February 14 – Ash Wednesday
Readings: Jl 2:12-18, Ps 51:3-4, 5-6ab, 12-13, 14 and 17, 2 Cor 5:20—6:2, Mt 6:1-6, 16-18

Invitation to Prayer: Come, let us worship Christ the Lord, who for our sake endured temptation and suffering.

Reflection: It seems each day we are faced with various forms of hypocrisy; seeing and hearing examples of fraudulent behavior. The word hypocrite comes from a Greek word referring to a mask that actors wear to depict their character: the actor, the orator, the person living in a world of pretense.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus condemns those who give alms, pray and fast for the wrong reasons. Their works are not done out of charity and a desire to help, but out of an attempt to win the praise of others. They babble prayers to make others think they are holy and when they fast, they make sure that their appearance is a false picture of gloom and struggle. Almsgiving, prayer and fasting are the right actions when they are authentically offered. They are empty works that cannot benefit others when they are just an act; just an attempt to show what we think people want to see or hear. When we wear a mask of righteousness, it is clearly visible and we are only fooling ourselves. We become blinded to the Truth, losing sight of who we are and of where we need to make changes. That hypocritical pretense does not benefit ourselves or others.

Lent is an important time for regaining authentic self-knowledge so that we can grow in virtue. Our weaknesses and failures, when honestly faced, will become a source of strength and blessing for others. As we begin our Lenten season, this is the time to take off the masks and allow true acts of charity and holiness take hold of us and radiantly shine forth.

For the next forty days and forty nights, and each day thereafter, we can reflect on who we really are. As we stand before the face of God, what does He see? In the mercy that only God can provide, we should have no fear to honestly look within ourselves, remove any masks of hypocrisy and surrender fully to His will. God bless.

Prayer: Lord, protect us in our struggle against evil. Let Your love be seen through our sincere works and words.

Closing: Today, and each day during the season of Lent, may we abstain from what is false and from what we do not really need, striving to help our brothers and sisters in distress. May we bear the wounds of Jesus, for through His body he gave us life.

Deacon Ed Bayliss is assigned to the St. Gregory the Great family of parishes: Immaculate Heart of Mary, St. John Fisher and Guardian Angels. He is the Business Manager and serves as deacon at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter in Chains. He and wife Kim live in New Richmond.

February 15 – Thursday After Ash Wednesday
Readings: Dt. 30:15-20, Ps. 1:1-4 and 6, Lk. 9:22-25

Invitation to Prayer: Heavenly Father, as we enter into this Lenten Season, help us to know You and follow You. Prepare our hearts for this penitential season, help us Lord to draw near to you.

Reflection: Today’s readings certainly set the tone for Lent as a penitential season. “Today I have set before you – life and prosperity, death, and doom. The first reading shares that we need to follow Christ in order to obtain life and that we will be separated for eternity if we don’t follow God’s commands. It is our choices, our sins…that lead to the separation of man from God for eternity. But, God’s mercy is endless and His desire for us is eternal life. So, let’s prepare our hearts well to receive His mercy and frequent the sacrament of confession.

The line in the Gospel for today that struck me was, “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” We are invited to carry our own crosses and unite that suffering, struggle, and pain with that of Christ on the cross. I have experienced suffering in life both alone and uniting my suffering with Christ. When I lean on my own strength to carry myself through the suffering, I experience discouragement and loneliness. But, when I rely on Christ to carry me through pain and suffering, I feel emboldened and can persevere with a strength that is beyond my own capacity, because if is God working within me. Turn to the Lord in the midst of suffering and He will take on your load and help you to carry that cross.

Prayer: Lord, you are always with us. Help us to turn to You, to spend time with You. Throughout this Lenten Season, Lord, help us to commit to spending time with You daily, so that we can unite our crosses with Yours.

Closing: How will you begin this Lenten season? I want enter into this Lent, by spending time praying daily, listening to the Word of God, ridding myself of attachments to sin and worldly pleasures. I invite you to do the same. Let’s set aside additional time every day to spend in prayer.

Andrea Patch is the Eastern Regional Director for NET Ministries. We challenge young Catholics, through relational ministry, to follow Christ and embrace a life of community in the Church. Andrea is a wife and mother of 4 beautiful children. She enjoys sharing joy and laughter with everyone she meets.

February 16- Friday after Ash Wednesday
Readings: Is 58:1-9a, Ps 51:3-4, 5-6ab, 18-19, Mt 9:14-15

Invitation to Prayer: A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn (Ps 51:19b).

Reflection: I love fish! Giving up meat on Friday is no hardship for me if I get to eat seafood. It’s something I look forward to in Lent. Oh wait, I think I forgot what I was fasting for!

Isaiah gets right to the point in today’s first readings: I’m doing it all wrong. I may be putting on the appearance of sackcloth and ashes but I’m still carrying out “my own pursuits” (Is 58:3). I’m supposed to be raising my voice in a mighty shout to the Lord, but the din of my daily life and the things I desire are drowning out my voice. Isaiah tells us we need to do more.

Every spiritual journey begins with letting go of those things which are getting in the way of our relationship with the Lord. In other words, letting go of self. “He must increase, I must decrease” (Jn 3:30). What are the things, the possessions, the pursuits that get in our way? What are we putting more emphasis on than our relationship with the Lord? We need to let them go. Our sacrifice is a humbled and contrite heart. Start small, but keep working toward an emptying of self.

Still, Isaiah says we need to do more than just sit on our ash heap. We need to humble our hearts in other ways, like putting others first. To break through injustice, to feed the poor, to shelter the homeless, to not “turn our back on our own” (Is 58:7). How many people in our own community, our own parish, our own family, our own home need our help, our help to release them from their corporal and spiritual bonds? Our corporal and spiritual works of mercy bring God’s grace into the lives of others in concrete ways. When we can see and meet the needs of those around us, we will see and meet the Christ in others.

Then will our light shine brightly! Then will our prayers rise with a mighty shout to the Lord! When our journey is done, our fasting will be too! We can feast, because we will finally be with the Bridegroom (Mt 9:14)!

Prayer: Lord, this Lent please help us to see others as You see them, to love them as You love them.

Closing: As we seek to humble our hearts, to let go of self, let us fill ourselves with God’s grace.

Deacon Jesse Fanning serves the Kettering Catholic Community (NE-5) and assists the Archdiocese with the formation of aspirants to the permanent deaconate.

February 17 -Saturday after Ash Wednesday
Readings: Is 58:9b-14; PS 86:1-2, 3-4, 5-6; Lk 5:27-32

Invitation to Prayer: ”Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.” (Psalm 86:11)

Reflection: As I reflect upon today’s readings, I am compelled to think of our call to be imitators of Christ. There must have been something very special about Jesus. Not only did he “eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners,” but they were eager to be in his company. People of all walks of life were drawn to him and felt safe in his presence. He embraced people, even the marginalized, and truly recognized the image and likeness of God in his midst. Before he ever spoke of conversion or redemption, he took the time to acknowledge the dignity of those around him, and he further honored this unique human dignity through his statement “Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.”

Jesus never condoned sinful behavior, but he recognized the inherent worth of humanity and treated those he encountered with an outpouring of love. Even though he was the Son of God, he never presented himself as too good or too holy to show genuine love and compassion to the saint and the sinner alike. As imitators of Christ, we are called to “go forth and do likewise.” We are compelled, through the Gospel, to be an outpouring of love into our communities. It is only through the love of Christ that hearts can be changed and lives can be healed.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we thank you for sending us your gift of love, Jesus. We ask you to strengthen us as we grow to be better imitators of Christ. Reveal to us your unconditional love and ignite in us a desire to share that love through our encounters with others. As we enter in to this Lenten season, help us to strip away the residue of hatred that dwells in our hearts, so that we can see the face of Christ in everyone that we meet. Amen.

Closing: During this Lenten season, as we strive to turn away from our own sinful habits, we must ask ourselves an important question- How do we treat the “tax collectors and sinners” in our own community? Do we show the love of Christ to those around us, or do we lean into judgement? How can we become better imitators of Christ through our interaction with the people in our community whose dignity is often ignored?

Noelle Collis-DeVito works in Campus Ministry at the University of Dayton where she is completing her Master’s Degree in Pastoral Ministry with a Certificate in Disability and Ministry. She serves on the Council on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities for the National Catholic Partnership on Disability.

February 18: First Sunday of Lent
Readings: Gn 9:8-15, Ps 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9, 1 Pt 3:18-22, Mk 1:12-15

Introduction: Repent and believe in the gospel.

Reflection: We have just entered Lent and I am prepared for the worst. I’ve carefully considered what sacrifice I can make, what improvements in my prayer life I can commit to, and shored up my defenses against any temptations that may lead me astray. But, surely there can be an exception for my birthday, a regular victim of Lenten timing? Surely there is some “cheat day” I can take advantage of to satisfy my sweet tooth for the next week or so. Or perhaps some other alternative food that doesn’t classify as a “sweet” but is, right?

Wrong.

Lent isn’t a game or challenge for me to just “get through”. The purpose of Lent is not just spending 40 days gritting my teeth in agony. As you probably know, it is our time to spend 40 days out in the desert with Jesus. We are preparing ourselves, cleansing ourselves of attachments or unhealthy habits that prevent us participating in the covenant God made to us. It is a time to grit our teeth in concentration to truly pray and be servants to others. And when we come out the other side, it’s as a better person who is closer to God.

So let’s take time this Lent to review our lives and habits. What sacrifice can you make that you want to give up for good? Where are you lacking in your prayer life and how can you build it up? These are practices we can carry on for the rest of our lives, not just in the season of Lent. Let’s scrub ourselves clean and aim not just to endure these 40 days, but to thrive in both body and spirit as we await the coming of our Lord.

Prayer: Compassionate and ever-loving God, help me this Lent to deepen my relationship with You so that I may realize the glory and redeeming power of Your covenant with us.

Closing: What are you Lenten plans? Are you challenging yourself? Rethink how you Lenten promises can, or cannot, help you grow closer to God.

Jillian Foster is Regional Director in the Catholic Social Action Office. She loves learning about other countries and their cultures and hopes to travel more to experience those herself.

February 19 –  Monday of the First Week of Lent
Readings: Leviticus 19:1-2, 11-18 |Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 15 | Matthew 25:31-46

Invitation to Prayer: “Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2b

Reflection: When we listen to these readings at first, my students tend to look at it with a legislative mindset. Do this. Don’t do that. Be this. Don’t be that. That’s how you have a relationship with the incarnate God. You follow rules and don’t question. He is someone that you
simply have to follow His rules to be in relationship with, and if we’re honest with ourselves we fall in to this trap as well.

“You shall not lie..”
“ You shall not defraud or rob your neighbor”
“You shall not act dishonestly in rendering judgement.”
“You shall not bear hatred for your bother in your heart”

We can choose to see these “you shall nots” and think of it as a bunch of rules, or we canacknowledge that we’re being prepared and guided towards the other. Relationships are salvific.

They test and purify us like fire tests and purifies gold. These relationships that we often can be indifferent towards, are far more precious than mere gold. (1 Peter 1:7) So the other is a part of our salvation. In fact, in the gospel we see Christ say “Whatever you have done to the very least of my brothers, you have done to me… And these will go off to eternal punishment..”

There’s no budge in the words of Christ here. We have to be involved in the lives of the people around us. Your spouse, your children, your friends, your coworkers. We are owed to one another, and we are responsible for one another.

My intention is not to downplay the Corporal Works of Mercy. They are crucial and should be practiced at every possible opportunity. My students tend to think that they are out of reach for them in their current stage of life, and so I encourage them to seek the “least’ of Christ’s brothers in the hallways, and simply be with them.

Where in our own lives can we find the “least” and be the gaze of Christ in that persons life? I encourage you to look at work, on your commute, at home, once you find the face of Christ in need, act.

When the Apostles encountered Christ, it was his gaze that made them answer. It’s fairly easy for us to imagine seeing that gaze on the face of John the Apostle. It’s probably what made the likes of Luke, Ireneaus, Polycarp and countless others leave their lives and join the early Church.

Christ is more than giving something up that is challenging, for Lent. Christ is relational, and we see it in how he calls us to be towards one another. Christ is calling us to answer his gaze.

Prayer: “Be holy, for I, the LORD, your God, am holy”

Closing: “Convert us, O God our Savior, and instruct our minds by heavenly teaching, that we
may benefit from the works of Lent”

Alex Rodriguez is a Theology teacher and the Director of Community Outreach at Roger Bacon High School. Alex is married to his better half, Moira and they are parents to their lovely 6 month old Henry Aquila.

February 20 – Tuesday of the First Week of Lent
Readings: Is 55:10-11, PS 34:4-5, 6-7, 16-17, 18-19, Mt 6:7-15

Invitation to Prayer: “thy Kingdom come, thy will be done”

Reflection: In today’s Gospel, Jesus instructs us how to pray: The Our Father.

I often say this prayer without thinking about the meaning. I say during Mass, during reciting the rosary, so many other times in life. It’s a direct call to me that I sometimes I ignore.

In difficult times I will say the prayer but my heart wants my will instead of the Lord’s will. Going on a job interview you really want and you pray, and when the job passes you over, you’re hit with disappointment and some anger: my will wasn’t done. As time passes you realize perhaps that job wasn’t the best for you. I’m not saying the Lord is the grand HR department, nonetheless our journey is filled with both highs and lows, and the standard is “thy will be done.”

