In retrospect, all these meals were as awful as they sound, but — whether intentionally or not — they delivered a message that our fasting and our abstinences were meant to be taken seriously and not subverted through technicalities.

Frequently and piously walking with him, contemplating his suffering and sharing our crosses, especially when we feel abandoned or in despair, gives us courage and hope.

Not all sins are equally terrible, and the dynamic of how we come to fall into sin can vary depending on the circumstances.

May Lent offer you the opportunity to experience Jesus’ love in a new way. And, as you walk your Lenten journey, know that this season can offer a time to grow closer to God without lentils – unless you personally happen to see them as a sign of Jesus’ love for you.

The annual 40-day pilgrimage through the desert of Lent, patterned on the Lord’s forty days in the Judaean wilderness in preparation for his public ministry, is the preeminent moment in the Church’s year of grace for the purification of memory — especially our memories of the successes and failures of living missionary discipleship since Pentecost 2024 closed last year’s season of paschal celebration.

The only aspect of Christianity that the modern world seems willing to accept is service to others — so long as we don’t mention that we’re serving Christ in them.

If we cooperate with baptismal grace, the sacrament guarantees that we can “participate in the divine life of the Trinity” first of all by receiving the theological virtues: faith, hope and love.

We deepen our relationship with Christ through our Lenten disciplines and look to his crucifixion, death and resurrection to overcome the darkness that can cause us to struggle and despair.

Those truly filled with Christ’s self-giving love cannot remain self-enclosed but instead are impelled to become a diffuser of his truth and love by how they live, what they say and by their love of others, especially those in need.

Pope Francis in his dozen years and counting has reformed the curia, overhauled Vatican finances, brought women and laymen into positions of authority, and appointed cardinals from the periphery rather than just the traditional cardinalate sees.