Today, on this Fourth Sunday of Lent, Holy Mother Church celebrates Laetare Sunday. The word laetare is Latin for “rejoice,” but our rejoicing today is somewhat bitter-sweet. We just observed the first day of Spring, which often comes with a sense of hope and anticipation for warmer weather, new growth, longer days, and new possibilities. The COVID-19 pandemic, however, has blanketed the world with a shadow of fear, panic, and doubt. But, while we take this precaution and seclusion to protect…
In light of the recent declarations by the President, the World Health Organization, and the CDC, I would like to invite everyone to join in offering this prayer for all who are affected by the coronavirus pandemic:
Good morning. With the first week of Lent now behind us, hopefully we have found a good balance with our prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Remember, the season of Lent is about letting go of the things that distract us from living our faith more authentically. It is a time of conditioning, like practice before a big game, and the time we spend disciplining ourselves now will better dispose us for life in heaven. We ought never to take our eyes off of our destination, which is to say, we ought…
On this First Sunday of Lent, our readings highlight the brokenness of our human nature through the temptation and sin of Adam, the first man, and our redemption from temptation and sin, through Christ, the new man. In the Book of Genesis, we witness the fall of the first man, Adam, through temptation. As I reflect on this passage, I had this insight: After Adam and Eve eat the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, it says, “Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they…