Sometimes his will is a mystery for us. I take care of my aging mother with Alzheimer’s and frankly it’s a disease I do not understand. I struggle with “thy will” as it breaks my heart to see her suffer when she’s unable to recall the most basic of memories. It’s very easy for me to turn to despair instead of God’s gift of hope and wallow in “why me”. But I believe I was chosen for this part of her journey at times literally holding her hand as she held my hand was I was an infant, guiding her day to day as she guided me and letting the lord guide both of us.

This Lenten journey isn’t linear, it’s a journey of ups and downs. My prayer is to keep in mind “Thy kingdom come, They will be done.”

Prayer: Lord, help me to clear my mind of the noise of our busy lives and devote ourselves to your will.

Closing: Reach out to those around you and join their journey.

February 21 – Wednesday of the First Week of Lent
Readings: Jonah 3: 1 – 10; Psalm 51: 3 -4, 12 – 13, 18 – 19; Luke 11: 29 – 32

Invitation to Prayer: On this Wednesday of the First Week of Lent, we reflect on whether we, the sons and daughters of God will hear and respond to the voice of Jesus in the desert circumstances of our lives. Let not embrace the desert wasteland of our day. Let us seek with all of our heart, God’s love and mercy.

Reflection: In the Gospel Reading from Luke, we read, “The queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation, and she will condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and there is something greater than Solomon here.”

The Queen of Sheba traveled from Ethiopia to Jerusalem to hear the wisdom of Solomon and through this encounter, she began to worship the God of Israel. How far are we willing to travel to seek the wisdom of God? The distance that we must travel from the trials, hardships, disappointments, and the anxieties of our lives can seemingly be immense. The distance of travel from the sins that bind us, can seemingly be even further. But all is not lost! We, too, just like the Ninevites can rise again from the depths of sin and be restored to new life. Let us cling to the Rock that saves us! Let bow before the Healer of Healers who can make us whole.

Prayer: O Merciful and Loving Father, we profess and believe that there is no other God like You. As we look back over our days, You, O Lord have been ever-present to us, in the storms, trials and joys of life. In these days of Lent, O God, allow us to be open to your mighty hand, so that we may be led deeper into the paschal mystery of Your Son, and our Lord, for ever and ever. Amen.

Deacon Royce and his wife Rita Winters have been married for forty-seven years. Deacon Royce is the director of African American Pastoral Ministries for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. They are members of the Church of the Resurrection – Bond Hill

February  22 – Feast of the Chair of St. Peter, Apostle
Readings: 1 Pt 5:1-4, PS 23:1-3a, 4, 5, 6, Mt 16:13-19

Invitation to Prayer: And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. (Mt. 16:18)

Reflection: Our guide on the cog railway at Mt. Washington, New Hampshire, was apologizing. The weather was too nice at the peak and he was sorry about that. Say what?!! Apparently on many days there can be a significant change in the weather between a passenger’s boarding and stepping off at the end of the line. The weather change, particularly strong, stormy weather, is something people have come to expect.

Stepping off the railway one also has to be pretty careful, because the top of the mountain can be slippery from rain or snow – no matter how pleasant the weather is at the base of the mountain. You want to be sure-footed on top of a big rock, battered by uncertain storms.

Simon, who denied Jesus three times. Simon, who rebuked Jesus for saying he was going to die and be raised from the dead is the same Simon who knew exactly who Jesus was, the Son of God, and who knew there was no place else to go, because Jesus had the words of eternal life.

Jesus renamed him Peter and recognized that he was the rock on which to build His church.

In the first reading on this Feast of the Chair of St. Peter, Apostle, we get a glimpse of what Jesus may have seen in Simon Peter, the fisherman he had called from his nets. Peter, the apostle, has moved past the sea creatures that were once his focus to now offering humble, but strong, instruction as a fellow presbyter.

Peter strongly encourages his fellow presbyters to “tend the flock of God” – to do so “willingly, as God would have it” and “eagerly” and not by “constraint” or “for shameful profit” His last piece of advice in this passage is to remind them to “not lord it over those assigned to you, but be examples to the flock.”

Peter has undergone quite the transformation, but he remains the rock on which our church is built. He is not allowing the storms of profit or a wind sheer of added constraint to curtail the mission. Instead the strength of his wisdom and leadership provides us with a rock solid example of how to be true leaders in our faith – at work, in the community or at home. He calls us to be willing and eager. Be a rock where you are no matter the weather.

Prayer: Dear Chief Shepherd, I pray that you transform me, so that I am not tossed about by the winds of our times and that I willingly and eagerly serve you as a member of your flock worshipping in a church with the chair of Peter.

Closing: Find your voice as St. Peter did. Consider advocating on issues supported by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, such as on immigration and religious liberty. To get started call the Archdiocese’s Catholic Social Action Office.

Pam Long is the Director of Love in Action for the St. Stephen Family in the Hamilton area. She is active with parish religious education, RCIA and outreach, is the current chair of the Archdiocese’s Social Action Commission and co-leads the Catholic Relief Services Chapter and the Ohio CRS Coalition. She and her husband will celebrate 50 years of marriage this year, a union which joyfully gave them three children and three grandchildren.

February 23 – Friday of the First Week of Lent
Readings: Ez 18:21-28, Ps 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-7a, 7bc-8, Mt 5:20-26

Invitation: Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord (Ps: 130:1)

Reflection: When I read this Gospel, I think of the gifts of bread and wine, brought to the altar during offertory by the people. They are the “work of human hands” and represent the gifts of the assembly. This means that congregation doesn’t just offer God bread and wine at that moment in the Mass, they are called to place their gifts on the altar too. That could be their time, their money, or their skills, to help build up the Body of Christ. We selflessly place those gifts on the altar to be sanctified and transformed as well.

However, Jesus warns our offering is not truly pure if we have sinned against those in community. Whether it’s a parishioner, family member, co-worker, or friend, we are called to be reconciled before we approach the altar in offering. Reconciliation is a central theme in this penitential season of Lent. The way we treat people around us, who share in the image of God, effects how we also relate to Him. We cannot be in right relationship with God if we are not in right relationship with those around us.

Are we prepared to place our gift on the altar? Is the intention of the offering pure? Are we reconciled to the other members of Christ’s body? These are good questions as we prepare for Mass this Sunday. How we answer them and the actions we take may deepen our participation at the altar. Maybe its time again to visit our Lord in the sacrament of Confession and make right with your brother in Christ and in turn enter more deeply into a relationship with our Lord.

May we come to Easter Mysteries after this period of cleansing ready to receive our Lord in the Eucharist.

Prayer: Oh, good Jesus, help us to be aware to those around us we need to be reconciled with and offer us the grace to reunite with them in brotherly love.

Closing: Am I ready to place my gift on the altar? Who do I need to reach out to today in reconciliation?

Matt Hess is the Director of Ministry at the Maria Stein Shrine of the Holy Relics. He and his wife are expecting their first child right before Holy Week this year.

February 24 – Saturday of the First Week of Lent
Readings: Dt 26:16-19; Ps 119:1-2, 4-5, 7-8; Mt 5:43-48

Invitation to Prayer: “Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!”.

Reflection: I find today’s readings to be particularly challenging and convicting to the point of outright discouragement. We read in Deuteronomy that God has made a promise to be our God and we his people with all the benefits of being “raised high in praise and renown and glory above all other nations…and a people sacred to the Lord”. All we have to do is “walk in his ways and observe his statutes,
commandments and decrees, and to hearken to his voice”. Sure…no problem! Except one: we all appear to be in a constant state of breaking every law, rule, and commandment we have been asked to uphold. Why? We seem to live in a world that promotes individualism as the ideal where are expected to make it on our own; to do whatever we want if it doesn’t hurt anyone else and in the process we reject God. We go it on our own and do it our own way and then the need for God and his “impossible” demands seem irrelevant, overbearing and not worth the effort.

Then we are told in Matthew’s gospel that “love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father.” And to “…be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Seriously? I can’t do that. I’m not perfect. Never have been, never will be. How can Jesus demand such a thing? Amid this struggle and turmoil between the culture and our faith, I can only ask God: how can anyone be expected to be that perfect? Does he expect me to fail with such high and lofty standards?

I believe the answer is yes, he does. He knows I will fail if I try to love others as he loves us. It is truly through his commandments that we can love as we are called to love. The only way this is possible is with his help. Again, we are told by our culture that the ideal person is independent and makes it on their own. What our faith tells us is that true freedom and success come paradoxically from a total surrender to his will and plan for us, which includes following his laws and commandments.

My hope this Lent is that through our practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving, we will learn to surrender to our Lord and take a long look at how by turning away from ourselves and towards Him in love is the true path to freedom and happiness. It is only through surrender that we will be lead to the perfection we were made for.

Prayer: Lord, we thank You for loving us despite our many sins. We thank You for also calling us to share in the depths of Your love for others. Give us the eyes to see all people as You see them and to love them as You love them. Help us to surrender or will to yours so we may love You and others more. Amen

Closing: May we surrender ourselves in love to our Father who loves us, made us perfectly and wants us to return to him in perfection.

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.

February 25 -Second Sunday of Lent
Readings: Gn 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18; Ps 116:10, 15, 16-17, 18-19; Rom 8:31b-34; Mk 9:2-10

Invitation to Prayer: Jesus, I trust in you.

Reflection: In today’s readings we begin with the account of Abraham being asked to sacrifice his son, Isaac, on the mountain in Moriah. I too, have a son named Isaac. I can’t begin to imagine both the great fear, but more importantly, the great trust Abraham must have had in the Lord. Abraham came all that way and was ready to sacrifice his only son before the angel of the Lord stopped him, and blessed him for his faithfulness.

It makes me wonder, what am I withholding from the Lord? What am I not ready to trust him with? The angel says, because you did not withhold from me “your beloved son, I will bless you abundantly.” In the Psalm, the theme continues when we hear that even though “I am greatly afflicted… I offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving.” Paul then, in his letter to the Romans, reminds us “if God is for us, who can be against us.” What am I being called to trust the Lord with today? My vocation, my brokenness, my finances?

The apostles too struggled with trusting in the Lord’s plan. They wanted to stay on Mount Tabor and dwell in the glory of God. While this desire is good and even understandable, they needed to trust that the path to eternal glory was to come down that mountain and up another hill at Calvary. Sacrifice, trust, and blessing are intricately connected and through it all God’s generosity cannot be outdone!

Prayer: Dear Jesus, show me how to be generous just as you are generous. Help me to let go of my attachments so that I can be free to receive your blessings. Thank you in advance for your many blessings; those I see and those I don’t see.

Closing: As we move forward in this season of Lent, let us remember that the Lord’s generosity cannot be outdone for he has given us even his only Son. Perhaps we can make a small act of trust in God by giving something away today. Perhaps it’s a meal to the hungry, a visit to the lonely, or a gift of our income to the Catholic Ministries Appeal. Each are tangible ways of sacrificing our goods, trusting in God’s providence, and awaiting his blessings.

Matt Reinkemeyer is the Director of Leadership Giving in the Stewardship Department for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. You can regularly find him sharing about the good works of the Catholic Ministries Appeal and inviting people to be a part of it. He, his wife, and their five kids are part of the Mary, Queen of All Saints Family of Parishes in Delhi.

February 26 – Monday of the Second Week of Lent
Readings: Dn 9: 4b-10, Ps 79:8, 9, 11 and 13, Lk 6:36-38

Invitation to Prayer: Great is your mercy Lord!

Reflection: The reading from Deuteronomy today is an ideal one for Lent. It shows us what our attitude should be towards sin in our lives. Too often, we presume on God’s mercy. If we are not careful, we might simply try to excuse ourselves by saying, “He knows how weak I am. He understands.” And indeed He does. But precisely because of His mercy our loving response should not be one that excuses our sins and failings, but rather one that humbly admits them and repents. That shows that we truly love Him. I mean, suppose a friend or family member did something they knew hurt you over and over again. Would it be any comfort if they came to you each time and said, “You love me so much, I know you will understand and forgive me. I just can’t help myself – it’s too hard to stop.”

Instead, our attitude should be that of the reading from Deuteronomy. In fact, it may be useful to personalize that reading. Imagine yourself, as I will, saying this to Almighty God: “Gracious Lord, I have sinned, been wicked and done evil; I have rebelled and departed from your commandments and your laws. I have not obeyed your servants, the priests and bishops who spoke in your name. I am shamefaced at this; that I, as a member of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and a member of your Holy Catholic Church have rebelled against you. I humbly repent of my faults and sins and ask for the grace to turn from sin and love you more and more!”

Father Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalene in his book, Divine Intimacy, said if we truly want to reform our lives and begin the process of conversion we must “understand that we can never make peace with our weaknesses, faults, sins, nor with our self-love or pride…” To that, let us all say, Amen!

Prayer: Dear Lord, give me the humility to admit my failings, shortcomings, and sins rather than judging others. Give me the fortitude and grace to repent for love of you. May my love for you grow stronger and deeper every day.

Closing: This Lent, let us pray we may be merciful as our Father is merciful; that we may stop judging others and instead, pray for them!

Deacon Rusty Baldwin is assigned to the St. Gaspar Family of Parishes. He has been married to his beloved wife for 39 years. They have 8 children. He is retired but keeps quite busy serving in various roles in his Family of Parishes.

February 27  – Tuesday of the second week of Lent
Readings: Isaiah 1:10, 16-20; Ps 50:8-9, 16bc-17, 21 and 23; Matthew 23: 1-12

Invitation to Prayer: “The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” Matthew 23:12

Reflection: Humility, the hallmark of all the virtues, the fountain of life, the foundation of prayer, the light of Christ Jesus, the spring of living water flowing up and through those that serve others; those that put others before themselves, refers all to God. We are constantly being called to aid one another in glorifying our Dear Lord Jesus with the gifts and talents He so graciously bestowed upon us.

