus always grow in the fertile soil of the faith passed on to us through the words and deeds of Christ and his followers Reflection: One day I was standing on a street corner in Changhua I will admit that I had not studied for this pop quiz that was being so suddenly administered on the street by this complete stranger nor did I understand what course it was being administered under but I felt the importance of answering honestly Then she tilted her head a little and asked a harder question began frantically firing off potential answer strategies as well as questions about what exactly was happening Try to dredge up a theological argument by Augustine or Aquinas Could I come up with something meaningful from scratch Would she even be able to understand my answer in English Or was she perhaps Filipino or Indonesian or Thai Was she just looking to practice English with a native speaker Three or four seconds ticked by under her rock-steady stare as about 45 busy minutes passed in my scrambling (and scrambled) brain my mouth opened and these words came out under no guidance from me: “Because that’s what I was taught.” I don’t know where either of them came from I couldn’t help but think about that strange encounter again when I read the Holy Thursday reading Jesus scrambled his disciples’ brains when he suddenly set about washing their feet It was a seemingly very simple lesson: serve you should also do.” Jesus was on the verge of his crucifixion an act of love and service infinitely greater than that of washing feet But despite all the time and experience the disciples had had with Jesus this simple foot-washing lesson was so “back to basics” that they were flummoxed The basics upon which we structure our faith can get obscured and forgotten among the clutter-blindness of our often frightening Sometimes we need to be jolted out of the ordinary and reminded in unexpected ways to ask ourselves – of Jesus and of all the faithful Christian followers and teachers who passed Jesus’ message along to us in word and deed through the past 20 centuries and through the years of our own life “Do you realize what I have done for you?” may we always appreciate those who have passed our faith on to us and may we always fulfill our joyful responsibility to pass our faith along to others never forgetting Jesus’ words: “I have given you a model to follow Closing: Holy Thursday is a day for getting back to the basics of our faith so that we may truly understand what Jesus has done (and is still doing every day) for us Perhaps it’s a good day to imagine how we would answer Jesus if he asked us because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world The day in which we remember and ponder our Lord’s passion and death on a cross We knew when the ashes were placed on our foreheads Our Lenten observances have prepared us for this day and yet the unearned and inexhaustible love of God that Jesus poured out on the cross Today’s first reading from the prophet Isaiah prepares us to hear the narrative of Christ’s passion today The Suffering Servant bears the weight of sin of others; is harshly treated like a lamb led to slaughter; crushed and abandoned even though he had done no wrong The passage from the Letter to the Hebrews furthers our reflection urging us to hold fast to our confession that Jesus is the great high priest the one who suffered and is the source of eternal salvation With the weight of this in our hearts and minds we hear the account of Jesus’ betrayal by Judas listen again to how the disciples denied and deserted him wonder again at his steadfast resolve to endure the cross and death for the sake of frail and sinful humanity Just as we knew on Ash Wednesday that Good Friday would come uniting our trials and burdens and those of the whole world with our wounded and crucified Lord and with your eternal protection sanctify your servants Look back at your Lenten observance and thank God for the grace and mercy you have known in the season that has come to a close Ask yourself how you will more closely discern and follow God’s will in the coming weeks and months as you reflect on Jesus’ perfect example of doing so How will you show and share the love of God which is poured out through Christ’s passion and death Invitation to Prayer: But Peter got up and ran to the tomb and saw the burial cloths alone; then he went home amazed at what had happened Reflection: For every candy bar we haven’t eaten for every bit of digital browsing we have put aside this Lent Holy Saturday looms as the finish line to Lent Perhaps we have deprived ourselves of sweets and the alleged sweetness of digital entertainment and we look forward to their restoration in our lives We did these sacrifices as a way of making more room for God Yet the struggle and openness to a deeper relationship with God is quickly abandoned as we return to what tempts us as the “old sweetness” of our past lives – if we allow it but if we give in to this last temptation of Lent we could be missing the best part of our spiritual lives – maintaining a vigil for the coming of Christ its redemption of our sins and Jesus conquering death we will miss the best vigil of all – waiting and preparing for the second coming of Jesus He remains with us as Word and as Sacrament we believe he is alive and will come again We advance toward Him in prayer and works and sacrifice leaving behind the cloak of our old selves the candy wrappers and gigabytes of our old lives and wrapping ourselves in the mantle of His justice mercy and love as his followers and disciples Now that is a vigil we can keep with true promise and joy Prayer: Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven Closing: May you proclaim an Easter of the risen Christ and His Second Coming to your family and friends And it was before they “understood the Scripture.” Before any encounter with the risen Jesus Before breakfast on the beach or hands in the wounds There’s something so human about this scene—Peter and John running to the tomb like two kids racing down the sidewalk I think of moments in my own life when I’ve stood outside a kind of tomb Those times when something I loved seemed gone—whether it was a dream or even just the sense of how I thought things were supposed to go one of my sons got into the car after school I was about to launch into a pep talk—how we can study The Catholic Telegraph is the official news source of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati beautiful and inspiring resource to help you get more out of Lent than ever before If you've been "fasting" from unhealthy habits for Lent you're in luck: Thursday is the last day of Lent The weeks-long spring tradition of Lent is celebrated by millions of Christians around the world celebrated in honor of Jesus Christ's resurrection there are just three days left in Holy Week What's the meaning behind the last days of Holy Week and what dietary restrictions does Good Friday have and reflection observed by many Christians in preparation for Easter This represents the 40 days that Jesus spent fasting and praying in the desert before starting his public ministry many believers give up certain luxuries — such as sweets social media or alcohol — as a form of self-discipline Sundays are not traditionally counted in the 40 days as they are considered days of celebration rather than fasting People are also reading: This Texas city is among the best in US for celebrating Easter, study shows. See analysis which refers to Christ washing the feet of his 13 disciples as narrated by the Bible's New Testament a final meal together before Christ is crucified Some Christians choose to have a feast on Holy Thursday to commemorate the Last Supper Good Friday is celebrated on the Friday before Easter and marks the day Jesus was crucified and died Non-flesh products, like milk, cheese, butter and eggs, are not prohibited during Lent. During Good Friday specifically, some Catholics choose to fast: They only eat one full meal and may eat two smaller meals as long as they do not equal the one full meal, according to The Catholic Telegraph Fasting during Lent represents the fasting Jesus did while in the desert "Abstinence is a form of penance. Penance expresses sorrow and contrition for our wrongdoing, indicates our intention to turn away from sin and turn back to God," the Archdiocese of Saint Paul & Minneapolis shared on its website Capital One, Wells Fargo, PNC, Truist, CitiBank and JPMorgan Chase, among others, confirmed to USA TODAY branches would be open on Friday It represents the day Christ's body rested in the tomb before resurrection the day is characterized as a time of waiting Easter falls on the first Sunday after the full moon that occurs on or after the spring equinox Celebrate Easter in Austin 2025: Restaurant guide, brunch, specials and reservations Easter is one of the most anticipated holidays of the year, marked by a season of religious observances traditions and celebrations leading up to the day — and observed by millions worldwide Easter commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ and on the third day — Easter Sunday — he rose from the dead What are the dates of Lent 2025?Ash Wednesday: March 5Palm Sunday: April 13Holy Thursday: April 17Good Friday: April 18Holy Saturday: April 19Easter Sunday: April 20— Palm Beach Post reporter Lianna Norman and Treasure Coast reporter Cheryl McCloud contributed to this report Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis While the world said goodbye to Pope Francis on Easter Monday, I was bidding farewell to a very different Catholic spokesman: Mark Wahlberg. Forty days and 40 nights earlier, I had downloaded Hallow, the self-described “#1 prayer app in the world” promoted by the actor and hamburger impresario I dedicated my Lent to an immersive exploration of the app—a sort of digital pilgrimage to a cathedral of gamified spirituality My mission, when I explained it to people, was met with a classic theological question: “Why?” Yes, like Wahlberg I was raised in a deeply Irish Catholic community “stay prayed up.” And though I like The Perfect Storm and Daddy’s Home I don’t typically look to Mark Wahlberg for guidance on bringing glory to Christ Did a burning bush instruct me to ride into the app store and denounce the commodification of religion in a table-turning sermon worthy of Matthew and repeatedly tried to sell young me Bibleman tapes I was compelled to try Hallow as a lapsed Catholic I took catechism classes Tuesday evenings and briefly attended St Joseph’s Catholic School (until the tuition became too expensive) I’d even say Mark Wahlberg and I are brothers because that might mean he’d help me open a burger restaurant my engagement with Catholicism has been mostly limited to Christmas and Easter give or take a baptism or Cranberries album reconnect me to that preteen acolyte who went to Mass Every Catholic gives up something for Lent which would be spent answering this question as I submerged myself in the healing e-waters of snackable salvation and joined Hallow I begin with Pray40, the daily Lent “prayer challenge” Hallow kicked off on Ash Wednesday. If the algorithm has marked you as even a little bit Catholic, as it has me, you’ve probably seen Wahlberg spreading the Good News about Pray40 online, no matter how agnostic you currently are (as one baffled TikTok user told the New York Times last year “There were a few days where it just seemed like every other ad was Mark Wahlberg suggesting I pray the rosary with him”) what I hear is not Wahlberg’s unmistakable an actor who plays Jesus in the crowdfunded Biblical TV series The Chosen not that one.) I find Jones’ post as I poke around Hallow’s official blog which also boasts that Hallow has been downloaded over 3 million times across 150 countries But I am taken by a different claim: Hallow says it’s “helped facilitate 25 million prayers.” Prayer facilitation strikes me as an odd audience metric but then again Netflix says Red Notice was watched for 20 billion seconds or whatever I dive in on the app’s more traditional biblical content like Hallow’s “Daily Reading.” That day it’s an Old Testament passage from the Prophet Ezekiel but not exactly “exclusive online content,” considering the Holy Bible is the most widely available book in the history of written language my next pick is a gem: “Daily Reflections with Jeff Cavins,” a video series hosted by Cavins Catholic network EWTN’s biggest star (not counting Jesus) During a series of episodes shot in the Holy Land Cavins didn’t feel the need to put on the same kind of sanctimonious airs as his celebrity colleagues Put the two of us at an IRL Easter brunch together and that conversation could get real uncomfortable Cavins comes off as more interested in the historical Jesus than trying to convince me why premarital sex is evil Not that I didn’t want more star power. And, finally, I get it. Wahlberg eventually makes his Pray40 debut. His appearances, it seems, would be limited to “Fasting Fridays.” Wahlberg dictating Hallow