Watching them making the most of a cool spring afternoon, I was struck by how they were enjoying spring with their boundless energy and no specific plan. Surely, that is what spring afternoons should be.

Some time ago, one of the mysterious social media algorithms fed me a promotion for a craft bazaar at the Cloisters in Baltimore. I thought immediately of my friend Jaime, whose artistic creations seemed perfect for that setting, and I sent her the post.

What is your favorite spring flower? I struggle to answer this question because I love all the colors and varieties.

I didn’t know it then, but that man would change the trajectory of my life, as he did for thousands of other students who were fortunate enough to pass through the halls at Grand & Warren.

As our son completed his preparation, I started wondering where we would finally be to see him receive the actual sacrament.

It’s such a human response. We have all felt that disappointment of missing a life-defining moment or experience.

An interview with Barbara Szyszkiewicz, author of The Handy Little Guide to the Liturgy of the Hours

We had a magnificent Easter, one that continues!

He extends his grace, invites us to feast at the Eucharistic table, and welcomes us home.

That exchange with those grieving parents has had a deep impact on my Holy Week. The way the pope holds the mother and reaches out to the father shows such compassion and love. The way he pauses to pray with them as if they are the only people in the world is such a beautiful gift.