March 8 – Third Sunday of Lent
Readings: Exodus 17:3-7, Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9, Romans 5:1-2, 5-8, John 4:5-42

Invitation to Prayer: “If you knew the gift of God!” The wonder of prayer is revealed beside the well where we come seeking water: there, Christ comes to meet every human being. It is he who first seeks us and asks us for a drink. Jesus thirsts; his asking arises from the depths of God’s desire for us. Whether we realize it or not, prayer is the encounter of God’s thirst with ours. God thirsts that we may thirst for him. (CCC 2560)

Reflection: The phrase, “water is life,” has become much more meaningful to me and my wife, having just bought a house with a rain-fed cistern and no connection to public water. When I was a kid, rainy days were – at best – excuses to hang out in the living room and read a ton of books; these days, I find myself deeply grateful for the rain itself, and what it means for us in clean dishes and laundry, running toilets, and our next sip of water. It’s also quite fun to see storm clouds on the horizon and proclaim to my wife, “we can take showers today!” (not that we don’t shower when it doesn’t rain, mostly, but I get a great kick out of it).

Being reliant upon the rain (and water haulers) means I’ve had to learn to treasure a precious resource I’d largely taken for granted up until now, and I feel like I’ve gained a new appreciation for the thirst of the Israelites and the hard work of hauling water that the Samaritan woman must have done, not to mention our farmers and everyone else whose livelihood is dependent on the weather.

When it comes to the spiritual life, though, do I acknowledge the same need, longing, and gratitude for the living water that Jesus offers to me? And even beyond that: when I go to him, do I trust that he will fully satisfy me and the good desires of my heart, not just partially?

In the various deserts of fear, stress, or loneliness that we all experience, it’s easy to turn to the “public water” of social media, the opinions of others, or the endless deluge of supernormal dopamine stimuli, to try to slake our undying thirst to love and be loved. Rather than a water that leaves us unsatisfied, however, Jesus promises, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again; but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

As we hunger and thirst to build the kingdom of Heaven here on earth – to be a more loving spouse, a more patient parent, a more compassionate friend, a more generous coworker – let’s turn to him this Lent, to be filled by “the love of God [that] has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us,” so we might be able to, like the Samaritan woman, share the Good News and the Living Water with everyone around us.

Prayer: Jesus, I trust in you.

Paco Patag delights in helping others discover, receive, and respond to their vocation, and is grateful to be able to do so as the Associate Director for Adult Evangelization & Pastoral Ministry for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. He and his wife, Beth, and their daughter, Lily, are parishioners in the Divine Mercy Family of Parishes.

March 9– Monday of the Third Week of Lent
Readings: 2 Kings 5:1-15ab, Psalm 42:2, 3; 43:3, 4, Luke 4:24-30

Introduction: Athirst is my soul for the living God. When shall I go and behold the face of God?

Reflection: The people gathered with anticipation, aware of the growing rumors that he might be the Messiah. Yet because he was “one of them,” they struggled to see beyond the familiar. They measured him by what they thought they already knew.

How often do we do the same?

We live in a culture that subtly trains us to evaluate others by productivity, appearance, independence, or social ease. Those living with disabilities or mental illness often bear this burden most heavily. They may be reduced to diagnoses, limitations, or stereotypes rather than embraced as whole persons—beloved, gifted, and created in the image of God.

But Jesus never stops at the surface. Throughout the Gospels, he consistently sees the person before him—not a category, not a condition, not a reputation. He looks upon the heart. He restores dignity. He calls people by name. And in doing so, he reveals the heart of God.

During Lent, we are invited into deeper self-examination. When Jesus speaks of removing the “beam” from our own eye (Gospel of Matthew 7:3–5), perhaps one beam for us is indifference—the quiet distancing we practice when vulnerability makes us uncomfortable. Perhaps it is fear of what we do not understand, or the unconscious belief that worth is tied to ability.

When we allow God to soften our hearts, something changes. Mercy begins to grow where judgment once lived. Patience replaces discomfort. Curiosity replaces avoidance. And community becomes less about sameness and more about belonging.

Mercy builds communities where every person—especially those who struggle silently or visibly—knows they are not a problem to be solved but a gift to be received.

May we be generous in love, abundant in understanding, and fearless in building a culture of belonging—reflecting the One who always sees beyond what is visible and draws every heart closer to himself.

Prayer: May we notice where we measure instead of love, choose presence over avoidance. Help me to listen before labeling, and see Christ in those the world overlooks.

