Let the Two Be One
Maundy Thursday The first letter of the first word of the Canon of the Mass is a T. It didn’t take medieval Christians long to start seeing in that T a cross. Nor did it take artists long to start making that little T look like a cross, gradually adding the figure of Christ, then […]
Don’t Run Away From the Cross
Palm Sunday Only a very inattentive observer could fail to perceive the contrast in today’s liturgy. We began in triumph, processing with the palms of victory and the olive branches of peace and soothing mercy, singing the glory of Christ Our King with joy and jubilation. Like the Hebrews of that first Palm Sunday, we […]
The Word of the Cross
Passion Sunday With today’s liturgy, we enter into Passiontide, the two weeks leading up to Easter, and during which our thoughts and meditations are continually drawn into the mystery of the sufferings of the God-Man, Our Lord Jesus Christ. We are invited to contemplate more assiduously the crucifix, and yet the Church takes the crucifix […]
Glory and Riches in His House (Ps 110)
St Joseph These inspired words are perfectly adapted to St Joseph, who had in his keeping the Son of God and His Immaculate Mother, even though the world does not see this. We must have faith to see and understand his discreet but essential role in the life of Our Lord and Our Lady. When […]
He Knows What He Will Do
Laetare Sunday This Sunday, called Laetare from the first word of the introit, invites us to leave aside somewhat our Lenten mourning and hand our hearts over to rejoicing. What is the cause of our joy? We are going up to the House of the Lord, Jerusalem. All the chants of today’s Mass sing, indeed, […]
From Top to Bottom
Third Sunday of Lent There was a time when it was fashionable for certain intellectuals to launch against Christianity the scornful epithet of being a woman’s religion, a religion without guts. Frederich Nietzsche, in particular, made it one of his great battle cries, pretending that modern man has finally been freed from the wives’ tales […]
Inwardly and Outwardly
Second Sunday of Lent Today’s oration bears witness to that realism so characteristic of the ancient Roman liturgy: O God, who seest that we are wholly destitute of strength, keep us both inwardly and outwardly; that we may be defended in body from all adversity, and cleansed in mind from evil thoughts. Realism indeed, for […]
Sin Is Not Normal
First Sunday of Lent The season of Lent is essentially a time of purification. Purification from sin. A purification that includes the strong resolve to avoid sin in the future. This is the reason for today’s Gospel in which we see Our Blessed Lord lowering Himself to being tempted by the devil. Imagine the King […]
The Only Thing That Lasts
Quinquagesima Sunday On this final Sunday before the beginning of Lent, Holy Mother Church issues the third clarion call. We have been warned of the arduous task ahead, of the steep mountain we must climb, of the narrowness of the path and the tribulations that await us. Today’s Gospel reminds us that all we must […]