The final days of Lent can be a time when our Lenten spiritual practices weigh heavily upon us. The enthusiasm that we had on Ash Wednesday and the beginning days of Lent may have begun to diminish, and we might find ourselves becoming lax in the spiritual practices of prayer, fasting, and alms-giving that we so readily embraced at the beginning of Lent.
However, God is pleased with any effort we make to draw closer to him. Even if we have failed in our penitential practices during Lent, it is never too late to begin again or even to begin for the first time.
We are approaching Holy Week, the holiest days of the Church’s liturgical year, and our efforts during Lent – whenever we began them – can prepare our hearts to welcome the celebrations of the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
The liturgical celebrations that take place during Holy Week are the occasion for some of the most moving spoken prayers and ritual actions of the Church. The Mass of the Holy Chrism (Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at 10:30 a.m., at the Cathedral of the Assumption) is when we gather to bless the Holy Oils that will be used throughout our archdiocese for the coming year. The Chrism Mass, named for one of the oils consecrated during the Mass, is a powerful reminder of the unity that exists between the archbishop, the clergy, and the lay faithful of our archdiocese.
During the Chrism Mass, the priests renew their commitment to the promises of priesthood, to serving the People of God as a priest of Jesus Christ. This annual renewal of promises by our priests is one of the most beautiful and powerful moments during the Chrism Mass. Also during the Chrism Mass, the three sacred oils are blessed: the Oil of the Catechumens, used for anointing prior to baptism; the Oil of the Sick, used to anoint those who struggle with acute or chronic illness; and the Sacred Chrism, used to anoint candidates at Confirmation and to anoint priests and bishops at the time of their ordination. If you have never attended the Chrism Mass, I encourage you to be present for this Mass.
Some of the most powerful and well-known rituals of the Church occur during the Sacred Triduum, or the three days of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday. To experience the power and beauty of sacred ritual actions, one need only remember and understand the call to humility expressed in the Foot Washing on Holy Thursday, or the call to sacrifice and self-denial expressed in the Veneration of the Cross on Good Friday, or the hope and promise of life coming forth from death in the proclamation or the Exsultet, Sacraments of Initiation, and Renewal of Baptism Promises that take place at the Easter Vigil and on Easter Sunday.
During these holiest days of the year, we come to a greater understanding and appreciation of the fact that the Church expresses its prayer not only in words, but also in ritual actions that provide us with greater insight and understanding into what we are called to as baptized sons and daughters of God and as missionary disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Each year, the Church calls us to enter deeply into the season of Lent, and, following Lent, in a special way into Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday. These final days of Lent and especially the days of the Triduum should ‘feel’ different to us. We should be keenly aware of what the Church is inviting us to undertake and remember during these days, and our activities should reflect the spiritual realities that we are remembering.
It is my sincere prayer that the remaining days of Lent will assist you in deepening your relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ. It is also my hope and desire that we all mark the coming days of the Triduum by giving prayerful attention to the spiritual realities we are remembering and celebrating during these days.
Some of my most cherished childhood memories of spiritual life are from the season of Lent and the time of the Triduum. I urge you to form these same spiritual memories in the minds and hearts of your children by the activities of your family during the remainder of this Lent, and by attending the liturgical celebrations of Holy Week.
May the coming holiest days of the year be days of hope and peace for all.
Comfort My People — Let us prepare our hearts for Holy Week
The final days of Lent can be a time when our Lenten spiritual practices weigh heavily upon us. The enthusiasm that we had on Ash Wednesday and the beginning days of Lent may have begun to diminish, and we might find ourselves becoming lax in the spiritual practices of prayer, fasting, and alms-giving that we so readily embraced at the beginning of Lent.
However, God is pleased with any effort we make to draw closer to him. Even if we have failed in our penitential practices during Lent, it is never too late to begin again or even to begin for the first time.
We are approaching Holy Week, the holiest days of the Church’s liturgical year, and our efforts during Lent – whenever we began them – can prepare our hearts to welcome the celebrations of the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
The liturgical celebrations that take place during Holy Week are the occasion for some of the most moving spoken prayers and ritual actions of the Church. The Mass of the Holy Chrism (Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at 10:30 a.m., at the Cathedral of the Assumption) is when we gather to bless the Holy Oils that will be used throughout our archdiocese for the coming year. The Chrism Mass, named for one of the oils consecrated during the Mass, is a powerful reminder of the unity that exists between the archbishop, the clergy, and the lay faithful of our archdiocese.
During the Chrism Mass, the priests renew their commitment to the promises of priesthood, to serving the People of God as a priest of Jesus Christ. This annual renewal of promises by our priests is one of the most beautiful and powerful moments during the Chrism Mass. Also during the Chrism Mass, the three sacred oils are blessed: the Oil of the Catechumens, used for anointing prior to baptism; the Oil of the Sick, used to anoint those who struggle with acute or chronic illness; and the Sacred Chrism, used to anoint candidates at Confirmation and to anoint priests and bishops at the time of their ordination. If you have never attended the Chrism Mass, I encourage you to be present for this Mass.
Some of the most powerful and well-known rituals of the Church occur during the Sacred Triduum, or the three days of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday. To experience the power and beauty of sacred ritual actions, one need only remember and understand the call to humility expressed in the Foot Washing on Holy Thursday, or the call to sacrifice and self-denial expressed in the Veneration of the Cross on Good Friday, or the hope and promise of life coming forth from death in the proclamation or the Exsultet, Sacraments of Initiation, and Renewal of Baptism Promises that take place at the Easter Vigil and on Easter Sunday.
During these holiest days of the year, we come to a greater understanding and appreciation of the fact that the Church expresses its prayer not only in words, but also in ritual actions that provide us with greater insight and understanding into what we are called to as baptized sons and daughters of God and as missionary disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Each year, the Church calls us to enter deeply into the season of Lent, and, following Lent, in a special way into Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday. These final days of Lent and especially the days of the Triduum should ‘feel’ different to us. We should be keenly aware of what the Church is inviting us to undertake and remember during these days, and our activities should reflect the spiritual realities that we are remembering.
It is my sincere prayer that the remaining days of Lent will assist you in deepening your relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ. It is also my hope and desire that we all mark the coming days of the Triduum by giving prayerful attention to the spiritual realities we are remembering and celebrating during these days.
Some of my most cherished childhood memories of spiritual life are from the season of Lent and the time of the Triduum. I urge you to form these same spiritual memories in the minds and hearts of your children by the activities of your family during the remainder of this Lent, and by attending the liturgical celebrations of Holy Week.
May the coming holiest days of the year be days of hope and peace for all.
Wedding Anniversary — April 14, 2022