Lisa Averion is the Associate Director for the Office for Persons with Disabilities

March 10 – Tuesday of the Third Week of Lent
Readings:  Daniel 3:25, 34-43; Psalm 25:4-5ab, 6 and 7bc, 8-9; Joel 2:12-13; Matthew 18:21-35

Invitation to Prayer: “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?”Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times. That is why the Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who decided to settle accounts with his servants.

Reflection: In my childhood neighborhood you could tell which TV show was making the most impression on us, because the phrases would linger in our exchanges for days, months, possibly years. One of the most popular was Tommy Smothers retort to his brother Dick, “Mom liked you best!”

In our comments to one another, Tommy’s words in anger and frustration, seemed to fit perfectly in many situations during childhood. Even after growing up we would toss the phrase at one of our sibs and then grin.

Sadly, by employing that phrase “Mom liked you best,” we were hiding the truth from ourselves – we are loved too. Sometimes we forget the love and focus on how we got shortchanged or are reminded of our shortcomings. To be forgiven for any misdeeds, we had to acknowledge they were there.

In the Kingdom of Heaven, the king forgave the giant debt of his servant. Not only that, he took away the possible punishment of selling off his servant’s family to pay for the debt. A big act of forgiveness!

The servant in turn acted not in gratitude for the king’s gift of forgiveness and love but choked a servant who owed him a smaller sum. He acted on his fear and revenge, forgetting the king’s love and forgiveness. The king then condemned him for not having pity.

Now it’s our turn this Lent and going forward to make the Kingdom of Heaven a reality on earth. We are called to focus on love and forgiveness, setting aside what society says we can extract from our neighbor. We have to forgive and love not only the seven times, but the seventy-seven times!

Prayer: “Even now, says the LORD, return to me with your whole heart; for I am gracious and merciful.” (Joel 2: 12-13)

Closing: Today forgive those who annoy you and/or who have not asked for forgiveness. If one time doesn’t wipe away the anger, remember you have another 76 times to do it!

Pam and Bob Long have been married for over 51 years, giving birth to three children and welcoming three grandchildren and a son-in-law to their family. Pam is the Director of Love in Action for the St. Stephen Family of Parishes in Hamilton, Chair of the Archdiocesan Catholic Social Action Commission and serves in a volunteer leadership role with Catholic Relief Services’ advocacy efforts.

Lenten Reflection for March 11 – Wednesday of the Third Week of Lent
Readings: Dt 4:1, 5-9; Ps 147:12-13, 15-16, 19-20; Mt 5:17-19

Invitation to Prayer: Heavenly Father, as we come before you today to read and reflect on your word, prepare our hearts to receive your laws and commandments as a gift intended for our protection and freedom. Fill us with a love and respect for Your statutes.

Reflection: I am a rule follower through and through. I like to know the structure and expectations of me, so that I can ensure I meet those expectations. Rules allow for more freedom and the truest form of freedom. Today’s readings dive deeply into decrees, statutes, commandments, and laws. God provides these to us as a loving Father. In wanting what is best for us, His children, He gives us a framework in which we are invited to live.

In the first reading, Moses said to his people about God’s laws, “Observe them carefully, for thus will you give evidence of your wisdom and intelligence to the nations, who will hear of all these statutes and say, ‘This great nation is truly a wise and intelligent people.’” God does not give us laws to abide by to restrict us, but instead to protect us and make us a wise and intelligent people. As a parent, I do this daily for my children. I ask them to look both ways before crossing the street, because I want to protect them. I tell them not to get too close to the stove, not to restrict their freedom, but to prevent their pain. I know that parenting through providing guidelines and rules if a good thing, but I also know that I can sometimes have a distorted view of God’s laws.

What are ways that I can more closely follow the Lord’s commandments to enter into the Promised Land? This Lent, I have been striving to attend daily Mass. Entering more deeply into the story of God speaking to Moses and Moses leading the Israelites out of captivity has allowed me to reflect on the things that are holding me captive and distracting me from my relationship with the Lord. For me, these things include my phone, my desire to be busy, my desire to sleep in, and my desire to be entertained. I challenge you to do the same. Let’s spend some time reflecting on what is distracting us from our relationship with the Lord. I invite you to ask the Lord the following questions in prayer.

• What is keeping me from communion with You?
• What commandments do I need to follow more closely to be united with You?

Prayer: Jesus, prepare our hearts to receive you more fully. Help us to see your commandments as a gift from the loving Father you are. Give us a greater awareness of what is preventing us from following you and what we need to do in order to unite our hearts with yours.

