homilies

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…

Today marks the beginning of the season of Lent. We have gathered together to be reminded of our humanity and humble ourselves before Almighty God. Some of us may be here seeking reconciliation; some of us may be here seeking consolation; some of us may be here seeking a fresh start. All of these are made available to us, not because we put ashes on our faces, but rather, because we have made a conscious decision to turn away from the world and set our hearts on God. This is precisely what the…