Readings Isaiah 50:4-7  Psalm 22:8-9, 17-20, 23-24  Philippians 2:6-11  Mark 14:1-15:47  Chants The Taking of Christ, Caravaggio, 1602 Darkness at Noon Crowned with thorns, our Lord is lifted up on the cross, where He dies as “King of the Jews.” Notice how many times He is called “king” in today’s Gospel—mostly in scorn and mockery. As we hear the long…

Readings Jeremiah 31:31-34  Psalms 51:3-4, 12-13, 14-15  Hebrews 5:7-9  John 12:20-33    Chants The Agony in the Garden, El Grego, 1590 The “Hour” Comes  Our readings today are filled with anticipation. The days are coming, Jeremiah prophesies in today’s First Reading. The hour has come, Jesus says in the Gospel. The new covenant that God promised to Jeremiah is made…

 Readings 2 Chronicles 36:14-17, 19-23 Psalm 137:1-6 Ephesians 2:4-10 John 3:14-21 Chants Visit of Nicodemus to Christ, John La Farge, 1880 Living in the Light The Sunday readings in Lent have been showing us the high points of salvation history—God’s covenant with creation in the time of Noah; His promises to Abraham; the law He gave to Israel at Sinai.…

Readings Exodus 20:1-17  Psalm 19:8-11  1 Corinthians 1:22-25  John 2:13-25  Chants Christ Cleansing the Temple, Bernardino Mei, 1655 (Getty Museum) Spiritual Sacrifices Jesus does not come to destroy the temple, but to fulfill it (see Matthew 5:17)—to reveal its true purpose in God’s saving plan. He is the Lord the prophets said would come—to purify the temple, banish the merchants,…

Readings Genesis 22:1-2, 9-13, 15-18  Psalm 116:10, 15-19  Romans 8:31-34  Mark 9:2-10 (see also “Binding Isaac, Crucifying Jesus”)  Chants Transfiguration, Byzantine, Nicaea or Nicomedia, late 1200s (Getty Museum) Raised to Serve The Lenten season continues with another story of testing. Last Sunday, we heard the trial of Jesus in the desert. In this week’s First Reading, we hear of how…

Readings Genesis 9:8-15  Psalm 25:4-9  1 Peter 3:18-22  Mark 1:12-15  Chants Temptation of Christ (St. Wolfgang Altarpiece), Michael Pacher, 1481 Raised to Serve Lent bids us to return to the innocence of baptism. As Noah and his family were saved through the waters of the deluge, we were saved through the waters of baptism, Peter reminds us in today’s Epistle.…