We are called to wash the feet of another; called to walk, cry, laugh, lift-up, pray, fast, assist those nearest to us. A spouse attending the other who is recovering from COVID, a parent attending to their child ill with the flu, a school age child attending to the new kid, bringing communion to the homebound, making home visits, hospital visits, hospice visits, or praying in front of Planned Parenthood for the most vulnerable among us, the unborn.

The beauty of humility lies awake in the heart of the giver. Lies in what he or she can provide. Lies in the gifts and talents one willingly shares; lies in the imitation of Christ Jesus to light up all their encounters, all their relationships, all their giving, all their works of Mercy in building up the Kingdom of God.

I invite all of us to encounter the beauty of humility throughout the remaining days of Lent by simply recognizing how we serve those nearest us whether in one’s family, one’s community, one’s grocery store, restaurant, gas station, church activity, or vacation with the gentle love of Jesus through the heart of Mary and the prayer of St. Joseph.

Prayer: Father God, most gracious Lord, open our heart to the beauty of humility as we encounter those nearest us with the gifts and talents You freely and faithfully have given us.

Closing: As we continue our walk through this Lenten season may our hearts always be open to the virtue of humility as we serve the people of God.

Deacon Henry Jacquez serves in the Queen of Apostles family of parishes. He is married to his lovely wife, Betsy of 44 years, has three children and seven grandsons. He enjoys serving the residents at the Alois Alzheimer Center in Greenhills with his humble friend, Paul.

February 28- Wednesday of the Second Week of Lent
Readings: Jer 18:18-20, Ps 31:5-6, 14, 15-16, Mt 20:17-28

Invitation to prayer: O Lord, open our ears to hear your word and obey your commands.

Reflection: As I have reflected and mulled over this Gospel passage, I find myself drawn to the “Mother of the sons of Zebedee” as she pleads with Jesus for James and John to sit at his right hand. You see, I am the mother of boys, as I have three sons. I can only imagine the thoughts swirling around Salome’s head as she wonders if Jesus really understands how long it’s been since she could have a family dinner with all her children present. Has the Son of Man really seen the sacrifices that not only her sons have made to build the kingdom, but the sacrifices that she as a mother has made as well? The least he could do is give her sons preferred seating. Really, whose to blame her for wondering such a thing?

I remember those days of being pregnant with my first. I had assured myself that an elementary education degree, experience teaching young children, and having had countless hours of babysitting throughout high school and college, set me up to be an ideal parent. “This will be a piece of cake” I told myself. On the day my oldest was born the nurse asked me hours after he arrived when his diaper had last been changed. With wide-eyes I looked at her and gasped “We’re supposed to change his diaper?” Not even a day, I had already made my first parenting blunder. With that, I realized that the degree, the classroom hours, and the time spent with children of all ages and stages, only gave me a taste for this parenting gig at best. This might be a little (or a lot) harder that I had initially assured myself.

The boys are now into adulthood. I look back on that day in the hospital and know what a small and innocent mistake that was. There have been several more to follow over the years. As they have matured, I have come to the realization that my wishes for them aren’t always their wishes for themselves. I have come to recognize that sometimes what I desire for my sons doesn’t align to God’s will for them as I’ve watched them struggle. It’s in those moments when I’ve had to ask myself an honest question “Am I praying for what’s best for them or what’s best for me?” I don’t always like the answer I receive as it often reveals a dirty truth. It’s a bitter pill to swallow. In these moments, I now turn to Mother Mary. I ask her to fill my gaps because as much as I love my children, I cannot and do not love them perfectly. But I do know that Mary does. She sees the big picture and knows what is best for them far better than I do. If I can give my boys any good gift, being willing to let go and turn them over to Mother Mary is a blessing I can bestow on them. Because if anyone should plead a case for someone, it is Mary. She is the best advocate for us all.

Just as Salome, I want only good things for my sons. Just as Salome, I too might sometimes swoop in and try to control the destiny of my children, stating their case. Just as Salome, I have needed to hear the terse tone in Jesus’ voice reminding me that I have no idea what I’m asking. A dose of humility serves us all well. It’s good that our Savior delivers such things in kindness and always rooted out of his deep love for us.

Prayer: Dear Jesus, please shed light on the areas we need to practice humility the most, especially when we ask for things that aren’t ours to ask.

Christine Baumgardner is the Associate Director of Adult and Family Evangelization in the Center for New Evangelization. Chris is a wife and mother to three sons, who are forging their way into adulthood. Chris enjoys taking walks with her husband and their dog Daisy, listening to music, and going on pilgrimages.

February 29 -Thursday of the Second Week of Lent
Readings: Jer 17:5-10, Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6, Lk 16:19-31

Invitation to Prayer: Lord, direct our servant hearts to you.

Reflection: I’ve known many rich people, many more poor people, and still even more Pharisees in my life. In fact, at different times I’ve acted like each of them in various ways: I’ve squandered personal treasure for my own delights, I’ve been humiliated into accepting charity from strangers, and I’ve preached what I don’t practice.

My life story informs my death story: When I’m aware of my failings and dependency on God, I put my trust in him, and direct my thoughts and actions toward worshipping and serving him. I know that I’m to pour myself out to others with reckless abandon, in a pale imitation of Jesus pouring himself out on the cross of salvation. That calls for my constant intentional vulnerability to others seeking their own delights at my expense – power, pleasure, and honor – all the “lifetime goods” that Jesus talks about in today’s Gospel. What will my death story be?

One detail sticks out in this parable: Lazarus was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham and is “comforted.” It’s not that Lazarus and the rich man have changed places. Lazarus still bears the wounds of his life of vulnerability, and the rich man is still trying to look after himself and his interests. In his lifetime, Lazarus knew that he was dependent on God’s mercy and sought mercy from others. In his life, the rich man neither dispensed mercy nor sought it. He thought he had everything, but he had nothing worth having. Do I want what I want, or do I want what’s worth having — eternal life with the comfort of my Creator and Redeemer?

Lent helps me focus on showing mercy and receiving it. Mercy is how Love embraces sin and suffering and releases forgiveness — even in my pale imitations of Jesus on the cross.

Prayer: Dear Jesus, help me learn your mercy! Help me receive mercy from others and help me share your mercy with them. Help me forgive and embrace forgiveness, bringing glory and honor to your triumph of the cross.

Closing: Let’s focus today on the Lenten gift of merciful love. How can we tenderly love others through our own sin and suffering?

Michael Vanderburgh is executive director of St. Vincent de Paul Society in Dayton and a member of the Archdiocese Child Protection Review Board.

March 1 – Friday of the Second Week of Lent
Readings: Gn 37:3-4, 12-13a, 17b-28a, Ps 105:16-17, 18-19, 20-21, Mt 21:33-43, 45-46

Invitation to Prayer: Remember the marvels the Lord has done. (Ps 105:5a)

Reflection: It’s hard to think of something more painful than being betrayed, especially by those you love. It’s often hard to trust people – you share what’s most important to you, you open up your heart, and you become vulnerable – and it’s so much harder after your trust is broken.

If you have siblings, I hope you have one as wonderful as my sister. As we get older and our families grow, we become closer and closer and value each other more and more. It’s unthinkable that she would treat me (or I would treat her) the way Joseph’s brothers treated him. (And let’s be honest, one thing is breaking trust; it’s another entirely to plot to kill them and then decide to sell into them slavery!)

If you’ve ever had people working for you, I hope you have great employees like I do. They are hard-working, trustworthy, and dedicated. I can’t imagine them intentionally letting me down (or me letting them down).

Unfortunately, we all do know what it’s like to have our faith leaders let us down. I imagine the followers of Jesus being crestfallen to understand that their priests haven’t been faithful in their leadership, and we have felt the same as the sins of abuse and cover-up shook our Church to its core.

The tough questions, though, are these: Have you always been faithful? Have you betrayed someone close to you? Have you been a good employee? Have you been a poor leader? Have you honored the trust put into you?

And, most importantly, have you been a good Christian? Have you committed yourself to the scriptures, celebrated regularly the sacraments, and lived your faith through acts of charity, mercy, and justice? Because no matter how much your siblings, partners, co-workers, and Church leaders may love you and deserve your fidelity, none love you the way God loves you and none deserve your faithfulness like Jesus does.

Prayer: Loving and merciful God, I ask for the gifts of mercy and humility. Help me in my forgiveness for those who have broken my trust, and guide me to always be faithful, especially to you.

Closing: Are there people in your life to whom you need to offer forgiveness, and are there those for whom you need to ask for it? Are there ways you can be more faithful to the love and sacrifice of Christ?

Andrew Musgrave serves as the Director of the Catholic Social Action office. He is a member of the Church of the Resurrection, is married to Ana and has two amazing daughters, Layla and Juliet.

March 2 – Saturday of the Second Week of Lent
Readings: Mi 7:14-15, 18-20, Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12, Lk 15:1-3, 11-32

Invitation to Prayer: “The Lord is kind and merciful.”

Reflection: Today’s gospel from Luke presents the famous parable of the prodigal son. We’re all very familiar with it. There are many lessons to be learned from this incredibly rich story of a man turning away from his father, reconciling with him and receiving forgiveness. This parable is the essence of the penitential Lenten season.

There are three figures in this parable – the prodigal son, the father, and the prodigal son’s brother. I think we can relate to all three in some way. As the prodigal son, I know that at times I have squandered God’s blessings and turned away from him because of my selfishness. But then, recognizing the errors of my ways, I humbly crawl back to him and ask forgiveness. And once the Father showers me with his love and forgiveness, I experience healing, peace and gratitude.

In the figure of the father, I am challenged to offer love and forgiveness without reservation or conditions to those who have offended me in any way. The father in the parable sets a high standard, since his forgiveness is immediate and his love seems to know no limits. I can only hope to follow his example.

Finally, the brother of prodigal son reminds me that perhaps too often I have a “Hey, what about me?” attitude towards my relationship with God. Do I expect a reward for the times I have served the Lord faithfully? Do I get upset when things don’t go well for me even though I’ve tried to live according to our Lord’s teachings? The reaction of the brother reminds me that I need to be humble about my own life and to rejoice in the blessings God showers on those who return to Him.

What a beautiful Lenten gift we are given in this parable today. Let’s use these teachings to examine our relationship with God and each other throughout this holy season, and to prepare us for the glory of Easter.

Prayer: O God, in my selfish and childish ways, I have sinned against you and no longer deserve to be called your son. When I seek to reconcile myself to you, your love and forgiveness overwhelm me. Keep me always close to you and never let me live separated from your love. May my life be a reflection of my gratitude for your abundant blessings. Amen.

Closing: To experience the incredible love and forgiveness of God this Lent, make a plan to celebrate the sacrament of Penance sometime before Easter.

Deacon Mark Machuga is the Director of the Office of the Diaconate for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. He serves as a deacon at Mary, Queen of All Saints Family of Parishes. He was ordained in April, 2016. He has been married to his wife Julie for 44 years, and is the father of two and grandfather of six.

March 3 – Third Sunday of Lent
Readings: Ex 17:3-7, 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9, Rom 5:1-2, 5-8, Jn 4:5-42

Invitation to prayer: Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.

Reflection: Have you ever heard the voice of God speaking to you? We may not be quite sure how to answer this question. For most of us, we’ve never audibly heard God’s voice in our lives, the way we would hear another person with whom we are conversing. But we do believe that our Lord speaks to us, and does so on a regular basis – through the Scriptures, through the teaching of the Church, perhaps through the words of a close friend, and in the gentle nudges we might experience during prayer.

God is speaking to us. Are we listening? Are we taking time, in silence, to allow the whisperings of God in our soul to be noticed amid all the other voices vying for out attention? Hopefully so. For if the psalmist is correct, then, the Lord is the one who has the words of everlasting life. God is the one who we can trust to reveal to us what is perfect, trustworthy, and right. The words of the Lord will refresh our soul, give us wisdom, bring rejoicing to our hearts and enlightenment to our eyes.

These are all things we desire, things we need. And God is the only one who can truly give them to us. This season of Lent can serve as a reminder that we need to listen – to take time in silence with Jesus. To be more intentional about slowing down, taking a breath, and simply allowing ourselves to be present with Him who continues to speak to us. May we hear the voice of God, and allow Him to lead us through this holy season, and through every season that comes our way, as we trust that He alone has the words of everlasting life.

Prayer: Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.

Closing: Schedule time today with the Lord. Make it the most important appointment of the day. And give God your undivided attention during that time, so as to enter more deeply into this conversation.

Father Tim Ralston is pastor of Stella Maris Family of Parishes: St. Mary Bethel – St. Peter New Richmond – St. Thomas More Withamsville – St. Bernadette Amelia Catholic Churches

March 4 – Monday of the Third Week of Lent
Readings: 2 Kgs 5:1-15ab and LK 4:24-30

Invitation to Prayer: Come Holy Spirit, open our hearts, minds, and ears this day so that we may receive all you have in store for us.

Reflection: I don’t know about you, but sometimes I find prayer and my relationship with Jesus quite frustrating. I turn to my brother Jesus with my concerns, desires, and questions in prayer, and the sense I receive is a course of action that is confusing at best, many times inconvenient, and insane at worst. I think this is how Naaman felt when Elisha told him to bathe in a filthy river to remove his leprosy. He was probably thinking that this isn’t how this is supposed to go.
“I thought that he would surely come out and stand there to invoke the LORD his God, and would move his hand over the spot, and thus cure the leprosy. Are not the rivers of Damascus, the Abana and the Pharpar, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be cleansed?”