Andrea Patch is the Eastern Regional Director for NET Ministries. Andrea and her husband reside in Cincinnati with their four children

March 12 – Thursday of the Third Week of Lent
Readings: Jeremiah 7:23-28; Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9; Luke 11:14-23

Invitation to Prayer: “If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.” (Ps 95:8)

Reflection:  On the whole our culture does its level best to control God.  It seems mankind has been that way for quite a while for we see that quite clearly even in the Gospel.  Rather than admit that they had witnessed the power of God and, at the very least, a prophet of God was among them, the Scribes and Pharisees accuse Jesus of being in league with the devil himself so that they might dominate and control Our Lord!

That, I think, is the most readily identifiable characteristic of our age too:  seeing religion, the sacred, and even God himself as but one more thing to dominate and control.  You see, the value our culture places on everything is reckoned in terms of three things; three metrics by which everything is measured; these being power, pleasure, or profit.  And if our culture cannot dominate or control something or someone, and thereby increase its power, pleasure, or profit, it simply tosses aside whatever or whomever it may be.  We too must be on our guard against this, for it would be a mistake to think that we have not been influenced by our culture.  We cannot help but be influenced by it to some degree, for we live in it and are part of it.

Israel too, as we read in the 1st reading, refused to accept the truth Jeremiah was sent to proclaim to them.  Perhaps they thought it would be humiliating to admit they had been wrong.  But it is not undignified or demeaning to acknowledge the truth.  It is, rather, a sign of humility to acknowledge who we are:  sinners in need of redemption.  And the truth is, there is a God and He is God and we are not.  And in that truth is the source of our freedom, hope, and joy.  For God is a God of love, one who walks with us, one who stays by our side in our trials and tribulations.  And this was true long before the Incarnation.  God himself once said of Moses, for instance, that he is someone whom I speak with “face to face.”  Let that sink in for a moment – God speaking to someone face-to-face.  What might that be like?

But the truth is, God wants to speak to us face-to-face too.  That’s why, in the fullness of time, He sent His Son to do just that.  God spoke but a single Word; that Word being his Son whom he sent so we could see him face-to-face.  And the Son has the same grandeur, power, and authority as the Father; He is the image of the Father; even the unclean spirits obey him!  But therein lies the supreme irony.  Though everything is subject to God, though He is all powerful, there are two things God cannot do.  What are they?  As we have been told many times, and it is true, God is love.  So, the first thing God cannot do is:  He cannot not love.  That is His nature, that is who He is:  God loves.  The second thing He cannot do is force anyone to love him in return.  The reason for this is simple:  for love to be love, it must be freely given; love cannot be commanded or compelled because then it would no longer be love.  And we see the most extreme manifestation of refusing to love, metaphorically, in the image of the Gates of Hell.  You see, the Gates of Hell are not there to keep those in Hell in, but to keep God out!  The Gates of Hell are chained, barred, and locked from the inside, not the outside!

That’s what makes the cavalier and casual attitude of our culture towards God so very tragic.  Because it turns the infinite love of God for his beloved, for you and me, into unrequited love; a love that is not appreciated or returned.  God wanted to tell us of His love face-to-face and so He spoke to us a single Word:  His Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ.  For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.  If there had been only one person to save, God would have done the same thing.  For that is love.  Love doesn’t count the cost, nor does it count noses to ensure there are enough to make loving “worth it.”

You see, the response from the psalm today, “If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts,” is not a call to obedience, it is an invitation to love.

Prayer:  Lord, may my heart be so attuned to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, that I may always act in love towards everyone I meet; especially those who are the most difficult to love.  And may I thereby grow ever deeper in love of you, I ask this through Christ Our Lord.

Closing:  Let us love as Our Lord did by asking God for the grace to recognize opportunities to love throughout the day today.  Let us also ask for the grace to cast out of our hearts the spirit of fear that so often prevents us from doing so.

Deacon Rusty Baldwin is assigned to the St. Gaspar Family of Parishes. He has been married to his wonderful wife Heather for 42 years. They have 8 children. He is retired but keeps quite busy serving in various roles in his Family of Parishes.

March 18 – Friday of the Third Week of Lent
Readings: Hosea 14:2-10; Psalm 81:6c-8a, 8bc-9, 10-11ab, 14 and 17; Mark 12:28-34

Invitation to Prayer: I am the Lord your God: hear my voice. Repent; the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.

