Thursday of the First Week in Lent
The Book of Esther is vital to salvation history by demonstrating God’s silent providence in preserving the Jewish people—and thus the Messianic line—from annihilation while in exile. Though God is not explicitly named (the only book of the Bible where God is not named), Esther acts as a type of Christ or intercessor, risking her life to save her people, foreshadowing the ultimate salvation.
Wednesday of the First Week of Lent
The Ninevites hear God’s call to repentance from the prophet Jonah. They respond by sitting in ashes and turning away from their violence they do to one another. They repent and God welcomes them home. What we don’t get from the first reading today is the context that Jonah doesn’t like the Ninevites and would rather God smite them than have his preaching be successful! He would rather they burn than be asked by God to welcome them as sisters and brothers.
Tuesday of the First Week of Lent
The word "Lent" comes from the Old English word læncte, which means "lengthening" or "springtime". Spring (in our eco-region) is a time of rains, longer days, change and growth expressed in today’s first reading. I grew up in Winnipeg, Canada, where foot-high snow often covered the ground throughout Lent. The snowmelt took weeks through April/May and as children we longed for the snow piles to melt so we could shift from hockey on ice rinks to street ball hockey and the snow-clear baseball season. We jumped on the ice-covered puddles to break them up and help the process along. Streets became mini-streams as the waters drained from roadways into our rivers and lakes. We couldn’t shift from snow boots to shoes until the ground was drier and the streets cleaned of the winter gravel and salting. The process took time. Melting snows are an important source of water for the deep soils of the North American prairies, which produce wheat and other grains as a ‘breadbasket’ for the world.
Monday of the First Week of Lent
Why remember a second century martyr in 2026? Polycarp (along with Ignatius of Antioch, Clement I of Rome, and Justin Martyr) serve as a bridge from the apostles, a defender of truth against distortion, and a foundational figure. He was true, in every facet, to today’s Psalm response: “Your words, O Lord, are spirit and life” (19:8).
Saturday after Ash Wednesday
“Lord, I want to be a Christian in my heart, in my heart.”
I love that hymn for the deep sense of yearning to follow Jesus that it expresses. I say that despite the fact that whenever I sing it, I always have to ask myself if I truly am a Christian in my heart. That question can be quite unsettling, And it invites other questions. What does it mean to be a Christian in my heart? How do I know if I am or am not such a Christian? What should I do if it turns out that I am not a true Christian?
Friday after Ash Wednesday
As I happen to be writing this reflection for Friday on Ash Wednesday, the issue of fasting is front and center on my mind (and stomach). A hungry stomach keeps alerting my mind to its state, which I find makes it harder to focus and easier to become irritable with my husband. Apparently, I’m not very advanced with this discipline. Fasting is front and center in both of today’s readings as well. But perhaps not as you’d expect.
Thursday after Ash Wednesday
Our lives are full of many choices. Almost every minute of each day we decide what to say and do. Today’s readings focus on choices and how these words and deeds can bring us a life that is God-centered. How might we learn to make decisions that lead us to be disciples of Christ?
Ash Wednesday
There is an urgency in Joel’s prophetic words today. And Joel is not just asking us to change our minds this time. No. Joel’s prophecy involves our whole bodies. The first reading from Joel urges us, “even now!” Even now, return with your whole heart. Fast. Weep. Mourn. Involve your whole body in turning toward God. In fact, Joel urges us to break open our hearts. Let our hearts be broken. Weep for what is worthy of weeping over. Mourn the loss of lives, of innocence.
Tuesday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
Have you ever misunderstood someone, or has someone misunderstood you?
Monday of Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
“The testing of your faith produces perseverance so that you may be perfect and complete.” - James 1:4
“Nothing in this world can take the place of perseverance.” - Calvin Coolidge
Today we hear the opening verses of the Letter of James, one of our “Catholic (meaning “universal”) epistles. In these initial verses, James calls on Christians everywhere to “perservere.” Today is also Presidents Day, a national holiday.