We all question God’s workings in our lives in some capacity. “Why did you have to do it that way?”, “Why do I have to do this?”, “Why do bad things happen to good people?”, “Life would be so much easier if You would just snap Your fingers and make this go away!” We all have doubts and questions in our faith journeys, like Naaman. But we cannot let them hold us back from the infinite love of God.

We need a lowly servant in our lives like Naaman did. Through the intervention and encouragement of this lowly servant, Naaman did as Elisha told him, and he was healed. We all need a lowly servant in our lives who reminds us that “We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28). Whether it be a friend or family member, we all need that lowly servant in our lives, and we all need to be a lowly servant in another person’s life as well.

I’m gonna let the words of Jesus Christ, our Brother, from John 16 close this reflection, “I have told you this so that you might have peace in me. In this world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.”

Prayer: Come Holy Spirit, Come Lord Jesus, help us to rely more on you this day. Bring a lowly servant into our lives to help us follow after you. Give us the grace to be a lowly servant to others and to follow you more today and every day of our lives.

Closing: Jesus, wash us in the blood of your mercy, that we may be made white as snow.

Alex Bodenschatz served as a NET Missionary from 2018-2020 and now works with NET Ministries as the Easter Regional Recruiter.

March 5 -Tuesday of the Third Week of Lent
Readings: Dn 3: 25, 34-42, PS 25: 4-5ab, 6 and 7bc, MT 18: 21-35

Invitation to Prayer: Let us remember, that we are in the Holy Presence of God.

Reflection: Have you ever needed mercy, have you ever needed God’s loving forgiveness in a way that you couldn’t help think of anything else?

I can remember way back when, as a young teenage driver being at fault in a motor vehicle accident, one which, thank God no one was injured, but sadly it was my third straight car accident in
as many months. To make it worse it was my mom’s birthday. Now I had to go home and share with my parents my regrets in driving carelessly and causing yet another car accident. Nothing says
happy birthday like a young teenage boy sitting anxiously next to the car he wrecked for the third straight time, waiting for his family to come home to give them the news.

Needless to say, I was in a tough spot, and all I could think of was how I let my parents down, how I ruined my mom’s birthday and how I really needed God’s loving mercy. As it turns out I am blessed to have loving parents who, when they were living, took their faith really seriously. Did they let me off the hook? Well let’s just say the insurance company took care of that, as I wasn’t really insurable for a little while, and I needed to rely upon others for transportation. In connection with this essential teaching of Jesus, a gift way more important than transportation and auto insurance, is the loving gift I received and learned from my mom and dad -unconditional love and forgiveness.

As a parent of teenagers now, and as a Lasallian educator working with young men for the past twenty-five plus years of my life, I understand that my mom and dad, and really any of us who are
able to let-go and truly forgive others, this is only possible when we are rooted in God’s loving mercy ourselves. In short, we can’t give what we don’t have.

Today we learn in the Gospel of Matthew through the life and teachings of Jesus that our God takes forgiveness very seriously. We also can understand that God’s forgiveness is freely given if we so
desire within our soul and within our relationships. In fact, we learn that we are not worthy of God’s forgiveness, and we learn from Jesus that God freely gives forgiveness without measurement and condition. Within this Gospel we can deeply understand both the gift and responsibility of being a Catholic Christian, which at our core involves forgiveness, freely received and given.

Prayer: Father, I have sinned against you and am not worthy to be called your son (daughter). Be merciful to me, a sinner. (Luke 15: 21)

Closing: St. John Baptist de La Salle, the patron saint of educators, once said, “How long has Jesus been knocking at the door or your heart, waiting to enter?” Each and every day, and especially
during this Lenten season, we can focus more clearly on the life of Jesus Christ, perhaps we can sense Jesus knocking, and in response, we seek to let Jesus live in our heart, now and forever.

Chris Winiarski serves as the Director of Campus Ministry, Mission and Formation at La Salle High School in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he lives with his wife Angela, and their three children -Luke, Kate and Sam.

March 6 – Wednesday of the Third Week of Lent
Readings: Dt 4:1, 5-9; Ps 147:12-13, 15-16, 19-20; Jn 6:63c, 68c; Mt 5:17-19

Invitation to Prayer: Lord Jesus, we beg you, in your great mercy, to bestow the gift of faith upon our children. Never let them be parted from you and grant that we may not fail in giving witness of our discipleship to you.

Reflection: As a parent is it difficult to not be overly cautious these days. My children, 4th and 5th grade, have been raised in a somewhat sheltered and overprotective environment. The culture at large frightens me to death. I would love for my children to never have to confront the pernicious realities and influences that they will one day have to face. Their innocence is a precious gift to me, but they cannot always remain as they are. They are growing up and the future opens up horizons of great possibilities. They want to run towards the exciting new reality that awaits them. The best my wife and I can do as parents is to help them to have a living personal relationship with Christ and teach them how their faith in Christ can give them answers to all of life’s most pressing questions. Our great desire is that our children never forget the goodness of the Lord, that they hold fast to his teachings of “wisdom and intelligence.”

Moses faced a similar situation in the book of Deuteronomy. The children of Israel were about to enter the Promise Land. They must have felt great excitement. Finally, after so many years of wandering aimlessly through the desert they were about to enter a tantalizing new land “flowing with milk and honey.” However, God knew their hearts and he knew that this land of promise was also a land fraught with dangers, dangers to which the Hebrews would eventually succumb. The lure and temptation of foreign gods, fertility rites, unjust customs, and riches would soon overwhelm them and make them turn from the Lord. Over and over, the children of Israel would forget who they were and to whom they belonged. God would have to intervene by sending prophets and judges to rescue them and wake them from their forgetfulness but even that was not enough. Ultimately, God would have to send his son.

This pattern is no different from the child that is raised with faith and then forgets that faith once he become independent. Many parents blame themselves when their children stop practicing their faith. There is obviously a strong correlation between a child’s perseverance in faith and their parents own practice and example. Studies have shown that the example and practice of the father’s faith is especially crucial. But there are many children from good Catholic families who do not practice their faith despite the valiant effort of their parents.

The time will come for every child to become independent and to freely choose how he will or will not practice his faith. Faith is a gift that God infuses into our hearts (cf. Rom 5:5), a gift that I as a parent can only beg God to grant my children. But as a parent I know that it is up to me to “obey and teach the commandments” (Mt 5:19). It is up to me to give joyful witness to the practice of faith, to share with my children how blessed we are to be Catholic, to have the fullness of the faith, to have a God that dwells with us in the Blessed Sacrament, a God that forgive us our sins in confession, a God that listens when we call, a God that has left us a Church to be as mother and teacher to guide us and to nourish us.

Prayer: Eternal Father, we thank you for the gift of your children that you give us a parent to love and care for in your name. Bless them with the light of faith and give us the wisdom to always lead them along the right path.

Samuel Vásquez serves as the Managing Director of Hispanic Evangelization for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. He attends St. Gertrude parish with his wife Adriana and his children.

March 7 – Thursday of the Third Week of Lent
Readings: Jer 7:23-28, PS 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9, Lk 11:14-23

Invitation to Prayer: “If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.”

Reflection: “I want them alive. No disintegrations.”

As I was praying with this set of readings, I couldn’t help but chuckle to myself when the Gospel brought to mind Darth Vader’s iconic words to Boba Fett before sending him off to hunt for our heroes. It may seem like an odd association, but Darth Vader’s words – applied in a much more loving context – has some insights for us in the spiritual life.

One of the things we really need to remember about sin is that God didn’t whimsically make up arbitrary rules for what was good and bad; things are sinful because they’re bad for us. They destroy the integrity of our person and our relationships with God, others, and creation. Just look at the Ten Commandments: they’re all about laying out the baseline for healthy relationships. Don’t loving parents keep their children from running heedlessly into the street, or from unhealthy foods, or other harmful situations, even when the children don’t always understand the dangers? Why would God, being infinitely more aware of danger and infinitely more loving, do any less for us? It makes sense, then, that in the first reading from Jeremiah, the Lord almost pleads with his people, “Walk in all the ways that I command you, so that you may prosper.”

“But they obeyed not, nor did they pay heed. They walked in the hardness of their evil hearts and turned their backs, not their faces, to me.” Is this not true of ourselves? We can easily say, “I obeyed not, nor did I pay heed. I walked in the hardness of my evil heart and turned my back, not my face, to God.” The phenomenon of “Catholic guilt” might be derided, but when integrated healthily, guilt for our wrongdoing helps lead us to contrition, so that we can receive the invitation, “If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.” The Lord desires us to be reconciled to him, especially in this season of Lent, “Even now, says the Lord, return to me with your whole heart, for I am gracious and merciful.”

In the Gospel, Jesus emphasizes the necessity of unity, wholeness, and integrity, reminding us that, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste. . .” And this is true from the highest to the lowest. Whether it’s in the Church, our country, among family and friends, or within ourselves, if internal conflict goes unreconciled, it destroys the body within which it resides. In the same way, when we sin, we become disintegrated; we give lesser goods precedence over greater goods, and the proper order begins to fall apart. It’s like mindlessly scrolling through our phone instead of being truly present while we’re with our family or friends: we do something that is unhealthy, displacing something that is truly healthy and diminishing our capacity to receive the good in the moment, and even weakening our ability to choose the good in the future. But God wants our whole heart, and this is why we are called – not only to repentance from our sins – but to express our repentance in prayer, fasting, and almsgiving in a particular way throughout Lent. Prayer, fasting, and almsgiving help us to reintegrate the various aspects of our lives in their proper order; they help us surrender our time, desires, and resources to God, so we can be united in proper relationship to him.

The incredible thing is that when we do entrust our entire lives to God, he uses everything we give to him for our good and the good of others, allowing us to share in his work of bringing his love to every person we encounter. When Jesus says, “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters,” he reveals that we are called to unite ourselves to him in his work of gathering up the fragments of life, relationships, and all good things that have been scattered. Perhaps this invitation to lay down our lives and take up our cross is one that we receive with trepidation, but I can only offer Pope Benedict XVI’s words of encouragement from the very beginning of his pontificate:

“Are we not perhaps all afraid in some way? If we let Christ enter fully into our lives, if we open ourselves totally to him, are we not afraid that He might take something away from us? Are we not perhaps afraid to give up something significant, something unique, something that makes life so beautiful? Do we not then risk ending up diminished and deprived of our freedom? . . . No! If we let Christ into our lives, we lose nothing, nothing, absolutely nothing of what makes life free, beautiful and great. No! Only in this friendship are the doors of life opened wide. Only in this friendship is the great potential of human existence truly revealed. Only in this friendship do we experience beauty and liberation. . . Do not be afraid of Christ! He takes nothing away, and he gives you everything. When we give ourselves to him, we receive a hundredfold in return. Yes, open, open wide the doors to Christ – and you will find true life.”

As we continue our Lenten journey, I pray that we remember that God wants us fully alive. He doesn’t want us to be disintegrated and at war with ourselves and the people around us. He wants us to experience the peace that only he can give, the tranquility of order. And the best thing is that – unlike Darth Vader – God himself comes to set us free.

Prayer: Loving Father, make my heart whole, so I may offer myself entirely to you and so become a true channel of your love to others.

Paco Patag is a homeschool graduate and an alumnus of Cincinnati State Community College, the University of Cincinnati, and the Saint John Leadership Institute. He delights in helping others discover, receive, and respond to their vocation, and is grateful to be able to do so as the Associate Director of Young Adult Evangelization for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. Paco always welcomes conversations about life, books, and music, especially around a fire or on a good hike, and can often be found with his wife, Beth, enjoying a vanilla latte at White Oak Coffee House.

 

March 8 – Friday of the Third Week of Lent
Readings: Hos 14:2-10, Ps 81:6c-8a, 8bc-9, 10-11ab, 14 and 17, Mk 12:28-34

Introduction: I am the Lord your God: hear my voice.

Reflection: In the gospel today, a scribe approaches Jesus and tests him, asking him what is the greatest of all commandments. Out of the hundreds of commandments in the Torah, Jesus responds with verses from Deuteronomy 6:4-5 that says there is only one God and you should love him with all your heart, soul, and might. He doesn’t stop there though and adds on what is commonly referred to as the Golden Rule: Love your neighbor as yourself.

Those Deuteronomy verses make up the beginning of the Shema prayer in Jewish tradition: “Hear, O Israel: God is our Lord, God is one…”. It is a daily declaration of faith, recited twice, once in each the morning and evening. It is also the prayer placed in the mezuzah on the doorways of Jewish homes. It is tradition for one to place their hand on the mezuzah when passing by and remember the words of the Shema. What a beautiful practice!

It makes me reflect on my own faith tradition and the daily reminders of God and Christ I find throughout my own life. Perhaps it is not the mezuzah in a doorway, but in the rosary hanging on my rearview mirror, the jewelry I wear, or the cross in my home. More importantly, I must recognize and acknowledge Christ in each and every person I meet. God is present in all people, rich or poor, imprisoned or free. It is my duty, our duty, to love them as I love myself. Or even better, how God loves us.

As we continue to move through Lent, let us take a look at what Jesus is teaching us. He teaches us to love God above all else. He teaches us to love others. And he teaches us to love ourselves, for the requirement of loving others as yourself is to first love yourself.

Prayer: Christ Jesus, source of all love, grant us the grace to see you in our encounters with all people and them love in the way you have taught us.

Closing: Where do you see Christ in your every day life? What are your prayer practices and rituals? Where do you struggle in seeing God and how will you go about changing that?