users’ diets is a natural role, since many of his Instagram videos show the actor describing his giant breakfasts while his long-suffering chef “Welcome to Fasting Fridays,” says Wahlberg “It’s an honor to join you this Lent.” Each Friday he will introduce a new “fasting challenge.” Then he throws a curveball and introduces “my friend, Chris Pratt.” I raise an eyebrow. Star-Lord was gonna speak for the actual Lord on Hallow? I thought he belonged to that church founded by the pastor Justin Bieber used to bring on his tour—not Mark Wahlberg hadn’t surprised me this much since the final shot of Boogie Nights he knows a thing or two about discipline,” Wahlberg says I guess we’ll have to pray that Litany of Humility a few more times.” I wonder if a sentence had ever before contained so much Boston Pratt delivers a reading from the Gospel According to Mark (“I believe then Wahlberg delivers his first (fasting) challenge to the listener He asks me to “fast from noise.” Specifically somehow unaware that Hallow itself is on my phone “You all are making it really cool to pray!” you can’t say Hallow isn’t putting money into its product I am overcome with the sheer amount of features the app has There’s a feature that takes you through the rosary a Catholic sleep “Praylist” (10 hours of “peaceful instrumental hymns”) There’s a series called “Bible in a Year,” which Hallow: If I had the discipline to read the entire Bible I wouldn’t be getting my religion through a glorified Duolingo and one for dads called “Be-dad-itudes.” You can listen to Christian content from Gwen Stefani who reads selections from the works of C.S in case you really want to hear Mere Christianity delivered like a threat from a vindictive CIA agent Wahlberg and Pratt continue giving us installments of Fasting Fridays every time you encounter an opportunity to deny yourself remember: Enter into the wounds of Christ crucified Below the quote is an option to share it with my friends I had been keeping my journey mostly private unsure how those close to me would react to their friend’s sudden Catholic zealotry But if I was going to report on the full Hallow experience I couldn’t deliberately avoid certain features out of fear or embarrassment you enter into the wounds of Christ.” I pull up two friends from my contacts a message from me with a message from Mark Wahlberg essentially asking them to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and savior or at least engaged enough to offer constructive criticism: “I can’t help hearing this in Mark Wahlberg’s voice.” Not long after Laetare Sunday (the fourth Sunday of Lent) I want to explore the app’s more interactive features and its most interactive was “Magisterium,” Hallow’s A.I but after three weeks of listening to Hallow’s pastors quote Scripture at me even to a digital mass of  mysterious data “Do you have a question about the faith?” asks Magisterium “I am designed to provide accurate answers based on Catholic teachings using a compound AI system that integrates multiple technologies and regularly updated language models to ensure fidelity to Catholic Tradition.” not the most boring sermon I’ve ever heard “Who was the tallest pope?” It was a softball question a journalistic tactic to build trust with my interview subject I need to be more specific,” says the program “Does height affect papal authority?” and “What are the Church’s views on height?” Huh This chatbot wanted to turn my objective pub-trivia question into a theological argument What started as a playful chat had become an inquisition I feel like Domhnall Gleeson in Ex Machina Mark Zuckerberg’s Facebook added a Hallow-like tool called “Prayer Posts.” The introduction of new Facebook features and the world’s richest man identifying as a “cultural Christian” themselves may be minor events But the idea of Big Tech co-opting the intimate nature of faith a phenomenon literally personified by the religious chatbot before me On the other hand … what were the Church’s views on height? I shrug and click on Magisterium’s question “All physical attributes are part of the human person created in God’s image and should be respected as such,” replies Magisterium I agree with respecting all physical attributes of the human person having narrowly avoided a schism between man and machine I type a final question: “How much is Hallow worth?” Magisterium sorts through an unimaginably vast trove of information and arrives at its answer: “I was unable to find specific information on the exact net worth or valuation of Hallow.” Hallow had developed a chatbot that can explain the nature of God but can’t look up financial news After countless hours of sermons and rosaries and Christian rock playlists and beatitudes and Be-dad-itudes Even my boy Jeff Cavins and his fedora have outstayed their welcome at least not according to the app’s daily biblical quizzes I keep flunking (The betrayal of Jesus for 30 pieces of silver fulfills a prophecy found in Zechariah you idiot!) I couldn’t say I felt more in touch with my Catholic upbringing Even Jim Caviezel managed to get through his appearance without accusing me of supporting an adrenochrome-harvesting pedophilia cabal and above all the people behind the app reminded me how powerful and influential the Catholic Church remains and how that influence can help and comfort my time with Hallow did feel like going to Mass again 2025: This article has been updated to include comment from Pray.com Sunday Mass and occasionally make a weekday Mass at noon Losing your right and ability to drive is difficult It is one of the things most feared by the elderly It cannot be fully understood until it happens and I am fearful of how it affects my Lenten routine Lent for me has been a penitential time of fasting additional spiritual activities and prayers—an attempt to get closer to God I was feeling discouraged when I met recently with my spiritual director, Joy. Would I be able to get to those spiritual and penitential services in church, often held at night? Joy gave me an article by the spiritual writer Cameron Bellm about approaching Lent “for people who are already suffering” or hurting “the Lenten practice you need the most might be...treating yourself with kindness.” It doesn’t have to be every day…it can be sweet and simple however it fits into your life,” she writes “We should think of Lent not as an obligation to communion with God.” The point is “to love yourself as a sacred echo of the way you are loved by God.” She concludes “we know that we are dependent on God for everything.” I thought this was an inspirational way to look at Lent So this year it is a “soft” 40 days with some kindness thrown in Trying to remind myself of this approach may help me have a fruitful Lent but I am hoping it will also help me in the days that follow as I face the ongoing challenge of learning to cope with a new lifestyle and adjusting to blindness Macular degeneration is my most serious medical problem Other problems include a bad back from spinal stenosis I now have to get out of bed to use the bathroom four to five times a night Yet each morning I thank God for another new day with atrial fibrillation being the most serious We were single parents for nearly 10 years Handling trauma and radical changes in lifestyles are not new for Lila a summa cum laude graduate from college and a lawyer spent much of her life battling the demons of addiction Kathleen was 48 when she overdosed on fentanyl I felt relief knowing she was now in the hands of a merciful and loving God I spent hours reading or spending time on the computer I subscribed to four newspapers and magazines My most important daily task is reading the Liturgy of the Hours The magnification program in the computer is my lifeline for communication and writing but with great difficulty because of my carpal tunnel syndrome and my failing vision On average three out of every six words written are misspelled and must be corrected I served two years in the Navy in the 1950s and the Veterans Administration has provided help with high-tech and expensive devices like the one that magnifies the page for me Soon I will likely begin using a device that scans pages and reads them aloud to me But all the devices will do little to relieve my wife Lila of the new burdens and chores she must handle as my vision worsens “We know that we are dependent on God for everything.” She has not been blessed with the gift of faith but she has been blessed with an abundance of love “the Lord alone probes the mind and tests the heart” and then rewards according to their deeds we pray together the classic and simple prayer of St I pray that a “soft” approach to this season of Lent may help us to see God at work in our lives now then ran a Washington newsletter firm for 25 years Password reset instructions will be sent to your registered email address As a frequent reader of our website, you know how important America’s voice is in the conversation about the church and the world. 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Please contact us at members@americamedia.org with any questions Q&AWhat Is Lent?ShareQuestion:What Is Lent?Answer:Lent is a season of preparation for Easter mirroring Jesus’ forty days in the desert and also anticipating his passion “By the solemn forty days of Lent the Church unites herself each year to the mystery of Jesus in the desert.” (CCC 540 The seasons and days of penance in the course of the liturgical year (Lent and each Friday in memory of the death of the Lord) are intense moments of the Church’s penitential practice These times are particularly appropriate for spiritual exercises voluntary self-denial such as fasting and almsgiving and fraternal sharing (charitable and missionary works) one that not only looks forward to the joy of Jesus’ Resurrection (beginning with the Easter Octave) but also provides the faithful—both Catholics and those joining the Church—an annual opportunity to fortify their faith and otherwise grow in holiness for the sake of Christ’s kingdom (John 13:34-35; see Matt For those preparing to become Catholic—whether catechumens (who will receive all three sacraments of initiation: baptism confirmation and the Eucharist) or candidates (baptized Christians who will receive confirmation and the Eucharist)—Lent is a period of learning and spiritual formation that leads to their coming into full communion with our Lord Jesus Christ and his Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil Lent is an opportunity to reflect on their faith and strengthen their relationship with God and others through prayer by calling us to turn away from sin and soul-sapping distractions drawing us closer to God as we prepare to celebrate the triumphant joy of the Easter season Top 20 Questions and Answers about Lent Catholic Answers Q&A Guide for Lent When is Ash Wednesday? Catholic Answers Guide for Lent When is Holy Week? Catholic Answers Guide for Holy Week “There are Christians whose lives seem like Lent without Easter,” Pope Francis writes in his 2013 encyclical Evangelii Gaudium (6) He’s pointing his finger at any so-called Christian who refuses to live a life of joy who fails to see that Christ came so we “might have life and have it more abundantly” (Jn 10:10) I read this particular encyclical during my tenure at Catholic Relief Services working on the flagship Lenten program, CRS Rice Bowl (a program that celebrates its 50th anniversary this year!) I remember reading those words with my team and laughing we seemed cursed to live our lives in the doldrums of Lent fasting and almsgiving every day of every week of every year Who had time to rejoice in the Resurrection There are many of us who work in the field of ministry who approach these important liturgical seasons not solely out of prayerful piety but as professionals whose job it is to accompany others spiritually to lose sight of the importance of the season to muddle through as a professional while missing the relevance for the personal I find this image of the “professional” Catholic helpful But it’s also because this image exaggerates what we all feel This balancing act between the spiritual and the temporal is one we all struggle with as we try to bring fresh eyes to old traditions — whether Lent is literally your business or not we’ve invited six “professional” Catholics to join our limited audio series “The Work of Lent” to reflect on how they keep the season fresh how they inject new creativity into these 40 days and how they deal with burnout Tasked as ever with finding God in all things we will search for the ways in which God is speaking to us anew through this season of ancient rituals Each episode will center on a Lenten theme one which our guests will explore through an original Examen prayer and include a deep dive into what it means to grapple with our vocations with joy Where can you find this new limited series? We’ll be dropping episodes every Friday of Lent on the “AMDG: A Jesuit Podcast” feed head over there now and subscribe so you don’t miss a