Memorial of Saints Cyril, Monk, and Methodius, Bishop
Our Gospel today features Jesus’ second miraculous feeding, this time of a group of 4,000 people. The occasion of this ministry is the Gentile area of the Decapolis. It closely parallels the feeding of the 5,000 in Galilee (Mark 6:35-44) with a few significant differences. Both accounts shine as a prefigurement of the Eucharistic meal and the messianic banquet in the age to come. Today, I’d like to focus on Jesus’ compassion and mercy and our abject need for him. May we always seek to satisfy our spiritual hunger in Christ and be a Eucharistic people who live in such a way as to draw others to him.
Friday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Have you ever wondered what God’s voice sounds like? Or you may have wondered, like me, what Jesus’ voice sounded like when he spoke and sang (surely he must have sung not only as a child, but as a mature, Jewish man). Would he have been more of a tenor, baritone or bass? When he spoke, what was it like? When he groaned as in today’s gospel story, and commanded “Ephphatha!” to the deaf man, “Be opened!”, what did it sound like?
Thursday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Today Jesus moves out of the territory ruled by Herod and into Tyre, a mixed district consisting of both Jews and Greeks. In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus is a man of his time and place who saw the children of Abraham as elected by God and others not so much.
The Syro-Phoenician woman is unique among all the figures in the Gospels. She is the only one to win an argument with Jesus! Initially he refuses to drive the demon out of her daughter. He tells her that he has come first to the descendants of Abraham. The pagan woman grovels by comparing herself with a dog that might eat the scraps from the table of Abraham. She falls at the feet of the Lord. Deeply moved by this, Jesus grants her request and her daughter is healed.
Wednesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Just yesterday, the Pharisees and scribes were criticizing Jesus and his disciples for not following the tradition of the elders, for not keeping all the rituals. Jesus’ response then was to quote the prophet, “This people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.”
Today, Jesus gathers the people and says to us that nothing that enters from the outside and goes into our stomach can defile us. What defiles is what comes out of us from our hearts - evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly.
Memorial of St. Scholastica, Virgin
Today we remember St. Scholastica, who founded the Benedictine sisters in the sixth century following the Rule that her twin brother, St. Benedict had written. The rule contains much timeless wisdom that still applies nearly 1500 years later. It emphasizes the importance of balance in the spiritual life of time spent in work, prayer, community, solitude and rest. Many religious communities, such as my Marianist Family are based on the Benedictine rule. The practice of hospitality is expressed by ‘welcoming every guest as if they were Christ’. When making important decisions, the community is encouraged to listen to the youngest/newest member’s perspectives first, that we remain responsive to the Spirit and practice the deep listening of synodality and openness to new ways.
Monday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Tassels. Tassels are ornaments used in decor and fashion. Tassels are ceremonial wear within military and religious circles the world over. Fraternal orders such as the Shriners, the Elks, and the Masons like them. Throughout the Arab world tassels are worn to ward off demons. It is the same among native Americans. Tassels are switched proudly from right to left sides of mortarboards at graduations.
Saturday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time
I don’t know about you, but two things really stuck with me from Father John’s homily last Sunday on the Beatitudes. The first was his observation that the Kingdom Jesus means to bring forth into the world looks upside down to us because its values are contrary to the values of the kingdom of the world that we inhabit every day. And it’s precisely those upside-down values that threaten to turn that worldly kingdom topsy turvy.
Memorial of St. Paul Miki and Companions, Martyrs
We are given two different models of earthly kings in today’s readings. Likely, even if you haven’t yet read today’s readings, you’ll be able to guess who’s who. One who “offered thanks to God Most High, in words of praise” with his every deed, and “With his whole being he loved his Maker and daily had his praises sung.” The other acted out of insecurity, jealousy, and fear of losing his position of power and status, who made decisions against his better judgment to maintain the perceived respect of his guests. Any guesses?
Memorial of St. Agatha, Virgin & Martyr
Today in our gospel reading Jesus sends his apostles out and tells them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick. What significance might this reveal for the Twelve, and does it also provide guidance for us today?
Wednesday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Have you ever misunderstood someone via text because you ‘heard’ the text with a tone that the sender did not intend? This experience comes to mind as I pray with the gospel today. “Where did this man get all of this? What kind of wisdom has been given him?” The questions themselves aren’t bad questions. They could have been asked with wonder and awe, “Wow! He’s one of us! Isn’t it amazing that we are seeing this new side of him? Isn’t it wonderful how he’s grown into the man before us?”