Jillian Foster is the Regional Director in the Catholic Social Action Office. She loves learning about other countries, their cultures, and hopes to travel more to experience those herself.

March 9 – Saturday of the Third Week of Lent
Readings: Hos 6:1-6; PS 51:3-4, 18-19, 20-21ab; Lk 18:9-14

Invitation to Prayer:  “Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.”

Reflection: ”For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18: 14b) In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus shares a parable of a Pharisee and a tax collector who have very different approaches to prayer. The prayer of the Pharisee is one of self-praise and overtly pious practices. The Pharisee thanks God that he is more holy than many around him, but he neglects to see any of his own flaws and heartily rejects the “sinners” in his midst. Jesus then turns to the prayer of the tax collector, who begs for forgiveness and acknowledges his sinfulness. While the tax collector had sinned in more obvious ways, he is the only one of the two to recognize his need for relationship with God.

Through this parable, we are reminded of the importance of humility in our lives. We must accept our own sinfulness and short-comings, but what does it actually mean to be humble? The root word from which humble is derived is humus which means earth. As I ponder this meaning, it reminds me of the origin of man in the creation story. Man was formed from the earth and “to the earth he shall return.” With this etymological nuance in mind, perhaps being humble is to recognize our own origins as human beings- the duality of our sinfulness and the beauty of being created in the image and likeness of God. To have humility is to honor our humanity in all of its complexity. We must take the time to examine our consciences with honesty and recognize both our gifts and shortcomings. The virtue of humility is a means by which we honor God and grow in our knowledge of his creation.

Humility is often misinterpreted as meekness or self-effacement, but I would argue that these definitions do a great injustice to the true meaning of living a humble life. When we are truly humble, we can celebrate our God-given gifts, but not in a way that focuses on our own self-accomplishment like the Pharisee in the parable. God is the giver of the gifts, forming us in his image and likeness and through acceptance of these gifts we deepen our understanding of the divine. False humility is to deny or hide part of God’s image reflected in us. We own no claim to the beauty of the gift, but it is there none-the-less, and we can praise God by recognizing it. Therefore, our call to humility is to fully embrace our human condition. We must recognize our sinful inclinations and shortcomings but also the beauty of God that radiates from within each of us.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, you were the example of perfect humility on Earth. You shared your many gifts with every person you encountered for the Glory of God, and you accepted the will of your Father by embracing death for the sake of many. Guide us in our lives as we pursue the virtue of humility. Reveal to us the image of God upon which we were created, and help us to overcome our sinfulness as we grow in our relationship with you. Send your spirit upon us and bless us with the grace to become humble people. For this we pray. Amen.

Closing: As we ponder the virtue of humility, what does true humility look like to you? With what sinfulness or shortcomings do you often struggle? What gifts have you been given by God? How do you use these gifts to glorify our Lord?

Noelle Collis-DeVito works in Campus Ministry at the University of Dayton where she is completing her Master’s Degree in Pastoral Ministry with a Certificate in Disability and Ministry. She serves on the Council on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities for the National Catholic Partnership on Disability.

March 10 – Fourth Sunday of Lent
Readings from Year B: 2 Chr 36:14-16, 19-23, 137:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6, Eph 2:4-10, Jn 3:14-21

Invitation to Prayer: O God, who through Your Word reconcile the human race to Yourself, grant that we may escape the darkness and hasten to the light that is Your Son; and to the solemn celebrations to come.

Reflection: Rejoice in the Lord always: and again, I say, rejoice ! On this 4th Sunday of Lent, Laetare Sunday, we change our vestments from the penitent purple to the joyful and hopeful rose color. As children of God, we are reminded today to look forward with joyful anticipation of the victory to be won. For forty days, we climb the mountain of the Lord in our Lenten darkness, mindful always of God’s mercy and grace, and His unwavering love for each one of us; for “He so loved that world that He gave His only Son.”

The Scripture readings today invite us to continue the contemplation of our lives, offering the promises each of us makes during Lent. Jesus speaks to Nicodemus, who came to Him in the darkness out of fear that as a leader of the Jewish people he would be misunderstood. But Jesus knows us better than we know ourselves and He only asks that we have faith in Him. It is our faith that allows us to rejoice, escaping the darkness into the light.

Through the story of the Babylonian exile and the words of Jesus in the Gospel reading, we are reminded of the transformative power of belief in the Truth. As Christians, we live in hope, and we thirst for the purification that comes from the grace of God. Jesus calls us out of the darkness of sin into Himself, the eternal guiding light. We simply need to surrender, to let our prideful tongues be silenced. For “whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.” May God continue to bless you as you ascend the mountain to the light that is Jesus.

Prayer: Lord, protect us in our struggle against evil. Let Your love be seen through our sincere works and words.

Closing: Rejoice Jerusalem, and all who love her. Be joyful, all who were in mourning; exult and be satisfied at her consoling breast.

Deacon Ed Bayliss is assigned to the St. Gregory the Great family of parishes: Immaculate Heart of Mary, St. John Fisher and Guardian Angels. He is the Business Manager and serves as deacon at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter in Chains. He and wife Kim live in New Richmond

March 11 – Monday of the Fourth Week of Lent
Readings: Is. 65:17-21; Ps. 30:2 and 4, 5-6, 11-12a and 13b; Jn. 4:43-54

Invitation to Prayer: Let us take a moment to call to mind our sins. Reflecting on our own brokenness, let’s turn to the Lord and beg for his mercy to see Him in the beauty of all He has created for us.

Reflection: My children make me artwork all the time and when they complete a piece of art to give to me there is an indescribable joy in their hearts and on their faces as I turn and praise them and delight in the gift that they have given me. Their creations bring me joy, but more importantly bring joy to the creator. In the reading from Isaiah today, “Instead, there shall always be rejoicing and happiness in what I create; for I create Jerusalem to be a joy and its people to be a delight; I will rejoice in Jerusalem and exult in my people.”

It is easy for me to rejoice in the artwork that my children labored to create for me. Do I take the same time and delight in what the Lord has created for me? I wish the answer was always yes, but I can’t say that is true.

My challenge for myself and you today, is to take time to delight and rejoice in a gift from the Lord. Every day is a gift from God. Do I start every day with gratitude and thanksgiving for the new day by making a morning offering to the Lord? What is the Lord asking me to do this day?

Prayer: Jesus, prepare our hearts to receive you more fully in the daily ways that you reveal yourself to us. Help us to welcome others into our lives with delight and rejoicing. Grant us the grace we need to repent of our sins for the times of our failings and turn to you and the Sacraments to receive your love and mercy.

Andrea Patch is the Eastern Regional Director for NET Ministries. Andrea is a wife and a mother to four young children and enjoys spending time playing board games and talking with friends.

March 12 – Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Lent
Readings: Ezekiel 47:1-9, 12 | Psalm 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9 | John 5:1-16

Invitation to Prayer: “All who are thirsty, come to the waters, says the Lord. Though you have no money, come and drink with joy.” – Isaiah 55:1

Reflection: Some of us have seen this in The Chosen, and it’s a truly beautiful recreation of this Gospel story.

Christ talking about how they need to go meet someone. He always knows. He’s always looking out for us. As I sit here and reflect on this account I get conflicting thoughts coming to me.

On the one hand I think about saying “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” and get it done. It’s incredibly difficult for me to think about waiting somewhere for THIRTY-EIGHT years! Relying on someone else, having pity on this man, and then, only then, having someone else take him to the pool for healing. And, on the other hand, there is this free reception and total acceptance of the mercy that Christ has to offer, that ultimately heals this man. If I was talking to my students, and I often talk to myself when I talk to them, I would ask them to focus on a bigger picture:

Sure, I think we all have some sort of individualism, independence and self-reliance, in our lives. We tend to think that we are masters of our own destinies, that’s why I struggle to see myself waiting in one place, no matter my circumstances, for thirty-eight years. But, I think that this man waiting for that long is symbolic of that “pulling my bootstraps up” mindset. It’s symbolic of our personhoods today.

I can get over ______.
I will get _______.
I can beat ______.
I ______.
I.

The “I” isn’t bad. That’s not what I’m trying to say. The “I” away from the Lord however, is simply lost. We cannot do anything without resting in the Lord. We see the prophet Ezekiel realize that the flowing water from the temple is redemptive. God’s presence in his vision
demonstrates the transformation power of God, which brings life and vitality to all who engage it.

The psalmist repeats this idea: “The Lord of hosts is with us, our stronghold is the God of Jacob.” When is the last time that we truly believed that? That with God we can do anything, Jesus certainly lived it in the desert, do we live it? In the midst of cloudy times, we have to find
solace in the reality that God is our refuge, and strength, ever-present to help us in times of need. Just as a stream of water can bring refreshment to a weary traveler, so too must the presence of God bring us comfort, renewal and confidence to our souls.

Like the man at the pool, we may find ourselves trapped in cycles of illness and despair, seeking deliverance but unable to break free on our own. Just as Jesus intervened to bring healing to the mans physical health, we are offered the promise of spiritual renewal and completion. In our moments of weakness and doubt, we MUST turn to Him with open hearts, trusting in His power and grace to lift us out of our rut and lead us into life everlasting with Him.

Prayer: “We have seen the true light. We have received the heavenly Spirit. We have found the true faith and we worship the undivided Trinity, for the Trinity has saved us.”

Closing: “A clean heart create for me, O God; give me back the joy of your salvation” – Psalm 51:12a, 14a

Alex Rodriguez is a Theology teacher and the Director of Community Outreach at Roger Bacon High School. Alex is married to his better half, Moira and they are parents to their lovely 7 month old Henry Aquila.

March 13 – Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Lent
Readings: Is 49:8-15, Ps 145:8-9, 13cd-14, 17-18, Jn 5:17-30

Invitation to Prayer: Sing out, O heavens, and rejoice, O earth, break forth into song, you mountains. For the LORD comforts his people and shows mercy to his afflicted.

Reflection: “I cannot do anything on my own; I judge as I hear, and my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will but the will of the one who sent me.” (Jn 3:20)

I often struggle believing if something that is not in front of me. It’s easy to see hardship, sadness: just turn on the news and you would think we’re at war with each other each and every day.

My mother suffers from Alzheimer’s which is a disease that there’s no cure and one doesn’t get better. It’s a daily deterioration of her mind and challenges my belief to Sing out and rejoice. Doubt enters my life everyday as to why this disease, why watching someone who took care of me lose memories, lose days, lose moments in life. It becomes a life of loss.

When Jesus was in his great agony on the Cross for our salvation in the passage in John’s gospel: When Jesus saw his mother* and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.

We are conditioned to take care of things ourselves and not to impose on others aren’t we. Yet, we were commanded here to take care of others, and when that happens I have found a little bit of the struggle is lifted, which is something I can see right in front of me. There is a saying when pain is shared it is divided, when joy is shared it is multiplied.

As we journey to the cross on Good Friday, let’s pray for the grace to reach out and ask, and the grace to declare our dependence.

Prayer: Lord I often thing I can take the wheel and do it all on my own. Let me share the ride with those around me.

Greg Hartman

March 14 – Thursday of the Fourth Week of Lent
Readings: Ex 32:7-14, Ps 106:19-20, 21-22, 23, Jn 5:31-47

Invitation to Prayer: “How can you believe, when you accept praise from one another and do not seek the praise that comes from the only God?” John 5:44

Reflection: One good compliment from someone and I’ll work extra hours on a project or I’ll say yes to other requests that will mean less sleep and more time away from the family. Have compliment – will work for more compliments!

Jesus tells the Jews and, through this passage us, that we need to re-examine how we believe and why we do what we do. Are we acting on what we believe as Catholics or are we acting to please someone or some group of someones to get praise for ourselves? Might as well turn in our Imago Dei (Made in the Image of God) card and apply to be the molten calf from the first reading from Exodus!

In other words, before the human praise comes our way, we followers of Christ should ask ourselves are we doing some activity, because we think it will look good on our resume, please the boss, gain us more esteem from someone or some group of people? Or is our faith guiding our actions?

To work for praise can be motivated by a temptation to power or it could be a social transaction: “if I do this one thing that I only half believe in, I’ll have a higher standing in the community.” In the latter case are we gaining social standing and in the process committing a social sin? Are we going along with current thinking that actually harms another person’s ability to survive in their home country or live in a better neighborhood or have enough food to eat or have a job that pays enough to support a family?

Jesus is calling us to think of praise in a new way: first to act on what we believe as His followers, as children of God, and to work for praise from God.

Prayer: Dear Jesus, help us to seek the true praise from God by following you and accepting you in our lives, even when it goes against public opinion. Grant that your teaching remains at the forefront of our thoughts and actions and that we may not be swayed by the foolish goal of seeking others’ approval, just to be held in their esteem, rather than seeking our Father’s.

Closing: Study the United States Conference of Catholic Bishop’s Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship. Pay particular attention to Part III Goals for Political Life: Challenges for Citizens, Candidates, and Public Officials. Put your faith in action by supporting all the goals.

Pam Long is the Director of Love in Action for the St. Stephen Family in the Hamilton area. She is active with parish religious education, RCIA and the OutreachCommittee, is the current chair of the Archdiocese’s Social Action Commission and co-leads the Catholic Relief Services Chapter and the Ohio CRS Coalition. She and her husband will celebrate 50 years of marriage this year, a union which gives them the joy of three children and three grandchildren.