thing a chance to find God in the proverbial desert while also finding God in the grocery store Let’s lean into this holy intersection of the sacred and secular Let’s allow God to saturate our days with the Spirit’s invitation to deeper love Let us not wait until Easter to practice the holy disposition of joy © 2025 – Jesuits • Privacy Policy Powered by Bend Spirituality As March begins, the warmer weather of spring and celebration of Easter one of the liturgical seasons of Western Christianity meant to prepare Christians for Easter celebrations As Easter is determined by the lunar cycles of the Jewish calendar What exactly is the significance of the Christian season Here's what to know about Lent and its dates this year Lent always starts on Ash Wednesday a day of reflection and repentance that falls on March 5 this year More: Why is Easter 2025 so late? Here are the dates for Easter, Ash Wednesday, Good Friday According to the Franciscan Friars of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe Lent is a season of preparation to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus at Easter The tradition of the 40-day season comes from a story out of the Gospels in the Bible when Jesus fasted and resisted temptation in the desert for 40 days and 40 nights In memory of Jesus' suffering and preparation to receive the reconciliation he offers Lent calls Christians to repent and sacrifice for the 40 days leading up to the anniversary of Jesus' death on the cross Individuals can choose any vice or luxury to give up during Lent though it is typically associated with fasting especially the required abstaining from meat on Fridays for Catholics Some may also choose to add daily acts of compassion to their lives throughout the period Important dates during LentHere are the important dates for the 2025 Lent season: Emilee Coblentz of USA TODAY contributed to this report Please register to access this FREE content Because of where it falls in the Church calendar, The Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C because it is tremendous preparation for Lent Jesus is doubling down on a message against pride Jesus gives a whole series of brief sayings scholars suggest that Luke is simply compiling a “best of” collection of Jesus’s words in one place here It could very well be that Jesus is doing what Hebrews often do — stringing together a number of parallel words of wisdom driving a single point home through repetition with a little variety but that means you have to improve yourself first There are three kinds of pride Jesus calls out in the Gospel: All three kinds of pride are insidious because they convince us that we have nothing to change in our lives that we have already reached the goal our life in Christ is tending toward And this leaves us even more useless than if we had never met Jesus at all “For people do not pick figs from thornbushes nor do they gather grapes from brambles,” he says because Lent is the time to root out pride The traditional Lenten practices are tailor-made to undercut exactly these kinds of pride and help us to grow not in the appearance of holiness We have so often indulged and excused the small lapses and luxuries and indiscretions that we hardly notice the extent to which we have embraced a consumerist lifestyle that is spiritually nearsighted by fasting from those things we normally indulge in we can see again all the excesses in our life that we are blind to,and break the bonds of slavery to them Jesus warns of becoming blind to his truths We have enjoyed so much ridicule of others in our entertainments and online — and have been so taken with superficiality and politics  — that we hardly notice that this has changed the way we understand the world we can see our lives from God’s point of view giving us an objective view of our own state and others’ worth Jesus warns that we are at risk of becoming blind to the needs of those around us We have so often rehearsed our excuses for not serving the material and spiritual needs of others that we often don’t even bother to rationalize it anymore And by almsgiving — giving more and doing more for others — we can train ourselves in the generosity we need to get out of ourselves Third: Lent is a preparation for Easter; or Paul is all about the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and how to prepare for it by internalizing it “When this which is corruptible clothes itself with incorruptibility and this which is mortal clothes itself with immortality then the word that is written shall come about: “The apostle Paul seems to have directly pointed his finger at the flesh when he wrote: “this which is corruptible must put on incorruptibility.” “But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” The Resurrection is the moment when Jesus deprives sin and death of its power and our Easter is the moment when we share in his victory Paul gives his own Lenten program in greatness: “Therefore always fully devoted to the work of the Lord knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” Fourth: But don’t miss the fact that Jesus reveals the amazing truth about what is possible to us Don’t just focus on the difficulty Jesus’s words entail: Look at the high hopes his words give us Of course a blind guide cannot lead a blind person but Jesus explains how a blind guide can become a true guide to other blind people: “Remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter in your brother’s eye.” Not only do we have the ability to restore our spiritual sight; we can restore sight to others And of course we only make things worse when we try to use our own wisdom to improve upon the Gospel but Jesus says something huge: “when fully trained every disciple will be like his teacher.” That is quite a statement one that says that our destiny is nothing less than to be like the Son of God himself And last, Jesus gives one of his greatest votes of confidence in us, ever. Ordinarily, as Jesus has said “No one is good except God alone.” Here he explains how “A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good but an evil person out of the store of evil produces evil.” The First Reading this Sunday gives Old Testament wisdom that amounts to: You can’t fool God “As the test of what the potter molds is in the furnace so in tribulation is the test of the just,” it says You can’t fake holiness; you have to embrace God and his will or you will fall apart in difficult times it adds: “The fruit of a tree shows the care it has had; so too does one’s speech disclose the bent of one’s mind.” It is what you actually do in life that God sees; not your feelings or your good intentions Lent allows you to face both of these: It begins in tribulation when you have an ashen cross smeared on our head It ends when we venerate the cross of Jesus Christ on Good Friday and then celebrate his Resurrection on Easter Sunday bringing to him the heart we changed or didn’t change through the long days of Lent Lent is all about confronting the inevitability of our death and doing all that is necessary to align ourselves with the only way out of death It is a 40-day program of conforming ourselves to Jesus and leaving our weakness behind in favor of his greatness Subscribe below to receive weekly emails The opinions expressed on this website do not necessarily reflect the views of the college Copyright © 2025 Benedictine College Site Archive Wednesday Christians mark the start of their Lenten disciplines of prayer fasting and almsgiving by receiving ashes upon their heads — the mark of conversion of heart Campus Ministry will be offering a variety of services on Ash Wednesday All are welcome to participate; you do not need to be Catholic to receive ashes:  the Church of the Gesu is offering Mass with the distribution of ashes at 7 a.m Ash Wednesday is a day of penitence and all Roman Catholics aged 14 and older are obliged to abstain from eating meat Roman Catholics between the ages of 18 and 59 are obliged to fast More information is available at the website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.  Take part in Baccalaureate Mass, May 10  Apply to join Les Aspin Washington, D.C., internship program by May 5  James Friel named director of recreation  a pathway toward Easter and Christ’s victory over death Many Catholics make sacrifices or do something extra to grow in faith during this time of year Lent is also a time in which parishes will offer special activities — a mission extra times for the sacrament of reconciliation service opportunities and even fish fries — to aid in the Lenten journey Here are some suggestions for fasting and feasting as a Lenten practice which involves giving up certain things and focusing on others These practical suggestions can lead us to turn away from things that don’t give life and instead turn toward God Fast from judging others; feast on Christ in them It’s easy to see Jesus in those who show us love But how often do we truly see the face of Christ in those we disagree with We are all made in the image and likeness of God make some changes to the way you live your life “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone.” (John 8:7) Fast from wanting more; feast on being thankful it seems easier to be frustrated by what we don’t have than to be thankful for what we do have It is a choice to acknowledge what we have and to give thanks and love to God Putting others’ needs before ours is another way to express gratitude Think about ways you can share your gifts with others for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18) How do we overcome those feelings of worry We can start by understanding that even in the face of anxiety Turn to God in prayer and ask Him to help us surrender to His plan Living in the present moment is another way to overcome anxiety about the future “What if?” we should tell ourselves it’s not worth thinking about in the present moment God works for good in those who love him.” (Romans 8:28) stop and think: “Is this worth it?” The key to overcoming it is to shift the focus to what brings us enjoyment When an intrusive thought enters your mind think of a few things that you enjoy in the present moment Avoid negative self-talk in moments of trial by asking but those who pursue evil will have evil come upon them.” (Proverbs 11:27) Prayer is one of the primary practices of Lent It strengthens us to commit to the other two elements of making a good Lent: fasting and almsgiving One of the best ways to increase our prayer life is to carve out time every day Use an app like Hallow or look for opportunities at your parish to pray in community Prayer allows us to experience the pilgrim journey of Lent more fully It can be challenging to forgive because it requires understanding and generosity One way to focus on forgiving others is to ask ourselves what we want Can we imagine how it might feel to forgive another person rather than stay angry Forgiveness ultimately is a choice that restores healthy relationships with God and one another “If you forgive others their transgressions neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.” (Matthew 6:14-15) resolve to be quiet when faced with the temptation of gossip Other ways we can overcome gossip are to examine our motivation for speaking about another person and assume the best in others we can stop the conversation and resolve to have more positive interactions “No foul language should come out of your mouths but only such as is good for needed edification that it may impart grace to those who hear.” (Ephesians 4:29) “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world might be saved through him.” (John 3:16-17) The Church has always helped us fulfill these words of Jesus by prescribing very definite penance for all Catholics the pope and the American bishops have outlined obligatory fast and abstinence as follows: Ash Wednesday (March 5, OVERSET FOLLOWS:2025) all Fridays of Lent and Good Friday (April 18 2025) are days of abstinence (refraining from meat) for all Catholics from age 14 onwards is also obligatory for those from the ages of 18-59 with two smaller meals and nothing between meals (liquids are permitted) No Catholic will lightly excuse himself or herself from this obligation Louis on Instagram @arch_stl and Facebook @archstl for reflections throughout Lent • Hallow features Catholic content designed to help users dive deeper into prayer. The archdiocese has partnered with Hallow. There will be a special prayer challenge during Lent called Pray 40. Visit archstl.org/pray • Augustine Institute Formed: formed.org • Best Lent Ever daily reflections: dynamiccatholic.com/best-lent-ever • Bishop Barron’s Word on Fire Lenten Reflections: www.wordonfire.org/reflections The St. Louis Review maintains a map of Lenten fish fries throughout the archdiocese. To submit your fish fry, visit www.stlouisreview.com/story/lenten-fish-fries Lent is a time to turn away from the things that aren’t life giving and turn toward God All readers receive 5 stories to read free per month If