A long intro tonight that I hope will be worth your time... While Friday is a day, year 'round, for meditating on the suffering and death of Jesus, the Fridays of Lent have a particular claim on our hearts in this regard.  Many Christians will commemorate Christ's suffering by praying the Fourteen Stations of the Cross. Some of the 14 Stations have their origin in the gospel accounts of Jesus' last hours - but others are the stuff of pious legend.  For example, while there are three stations dedicated to Jesus falling under the weight of his cross, the gospels don't mention Jesus fa ..read more

It is now 12 years since Jorge Bergoglio was elected pope and took the name Francis.  Let's begin our prayer this morning with his words from the TED Talk he delivered in 2017. And what is tenderness? It is the love that comes close and becomes real. It is a movement that starts from our heart and reaches the eyes, the ears and the hands. Tenderness means to use our eyes to see the other, our ears to hear the other, to listen to the children, the poor, those who are afraid of the future.To listen also to the silent cry of our common home, of our sick and polluted earth. Tenderness means ..read more

Lord, I've been posting about preparing for Lent,  getting it off the ground and what I might do over these 40 days to become a more faithful disciple of you, your word and your love... And just tonight  I remembered something really important:     I need to ask, I need to wonder, I need to pray:     "What do you want to do in my life, Lord,         in Lent of 2025?" I have no doubt you'll take advantage of how Lent might more fully open  my mind and heart, my words and deeds, to you, your word and your love... Rega ..read more

Today's post doesn't, as usual, provide a prayer but seeks, rather, to offer some food for thought that might lead to prayer in the weeks of Lent ahead of us... Lent is a season to prepare for Easter - and to pray for those who will be initiated as Christians at the Easter Vigil through the sacraments of baptism, confirmation and eucharist.  In the company of the baptized, those to be initiated will be profess the faith by responding to these questions: - Do you reject sin      so as to live in the freedom of God’s children? - Do you reject the glamor of evil  &n ..read more

The story goes that Saint Boniface said,   "After the Lord's long fast in the desert, when the angels came to minister to him, they went first to the Blessed Mother to see what she had on her stove, and got the soup she had prepared and transported it to Jesus, who relished it the more because his mother had prepared it. Of course!"   Although it's probably only a legend, it's a beautiful tale and one worthy of our reflection - and prayer... I come to you this evening, Lord,     wanting to offer you a soup bowl full      of what you most desire fr ..read more

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  Night Prayer is longer than usual this evening, making time early in Lent to acknowledge our need for God's mercy...   Have mercy on me, O God, for you are good and forgiving, abounding in kindness  to all who call upon you... - Psalm 86 I know you forgive sinners, Lord, and I know how slow I can be  to admit to my sins, to acknowledge that I'm a sinner, a sinner in need of your mercy and pardon... And I know you're a judge, Lord,  a just judge, a merciful judge, a kind judge, an insightful, wise and loving judge  - but a judge nonetheless... And I know tha ..read more

May yesterday's disappointment     not darken this day's joy... May today's trials and troubles     not diminish this day's peace... May my worry about tomorrow     not eclipse today's contentment... Help me keep it in the moment, Lord,     the day that you have made...   Help me keep it in the present,     in the here and in the now,  in the day that you've created     and entrusted to my care...  Help me keep it in today, Lord,     the only time that's mine to meet yo ..read more

Tonight, Lord, I want to thank you      for the folks in my life who share my interests;     who care about things that ignite my passions;      who understand what makes me tick;     whose hearts are warmed by your Spirit's fire;      whose souls are moved by what moves mine;     who lean on your mercy for pardon and peace;     whose faith and belief are their strength and hope;         and who find their joy in you in their lives...   Ton ..read more

Morning Coffee by George Mendoza Good morning, good God!   My first MMO for this year's Lent so I'm venturing out on a limb, Lord: this morning I want offer you: a trinket or toy that I don't really need      but very much want and desire...      some distraction that eats up lots of my time     and keeps me from prayer and from you...    some cash I'll probably spend on myself     that could better be used helping others...   a worry or fear that consumes my soul     and keeps me f ..read more