March 15 – Friday of the Fourth Week of Lent
Readings: Wis 2:1a, 12-22, Ps 34:17-18, 19-20, 21 and 23, Jn 7:1-2, 10, 25-30

Invitation to Prayer: Many are the troubles of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him from them all. (Ps 34:20)

Reflection: Have you ever had to go do something which seemed unpleasant? Maybe do something you really weren’t looking forward to? Like going to a holiday dinner, when you know your relatives are going to argue or may even be hostile toward you? Today’s readings give us a glimpse into such a time in Jesus’s life. The Gospel of John tells us that Jesus “did not wish to travel in Judea.” (Jn 7:1) As an observant Jew, Jesus would normally have been on his way to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles, but He delayed going “because the Jews were trying to kill him.” (Jn 7:1) This was far more serious than grumpy relatives at dinner.

Jesus had been living and proclaiming the will of God. Healing on the Sabbath. Revealing that He is the Bread of Life. In the eyes of many Jews, Jesus was going against the grain. He was raising the ire of the authorities. Jesus was turning their world upside down. The animosity of those in power was building. They felt threatened by the truths which Jesus proclaimed. But still, on to Jerusalem He went. And He kept going. Like the people of Israel did during the 40 years in the desert that the Feast of Tabernacles commemorated. They trusted God despite their hardships.

This is not the mountain-top glory of the Transfiguration. This is not the joy of healing miracles. This is the nitty-gritty reality of living the word and will of God. Jesus went to Jerusalem to preach some hard truths. It can’t have been easy. Jesus “cried out” as He was teaching in the Temple square. (Jn 7:28) He did whatever it took to fulfill His Father’s will, even when that was going to take Jesus through intense suffering to the cross.

What if suffering is a part of God’s plan for us? Are we willing to go the distance? Are we willing to endure suffering to achieve the Father’s will? In these 40 days of Lent, many of us try to let go of things, to pray and be more charitable, and that is good. Do we also accept hardships which may come with doing God’s will? Do we trust in God’s plan for us? Lent is a good time to reflect on whether we are truly willing to live, not just on “bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.” (Mt 4:4b)

Questions for reflection: Am I willing to live the word and will of God in my life? Do I trust He has a plan for me even when it is hard or I can’t understand it?

Prayer: God give me the courage to do Your will and the grace to accept all parts of Your plan for me.

Deacon Jesse Fanning serves the Kettering Catholic Community (NE-5) and assists the Archdiocese with the formation of aspirants to the permanent deaconate.

March 16 – Saturday of the Fourth Week of Lent
Readings: Jer 11:18-20; Ps 7:2-3, 9bc-10, 11-12; Jn 7:40-53

Invitation to Prayer: “O Lord, my God, in you I take refuge.”

Reflection: There have been moments in my life when I have been invited to profess my belief in Jesus and share his truth with others outside of the school setting when I did not have the courage to do so. I remember being invited once to pray publicly with a group of people I was not sure believed in Jesus or perhaps I even judged to be judgmental towards religion, faith and God in general. I quickly made a joke and then someone else from the group quickly jumped in and led an actual prayer. How humiliated I was to have rejected the opportunity to share my faith in Jesus with others and not be afraid to demonstrate my love for him. Was I afraid of their judgement or some kind of attack?

In today’s readings, we find Jeremiah crying out to God for vengeance against those who would plot his demise for speaking God’s message of truth to the chosen people. This is followed by the Gospel where we read that the Pharisees and chief priests wanted to arrest Jesus for speaking a message that some found to be captivating and alarmed others because it forced them to consider who Jesus truly is…prophet, Messiah, fraud? The only one to have the courage to question the plotting of the Pharisees and the chief priests was Nicodemus. This is the same Nicodemus, a Pharisee, who questioned Jesus about what it means to be born again earlier in John’s Gospel (Jn. 3:3) and here we see him later defending Jesus and arguing that he deserves to be heard. The response to his defense by his peers seems to be a jeer… ”You are not from Galilee also, are you?” It seems that in our culture today, many respond the same way, with jeers, when someone stands up with courage for Jesus and dares to spread his message.

I pray I have the courage of Jeremiah and Nicodemus to stand up for the truth and to share the faith in Jesus to which I have been called.

Prayer: Merciful God, you call each of us to share your message of love and truth. May we live fully in Your truth and never be deterred by the attacks and lies of the evil one. Give us courage and strength to always trust in You and be ready to profess our faith in you.

Closing: As we continue our journey through Lent, may we embrace each encounter with others as opportunities to share our faith and lead others closer to the Kingdom.

Al Kovacic is the Director of Campus Ministry at Elder High School. Al and his wife Melinda have 4 sons and reside in Villa Hills, KY as members of Saint Joseph Parish in Crescent Springs.

March 17 – Fifth Sunday of Lent
Readings: Jer 31:31-34, 51:3-4, 12-13, 14-15, Heb 5:7-9, Jn 12:20-33

Invitation: “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ…”(Jn11:27)

Reflection: In this last week of Lent before Holy Week, we have John’s account of the penultimate resurrection in the New Testament. Other accounts have Jesus raising Jairus’s daughter and the son of the widow of Naim, but Lazarus is a full-grown man having been dead for quite a while – four days. The stench will be terrible! Surely death has overcome come him. But throughout the Gospels we see the antidote to sin, Satan, and even death: faith in Jesus. It is through this faith that Jesus brings life to Lazarus again.

Jesus tells Martha (and us) “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me will never die. Do you believe this” (Jn 11:25-26)? I think that is a good question to ponder this week as we prepare to hear Mark’s faith shaking account of the Passion of Christ next week on Palm Sunday. Do we take Jesus at His word? I He the resurrection and the life? If we put our faith in Him will we never die, but live with Him forever? Jesus’s followers witness Him rise Lazarus from the dead, and heard Him foretell of His own death and resurrection. Yet when this is fulfilled they do not understand, they do not trust, and they run like sheep without a shepherd. The Apostles’ faith is shaken in that that moment and they do not believe. They doubt that their Lord is a Lord of life.

Jesus is the antidote to sin and throughout this Lent we have used prayer, fasting, and almsgiving to draw near Jesus and deepen our belief in Him. “Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God” says the Lord as the stone rolls away and Lazarus walks free again (Jn 11:40,44). We are all waiting that glory of Easter and its through belief in God’s Son that we will rise again, like Jesus whose ultimate resurrection is ours too. In this last week of Lent let us build up our trust in the Lord so that we are ready for test to come. If we have the strength of faith and cling to Jesus when doubt, fear, sin, and pain come our way, we too will rise again and enter into a new life by His power.

Prayer: God our Father, thank you for hearing us in prayer, help us to believe in your Son Jesus and trust that he is the giver of new life. Amen.

Closing: Do I really believe Jesus is the resurrection and the life? In what areas of my life have I let doubt creep in? How can I turn that over to Jesus and trust that he will transform it into something life-giving?

Matt Hess is the Director of Ministry at the Maria Stein Shrine of the Holy Relics. He and his wife are expecting their first child right before Holy Week this year.

March 18 – Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent
Readings: Dn 13:1-9, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62 or 13:41c-62, Ps 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6, Jn 8:1-11

Invitation to Prayer: Getting what we don’t deserve.

Reflection: The story of Susanna from the 1st reading today is somewhat similar to the story of the woman accused of adultery from the Gospel. But whereas Susanna was noble, righteous, innocent and willing to die rather than sin, the woman caught in adultery was guilty beyond doubt.

Now, the scribes and Pharisees were constantly trying to discredit Our Lord and this time, they must have thought they had him! What better set up could they hope for? Jesus was teaching in the Temple with lots of people around, they had a woman caught in the very act of adultery, and they had the law on their side, handed down by Moses himself – how could Jesus not agree that this woman should get what she deserved?

But the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees is not only manifest in their attempt to discredit Jesus, but if they really did catch the woman in the very act of adultery – didn’t they catch the man as well? According to Moses, both were to die.

In any case, Our Lord did decide to offer the woman something – something she, nor any one of us deserve – he offered her mercy. Once again, Jesus’ enemies were confounded. They simply couldn’t best Our Lord. But as each scribe and Pharisee slipped away, each tacitly admitted his own sinfulness: “let the one without sin cast the first stone.” Jesus was the only one on earth who could have justly condemned the woman, but he didn’t. He offered her mercy instead.

The scribes and Pharisees were very similar to the corrupt judges that falsely accused Susanna. To the corrupt judges, Susanna was nothing more than an object to satisfy their lust. Something to use and then discard. So too with the scribes and Pharisees. They were just as corrupt and to them, the woman was nothing more than an object they wanted to use to satisfy their hate – their hate for Our Lord. But Jesus countered their hate with love and mercy. As His disciples, we are to do likewise.

Prayer: Lord, as we near the end of Lent, may our hearts be open to your mercy. May our spirit be humble enough to recognize how badly we stand in need of it and may we be as generous as Our Lord in being merciful to those who wrong us.

Closing: Our Lord’s offer of love and mercy is extended to all: to adulterous men and women and even to you and me. In the Gospel story, Jesus’ offer extended to the scribes and Pharisees as well, but only the woman experienced the mercy of God that day – because she was the only one who stayed with Jesus to receive it!

Deacon Rusty Baldwin is assigned to the St. Gaspar Family of Parishes. He has been married to his beloved wife for 39 years. They have 8 children. He is retired but keeps quite busy serving in various roles in his Family of Parishes.

March 19 – Solemnity of Saint Joseph, husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Readings: 2 Sm 7:4-5a, 12-14a, 16, PS 89:2-3, 4-5, 27 and 29, Rom 4:13, 16-18, 22, Mt 1:16, 18-21, 24a

Introduction: For you have said, “My kindness is established forever”; in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness. R. The son of David will live for ever.

Reflection: There is this persistent myth that the God of the Old Testament is a God of judgement, and the God of the New Testament is a God of mercy, as if somehow God (who is utterly perfect) could change.

I encountered the Old Testament in a profound way for the first time a number of years ago and it changed my life forever. I saw God with entirely new eyes, and it brought to life the New Testament in ways I never thought possible.

In today’s Old Testament readings, God says, “My kindness is established forever.” Let’s let that sink in. God is not just a God of justice or a God of mercy, He’s much bigger than our thoughts and ways. God is love. We see the beautiful combination of justice and mercy in our reading today. God is not taking it easy on the cosmos, he is going to establish–forever–His kindness. What does that mean? It means no one is taking that away from Him or anyone that chooses to abide in Him. He is putting His foot down once and for all. Evil will flee, darkness will be banished, pain and sorrow will be no more. Today, in the midst of our anxieties, let’s reflect on this promise from the Father–who is our Father. On this great Feast of St. Joseph, let’s pray for the ability to embrace the purifying love of God in our lives with all humility and grace. May St. Joseph’s paternal guidance, protection and care lead us to greater union with our Heavenly Father. St. Joseph most strong, pray for us!

Prayer: Oh St. Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, I place in you all my interests and desires.

Trenton Scroggins serves the Pastoral Center as the Director of Digital Engagement. Outside of work, he loves spending time with his wife and daughter, hiking, biking, and going to Mass.

March 20 – Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Lent
Readings: Dn 3:14-20, 91-92, 95; Dn 3:52-56; Jn 8:31-42

Invitation to Prayer: If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. (Jn 8:31-32)

Reflection: Life is full of difficult choices. No matter which phase of life we’re in, we have to make decisions, some of which will literally change the course of our life. Which school should I attend? Which job should I take? Is this the right person to marry? Which house should we buy? To which school should we send our children? But however hard those choices might be, I imagine that none of us has ever faced a life and death decision like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: worship this false god or be put to a horrific death. We would like to believe that we would be strong enough in our faith to face this challenge, remain steadfast in our faith, and accept the pain and suffering in the name of Jesus. Hopefully we never have to be tested in that way. Unfortunately, there are people today who are.

Some people in our world are forced to make unimaginable choices: Should I stay in my home country and face starvation, violence, and death; or should I embark on a long, treacherous journey that will test the limits of my strength and perseverance, likely not work out, and may result in abuse, trafficking, and/or death? Should I keep my child with me, knowing they will be forced to join a gang and then engage in violence and terror, or should I use all the money I can get from my family and neighbors and send them away with a stranger I don’t know in the hope that – after a perilous journey – they arrive at a place I’ve never seen and find a welcoming person to love and care for them like they deserve? These are choices no one should ever have to make, and yet people are forced into these choices because of the greed, fear, anger, and destitution of others.

As we inch closer to Holy Week and the end of this Lenten journey, let us thank God as fervently as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego for all of the blessings and opportunities we are given, but let us not forget our sisters and brothers around the world whose journeys are far more difficult than ours.

Prayer: Loving and merciful God, I ask for the gifts of gratitude and compassion. Help me to stay ever strong in my faith and remain in solidarity with all of your children.

Closing: When it comes to life’s difficult choices, are you going to God first and seeking God’s guidance? When it comes to the poor and vulnerable here and abroad, am I honoring their dignity and working to assure they too enjoy the blessings of God?

Andrew Musgrave serves as the Director of the Catholic Social Action office. He is a member of the Church of the Resurrection, is married to Ana and has two amazing daughters, Layla and Juliet.

March 21– Thursday of the fifth week of Lent
Readings: Genesis 17:3-9, Psalm 105:4-5, 6-7, 8-9, Gospel 8:51-59

Invitation to Prayer: “Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM.”

Reflection: In the grand scheme of the eternal, before Abraham came to be, “I AM” loved us into existence, blessed us with the grace of free will, desired us as He thirst for us in an ever changing landscape of relationships bound by the Father’s prayer that we all become one.
When the “Word” became flesh and dwelt among us the divine model of serving one another out of love for the Father in washing the feet of our brothers and sisters gave us a new identity, a new command to love, a new emptying out of ourselves for another. We are called to pick up our cross and follow Him into His encounters, His parables, His miracles, His crucifixion, His resurrection, into His glory with His family and friends of the Father.

