Dominus Illuminatio Mea
A Mass of the Transfiguration It is a curious fact of liturgical history that originally the Second Sunday of Lent had no Mass of its...
The Inner Sanctuary Beyond the Veil
Thursday of the Fifth Week of Lent Genesis 17: 3-9 Psalm 104: 4-5, 6-7, 8-9 (R. 8a) John 8: 51-59 Christ our Priest On this...
And the Truth Shall Make You Free
I preached this homily in 2007. It makes reference, therefore, to the reformed lectionary. I offer it today for the readers of Vultus Christi who...
The Two Annunciations
The Annunciation of the Lord is being celebrated today on the Monday of Passion Week; Friday will be the Commemoration of the Compassion of the...
I Am the Health of My People
Thursday of the Third Week of Lent Station at the Basilica of Saints Cosmas and Damian Introit I am the health of My people, says...
Eia, Mater, Fons Amoris
Friday of the Fifth Week of Lent Commemoration of the Sorrowful Compassion of the Blessed Virgin Mary The Virgin of Sorrows is the Portress of...
Who Is On Your “E” List?
Saturday of the First Week of Lent Deuteronomy 26:16-19 Psalm 118: 1-2, 4-5, 7-8 Matthew 5:43-48 The Spirit of Compunction If yesterday’s Gospel pierced your...
The Sin That Voids Every Virtue
Friday of the First Week of Lent Ezekiel 18:21-28 Psalm 129:1-2, 3-4, 5-7a, 7bc-8 Matthew 5:20-26 Anger Today Our Lord addresses the sin of anger....
Esther: An Image of the Church
Thursday of the First Week of Lent Esther C:12, 14-16, 23-25 Psalm 137: 1-2ab, 2cde-3, 7c-8 Matthew 7:7-12 Women of Lent Yesterday the queen of...
The Disruptive Grace of Lent
Wednesday of the First Week of Lent Jonah 3:1-10 Psalm 50;3-4, 12-13, 18-19 Luke 11:29-32 I can’t resist adding a word about this portrait of...
Lent and Lectio Divina
Tuesday of the First Week of Lent Isaiah 55:10-11 Psalm 33:4-5, 6-7, 16-17, 18-19 Matthew 6:7-15 Lectio and Oratio Today’s Mass invites us to focus...
In Voluntate Tua
Guercino’s (1591–1666) Crowning With Thorns depicts two attitudes toward the Suffering Christ. On the one hand we see a soldier clad in armour. With a...
Ecce Agnus Dei
For Sidney Some time ago, a remarkable young man named Sidney wrote me from Brazil to ask for a blessed Agnus Dei. I promised him...
Liberator Meus
O blessed Passion of Christ! We contemplate Thee bound to the column of Thy cruel scourging and praise Thee with sorrowing love because by the...
And Healing to the Wounded Grant
Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Lent Numbers 21: 4–9 Psalm 101: 1–2, 5–17, 18–20 (R. 1) John 8: 21–30 The Serpent and the Cross...
Lazare, veni foras!
Caravaggio’s Resurrection of Lazarus depicts a dead man stunned by his sudden return to life. The head of Christ is the very one Caravaggio painted...
Gazing on Christ’s Open Heart
Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Lent Ezechiel 47:1-9, 12 Psalm 45:2-3, 5-6, 8-9 John 5:1-16 All You That Thirst Today’s texts are just waiting...
Stational Mass at Santa Croce in Gerusalemme
The Solemn Stational Mass of the Fourth Sunday of Lent will be celebrated in the Basilica of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme this evening, 18 March...
Mothering Sunday and the Golden Rose
Mothering Sunday The Church is our Mother; we were born of her womb in Baptism. She is our Mother because, as the Introit sings, she...
Eruditi et Nutriti
Wednesday of the Third Week of Lent Deuteronomy 4:5-9 Psalm 147: 12-13, 15-16, 19-20 (R. 12a) Matthew 5:17-19 The Word Repeated The liturgy is circular,...