Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light. – Matthew 17:1-2 Our Lenten adventure includes a mountain hike this Sunday! We follow Jesus, Peter, James, and John as they climb the mountain of encounter with the Holy Trinity. A theophany is a manifestation of God, a direct…
This Sunday, Jesus demonstrates the power of obedience and humility. The Holy Spirit led Him to the desert to be tempted (Matthew 4:1). Israel was called but failed to persevere the temptations of the desert; Jesus had to undo this knot of disobedience in the desert. Notice that Satan, the prideful fool, took Jesus ever higher to tempt Him after the first attempt failed: “the pinnacle of the temple” (4:5), “a very high mountain” (4:8).…
Have you ever thought about Lent as a spiritual adventure, or does it seem more like: “Here we go again. Time to give up meat on Fridays and sweets again.” That doesn’t seem very motivating to me. But Lent as a spiritual adventure? A chance to go somewhere new in my interior life with Jesus as my companion? That sounds motivating! We start our spiritual adventure in the desert with Jesus. Later, we’ll climb Mt.…
Then Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin any more.” – John 8:11 As I watch the Gospel scene of the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11) play out in my imagination, I notice the looks on the people’s faces. The Pharisees and scribes who brought the woman look judgmental and disgusted. They “forced her to stand in their midst.” Imagine her trapped there between all these…
I will get up and go to my Father and shall say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. – Luke 15:18 Have you ever felt like the prodigal son, far away from home? I have. Like the prodigal son, I had to listen to my conscience and come to my senses (cf. Luke 15:17). I knew I had the open arms of the Church to come home to, and I…
Jesus took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain to pray. – Luke 9:28 In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus took his closest disciples to pray in the quiet of the mountains. Our world is so noisy and full of information. Lent is an ideal time for cultivating quiet in order to draw closer to God. Personally, I am trying to quiet some noise in my own life, so I made a list to…
Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days, to be tempted by the devil. – Luke 4:1 Lent has arrived, and we are sent into the desert with Christ. Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the desert in order to be tempted. This can be a scary thought. What will be my temptations during this Lent? Will I be…
Palm Sunday – March 28, 2021 You are not your own; you were bought with a price. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). We who are baptized are free children of God. Christ Himself, in His messianic role, freed us from the captivity of sin and death. But our freedom was not free. It came at a great price: the death of God Himself. His death freed us from Satan’s grasp, who seeks to enslave us. His death…
The Spirit drove Jesus out into the desert, and he remained in the desert for forty days, tempted by Satan. – Mark 1:12 Lent has arrived. We began our journey on Ash Wednesday, and we continue it today in the desert with Christ. The Spirit drove Jesus out into the desert to fast and be tempted. We go out with Him into the desert of Lent, fasting, praying, and giving alms. We also will be…
Our journey through the desert of Lent has brought us to this point: Holy Week and the cross. On this Palm Sunday, we walk along beside Christ as He lays down His life for us. Imagine you are there with the Blessed Mother, St. John, and the Magdalen as they walk with Jesus through His passion. Helplessly, you watch Jesus suffer as He is beaten, mocked, spat on, and crowned with thorns. Imagine yourself there,…