I’m always looking for a shortcut. How can I get to my destination sooner? How can I avoid the traffic tie-ups and construction? Sometimes that involves taking the back roads, the road less travelled. Yet many times, the fastest way is to stay the course, to endure weather, traffic, and construction, in order to get directly to my destination. Since my ultimate destination is heaven, isn’t there a shortcut??

The question posed by the scribe in today’s Gospel might just as easily be asked by any of us. “What is the first of all commandments?” Maybe we want to avoid the commandments that present pitfalls or are just plain hard to do. That’s human nature. Maybe we think our way is best. That’s human pride. Maybe we just want to cut through all the complexities of being a Christian living in the world, and get straight to the heart of it. If Jesus would just give us a shortcut to heaven, wouldn’t that be great? How about just two commandments? We can do that!

By boiling it down to two commands, Jesus is taking it up to a new level. He is showing us the straight path. If we love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and if we also love our neighbor as ourselves, we are fulfilling the entirety of the Law, the entirety of the Lord’s call to us. If we want to build the Kingdom of God here and now, it is what we must do. Jesus didn’t just show us the path we might take. These aren’t suggestions, these are God’s commands.

But really living these commands is sometimes easier said than done, isn’t it? Keeping our whole mind on God is a challenge, let alone whole heart, soul, and strength. As the prophet Hosea tells us, “Straight are the paths of the LORD, in them the just walk, but sinners stumble in them.” Sometimes to find our way, even on the straight path, we have to focus and take one step at a time. We have to keep moving in the right direction—the direction of heaven.

And that is what Lent is for. Repent. Fast. Pray. Give alms. Doing these things help to strengthen us physically and spiritually to keep on the straight path. To keep trying to live these two greatest commandments. Take one step at a time and keep your eyes on the Lord.

Questions for reflection: What is my greatest challenge in loving God? What is my greatest challenge to loving neighbor? Am I honestly taking those challenges to prayer? Am I offering a sacrifice of myself to God—a humble and contrite heart?

Prayer: Jesus, help me when I stumble on the path. Help me to be honest about my challenges in growing closer to you. Help me to know God and to love Him. Help me to know my neighbors and to love them.

Deacon Jesse Fanning serves the Mother of God Family of Parishes (NE-5) in Kettering, and assists the Archdiocese with the formation of aspirants to the permanent deaconate.

March 14 – Saturday of the Third Week of Lent
Readings: Hos 6:1-6, Ps 51:3-4, 18-19, 20-21ab, Lk 18:9-14

Invitation to Prayer: Come Holy Spirit, enkindle in us the fire of Your love! “If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.” – Ps 95:8

Reflection: Honestly, this might be one of my favorite parable’s Jesus shares with us. The simplicity of the tax collector’s prayer stands out to me.

“O God, be merciful to me a sinner.”

As a sinner myself, I utter these words every day. In this time of fasting, penance, and almsgiving it can be easy to forget that God wants our hearts, not our deeds. What do I mean by that? God loves us just the way we are. You don’t have to do anything to earn His love, nor is there anything you can do that will make Him love you less. For as we hear in the psalm, “It is mercy I desire, and not sacrifice.”

Yet here we are in Lent sacrificing something. Maybe it’s sweet treats, alcohol, TV, or something else, we are offering a sacrifice of love. And why are we doing that when the Lord desires mercy? It’s simple really, we do it out of love. I bet all of us have given up something for love. For example, I dated a lovely young woman a while back, and I spent a lot of time with her. I wanted to get to know her and I wanted to show how much she meant to me, so I would buy her dinner, coffee, flowers, etc. I said no to a lot of things to spend time with her, and although we are no longer together, that is what we are doing this Lent. We’ve all said no to something (given something up), so that we can get to know Jesus more. This is not a mandated sacrifice like the Jewish laws of old (see the book of Leviticus), but rather this is an act of love. For if it was mandated, we can fall into the trap of saying “O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity.”  If we follow the letter of the law, we run the risk of looking at our brothers and sisters and saying look at all the good things I do compared to all the evil they do.

So, what do we do with this? Simple, we recognize that when we point at others, we have 4 fingers pointed back at us. Thus, the need for us to say, “O God, be merciful to me a sinner.” The sacrifice we offer isn’t to gain forgiveness or love from God, rather it’s to help us make room in our hearts to receive more Love.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, give us the graces necessary to humble ourselves and to accept your mercy in our lives.