you are currently receive the St. Louis Review at your home or office, please send your name and address (and subscriber id if you know it) to subscriptions@stlouisreview.com to get your login information If you are not currently a subscriber to the St. Louis Review, please contact subscriptions@stlouisreview.com for information on how to subscribe Discover the latest regional and national news and topics central to the Catholic faith with the St We strive to report on the news from within our archdiocese and throughout the world that is most meaningful and helpful to St We provide information for your Catholic formation to assist you in living the joy of the Gospel in the Archdiocese of St Unlike many other holidays, the Easter holiday dates change every year It can be as early as March 22 or as late as April 25 which means the Lenten period and Good Friday also change This year's Passover week will overlap with Holy Week Here's when and what to know about April 2025's holiday dates to look forward to Palm Sunday always falls on the Sunday before Easter to commemorate Jesus Christ's triumphant entry into Jerusalem Catholics carry blessed palm branches into church as a welcoming gesture commemorating when Jesus rode into the city of Jerusalem on a donkey the Gospel readings during mass recount the story of his death and Passion Holy Week is the most important or significant week in Catholicism However there are a week's worth of holy days within the week: Jesus triumphantly entered Jerusalem.On Monday Jesus cleared out the temple with a whip.On Tuesday Jesus was anointed with oil at Bethany and preached on the Mount of Olives.On Wednesday Jesus was betrayed by the apostle Judas.On Holy Thursday crucified and died on the cross.On Holy Saturday Jesus was buried in the tomb and descended into hell.On Easter Sunday Jesus rose from the dead.When is Good Friday 2025?Good Friday falls on April 18th this year Good Friday always occurs two days before Easter Sunday It is the day when Christians commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus Christ While Good Friday is not one of the federal holidays, it is a state public holiday in Delaware and New Jersey Easter is the holiest day in the Christian calendar observing the day Jesus Christ resurrected from the dead three days after his death on Good Friday According to the Almanac, Easter Sunday changes every year because it is fixed to a solar calendar and based on the lunar cycles of the Jewish calendar It always occurs on the first Sunday after the Paschal Full moon (full moon that occurs on or after the March or spring equinox) This year's astronomical date of the equinox is March 20 This year, Passover begins on the evening of Saturday, April 12 through Sunday, April 20, 2025. One of the major Jewish holidays, Pesach celebrates the Exodus of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt Passover is a week-long celebration that includes a special meal called the Seder Traditions include removing leavened products from homes synagogue service and family gatherings and instead eat matzah (unleavened bread) symbolizing the haste with which the Israelites left Egypt When is Easter 2026?Next year's Easter Sunday Help keep Catholics around the world educated and informed Already donated? Log in to stop seeing these donation pop-ups Click to email site by... The kickoff to Lent begins with Fat Tuesday also known as Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras Catholicism is known for its feasts and fasts Fat Tuesday is the day before Lent when you participate in a joyful preparation for the Lenten fast It's a day when many households enjoy the gluttonous occasion by enjoying all the delicacies that will be given up for the next 40 days It’s also a day to reflect on your life and take part in the practice of "shriving," which means purifying oneself through confession before lent, according to the Almanac This is just the beginning of the 46 days until Easter Sunday  As the holy days fall on a different date each year here are the important dates for this year's holy season When is Ash Wednesday?Ash Wednesday beginning this year's journey into the Lenten season The solemn day is a reminder of human morality signified by repentance and fasting when many Christians confess their sins and ask for forgiveness Ashes in the shape of a cross are often placed on parishioners' foreheads with the prayer "Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return," during a special Ash Wednesday service The ashes made from burning the palm branches from the previous Palm Sunday are used as a visible sign of grief Lent is a Christian season of prayer that lasts 40 days The name “Lent” is from the Middle English “Lencten,” meaning spring and the time is dedicated to personal reflection and preparation for Easter One of the main components of Lent is fasting to recognize Jesus's sacrifice observers give up something important to their everyday life — whether it be eating desserts Abstaining from eating meat on all Fridays during Lent is the most widely spread sacrifice Lent is also a time of Almsgiving in which Christians spread generosity and love many use this time to volunteer and donate money Holy Week is observed the week before Easter, it's known as the most sacred week of the liturgical calendar It is a time for recommittal and prayer to God with solemn observances Palm Sunday is a worldwide celebration of Christianity that recalls Jesus' entry into Jerusalem It is often celebrated with processions and distribution of blessed palm leaves These palm branches that symbolize goodness and victory are blessed and often crafted into crosses as sacramentals On April 17, Holy Thursday commemorates the Last Supper in which Jesus offered himself as the Passover sacrifice and the washing of feet in memory of Jesus washing the feet of his disciples It is also a day to honor the beginning of the priesthood and the importance of the Eucharist The solemn day of fasting and abstinence, known as Good Friday is observed on April 18 this year It is the day for Christians to commemorate Jesus’s crucifixion Many observe Good Friday by fasting or abstaining from eating meat and reflecting on the meaning of his sacrifice Holy Saturday marks the end of the Lenten season on April 19 it is a time to mourn the death of Jesus and to prepare for his resurrection the Easter Vigil is often celebrated it is a a liturgical tradition that celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ When is Easter?The continuation of the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection takes place on Easter Sunday It is a time for Christians to reflect on the significance of Jesus' sacrifice and the promise of eternal life Easter Sunday traditions include early morning and late-night services as well as baking hot cross buns and filling empty eggs which are symbolic of Christ’s death on the cross and resurrection from the tomb According to the Almanac, Easter is determined by the lunar cycles of the Jewish calendar and always occurs on the first Sunday after the Paschal Full Moon. The Paschal Full moon occurs on or after the Spring equinox Lent seems to creep its way through the weeks of ordinary time right after the end of Christmas The 40 days of Lent remind us of Christ’s forty days in the desert and the Israelites’ 40-year sojourn in the desert so our Lenten journey uses the same means to grow closer to God the Lenten season is only a part of the year recently people from across the globe – friends and acquaintances – have taken to letting me know about the difficulties they encounter in their parishes I get the impression that for many of them their time in the parish is like a perpetual Lent Many of these difficulties center around priests And sometimes these difficulties stem from the personality of the priest here’s a newsflash – we priests really are a diverse bunch Just as you find a great range of personalities and dislikes among classmates or co-workers there is also a great range of temperaments Our society is an increasingly globalized one and the Catholic Church in the United States is international as well This adds a whole new aspect to parish dynamics due to significant cultural and social differences My favorite book by Fulton Sheen (even more so than “The World’s First Love”) is “Those Mysterious Priests.” Sometimes I feel that he could have written this book  because this is precisely part of human nature: not to be strange Yet even though He was divine and perfect people still found plenty to complain about they even put Him to death because they couldn’t stand His preaching This does not mean that whatever priests do is okay or perfect I have heard many stories that make me shake my head and pray  I hear complaints that one priest turns the heat up too high in the Church people have complained that I smile too much  When it comes to personality quirks or preferences people are easily annoyed and even sometimes offended It is difficult enough to just be a Christian in the world It is even more so to be the head of a community and representative of Christ Secondly, we need to recall the words of the Letter to the Hebrews 5:1-4 “Every high priest is taken from among men and made their representative before God He is able to deal patiently with the ignorant and erring for he himself is beset by weakness and so must make sin offerings for himself as well as for the people No one takes this honor upon himself but only when called by God “For he himself is beset by weakness” as a good thing God didn’t choose the angels to be priests This is because they cannot be compassionate Only humans can grasp these things because they experience them first-hand “No one takes this honor upon himself but only when called by God” is another point to bear in mind and so we will never be able to fully understand it that is God has called this man to be another Christ Instead of looking at his defects and failings it might be helpful to look for his goodness and talents reflects an aspect of God’s infinite goodness and love The other frequent complaint I hear regards homilies oftentimes poor preachers find themselves unemployed sometimes the homily does sometimes lose its importance But I don’t think firing priests because they are poor preachers is an answer to the poor preaching problem it’s true that sometimes parishioners hear homilies that are too long In such instances parishioners are subjected to tedious homilies rather than being uplifted by them Yet rather than get upset (which is understandable) there are some helpful resources that can make sure that In 2015, the Congregation (now Dicastery) for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments released the Homiletic Directory resource is a treasure-trove of homiletics the first part gives an overview of the importance of the homily as well as the best means to prepare for it The second part has as its purpose “to provide concrete examples and suggestions to help the homilist put into practice the principles presented in this document by considering the biblical readings provided in the liturgy through the lens of the Paschal Mystery of the crucified and risen Christ” (37) but rather proposed ways of addressing and understanding the readings the Dicastery has gone through all the Sundays as well as major solemnities entitled “The Homily and the Catechism of the Catholic Church,” provides references in the Catechism related to the readings for every Sunday in the year there are many excellent commentaries on Scripture The first is Saint Thomas Aquinas’ Catena Aurea (the Golden Chain) which provides the commentaries of the Fathers of the Church on each of the four Gospels It also has the advantage of being available online and for free The second resource, while expensive, is the excellent series “Ancient Christian Commentary of Scripture.” Published for every book of the Bible the text gives the commentary of the Doctors of the Church and early Christian writers on the Biblical text Both resources can us help to consider the Gospels and to feed our souls The desert can be a desert of homilies that don’t feed us or a desert accompanied by less than civilized human companions But the desert can also be a place of spiritual growth and love if we know how to use the time and opportunity well Pingback: Why You Should Be in Adoration at 3 AM, How to Master Disordered Desires and Achieve Holiness, Abnegation, Good Mourning, and More Great Links! - JP2 Catholic Radio Pingback: THVRSDAY AFTERNOON EDITION – BIG PULPIT Our pastor’s homily yesterday was replaced by the Bishop’s Lenten Appeal Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. As the vicar dipped his finger in the ash of last year’s palm crosses on Wednesday evening drew a new one on my forehead and invited me to remember that I am dust and will return to dust I knew immediately what I was giving up for Lent this year It won’t be hard because my atheism has waned in recent years anyway I gave up not going to church