The secret of “I AM” is he who has seen Him, has seen the Father; as they are one, so we are one. St. Mother Teresa prayerfully asked us to see “I Am” in every human being, to bring the incarnate “Word” into our hearts, into our homes, into the way we love those nearest to us, our friends, our neighbors, those strangers in our lives, those opportunities placed in our lives to lift up, pray for, fast for, give alms to those without, so we may increase in His mercy, forgiveness, kindness, joy, and peace with another.

The beauty of “I AM” is that His love is steadfast, unconditional, substantial, impressive, without fault, faithfully sacred, freely given, totally self-giving, earnestly unselfish, spiritually fruitful, foundationally humble, perfectly unlimited, brilliantly incomprehensible, without end, eternal before Abraham came to be.

Prayer: Father God, most gracious Lord, open our hearts to the beauty of “I AM” as we encounter those nearest us with the gifts and talents You freely and faithfully have given us, glorying the Father through our communion of love with others.

Closing: As we near the end of the Lenten season we lift up “I AM” in all those we have encountered, all those we prayed for, fasted for, and gave alms to that we may all give glory and praise to the presence of “I AM” in our lives.

Deacon Henry Jacquez serves in the Queen of Apostles family of parishes. He is married to his lovely wife, Betsy of 44 years, has three children and seven grandsons. He enjoys reflecting on the “Word,” preaching on the “Word,” and writing poetry in the friendship of “I AM.”

March 22 – Friday of the Fifth Week of Lent
Readings: Jer 20:10-13, PS 18:2-3a, 3bc-4, 5-6, 7, Jn 10:31-42

Invitation: “I love you, Lord, my strength, Lord, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer. Praised be the Lord! I have been delivered from my enemies.” Psalm 18

Reflection: Do you remember Ash Wednesday? Maybe you made it to Mass and got to flaunt your ashes in the McDonald’s drive-thru while waiting for your Filet-o-Fish. Perhaps you retreated into the desert with the Lord by spending some time in Adoration. I had the opportunity to spend a couple of hours alone with the Blessed Sacrament. During this time, I wrote a poetic prayer (song) of praise and thanksgiving for the 20th anniversary of my Baptism. The prayer I composed is one of fervent praise and confidence in God’s abundant mercy, reflexive of the Psalmist’s cries to “Lord, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer.”

Despite beginning this season of Lent in hope and confidence in the Lord’s merciful Love, I can remember numerous times since then in which I, like the Jews in today’s Gospel, “picked up rocks to stone” the Lord. Acting out of woundedness, shame, and habitual fear, I rejected God’s mercy out of my own self-reliance.

Now, we’re approaching Holy Week – the holiest week of the year for Christians today, but also the most earth-shattering week for Christ’s first disciples. After all that’s happened in Lent thus far – all our individual and communal fasting, almsgiving, and drawing nearer to the Lord in prayer – Jesus asks us in today’s Gospel: Do you believe I am the Messiah?

While we’re all familiar with the story, the Scriptures, and the liturgy of Holy Week, we – like the Apostles – really have no idea what lies ahead this week. Outwardly, it could be a typical week; yet it could also be one of profound conversion, in which we accompany the Lord through His Passion and rejoice in His Resurrection like never before. Before jumping on the spiritual roller coaster that is Holy Week, consider the ways the Lord has worked in your life thus far this Lent. consider the following:

Do you believe, regardless of what the coming week may hold, that Jesus is “the One whom the Father has consecrated and sent into the world”? My knee-jerk response to this question is, “Yes! Of course.” And yet, like the Jews, I still slump back into my habitual fear and try to stone the Lord. Do I truly believe Christ is the Messiah, my deliverer, my Savior? Do I really trust in His merciful Love?

Here, near the end of His earthly ministry, Jesus returns to the place where His first followers were called by John to repent and believe in the Good News, just as we were on Ash Wednesday. It seems Jesus is reminding His followers of when they first said “yes” to the Lamb of God. Holy Week is just around the corner, but we still have time. Ask the Lord to take you back to Ash Wednesday, to when you first fell in love. Allow Him to remain there with you, before the bustle and sorrow and death and joy that await next week. Ask Him to remind you of Who He is and who you are in Him.

Prayer: Lord, take me back to when I first fell in love with You. Jesus, I believe you are the Messiah; help my unbelief!

Closing: Let’s encounter Christ as Messiah today. How are we being called to remain in Jesus’ redeeming Love?

Sylvia Vanderburgh is a Dayton native currently pursuing degrees in theology and global studies at Marian University in Indianapolis. A resident of the Dorothy Day House for Peace and Justice, she is passionate about ministering to the Body of Christ through a community founded in the Eucharist.

March 23 – Saturday of the Fifth Week of Lent
Readings: Ez 37:21-28; Jeremiah 31:10, 11-12 abcd, 13; Jn 11:45-56

Invitation to Prayer: Come Holy Spirit, and help me to see the hope you have for me.

Reflection: A quick internet search of the phrase “they shall be my people, and I will be their God” opens up a list that confirms my first thought upon reading the reading from Ezekiel for this reflection. That thought was, “I’ve heard this phrase before.” Now, if I had to put together the list of books from the Bible where you can find this phrase, I don’t think I would have come up with Exodus, Leviticus, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, 2nd Corinthians, and Revelation all on the first try, even if the reward was $1,000,000 or 1,000,000 lbs of Easter candy.

I find it telling that in the ancient text inspired by the Holy Spirit and passed on through the ages, there are at least six reminders of the Lord’s desire to always have us be His, that He has hope for us as He did for the nation of Israel. Ezekiel is prophesying during Israel’s exile and division from other tribes. It’s so clear how much God desired unity for the family through which He promised worldwide salvation and blessing through Abraham. And it’s not by mistake that such hope is given in the same Mass readings as the Gospel of John giving us information that the Passion of Christ is near. Israel needed the hope of being a people belonging to the Lord God while in exile and as Jesus walked the Earth and the Jewish people waited for the coming of their King.

Given the events in the scripture readings of the coming week, we are reminded that Jesus walked through those events with our restoration and salvation always in mind. And even now, when we turn from Him, to sin or apathy or anything that leads us away from Him, we can always turn back to find our God who will be our God and make us His own people.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for your mercy, for never turning away from us, for wanting us to be your people.

Closing: Consider how your life reflects the fact that the Lord is your God and that you belong to Him. How has He shown you He never gives up on you?

Molly Gallagher is a Scheduling Administrator for NET Ministries’ Eastern Regional Office and volunteer for Faith Formation and Youth Ministry at the St. Gregory the Great Family of Parishes on Cincinnati’s eastside.

March 24 – Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion
Readings: Mk11:1-10; Is 50:4-7; Ps 22:8-9,17-18,19-20,23-24; Phil 2:6-11; Mk 14:1-15:47

Invitation to Prayer: Jesus, help me to join my sacrifices to yours.

Reflection: It’s about this time in our journey through the season of Lent that I really start to struggle with my Lenten sacrifices. My resolve tends to weaken, and I subconsciously start to think, “Haven’t I done enough?” The truth is that most of us, me included, struggle with sacrifice. It’s hard and it so often goes against our desires, our appetite, our passions.

As we start this Holy Week we begin our reflection in earnest on the Passion, the suffering, the sacrifice of Jesus. How easy it was for the disciples to stand with Jesus on the way into Jerusalem when the crowds shouted “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” And yet, how quickly they would scatter during his arrest, trial, and passion.

In the readings we hear Isaiah, prophesying of Jesus, say, “I gave” and “I did not shield”. St. Paul says of Jesus, “he emptied himself,” “he humbled himself,” he became “obedient to the point of death.” And in Mark’s gospel we hear the fulfillment of all these words in Jesus’ sacrifice. I will never be able to thank Jesus enough for all that he has done for me. I will never be able to sacrifice as purely as Jesus did for us. And yet, I’m called to be like him: to sacrifice for both my loved ones and strangers so that in joining my sacrifices to his, I might one day be united with Him in Heaven.

Prayer: Dear Jesus, help me to embrace sacrifice. Help me to say like you, “your will be done.” Give me the strength to sacrifice well for my family, my friends, your church, and this world that you created and love so dearly. May my sacrifices point others to you and lead me to a deeper love for you and appreciation for all you’ve done for me.

Closing: As we enter this most Holy of Weeks, let us remember that Jesus’ sacrifice: his passion, death, and ultimately resurrection, are the greatest of sacrifices. Let us draw strength from this week, from the Eucharist, and from Confession so that we might sacrifice well knowing that our sacrifices are meaningful when they are joined to Christ’s sacrifice.

Matt Reinkemeyer is the Director of Leadership Giving in the Stewardship Department for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. You can regularly find him sharing about the good works of the Catholic Ministries Appeal and inviting people to be a part of it. He, his wife, and their five kids are part of the Mary, Queen of All Saints Family of Parishes in Delhi.

March 25- Monday of Holy Week
Readings: Is 42:1-7, Ps 27:1.2.3.13-14,Jn 12:1-11

Invitation to prayer: O Lord, let us love you without exception.

Reflection: In today’s Gospel we read that Mary anointed Jesus’ feet with her costly perfume. As we watch the story unfold of the friendship between Jesus and Lazarus and his two sisters, would we expect anything else of Mary? Mary was the one who sat at Jesus’ feet and, perhaps patiently and confidently, waited from him to come after the death of her brother. Mary knew Jesus and loved Jesus without exception and beyond cost.

As I think of Mary and what an example she is of pure love for Christ, I think of my grandmother too. Today is her birthday and if she were still here she’d be 105! Next to my father, my grandmother inspired my faith in ways that I cannot fully explain. She proved to me throughout her life that, more than anyone, she loved Jesus the most. You see, I didn’t realize it while she was here, but my grandmother’s life wasn’t always easy. Her father died three weeks before she got married. My grandfather died when she was only 49. At 84, she had to bury one of her own children—my father. If anyone had reason to harden her heart a bit and turn from God, it would be my grandmother. But, instead, each hardship she faced only seemed to deepen her faith. Armed with her rosary, my grandmother would pray more, not less, as she tackled each event in her life. She modeled what unconditional love for Christ should look like. When my grandmother passed away at age 98, some people were shocked at how sad I was. “She was 98 years old. You knew this would happen.” Yes, yes, I did. When people would say this, I would smile and say “She just gave me more of her to miss.” I now pray fervently that she is sitting at the feet of Jesus.

Radical and unrestricted love for Jesus will evoke criticism from even those who claim that they too know and love Jesus. Judas’ chastising answer proves that greed owned his heart rather than love. While it’s easy to look at this passage and think “I’m glad that’s not me”, how often is our initial response more rooted in Judas’ response than Mary’s? As we begin this Holy Week, it’s a good idea to examine our hearts and cleanse them from greed and sin. After all, we’ve got quite the story ahead of us and this is only the beginning.

Prayer: Dear Lord, as we begin this Holy Week, we pray for pure hearts that can love you without exception and worry of whatever cost that might be. We ask you to deepen our faith as we walk with you this week and give us the confidence and courage we need to love you radically. Amen.

Christine Baumgardner is the Associate Director of Adult and Family Evangelization in the Center for New Evangelization. Chris is a wife and mother to three sons, who are forging their way into adulthood. Chris enjoys taking walks with her husband and their dog Daisy, listening to music, and going on pilgrimages.

March 26 – Tuesday of Holy Week
Readings: Is 49:1-6, Ps 71:1-2, 3-4a, 5ab-6ab, 15 and 17, Jn 13:21-33, 36-38

Invitation to Prayer: Peter said to him, “Master, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? (Jn 13: 37-38)

Reflection: As I finished shaking his hand, I realized I had shaken the hand of a man who was on death row for years. He had lived within the confines of death row. He had faced execution dates. He had been exonerated and he had come to tell us about his experience.

If I had a list of lifetime expectations as a young adult, I don’t think I would have ever considered getting close to someone on death row. People who want nice lives don’t do those kinds of things. The reasoning further says a lot of people would have to agree that an individual is guilty to condemn him or her to death, right?

And yet people who were innocent have been executed. That’s the hazard of the death penalty, I’m told, that in trying to kill the murderers, you have to accept that some innocent people will be convicted and killed in the process.

I once accepted that the death penalty was necessary for society. I’ve since learned about the Catholic Church’s teaching on the death penalty and believe that those people who have and / or might harm people should be removed from society for life, but not executed. Execution ends the possibility of reconciliation, rehabilitation and restorative justice. Ending the death penalty is something our faith calls us to do.

Shaking the hand of a former death row inmate is not equal to laying one’s life down for Jesus, but it was a moment of realizing the other’s human dignity and my responsibility to do what I can to protect all life.

The profound calling of this Scripture passage falls on a night when our Archdiocese also celebrates the Chrism Mass. As we still consider if or by how much we are laying down our lives for Jesus, we have the wonderful gift and symbol of the oils used to anoint us as Jesus accompanies us through our own lives in Confirmation, Holy Orders, Baptism and Anointing of the Sick.

When Jesus asked Peter if he would lay down his life for Him, he followed it up by predicting Peter would deny him three times before a cock crowed twice.

Jesus, who died as an executed criminal in His society, continues to pose that question to us: Will you lay down your life for me?

Will I commit my life to love my neighbor wherever I find that neighbor, even on death row?

Prayer: Dear Jesus. Help me to respond positively in heart, mind and body when you ask me to lay down my life for you. Help me to learn from you who gave your life for our salvation and continue to walk with us in our lives to care for all people.