Closing: “This saying is hard; who can accept it?” – John 6:60. No one said following Jesus would be easy, and neither is being able to admit that we are broken and in need of God’s mercy. May we all be as humble as this Tax Collector and say “O God, be merciful to me a sinner.”

Alex Bodenschatz, Youth Minister at Saint Gregory the Great Family of Parishes

March 15 – Fourth Sunday of Lent (Laetare Sunday)
Readings: 1 Samuel 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a | Psalm 23: 1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6 | Ephesians 5:8-14 | John 9:1-41

Invitation to Prayer: Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light. (Ephesians 5:14)

Reflection: I LOVE the story of the blind man in John’s gospel. There are so many relatable parts (some encouraging, some a little humbling). First off, and perhaps most importantly, is the goodness of God. When Jesus and His disciples encounter the blind man, Jesus patiently shoots down their bad theology (‘it’s not his fault or the fault of his parents that he was born blind’) and then – without being asked and against cultural norm – gets super close and dirty and touches – heals! – the blind man. How lucky we are to have a God that comes right up by our side, right up in the messiness of our lives, and pours out grace and mercy and healing! Our God is an awesome God.

Second, we experience the unbelief of the Pharisees and Jews. They don’t believe it until they see it (and then – even after they do – they are skeptical). How many times has someone told me about something miraculous in their life and I harbor some (or a lot) of skepticism? How humbling to recognize my lack of faith in the power of God! Lead me, guide me, along the way.

Third – and maybe most fun – is the snarkiness of the blind man’s parents and then the blind man himself. When asked about their son and how he came to be healed, the parents say “We do not know how he sees now, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him, he is of age; he can speak for himself.” In other words, ‘Don’t try to scapegoat us! This is NOT a problem we’re responsible for.’ And then, even better, the blind man, when questioned again about the same thing, he says, “I told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?” He goes on with this zinger: “We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if one is devout and does God’s will, God listens to him… If this man were not from God, he would not be able to do anything.” Humility aside, how good does it feel to be able to stand confidently in my faith in God and thoroughly dismiss the arrogance and outside-of-the-cup focus of a naysayer? Get behind me, Satan.

Prayer: In 1 Samuel, Lord, we are reminded of your wonder and might. You teach us that ‘not as man sees do you see, because man sees the appearance but you look into the heart.’ Help us to always remember that you are with us – no matter the circumstance – calling us to humility, service, and confidence in your love.

Closing: As we come into the second half of our Lenten journey, take a little extra time with God: rejoice in God’s love, trust in God’s power, and look for new ways to share the good news.

Andrew Musgrave has served as the Director of the Catholic Social Action office since 2019. He is a member of the Crescent Family of Parishes, and he is married to Ana with whom he has two amazing daughters, Layla and Juliet.

March 16 – Monday of the Fourth Week of Lent
Readings: Isaiah 65:17-21; Psalm 30:2 and 4, 5-6, 11-12a and 13b; John 4:43-54

Reflection: “Go; your son will live.”

With those words, the royal official leaves Jesus and begins the journey home.

Can you imagine that walk? No one to call, no way to check, just the road and the slow, unbearable stretch of not knowing. Hope and fear tangled together in every stride.

This is where faith meets him, not in calm certainty, but a man walking a long road with only a promise to carry him forward.

We know how the story ends. The servants will meet him on the road with the news that his son is alive. But the official does not know that yet. For a time, he must live in the space between the promise and its fulfillment.

In many ways, that space is where most of us live as well. We pray. We hope. We entrust our worries to the Lord. And then we continue down the road, waiting to see what God will do.

Prayer: Lord, give us steady hearts in the waiting and faith to trust You before we see the outcome.

Closing: As we continue through Lent, may we remember: we are not lost in the middle, we are being formed there. Like the royal official, may we trust the word of Christ and keep walking home.

Michelle Wirth Smith is the Archdiocesan Archivist. She is a proud alumna of Ursuline Academy. She currently lives in Cincinnati with her husband and three children.

March 17 – Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Lent
Readings: Ezekiel 47:1-9, 12; Psalm 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9; John 5:1-16

Invitation to Prayer: When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been ill for a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be well?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; while I am on my way, someone else gets down there before me.” Jesus said to him, ‘Rise, take up your mat, and walk.” Immediately the man became well, took up his mat, and walked. John 5:6–8

Reflection: The first image that grabs my attention with today’s readings is water. Water appears in scripture so often as a symbol for slavery and death becoming new life. Think…Noah’s ark, the parting of the Red Sea, Joshua crossing the Jordan with the Israelites, Jesus’ own baptism to name but a few. In the reading from Ezekiel, the water of life doesn’t come from a mountain or a spring; it flows from the threshold of the Temple. This signifies that all true life and healing originate from God’s presence. As the water flows toward the “salt waters” (the Dead Sea), it makes them fresh. This is a reminder that there is no “dead” area of our lives—no matter how barren or salty—that God’s grace cannot reach and renew.