some time ago praying and singing — another lapsed atheist hoping that the non-existent God he was brought up not to believe in doesn’t see speaks English only as a third language and demands Sabbath observance on completely the wrong day so I was ritually circumcised on the eighth day after my birth to satisfy the grandparents and then left hanging My mother tells me now that I didn’t want one One that I filled at boarding school with the daily service in Westminster Abbey weekly Latin prayers (pater noster qui es in caelis sanctificetur nomen tuum) and compline in St Faith’s chapel every Friday night with the chaplain Whether I believed a god was listening or not didn’t seem germane Willy would have been doing the verses and responses on his own sniggered at by the bones of Chaucer and Edward the Confessor Atheism is the assumed default position of every modern urban adult many atheists think we want to hear their irrefutable arguments against belief and witty putdowns of the faithful Who do you think is not already an atheist?” I think possibly these people grew up very close to religion and believe it is important to be endlessly forsaking it to have had some formal tradition for the ceremony rather than having to make it up as we went along finding an irreligious rabbi prepared to conduct a partially Hebrew service amid crosses and carved angels with music from a cantor drummed out of the United Synagogue for being gay I found myself in shul a few times after that representing my side of the family at what we call “simchas” (celebrations) but always felt awkward: unable to take part at any level bullied into wearing borrowed prayer shawls that made me feel fraudulent freaked out by the separation of the women Reform Jews tell me I should come to them but and I cannot help but look down upon the Reform with their mixed congregations and English prayers It’s like the old gag about the Jew stranded on a desert island who builds two shuls: one to worship and one to not set foot inside Which is where the Church of England comes in and any Englishman or woman can go in (to either) and take succour when Esther and I walked into St Bride’s in Fleet Street 15 years ago next month I wouldn’t have felt properly married anywhere else brought up like me into no tradition at all and we walked up the road to our local one the following Sunday and went in awesomely rectilinear and full of light from the high windows that are gently stained but only in squares The walls are white plaster and a little distressed unpompous and endlessly available to Sam to answer arcane questions about church procedure and biblical history a sung Eucharist and much talk of saints and the Virgin which I think make this what you lot call “high church” Christianity is the other way round (right?) So I observe And I have a sense that God is there — in the tradition the imagination of all the people who came before me — that I don’t get Sam on the other hand is filled with the Holy Spirit like a Baptist I have no doubt he will be baptised and confirmed into whatever church this is which is the only time I feel a bit left out in the way that a black man would still be black I’ll still use Yiddish words where English ones won’t do and say “his mother was Jewish you know” whenever Harrison Ford comes on screen I will never forget my father’s tears as he said kaddish for his dad (a mitzvah I was unable to perform for mine when the time came) convulsed with grief next to a muddy hole in a bleak Jewish cemetery in Hertfordshire But I do not see my churchgoing as a betrayal of that A picking up of something that was dropped Mardi Gras — or Fat Tuesday — celebrations will precede Ash Wednesday and the start of the Lenten season for 2025 which will run for 40 days and include fasting and prayer The date for Easter Sunday changes each year Here are the key dates for the upcoming Easter season More: What will spring be like in New York? Farmers Almanac, NWS, AccuWeather predict a period of 40 days of prayer and fasting meant to commemorate 40 days Jesus spent fasting will start on March 5 and run until April 17 in 2025 When is Good Friday 2025?Each year on the Friday before Easter When is Easter 2025?This year, Easter will be celebrated on April 20. Each year, Easter is celebrated on a different Sunday, decided by the first Sunday after a full moon following the spring equinox with the first full moon following the equinox celebrated a month later (As noted in previous posts, most recently here I like to use sport and fitness analogies in discussing faith issues.) we might consider the liturgical year periods of Christmas and Ordinary time as “in-season.” So in this analogy Lent and Advent are “pre-season” training periods The theme of pre-season training is about preparation – the building up one’s basic strength and endurance Both prepare us for our on-going faith journey that fills most of the year is a unique opportunity to refresh and “re-train” our basic faith beliefs and practices that can become stale We tend to focus on the mechanics of lent such as traditional fasting We ask each other “What have you given up?” And any Lenten obligations (confession what transpires over the 40 days is a “shot in the arm” for our on-going conversion The nature of conversion is the subject of many books it involves a change of direction for our lives Conversion comes from the Latin “converso” meaning a turning around We might view this conversion as a turning around of mind Jesus tells us in Matthew 18:3 you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.” Likewise, a first step is repentance. As Peter states in Acts 3:19 I once heard a priest preach that Lent is about the three “Rs’ – repentance they all are elements of a “turning around.” There can also be external conversion and internal (personal) examples during the Lenten pre-season External conversions are those that occur outside of ourselves in others There can be several external conversion targets that are unique to Lent The semi-annual 40 Days for Life campaign kicked off on Ash Wednesday The conversion focus is not only on the expectant mother but on the abortion providers and staff as well It is about a conversion of heart on the sanctity of life Conversion in this context has truly life and death consequences RCIA catechumens and candidates become members of the Church during the Easter Vigil While it may appear as a culmination experience it is not the end of their conversion preparation It really is the “kick off” to their ongoing conversion journey or fallen away Catholic brothers and sisters They tend to only attend Easter (and Christmas) masses out of old habits or family obligations the Lenten conclusion with Easter is an opportunity for such folks to look at becoming a “revert.” We need to be open to inviting them to try our faith again their attending Easter mass is a “teachable moment.” There are roles that we can play in aiding others toward conversion in these examples serving as RCIA sponsors or speakers and initiating faith conversations are examples I think it’s pretty common to think that we are “true believers” and that we know all we need to know about God and our relationship to Him Conversion, at one level, is about transformation. It’s the ongoing challenge that Jesus tells us in Matthew 5: 48: “So be perfect Lent can be a focused period to work on that “turning around” transformation it’s not a one-time thing that only occurs at Lent If we are willing to accept that the meaning of life (at its core) is to follow Jesus commandant to love God and Love neighbor then the Lenten journey can be the pre-season preparation experience that helps us to fulfill that meaning The various actions we take during Lent have several basic purposes toward that end First is to increase our full awareness of Christ and His sacrifice That awareness can then lead to a realization that it is all about love Chrit’s sacrifice is the epitome of that expression Another core purpose is to facilitate a self-examination of our sinfulness We ask forgiveness for what “I have done and what I have failed to do” (as we profess in the penitential act at Mass) It is a necessary step for accepting God’s grace And it is an action of mutual support toward our conversion It culminates in repentance by participating in the sacrament of confession The discipline of prayer and fasting and the seeking of opportunities for helping others are the observable purposes or dimensions of the season they assist us to provide a renewed conversion of belief They can also result in a re-conversion of habits to express more fully Jesus’ commandment to love God and love neighbor We need help to sustain the pre-season to experience this Lenten conversion. Prayer can aid us, such as this one provided on the Your Prayer Now website As I attempt to navigate the path towards your eternal kingdom Bestow upon me the courage to endure any trials encountered Illuminate my heart and fortify my faith for this spiritual journey Christians across the globe will begin observing the Lenten season repentance and fasting that culminates on Easter Sunday always occurring on the initial Sunday after the Paschal Full moon (full moon that occurs on or after the March or spring equinox) The earliest Easter can be is March 22 and the latest is April 25 Here are the key dates to know for this year's Easter season Christians celebrate Easter as the day Jesus Christ rose from the dead, three days after his crucifixion on Good Friday. Easter is observed by millions worldwide Celebrations in the west include church services According to the Encyclopedia Britannica the first recorded observance of an Easter celebration occurred in the 2nd century though the commemoration of Jesus’ Resurrection probably occurred earlier When is Ash Wednesday in 2025?In 2025, Ash Wednesday falls on March 5 Ash Wednesday takes place each year 40 days before Easter (not counting Sundays) Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the penitential Lenten season The observance includes the distribution of ashes and fasting This year, Lent begins on Wednesday, March 5 and ends on April 17, Maundy Thursday In Western churches it begins on Ash Wednesday and provides 40 days for fasting and abstinence (Sundays are excluded) in imitation of Christ’s fasting in the wilderness before he began his public ministry Mardi Gras is the day before Ash Wednesday and is on Tuesday In French, Mardi Gras means “Fat Tuesday.” For Christians, the day is called Shrove Tuesday. The day has customs connected to food and celebration as it is the last day before the Lenten season of fasting and quiet reflection More: Five of the coolest Airbnb listings for your next Finger Lakes getaway The dates of the Jewish holiday of Passover are also based on a lunar calendar and change year to year. In 2025, Passover begins before sundown on Saturday, April 12, 2025, and ends after nightfall on April 20, 2025. Passover, or Pesach, commemorates the Israelites exodus from Egypt To get unlimited access to the latest news please subscribe or activate your digital account today Christians will begin practicing the 40-day season of prayer The period is held each spring as a preparation for the resurrection of Jesus Christ on Easter Sunday Lent has been celebrated by Christians all over the world for thousands of years. The 64th leader of the Catholic Church, Pope Gregory, set the first official period of Lent in 601 AD, according to the Museum of the Bible which allowed for 40 days of fasting − only one meal and no meat was allowed − with six Sundays counted as feast days Pope Gregory, according to the Museum of the Bible, was also the one to establish the tradition of marking the foreheads of worshipers with ashes in the shape of the cross on Ash Wednesday This year's Lent occurs as Pope Francis remains hospitalized at Rome's Gemelli Hospital after being placed in critical condition over the weekend The pope was admitted to the hospital on Feb the Vatican reported that Francis showed a "slight improvement," after a chest CT scan showed normal progression of his lung inflammation Here's what to know about this year's Lent 'Prognosis cautious': Pope Francis 'critical but stable' as he works from hospital The first day of Lent is called Ash Wednesday Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretalcross. Story idea? Email her at gcross@usatoday.com Phone: 216-696-6525 Toll Free: 1-800-869-6525 Address: 1404 East 9th Street, Cleveland, OH 44114   Share this Page six-week season of Lent will begin on Ash Wednesday Ash Wednesday is a day of fast and abstinence Catholics ages 14 and older are to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and every Friday in Lent those who are 18-59 also are obligated to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday (April 18) a person can eat one full meal as well as two smaller meals that together do not equal a full meal Distribution of ashes will take place in churches across the eight-county Diocese of Cleveland