During this first Sunday of Lent meditation, we explore what it truly means to enter into our own forty days in the desert – not just through fasting, but through the powerful practice of prayer and spiritual withdrawal.
Drawing from the day's Mass readings in the traditional Roman rite, we examine how biblical figures like Moses and Elias spent their forty days in profound spiritual retreat, preparing us to understand Christ's own desert sojourn. Their examples remind us that Lent isn't merely about giving something up; it's about creating sacred space where God can speak to our hearts. As St. Augustine wisely noted, "Our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee" – and Lent offers us the opportunity to rediscover that rest.
But what does a spiritual desert look like in our hyperconnected world? Unlike medieval peasants who could physically withdraw, we face unique modern challenges. This meditation offers practical suggestions for prayer that fit within contemporary life: morning and evening devotions, spiritual communions, rosary recitation, visits to the Blessed Sacrament, and attending traditional practices like Stations of the Cross. Rather than scrolling before bed, we might pray Compline. Instead of a lunch break scrolling social media, we could sit in silence before the tabernacle. These small shifts create powerful openings for divine encounter.
The three Ps of Lent—Penance, Prayer, and People (almsgiving)—must remain in balance. We easily remember to eat fish on Fridays, but do we remember to pray? This Lent, accept the invitation to withdraw from digital noise, secular distractions, and worldly preoccupations. Create your own spiritual desert—not of emptiness, but of divine fullness. Your forty days await.
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Have you ever wondered what happened after the Book of Acts closes? The story of Christianity's explosive growth through the ancient world might be the most thrilling chapter in Church history you've never fully explored.
Joshua Charles, founder of Eternal Christendom, takes us on a captivating journey through the grand narrative of salvation history, revealing how Greek philosophy, Roman order, and Hebrew revelation converged at the perfect moment for Christ's arrival. This isn't just ancient history—it's the story we're still living today.
Discover how the early Church Fathers understood prophecy unfolding before their eyes as pagan temples fell and Christian altars rose across the empire. Learn why St. Thomas Aquinas identified "obedience to the Roman Church" as the mysterious restrainer mentioned in Scripture, and why this matters for our current moment.
The conversation ventures into fascinating territory as Joshua addresses the recurring biblical motif of older and younger brothers—from ...
Christ is risen! The glorious transformation we've been preparing for through forty days of Lenten sacrifice has arrived, but what happens to our spiritual journey now?
This meditation explores the profound significance of Eastertide—not merely as the end of Lenten disciplines but as the beginning of a new way of living. From the triumphant moment when "light has triumphed over darkness," we are called to understand that Easter isn't about abandoning our spiritual progress, but redirecting it toward a fuller expression of our life in Christ.
As St. Paul reminds us, being "risen with Christ" means elevating our desires toward heaven while detaching from mere earthly satisfactions. For newly baptized Catholics, this season marks their first days in the faith, while for all believers, it offers a time to balance joyful celebration with continued spiritual growth. The Easter octave specifically highlights this transition as we learn to live out the new life received in baptism.
The meditation offers ...
Have you ever wondered what happened after the Book of Acts closes? The story of Christianity's explosive growth through the ancient world might be the most thrilling chapter in Church history you've never fully explored.
Joshua Charles, founder of Eternal Christendom, takes us on a captivating journey through the grand narrative of salvation history, revealing how Greek philosophy, Roman order, and Hebrew revelation converged at the perfect moment for Christ's arrival. This isn't just ancient history—it's the story we're still living today.
Discover how the early Church Fathers understood prophecy unfolding before their eyes as pagan temples fell and Christian altars rose across the empire. Learn why St. Thomas Aquinas identified "obedience to the Roman Church" as the mysterious restrainer mentioned in Scripture, and why this matters for our current moment.
The conversation ventures into fascinating territory as Joshua addresses the recurring biblical motif of older and younger brothers—from ...
When evangelical leader Charlie Kirk declared "the antidote to feminism is our Lady," Catholics across social media took notice. His surprising admission that "we as Protestants and Evangelicals under-venerate Mary" has sparked intense conversation about whether the prominent conservative commentator might be on a path toward Rome.
The statement represents a significant theological shift for Kirk, who went on to praise Mary as "a phenomenal example and a counter to so much of the toxicity of feminism in the modern era." While careful not to overstate what's happening, we examine this moment through a Catholic lens, exploring how devotion to Mary has historically led many Protestant thinkers toward Catholic teaching. Reports that Kirk has been attending weekday Mass with his wife add an intriguing dimension to the discussion.
We also revisit Michael Knowles' earlier conversation with Kirk about Catholicism, analyzing the challenges of interfaith dialogue when trying to balance ...
Are you tired of the inaction of pro-life leadership and legislators on the issue of getting rid of abortion in our nation? Are you tired of being lectured by the feminist pro-life leadership about how wanting the complete abolition of abortion in the manner that it must be done is harmful to women (for some reason)? Well I have the place for you, it's Catholics for Abolition! Our mission is dedicated helping achieve the abolition and eradication of abortion, spreading the Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ to the nations, and giving Catholics a home within the Protestant-dominated abortion abolitionist movement that is by Catholics, for Catholics. If you're interested in following our work, be sure to follow us on X, and if you are interested in getting more involved with us, shoot us or my personal X account a DM. God Bless, and I pray that Our Lord calls and convicts you to protect the unborn by calling for the abolition of abortion!
X account: Catholics for Abolition (@Caths4Abolition)
I was having lunch with my mom when I was talking about a lawyer. I mentioned a few things about him, "he's blind, from Michigan, Jewish", and then she flipped out, especially after I mentioned that my tongue slipped after saying the last part. She said Iwas being hateful and "racist" for mentioning that, and swore that I said "those people", though I don't recall that at all.
When I explained that "a lot of my generation feels that way", she got mad, and said how she doesn't want me to be like those people on tv (the "stop Jewish violence" ads) and then had me sit down with my dad and I like I was a little kid (I get that she was concerned, but overbearing mothers really can be a problem. She said she didn't want me to be antisemetic and that I act "hollier than thou." My dad was more open to what I meant, but that whole thing was a blow to the stomach. I listen to you and Nick Funetes about the Jews, but I wonder if I'm in too deep. I don't hate Jewish people or really anybody, but I do...
