Feb. 26 marks Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, a 40-day preparation (not including Sundays) for Easter. The word Lent itself derives from the Anglo-Saxon word lenctin, which means spring. The 40-day period also has significance: Moses stayed on Mount Sinai for 40 days; Elijah walked 40 days to Mount Horeb; and Jesus fasted and prayed for 40 days in the desert before beginning his public ministry.
When we first began having grandchildren, they were roughly evenly divided between boys and girls. But the past 14 in a row have been girls. What are the odds?
The Supreme Court on March 4 will hear oral arguments in the case June Medical Services LLC v. Gee. June Medical Services operates an abortion clinic in Louisiana and is joined in its suit by two anonymous doctors who do abortions. Gee is Dr. Rebekah Gee, former secretary of Louisiana’s health and hospitals department.
Our faith teaches that the Eucharist is the “source and summit” of life in Christ (“Lumen Gentium,” 11). The Eucharist is the life-giving wellspring from which flows our supernatural bond with God and the divine assistance we need to act as his children. The Eucharist is the climax of our lives on earth, and as such, is the end toward which all our activities should be directed. The liturgy, far from being limited to an hour in church on Sunday, is meant to serve as a structuring principle of the whole of life, not just to be ritually celebrated, but lived out — extended through the everyday affairs and activities of believers. In turn, the liturgy transforms these affairs and activities — along with believers themselves — renewing them in Christ.
Lent offers us a time to take stock of our lives, question our motivations, examine our relationships and pray more attentively, opening ourselves to God's actions in our lives. The ashes on our face remind us that we are not gods, we will not live forever and this life has a purpose.
Who were the Pharisees? To make a long story short, the Pharisees were a reform movement within Judaism that emphasized the observance of the law of God, right down to the last letter. Essentially, the Pharisees reduced Judaism to a list of rules to keep. But the trouble with reducing religion to mere rule-keeping is that it quickly devolves into minimalism.
What is the relationship between the temple of Solomon and the church which is described as the new temple?
Kobe Bryant's sudden death is the highlight of the recent news. Kobe was known for many things — he was a talented NBA superstar, a coach, a husband, a father and a friend. As with most celebrities, he was not exempt from his share of indiscretions. What made him different was his decision to change. I didn't follow the star that closely despite being born and raised in Southern California. Yet I was happily surprised to learn more about his faith life. The news reported how talking to a Catholic priest changed his life. A childhood friend mentioned on a recent Facebook post that she saw him and his family at Mass. Kobe reminds me that faith has the power to heal and make you stronger.
A good friend and member of Youth Apostles went to Alaska for a year to serve as the director of youth ministry in a parish. He mentioned how difficult the winters are with the bitter cold temperatures and the lack of sunlight. In the dead of winter, the nights are long, the days are short and the sun never rises very high in the sky.
Holy and perfect
We continue our journey through the Sermon on the Mount. Let’s review. Our Lord has taught the beatitudes, those right attitudes of being. If we live the beatitudes, Jesus declares, “You are the light of the world, and the salt of the earth.” This statement is not just declarative but imperative: Live the beatitudes, be the salt, and be the light of the world. With that, Jesus addressed six precepts of the law: The law was meant to be lived not just by the letter, but by the spirit; not written only on stone tablets but on one’s heart. Our Lord calls us to a higher standard.