At the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in downtown Cleveland, ash distribution will take place during Masses at 7:15 and 11a.m., noon and 7 p.m. As usual, the noon Mass will be livestreamed on the diocesan website is scheduled to celebrate the noon liturgy on Ash Wednesday There will be no confessions in the cathedral on Ash Wednesday The normal confession schedule at the cathedral is 6:30-7 a.m The cathedral will have Stations of the Cross at 5:15 p.m. each Friday in Lent, beginning on March 7. Stations will be livestreamed on the diocesan website In addition to his weekly Scripture reflections, once again Bishop Edward Malesic will have a daily Lenten reflection Click here for a variety of Lenten resources offered by the diocese to help make the season more meaningful Fish fry listings submitted by parishes, schools and other entities in the diocese can be found here Click here to read a Lenten message from Pope Francis Additional Lenten resources from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops are available here please contact local law enforcement and: Kathleen McComb Response Services – 216-334-2999 If you see people walking around with black smudges on their foreheads Wednesday it's there for a reason: Ash Wednesday is March 5 which marks the beginning of Lent for Christians Ash Wednesday is the first day of the Lenten season in the church those black smudges you see on some people's foreheads are the sign of the cross from ashes administered by church leaders that symbolize mortality and repentance Church leaders may say at the time of applying the cross "Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return." Lent is a time to prepare for the celebration of Easter (April 20 this year) It is primarily observed by Catholics but other denominations such as Lutherans Episcopalians and Methodists take part as well Why is the Lenten season 40 days?The 40 days symbolizes Jesus' time in the wilderness where he fasted and prayed and was tempted by the devil before starting his public ministry But some people opt to increase things such as prayer also choose to abstain from certain foods during Lent This is especially true regarding not eating meat on Ash Wednesday and all Fridays in Lent The Easter Sunday date changes because it is tied to the lunar cycle Easter Sunday is celebrated the first Sunday following the first full moon after the spring equinox It can fall on any Sunday between March 22 and April 25 a Christian celebration of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead For millions of Christians around the world this marks the beginning of a spring tradition in honor of Jesus Christ's resurrection on Easter Sunday Here's what to know about Lent and why Christians observe it and reflection observed by many Christians in preparation for Easter The 40-day period of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday ashes are placed on a worshipper's forehead in the shape of the cross When is the first Sunday of Lent 2025?The first Sunday of Lent called Quadragesima Sunday or Invocabit Sunday It also represents the day Jesus entered Jerusalem waving palm branches When is Good Friday 2025?Good Friday is celebrated on the Friday before Easter and marks the day Jesus was crucified and died It is also called Resurrection Sunday and is celebrated as the day Jesus was resurrected from the dead Victoria Nguyen prays the rosary as she walks by the UF Honors Village many UF students are also navigating a quieter challenge: Lent Lent marks the 40 days leading up to Easter Catholic Gators are participating in personal and sometimes unconventional ways she deleted Instagram from her phone on Ash Wednesday “I spend way too much time on Instagram Reels and also just comparing myself to other people on Instagram,” Hoffman said Hoffman said she’s given up desserts and certain foods in the past but this year she wanted to try something different.  Though her decision was met with support from friends and family she said it hasn’t been without its challenges especially not being able to share recent big moments “I definitely do feel like I'm missing a little bit,” she said I'm definitely not as distracted doing my work.” decided to give up meat and sweets for Lent in addition to fasting six hours a day –– a sacrifice that’s shaped his daily routine.  Though his family is Catholic and fasting is often a part of Catholicism Dougherty said his family was shocked at the extreme change he is making Keeping little to no food in his dorm has been a big help during this Lent but Dougherty said the temptation came when he was visiting his food-filled home in Jacksonville during spring break “I think I’ve really just been learning more about why we do fasting in the first place,” he said “Just in order to have our spirit to rule over our flesh.”  said he is most looking forward to eating sweets Catholics are encouraged to abstain from eating meat on Fridays during Lent as a form of penance and remembrance of Christ’s sacrifice on Good Friday another UF freshman took it a step further.  a 19-year-old UF finance and English freshman gave up meat for Lent as a way to physically discipline herself But she made a brief exception during spring break.  “My parents’ love language is to give me food,” she said I think having strong bonds with your parents help you understand who God is more and more.” Nguyen said she’s focusing on her emotional mental and spiritual health by journaling and praying the rosary Nguyen said she’s started to feel more connected to her faith not just through formal prayer but by building a more personal relationship with God While some students have given up food or social media others are letting go of habits that shape their daily rhythm like music realized she was listening to music constantly during her commute while studying and in nearly every quiet moment in between Without her usual Christian country and acoustic playlists to fill the silence she said she found herself annoyed by the quiet she said the absence created space for something else: morning prayers check-in calls with her mom and moments of reflection “It gives me so much life just going into the day,” she said but it was keeping me from fully using my time.” said she used to give up small things like cookies as a kid she’s begun choosing sacrifices that feel more meaningful has helped her reflect more deeply on the meaning of Lent “Jesus went to the desert for 40 days before his crucifixion and fasted,” she said “We give something up to grow closer to God Contact Sabrina Castro at scastro@alligator.org Follow her on X @sabs_wurld.    Sabrina Castro is a senior journalism student and Spring 2025 Avenue reporter When she's not off chasing the latest trend story you can find her scrolling TikTok or searching local thrift stores for vintage gems Spring is around the corner, which means the return of the Christian season of Lent Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the 40-day period in which Christians worldwide observe a period of reflection, prayer and penance. Lent ends with Holy Week and Easter Sunday, an important day in the Christian calendar that honors the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ after his crucifixion on the cross, per BBC Unlike other Christian holidays, which are celebrated on the same date every year – such as Christmas – Easter and the entire Lenten season are based on the lunar cycles of the Hebrew calendar Ash Wednesday will take place on Wednesday Ash Wednesday – also known as the Day of Ashes – is a day of repentance and fasting, when Christians, especially Catholics, confess their sins and profess their devotion to God. For Roman Catholics specifically, Ash Wednesday is the start of the 46-day season of Lent Lent is the 46-day liturgical season that precedes the holiday of Easter When does Lent end?Lent ends on Holy Thursday with a Mass representing Jesus' last supper a holy day for Christians that commemorates Jesus' crucifixion Easter Sunday will be observed on April 20 The date is different every year and falls on the first Sunday of the first full moon after the vernal equinox Passover begins on the evening of Saturday The Seder feast is held the first two nights of Passover and will be April 12-13 this year Many Georgians will be seen with ashes on their foreheads next week one of the biggest holiday seasons on a church's calendar Lent is defined by Britannica as a "period of penitential preparation." It is generally a time of prayer and charitable giving which lasts 40 days to reflect the story of Jesus Christ's 40 days in the wilderness Say goodbye: These Georgia Joann locations will be shut down permanently when pastors bless congregants' by marking their forehead with ashes The season of Lent ends with Easter Sunday Easter always falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the first Spring Equinox (which usually falls around March 20) How is Lent celebrated?While the season may look different depending on your denomination Lent is predominantly characterized by not eating meat every Friday as well as Ash Wednesday Fasting on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday (the Friday before Easter) is also popular Many also give up something they love throughout the season. While this may also look different from person to person, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta says it should be "some form of self-denial." But many religious leaders encourage their congregants to do more than what's typical to help those in need and to really consider the messages of this season The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops says some people are excused entirely from these practices including those that are physically or mentally ill as well as pregnant and nursing women Lent is celebrated in some form by many Christian denominations like Catholics some don't celebrate it at all including most Baptists and non-denominational Christians Miguel Legoas is a Deep South Connect Team Reporter for Gannett/USA Today. Find him on X and Instagram @miguelegoas and email at mlegoas@gannett.com but it’s not on the radar of most Americans A traditional 40-day window of fasting before Easter, Lent is observed by around a quarter of U.S. adults, according to a Lifeway Research study Three in 4 Americans (74%) say they do not typically observe Lent Beginning on Ash Wednesday and ending during Holy Week Lent serves as a time of preparation for the Easter celebration in many Christian traditions The practice often involves the spiritual discipline of fasting The 26% who currently say they observe Lent is statistically unchanged from the 24% who said the same in a 2016 Lifeway Research study Catholics (59%) and Hispanics (39%) are among the most likely to say they participate in Lent Those who rarely or never attend a religious service are the most likely to ignore Lent (89%) “Those who are not followers of Jesus Christ have little incentive to follow His example of fasting in the wilderness for 40 days,” said Scott McConnell nothing prevents non-Christians from participating in Lent as they do in other cultural trends that call for refraining from an activity such as Dry January or No Shave November.” Among the quarter of Americans who typically observe Lent Asked about seven possible means of participation the average Lent practitioner involves at least two methods of observing the season Half of those who participate in Lent say they fast from a favorite food or beverage (50%) or attend church services during the season (49%) More than a third say they fast from a bad habit (37%) Around a quarter say they fast from a favorite activity (25%) or read Lenten Bible verses or devotions (22%) observing Lent doesn’t include any of the seven options More than 3 in 5 Americans who observe Lent (62%) say they typically include at least one of the three fasting options during the season before Easter “Fasting is on the Christian liturgical calendar not unlike the Jewish Yom Kippur and Muslim Ramadan,” said McConnell self-denial does not earn someone heavenly favor but redirects the believer’s thoughts and priorities toward the one they proclaim as their Lord Catholics are more likely than Protestants to say fasting from a favorite food or beverage is part of their practice during Lent (55% v are among the most likely to fast from those favorites those who attend church services more than once a week are more likely than those who attend about once a week to say they fast from favorite activities during the season (35% v are the least likely to say they fast from a bad habit during Lent (19%) Those who already regularly attend church likely incorporate that into their observance Lent observers who attend church services more than once a week (55%) and about once a week (61%) are more likely than those who rarely or never attend (31%) to say they typically attend church services as part of their participation in the season adults 65 and older (60%) and those in the South (55%) are among the most likely to include church attendance in their Lenten practice Young adults aged 18-29 (50%) and African Americans (59%) are among the most likely to say their observance of Lent includes giving to others those who attend more than once a week are more likely to do so than those who attend once or twice a month at most (49% v African Americans (54%) as well as those in the Northeast (47%) and South (42%) are among the most likely to include additional prayer during Lent Those who attend church services more than once a week (43%) and about once a week (38%) are also more likely than those who rarely or never attend (23%) to say they’re praying more in this season before Easter Reading Lenten Bible verses or devotions is more popular among African Americans (41%) and among women compared to men (28% v While Catholics are more likely than Protestants to observe Lent Protestant practitioners are more likely to say they read specific seasonal Bible verses or devotions (35% v those who strongly agree with four key theological doctrines are more likely than those without such beliefs to say they include these Bible readings as part of their observing the season (35% v Those who rarely or never attend church services are the least likely to say their season of Lent includes reading Lenten Bible verses or devotions (6%) “For Christians attending non-liturgical churches they may not even notice the season of Lent has arrived It is not that they look down on the practices of fasting they may be exchanging additional time with God for other forms of self-denial,” said McConnell For more information, view the complete report and visit LifewayResearch.com The online survey of 1,200 Americans was conducted Aug Quotas and slight weights were used to balance gender religion and evangelical beliefs to more accurately reflect the population The sample includes an over-sample of Americans with evangelical beliefs providing additional reliability for breakouts of this group Totals for all Americans reduce these responses to their correct proportion through weighting The sample provides 95% confidence that the sampling error from the panel does not exceed plus or minus 3.3% This margin of error accounts for the effect of weighting Christians are those with a religious preference of Catholic, Protestant, non-denominational Christian or Orthodox. Evangelical beliefsare defined using the National Association of Evangelicals Lifeway Research Evangelical Beliefs Research Definition based on respondent beliefs Respondents are asked their level of agreement with four statements using a four-point forced-choice scale (strongly agree, somewhat agree Those who strongly agree with all four statements are categorized as having evangelical beliefs: Aaron Earls is a writer for LifeWay Christian Resources © 2025 Southern Baptist Convention. Site by Mere so begins the solemn period of Lent observed in many Christian circles and denominations or the day of Jesus' resurrection according to Christian beliefs Lent is an important time for many Christians Here's everything you need to know about Lent For Catholics and others who celebrate Lent the period of fasting starts on Ash Wednesday and ends on Maundy Thursday some Christian denominations end the Lent season on Holy Saturday Lent is a period of fasting observed by Christians during which time they often give up luxuries in their life in the days leading up to Easter For Catholics, Lent comes with specific fasting instructions Catholics fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday meaning eating one full meal and two smaller meals that don't add up to a full meal together they are considered a different category of animal by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Ash Wednesday is the first day of the Lent season According to Catholic tradition, Ash Wednesday is a day of fasting and prayer. Catholics also take the time to receive ash on their foreheads, a sign of repentance in fact many other Christian denominations observe Lent albeit in different ways and with different traditions Many Christians whose church doesn't formally recognize Lent take it upon themselves to commit to fasting in some form during the period This often comes in the form of giving up soda What you choose to give up or place limits on during your Lenten fast is personal but Hallow.com has some ideas if you need help: For those staying strong in their Lent fasting Millions of Christians around the world are observing the weeks-long spring tradition which is practiced in honor of Jesus Christ's resurrection on Easter Sunday 'This discharge gives us joy and hope': Pope Francis, 88, is back at the Vatican Easter is one of the most anticipated holidays of the year, marked by a season of religious observances In addition to not eating meat on Fridays during Lent many observers also choose to give up something for 40 days This kind of fasting during Lent represents the fasting Jesus did while in the desert When is Palm Sunday 2025?Palm Sunday is April 13 Lent always begins on Ash Wednesday We are a global communion of churches in the Lutheran tradition country programs and partner organizations to promote justice reconciliation and dignity for individuals and communities LWF membership represents over 78 million Christians in the Lutheran tradition in 99 countries across the globe as well as ten recognized churches and congregations We strive to put our faith into action within and beyond the communion and seek God’s Word and Spirit to guide us Your partnership truly makes a difference.Together a better world is possible.With Passion for the Church and for the World Lent is a season for Lutherans across the globe to affirm their faith identity and reflect on their diverse opportunities and challenges in society Lent can be understood as “an invitation to draw closer to Christ through intentional spiritual practices while at the same time responding to Christ’s love through compassionate action for others.” Photo: LWF/Albin Hillert is a time during which Christians remember Jesus' suffering: his condemnation as many believers use the time for reflection and prayer The season of Lent is marked in many ways in the Lutheran communion The Lutheran Church in Singapore (LCS) and the Lutheran Community Care Services (LCCS) have issued a publication titled “Living the Lenten Gospels” in English and Chinese It invites believers on a journey of “subdued rejoicing” with seven Biblical reflections “Lent meditations on Christ's sufferings should not only be for own church benefits but for the oppressed broken and suffering people in our community,” said Rev Joining hands with the LCCS and inviting congregants to fast and give to others instead makes that connection concrete Restorative practices are at the heart of LCCS’ work and communities to break the hurt cycle and build a thriving society where everyone feels valued LWF partner Canadian Lutheran World Relief (CLWR) issued an invitation for “A Lenten Journey of Reflection Nature and Faith – and reflects on how these issues shape our lives we will consider how God calls us to respond with justice The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s (ELCA) grassroots movement promoting care for creation, Lutherans Restoring Creation, has developed a Lenten Carbon Fast Calendar a Bible verse combined with an action challenges people “to fast from the ways we pollute the world rather than a fast from sweets.” Three weeks each have a special focus on energy use and using water and other resources carefully “May doing so draw you closer to God and God’s beautiful Creation!” the campaign's initiators say Many churches in Western and Eastern Europe have a rich musical tradition Music proclaiming the Gospel and performed during church services or concerts attracts people beyond church borders Johann Sebastian Bach is probably one of the most famous Protestant composers of church music in Germany and internationally His St John Passion and St Matthew Passion which provide an in-depth mediation on Jesus' suffering and death Church choirs rehearse for weeks and months for this occasion Lent meditations on Christ's sufferings should not only be for own church benefits but for the oppressed One of the performances of Bach’s St John Passion takes place in the Frauenkirche Dresden This church is a powerful monument for peace reminding its visitors that peace and reconciliation between former enemies are not utopian dreams In her letter to member churches Lent can be understood as “an invitation to draw closer to Christ through intentional spiritual practices while at the same time responding to Christ’s love through compassionate action  Chemin du Pavillon 2,1218 Le Grand Saconnex [email protected]+41 (0)22 791 60 00 whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine Pope Francis invites Christians to reflect on their spiritual journey by identifying with the hardships of migrants fostering compassion and embracing hope in God's promise of eternal life A man receives ashes during Pope Francis' Ash Wednesday Mass at the Basilica of Santa Sabina in Rome Feb VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis urged Christians to examine their consciences in Lent by comparing their daily lives to the hardships faced by migrants calling it a way to grow in empathy and discover God's call to compassion "It would be a good Lenten exercise for us to compare our daily life with that of some migrant or foreigner to learn how to sympathize with their experiences and in this way discover what God is asking of us so that we can better advance on our journey to the house of the Father," the pope wrote in his message for Lent 2025 Reflecting on the theme "Let us journey together in hope," the pope said that Lent is a time to confront both personal and collective struggles with faith and compassion Comparing the Lenten journey to the Israelites' exodus from slavery in Egypt he recalled "our brothers and sisters who in our own day are fleeing situations of misery and violence in search of a better life for themselves and their loved ones." "A first call to conversion thus comes from the realization that all of us are pilgrims in this life," he wrote either immobilized by fear and hopelessness or reluctant to move out of my comfort zone?" Pope Francis also emphasized the importance of journeying together saying Christians are called to walk "side by side without letting anyone be left behind or excluded." should reflect on whether they are open to others or focused only on their own needs The pope called on Christians to journey together in hope toward Easter living out the central message of the Jubilee Year: "Hope does not disappoint." is to embrace hope and trust in God's promise of eternal life made possible through Christ's resurrection Pope Francis encouraged Christians to consider whether they truly live in a way that reflects hope seeking forgiveness and committing themselves to justice and the faith and great hope of Christians rests in this: the resurrection of Christ!" Catholic News Service has been providing complete in-depth coverage of the popes and the Vatican for more than 70 years faithful and informed connection to the Holy See Cardinal Gugerotti urged electors to draw on Eastern Christian humility and let the Spirit A Rome tailor is hoping the new pope will appear on the balcony of St Peter's Basilica wearing a cassock he sewed himself Cardinal Fernández said contempt for the poor can be masked in refined language and warns against false meritocracy that distorts.. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB’s) mission is to encounter the mercy of Christ and to accompany His people with joy ©2025 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Made possible by funding from  Mardi Gras is a weeks-long celebration that leads up to Fat Tuesday, also referred to as Shrove Tuesday, falls on the day before Ash Wednesday Fat Tuesday is often regarded as the final day of celebration prior to Easter preparations Fat Tuesday 2025 is on Tuesday, March 4, marking the end of the pre-Lenten season Historically, on Fat Tuesday, the custom is to use all the fats in the home before Lent in preparation for fasting and abstinence The day after Fat Tuesday is known as Ash Wednesday Ash Wednesday marks the first day of Lent, signifying the beginning of the six weeks of penitence that take place before Easter Lent is a religious observance within Christianity that commemorates the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert while enduring temptation by Satan Within Christian denominations, those participating in Lent fast and abstain from meat give alms and engage in other acts of penitence over a 40-day period When does Lent 2025 end? What is Holy Thursday?Lent ends on Holy Thursday, which is a holy day that commemorates Jesus' Last Supper and takes place on the Thursday before Easter Sunday Lent will conclude on Holy Thursday on Thursday The day after Holy Thursday marks Good Friday altars are stripped and various items are removed on Holy Thursday in preparation for Good Friday Good Friday is a Christian holy day dedicated to observing the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary Good Friday takes place on the day before Easter and some denominations observe the holy day by fasting is a Christian holiday that commemorates the resurrection of Jesus from the dead which is described in the New Testament as occurring on the third day of his burial Religious observances and customs on this day include sunrise services exchanging Paschal greetings and flowering the cross Other Easter celebrations include egg decorating wearing new clothes and engaging in family gatherings Presley Bo Tyler is a reporter for the Louisiana Deep South Connect Team for Gannett/USA Today Find her on X @PresleyTyler02 and email at PTyler@Gannett.com Christians will celebrate Ash Wednesday is tomorrow also marking the beginning of the 40-day Lenten season Christians have observed Lent all across the globe for more than 1,000 years. The first season of fasting and prayer was established in 601 AD by Pope Gregory, according to the Museum of the Bible Christians observe Lent for 40 days to represent the time Jesus spent fasting and praying in the desert before starting his public ministry, according to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Similar to the length of the period, Christians fast during Lent to represent Jesus' time in the desert, according to the USCCB Many abstain from a form of indulgence throughout the season Prayer and almsgiving are also important parts of the Lenten season More: Church and other nonprofit fish fries in the Milwaukee area during Lent in 2025 More: How is Easter's date determined? What to know about the 2025 season in Wisconsin Posted on March 18, 2025 in: Lent and a thousand years are like a day” (2 Pt 3:8) Peter affirms that God's perspective on time is holistic and all-encompassing God sees and acts within the entire scope of time at once then God sees my entire life as one event – what does He see The Church teaches that Lent is a time for Christians to engage in deeper reflection on their faith to repent from sin and to renew their commitment to God The Lenten season is also a time for catechumens—those preparing for baptism—to undergo a period of spiritual preparation culminating in their initiation into the Church at the Easter Vigil Lent is not merely a time of personal reflection; it is also a communal journey for the Church The liturgical practices during this season including the imposition of ashes on Ash Wednesday serve as a reminder of our human mortality and the need for repentance.  The entire Lenten liturgy then is designed to prepare the faithful for the celebration of the Paschal Mystery—the passion I made a “General Confession.” St Ignatius of Loyola refers to the practice of making a whole life confession as a “General Confession.” He wrote of this in his work The Spiritual Exercises; it involves a comprehensive examination of one's life reflecting not only on the sins committed since the last confession but sins committed over one's entire life yet eye-opening and cathartic experience.  My confession lasted for about a half hour I was in a sense viewing my entire life as God sees it—all in one glimpse Not only were some things difficult for me to contemplate and relate to the priest but more disturbing was the thought of how God viewed them the  great consolation of having bared my life to the priest What was truly astounding was the way in which my sins formed a pattern It was almost as if all I really needed to do in my life was just to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation only once and then play it back every time I went to confession By viewing this “panorama” of my life I came to see myself as I really am I have tried as best as I could to renew my commitment to God I returned to God through the sacrament of reconciliation and sincerely tried to repent and sin no more.  but I have always given it my “best shot.” As humans perhaps that is all we can do—and God sees that NorwichDiocese.org/Lent Read More Read More Read More Read More ACA DONATE In Best of the Week If you’re the kind of person who realizes it’s Ash Wednesday midway through your first sip of a latte this episode of The Inner Life with Patrick Conley is for you Marcel Taillon to help us get our Lenten game plan in order before we’re scrambling for a last-minute sacrifice Catch the entire podcast here Lent: A 40-Day Spiritual Retreat for Everyone ⏳💜 Taillon reminds us why we even have Lent in the first place Everyone’s Lent will look different because we’re all in different places in our spiritual journeys -Some people give up food or habits (bye-bye -Some add acts of charity and extra prayer not just an excuse for a diet or productivity hack Father shares some wisdom on how to pick the right sacrifice: Don’t just pick something random… pray about it Taillon prefers sacrifices that bug him throughout the day Some Lenten sacrifices turn into permanent changes Caller John from Illinois asks a great question: How do we know if our Lenten sacrifice is pleasing to God If your sacrifice is done in humility and sincerity or spiritual reading can transform your Lent Loving God is crucial but so is loving your neighbor or writing a thoughtful note can be just as Lenten as fasting Jennifer from Austin shares her Lenten journey: Eight years ago she started going to daily Mass once a week for Lent… and never stopped Don’t wait until Ash Wednesday morning to figure out your Lenten plan Plus, there’s still time to sign up for Lenten Lessons on the Sacraments with Fr Rocky: a brand-new FREE video series starting Ash Wednesday The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here Subscribe: RSS Relevant Radio is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization millions of Catholics and members of some other Christian denominations around the world will observe Lent self-denial and giving that leads up to Easter the day the faithful believe that Jesus Christ was resurrected following his execution by the Romans Lent is one of the five seasons on the Catholic liturgical calendar, along with Advent, Christmas, Easter, and Ordinary Time The season begins with Ash Wednesday and continues through Holy Week the seven days that end with Easter Sunday Ash Wednesday kicks off the Lent season which prepares for Easter with six weeks of repentance and closeness to God It comes after Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras a time for one last round of celebration before Lent begins Catholics and other denominations of Christian faith observe Ash Wednesday with prayer and fasting to put themselves in the place of Jesus who spent 40 days fasting in the desert and refusing temptations from Satan before he began his public ministry Priests and other religious leaders will place ashes on observers' foreheads in the shape of a cross to mark them as sinners seeking renewal with God, according to the Catholic app Hallow It is a symbolic turning of one's heart towards God recognizing the brokenness that exists and the need for salvation Members of the Catholic Church ages 18 to 59 are required to observe Lent and fast on Ash Wednesday "During Lent, we are asked to devote ourselves to seeking the Lord in prayer and reading Scripture, to service by giving alms, and to practice self-control through fasting," said the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Lent is a 40-day season that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends at sundown on Holy Thursday the week before Easter although some denominations continue it until Holy Saturday Observers are asked to honor obligatory fasting days and practice self-discipline before the celebration of Easter Fasting and abstinence are obligatory on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday Observers must abstain from eating meat on the other Fridays during Lent or two smaller ones if they don't add up to a full meal Lenten observations may also include daily devotionals or using a Lenten calendar for prayers 14 images depicting events of Jesus' life on the day of his crucifixion that people can walk along and contemplate 2025 (Ash Wednesday) and ends at sundown on Thursday Dates may differ depending on what calendar a church is using and how they determine the date of Easter This year, Lent will overlap the Islamic observation of Ramadan giving to the needy and asking for forgiveness for sins Ash Wednesday through the Saturday before Easter (Holy Saturday) is 46 days "It might be more accurate to say that there is the 'forty day fast within Lent,'" the USCCB said The four Sundays within Lent are part of the season but are not prescribed days of fast and abstinence Many people choose to abstain from other pleasures for the entire duration of Lent as penitence and as a way to sacrifice something meaningful to help them get closer to God Traditionally it has been luxurious foods like candy or chocolate but it has come to be anything that would be a significant sacrifice for the person to help them contemplate the meaning and origin of the Lenten season Many churches or denominations will add an annual theme to their Lenten observances to provide focus and guide their congregations as they contemplate their lives and changes they could make Check with your church to see what they have planned The theme for Lent 2025 in the Church of England is "Living Hope." Other themes used by different churches include "Bread of Life," "Take Heart," "Into the Deep" and more When is Easter 2025?Easter this year will be on Sunday CANTON − Lent, the 40-day period in Christianity leading up to Easter is the one tradition that the world's more than 45,000 Christian denominations have in common Using ashes to mark the foreheads of believers is widely embraced as a visible reminder of one's mortality "Lent is about intentionality," said the Rev co-pastor at the historic Christ Presbyterian Church in downtown Canton Lent is a way of marking time that reminds us that we are finite Lent is intentionally focusing on what we don't want to focus on such that we might be reminded we aren't God The use of ashes as a sign of mourning is found in the Torah we walk around pretending we'll go on forever; this partly explains our cultural priorities of overworking reminding us that we are not what we produce existing purely because of the grace of God The Ash Wednesday liturgy of 'You are dust and to dust you shall return' reminds us that death is inevitable It tells us that our hope isn't in ourselves; it is in the God and who loves us even when we miss the point." "Lent is to the resurrection of Christ what Advent is to Christmas and the birth of Christ," he said meditation and preparation for the death of Jesus McCants said Lent also should encompass self-evaluation as well as the acknowledgement that "we are born to die." "It helps us to develop a positive attitude toward it." He added that the acts of self-denial during Lent are a tangible remembrance of Christ's sacrifice The Very Rev. Nicholas Halkias, pastor of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church said Lent is based on Jesus' 40-day fast in the wilderness prior to the start of his earthly mission fasts for 40 days to bring in these days with the proper spirit in their lives," he said Halkias added that the origins of what his church calls "Great Lent" go back to the first days of Christianity "Although the amounts of time have differed that Christians would set aside to prepare their minds hearts and souls for the celebrations of these blessed events," he said "By the time the fourth century rolled around For the world's 300 million Orthodox Christians the Lenten observance differs somewhat from that of Protestantism and Catholicism "The Orthodox differs from most in that a heavy emphasis on fasting for 40 days is recommended," Halkias said "A further distinction from other faiths is that those 40 days of fasting don't lead us to the resurrection; they lead us to Palm Sunday and Holy Week leads us to the incredible celebration of the Lord's resurrection from the death." Pastor: Use Lent for introspectionA second distinction is terminology to describe Christ's resurrection in Orthodoxy refer to the Lord's resurrection from the death as 'Easter,'" Halkias said "It is called 'Pascha,' which means 'passover.' It is not the old Passover where lamb's blood over your door caused the Angel of Death to pass over your house where the life-giving blood of the Lamb and Son of God has allowed for all people to be freed from sin Halkias urges all Christians to use Lent for more introspection "We should focus a bit more on what we need to do to become more like Christ in our daily thoughts "A healthy extra dose of prayer to accompany our fasting is strongly encouraged and we should be doing more at this time to help others that need it." Reach Charita at 330-580-8313 or charita.goshay@cantonrep.com On Twitter: @cgoshayREP.