Have you ever witnessed someone's profound spiritual awakening after years away from faith? Today we explore the miraculous spiritual resurrection that occurs when a soul returns to God through the sacrament of penance.
Drawing from the Gospel of St. Luke, we contemplate Jesus raising the widow's son at Naim – a powerful metaphor for the Church weeping over souls lost to sin. St. Ambrose beautifully interprets this passage, showing how the grieving mother represents the Church herself, who never stops praying for those walking toward spiritual death. When Jesus commands "arise," we witness more than a physical resurrection; we see the pattern for spiritual revival that continues today.
The testimony shared about a mother returning to confession after possibly 40 years demonstrates how our persistent prayers truly work. St. Padre Pio reassures us that "God is so good that not only does he never reject souls that convert, but he himself goes out in quest of the obstinate." This Lenten season, consider directing your sacrifices toward someone specific in your life who needs spiritual resurrection. The small annoyances we face daily, when offered up without complaint, become powerful prayers for conversion.
I find particular inspiration in the connection between St. Ambrose and Augustine mentioned in today's reflection. Augustine's own journey from notorious sinner to saint, fueled by his mother Monica's relentless prayers, reminds us that no one is beyond the reach of God's mercy. Heaven truly rejoices when even one sinner returns. Whose spiritual resurrection will your prayers and sacrifices help bring about this Lent?
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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 ...
The sacred stillness of Holy Saturday holds a unique place in our spiritual journey - that profound pause between the Crucifixion and Resurrection, where we are invited to contemplate the mystery of Christ's rest in the tomb. Through ancient liturgical texts and thoughtful meditation, we explore this day not as empty waiting, but as fertile ground where the seed of Resurrection quietly germinates.
"Today I am plunged in anguish, but tomorrow I will break my bonds." This powerful antiphon sets the tone for our reflection on what appears as defeat but secretly harbors victory. We join Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus at the hasty burial of Jesus before walking through the profound symbolism of the Easter Vigil ceremonies—the blessing of new fire, the lighting of the Paschal candle representing Christ risen, and the gradual illumination of darkness as this light spreads throughout the congregation.
The beautiful paradox of Holy Saturday emerges as we contemplate both loss and anticipation. "The ...
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A good (long) read by Fr. Z.
The following is a good point to keep in mind:
“ Allow me to go back to my food analogy for liturgy. This might seem a little insulting but it is just intended to make a point about the continuum we are on.
In 99% of a man’s day and activities, it is beneath his dignity to scrunch up his face and make airplane noises while moving a spoon around with his hand. People would think he was nuts. OR… if he is sitting in front of the high-chair of his little son, who can only eat goop and must sometimes be convinced to eat it, then that man is not doing anything beneath his dignity. On the contrary, he is performing a sacrificial act of love for his child. He sacrifices his dignity – becoming more dignified yet – for the sake of his boy’s eating something that will help him to grow out of the need to eat that sort of thing in that sort of way. He helps his boy move up the food and eating continuum to more complicated foods eaten in a more human way....