Closing: On this day as we remember Jesus’ execution, let us pray, study and act on how Jesus is calling us to lay down our lives for all life.

Pam Long is the Director of Love in Action for the St. Stephen Family in the Hamilton area. She is the current chair of the Archdiocese’s Social Action Commission and active with Catholic Relief Services’ advocacy work with Congress. She and her husband will celebrate 50 years of marriage this year, a union which gave them the joy of three children and three grandchildren.

March 27 – Wednesday of Holy Week
Readings: Is 50:4-9a, 69:8-10, 21-22, 31 and 33-34. Mt 26:14-25

Invitation to Prayer: The Lord GOD has given me a well-trained tongue, That I might know how to speak to the weary a word that will rouse them.

Reflection: I am a sixties kid. That time was tumultuous, and change was daily. Music went to rock-n-roll and as kids we couldn’t wait to go to the record store to get the latest and greatest record.

In 1970 Jesus Christ Superstar ,a two-album, was released  Our youth groups gravitated to the “cool” music, and the raw relationship with Jesus and his disciples. Ian Gillan would sing the Jesus parts, and would be known as the lead singer of Deep Purple. The album was blasted as scandalous by many. Pope Paul VI had a different opinion and thought the music would bring Christianity to many. Whether Tim Rice who wrote the lyrics or Andrew Lloyd Weber meant my interpretation, I could feel the selfish sadness of Judas Iscariot. In the opening song he sings:
“Listen Jesus I don’t like what I see.
All I ask is that you listen to me.
And remember, I’ve been your right hand man all along.
You have set them all on fire.
They think they’ve found the new Messiah.
And they’ll hurt you when they find they’re wrong.”

Sometimes in prayer to this very day I pray, without realizing, all I ask is that you listen to me, instead of shedding the selfishness and be thankful and grateful for all the blessings Christ has bestowed.

Today is often called “Spy Wednesday”. Which leads me to another part of life that is destructive: spying, looking for weakness in others/ In fact we just went through a few weeks of media games which we may have subscribed to “Where’s Princess Kate”. It filled news reports, banter, gossip, podcast, memes: in the end we learned Princess Kate is facing what so many families face, a cancer diagnosis.

A well trained tongue is my destination this Holy Week. Besides, gossip and innuendo is completely meaningless and a moment of our superiority that never existed in the first place.  Judas would go on and in despair that turned into anger, ended his life. Peter would deny Christ when to his face he said he would never….Peter ran and wept bitterly. Those choices remain today.

Prayer: Dear Jesus, I need your mercy in  times I doubted and those times I ask that you listen to me.

Closing: Today is a day we can do a personal spring cleaning by going to confession, spending time in prayer and silence. What is Jesus truly asking of me.

Greg Hartman is the New Media Editor of The Catholic Telegraph.

March 28 Holy Thursday—Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper
Readings: Ex 12:1-8, 11-14; Ps 116:12-13, 15-16bc, 17-18; 1 Cor 11:23-26; Jn 13:1-15

Invitation to Prayer: How shall I make a return to the LORD for all the good he has done for me? (Ps 116:12)

Today we begin the great liturgy of the Church year—the Triduum. Over the course of three days, we re-present the story of our salvation history, from the creation of humans and their fall, to the incarnation of Christ, and on to the central point of our faith. That is, that God loved us so much that He sent His only son to be among us—truly divine and truly human—the Christ, the anointed one, who would suffer and die on our behalf, and would rise again to conquer death and sin. At the Holy Thursday—Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper it begins. Israel’s story. Christ’s story. Our story.

We are a pilgrim people. Exodus prescribes for the people of Israel how they are to act. How they are to trust in the Lord and be delivered. Egypt is not their home. They are called to be more and do more, to live according to God’s law in the promised land and to offer Him worship. So are we. We are not meant for this world alone. We are meant to be with God in heaven.
We are an Easter people. We look forward. Forward, through our own suffering on this Earth to something greater. Through Christ’s passion and cross to His resurrection, and our salvation.
We are a Eucharistic people. We are called to give thanks. We are called to meet Jesus at the Last Supper. At the Last Supper when He offered himself in sacrifice to God in the form of bread and wine. He called us into Communion. Called us to witness and partake in this amazing miracle, this amazing sacrifice at each and every Mass. And we are called to serve. Serve God and each other in charity. Serve as Christ did by washing the feet of our fellow pilgrims.

The Triduum is a great time to reflect. The great liturgy of our Church year begins today. Will you be on the journey, looking forward, giving thanks?

Questions for reflection: Am I conscious of my own journey, my path to the promised land? Am I going clad and eating as those in flight? Flight from this world and toward the next? Am I trusting the Lord who will deliver me? Am I looking forward to my salvation and giving thanks?

Prayer: To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving, and I will call upon the name of the LORD. (Ps 116:17)

Deacon Jesse Fanning serves the Kettering Catholic Community (NE-5) and assists the Archdiocese with the formation of aspirants to the permanent deaconate.

 

March 29 -Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion
Readings: Is 52:13—53:12, Ps 31:2, 6, 12-13, 15-16, 17, 25, Heb 4:14-16; 5:7-9, Jn 18:1—19:42

Invitation to Prayer: Let us remember that we are in the Holy Presence of God.

Reflection: How do we use our God given ability to judge? Do we use it to unify others with God’s loving truth, or perhaps, do we use our ability as human beings to form judgment of others to divide?

Today, on Good Friday, Jesus shows us the way to God’s loving truth through His passion. For one day in our Church calendar, we stop celebrating the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist at Mass, and that day is today, Good Friday. Even as Jesus Christ faced perhaps the worst form of human execution at the hands of the Romans, Jesus refuses to use his judgment to divide even those who are demanding His death sentence. Throughout His earthly life Jesus continually preached of a new Kingdom; he preached about the Kingdom of God as both imminent and eternal. It seems for us, Jesus Christ’s Kingdom is of the soul.

These past three days of Holy Week, I have been blessed to help lead a Lasallian Called to Serve retreat with my senior students and fellow Lasallian educators from La Salle High School. Eighteen young men and three adults stepped back from our busy lives during this the holiest week of our year, to connect more deeply with God’s Holy Presence in our own souls, in our relationships, in our Church, and within our world. While on retreat we focused on accompanying our Lasallian young men to help them live as disciples of Jesus Christ. Throughout these three days we prayed together, we ate together, we opened sacred Scripture together, we celebrated Mass together, we served together, we learned and grew together in relationship with God. We partnered with many wonderful non-profit organizations seeking to help our brothers and sisters throughout Greater Cincinnati. We learned of real human suffering and of the need for people to be seen, heard and treated with dignity and respect.

From touring the Hamilton County Justice Center to accompanying our neighbors in need at local food pantries and via furniture delivery, we were challenged to see Christ in others, and to conjure up the courage and vulnerability to be Christ’s hands and feet for those who need some support. We in turn received perhaps more than we gave, as we felt the love of our neighbor through a smile of appreciation, in an honest conversation filled with deep meaning, and by way of a hug of sincere gratitude. During these three days of retreat, we were both challenged and empowered to use our God-given ability to judge others for unification with God’s loving truth, rather than division.

On this Good Friday, Jesus Christ gives us a new way. Namely in His passion, that is, in Jesus Christ’s life, suffering and death- we see both the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy and the mystery of all mysteries, which remains at the core of our faith -the Paschal Mystery. Only God’s son, Jesus the Christ could turn human injustice and suffering into eternal goodness and life.

Prayer: Let your face shine upon your servant; save me in your kindness. Take courage and be stouthearted, all you who hope in the Lord. (Psalm 31: 17, 25)

Closing: Christ has no body but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which He looks
Compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which He walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which He blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are His body.
Christ has no body now but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours. — St. Teresa of Ávila (attributed)

Chris Winiarski serves as the Director of Campus Ministry, Mission and Formation at La Salle High School in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he lives with his wife Angela, and their three children -Luke, Kate and Sam.

March 30 -Easter Vigil
Easter Vigil Readings 

Invitation to Prayer: Come Holy Spirit, open our hearts, minds, and ears this day so that we may receive all you have in store for us.

Reflection: We are so loved! The Easter Vigil may be one of my favorite Masses of the year. Often, we don’t get to hear all 9 readings, and I highly recommend reading them all because the love story is remarkable!

Most “love” stories that we hear have a protagonist (typically a guy) who meets the “love of their life” and pursues them, inevitably having to clear all kinds of major hurdles (self-induced and/or situationally present) allowing the two to live happily ever after.

The major difference between these “love” stories and our Love Story with God, is that God (the protagonist) did nothing wrong, we (the pursued) did. We screw up all the time. We cheat, lie, steal, and ultimately kill God in our Love story, which would change any book or movie from a “love” story to a tragedy. Yet this is not our end.

You see, God loves you so much, HE WOULD RATHER DIE THAN LIVE WITHOUT YOU! Even though we cheated, lied, stole, and killed Him, He still loves you! This is where the Love story becomes unique. In Romeo and Juliet, one of the most iconic “love” stories, both characters die and do not come back. Yet, God died and He came back!

This simple fact of the story is so often overlooked. The resurrection is one of the greatest acts of Love God has shown us. Look at other popular religions. Their “god” figure died and stayed dead, ours died out of Love for us, and because He loved us so much, conquered death and rose from the dead so we could live with Him forever. How remarkable is this!

I don’t know about you, but knowing how much God loves me, it makes me want to love Him all the more. So when you come to Mass this Easter weekend, I want to encourage you to look at the Mass differently. This is God showing you how much He loves you! He loves you so much, that He would rather die than live without you. Even then, He missed you so much in death, He rose so we can live eternally with Him.

Prayer: Come Holy Spirit, come Lord Jesus, thank you for loving us with a great love that surpasses all understanding! Help us to live in this Love today and every day of our lives!

Closing: We love you too, Jesus.

Alex Bodenschatz served as a NET Missionary from 2018-2020 and now works with NET Ministries as the Easter Regional Recruiter.

March 31 – Easter Sunday, The Resurrection of the Lord
Readings: Acts 10:34a, 37-43, Ps 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23, Col 3:1-4, Jn 20:1-9

Invitation to Prayer: Lord, help me receive you into my tomb, so that you might bring your life.

Reflection: Last week, my wife started baking bread. And the bread is really good! This is kind of a big deal, because gluten-free bread isn’t always that great, but a friend shared a recipe with her, and, after over fourteen hours of hard work, we have really good bread. It’s not like we’ve been agonizing over not being able to have bread, but it was such a delight to enjoy something that we haven’t been able to consume in quite some time. It’s such a little thing, but it’s given me some food for thought in the light of our Easter Sunday readings.

Sometimes, I wonder whether we still live as if we expect death to have the final word. It’s only with the benefit of hindsight that we can see that Mary Magdalene had nothing to fear when she beheld the empty tomb, but if we place ourselves in that time with her, what emotions might wash over us? Perhaps sorrow at the death of our Lord, shock that He was so brutally executed, anger that such injustice could have prevailed, and then, anxiety at finding His body gone, fear and rage that someone has defiled His tomb, and abandonment and helplessness at His absence.

Is that not our own experience when we come to our own places of death? Do we ever expect anything else? Not one of us has come this far without experiencing suffering, loss, and death to some degree. Broken relationships, addictions, habitual sins, lost dreams – no one lives untouched by death. I think upon those places in my life, and I feel that same sorrow, shock, anger, anxiety, fear, rage, abandonment, and helplessness – and those words of Christ on the cross become my own, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”

But do we live as if God has no power in those places? We say we believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ – perhaps we’re familiar to the point that it no longer rocks us with its implications – but can we say that we truly believe that He wants resurrection for us as well? How often do we forget that Jesus wants us to allow Him into the most painful and shameful places in our life so that He can bring His healing and His life? This is what we celebrate each Easter, and it is the beautiful truth of which St. Paul reminds us, “For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory.”

Where in our hearts does God want to go this Easter season? Will we allow Him to bring His resurrection into the brokenness in our lives? It is precisely in our most wounded relationships, our worst habits, our most profound experiences of death that God most wants to bring us to an experience of His life. Like Peter and John, we may not understand what is happening when we stumble upon our empty tombs, but we can believe and trust in God’s goodness. This is a great mystery, but as one of my good friends once said, “it’s not that we can’t understand a mystery, it’s that there’s always more we can understand about it.”

Like the apostles, we have been commissioned to give witness to the Gospel, and not a Gospel that is distant or in the past, but a Gospel that is living and real in our own lives today. Maybe it seems like God is only doing little things in our life, but like yeast, it’s those little things that leaven all the dough; it’s those little things – like sharing the simple pleasure of a slice of gluten-free sourdough – through which God invites us to receive His love and rise to new life. If anything, the suffering we experience is merely the heat of the oven through which we can participate in the cross of Christ as He offers His very body as the super-substantial Bread of Life. And when we have bread this good, I pray that we embrace the overflowing joy that makes the exultation of the Psalmist our own: “I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.”

Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, by dying you destroyed our death, and by rising you restored our life; help me to receive your life into those places of death, so that they may become places of resurrection from which your love can flow through me.

Paco Patag is a homeschool graduate and an alumnus of Cincinnati State Community College, the University of Cincinnati, and the Saint John Leadership Institute. He delights in helping others discover, receive, and respond to their vocation, and is grateful to be able to do so as the Associate Director of Young Adult Evangelization for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. Paco always welcomes conversations about life, books, and music, especially around a fire or on a good hike, and can often be found with his wife, Beth, enjoying a vanilla latte at White Oak Coffee House.