This reading pairs beautifully with the passage from John where Jesus heals the man at the Pool of Bethesda. Just as the water from the Temple brings life to the desert, Jesus—the new Temple—brings healing to a man who had been paralyzed for thirty-eight years. The pool from the water could not seem to bring him the new life he desired. It was his encounter with Jesus that changes everything.

At first glance, Jesus’ question (“Do you want to be well?”) to the man seems obvious. However, it serves as a challenge to us all concerning our own spiritual paralysis. We can become so accustomed to our “mats”—our habitual sins, our grudges, or our self-pity—that we lose the true desire for the radical change that healing requires. Saying yes to Jesus’ question sounds easy, but how often do we hesitate and hang onto our “mats” because they have become comfortable pieces of our daily lives? We have no need to wait for someone to “put us into the water” for healing. Jesus is telling us to rise, take up our mats and walk! Will you listen and respond?

Prayer: Lord, You see me exactly where I am. You know how long I have been carrying my burdens, my illnesses, and the spiritual paralysis that keeps me from moving toward You. Just as You approached the man at the Pool of Bethesda, I believe You are approaching me now. When You ask, “Do you want to be well?” help me to answer with a sincere and humble “Yes.” Amen.

Closing: Is there a “mat” in your life—a habit or a past hurt—that you have been lying on for a long time? Today, imagine Jesus standing before you, ignoring the “pools” you’ve been waiting for, and simply asking if you are ready to be made whole.

Al Kovacic is the Director of Campus Ministry at Elder High School. He also coaches cross country and track and field at Villa Madonna Academy (KY) and enjoys spending time outdoors. Al and his wife Melinda have 4 sons and reside in Villa Hills, KY as members of Saint Joseph Parish in Crescent Springs.

Wednesday March 18 – Wednesday of the Fourth
Readings:  Is 49:8-15; Ps 145:8-9, 13cd-14, 17-18; Jn 5:17-30

Invitation to Prayer: I am the resurrection and the life, says The Lord; whoever believes in Me will never die.

Reflection: As Catholic Christians, we believe in the oneness of Jesus with God the Father.  We are blessed because, sadly, there are many that do not yet believe. After believing in the oneness of Jesus and God the Father, what must we do next?   As Isaiah tells us in the first reading at Mass today, we must obey God’s teachings. We must “sing out … and rejoice” and in so doing, we answer the call given to us in Baptism, that is, to help Jesus spread the good news of His salvation, for this is His command for each of us.

The Gospel reading today presents Jesus’ response to the Pharisees anger for the paralytic man having been healed on the Sabbath.  Jesus’s teaching, as He so often does, brings us back to the psalm, reminding us of our Savior’s oneness with the Father and His role as the giver of eternal life.  Jesus is the tender and merciful remedy Who heals our spiritual blindness and frees us from sin.

As we journey in this world, our human nature may at times lead us to move away from Jesus and disobey His commands. We fall and choose to embrace the teachings of this world, creating distance between us and Jesus.  But all is not lost, no matter how despicable the sins that we have committed. The infinite love of Jesus is always there for us; it’s there for us to take and to ask for.  We do well to surrender to God and accept His infinite love and mercy.  This Lent, and for all the days and weeks to follow, Jesus invites us return to Him and turn our backs from the evils of sin.

Perhaps today, as we sit with these readings from Scripture, we can take time to ask where we have encountered God this Lent.  With a commitment to maintain our Lenten promises in seeking the glory of the Easter morning, now is the time to ask for the grace to move from the errors of spiritual blindness to a clearer, trusting vision of the One True God’s presence in our life.

Prayer: Most Holy Father in Heaven, You sent us Your divine Son to dwell among us and be our Savior. All that Your Son did was in union with You, fulfilling Your glorious works.  I am eternally grateful that You have adopted me as Your child. I commit to do all I can to fulfill Your will, becoming a greater instrument of Your works in the world.

Closing: Grant, we pray, O Lord, that, schooled through Lenten observance and nourished by Your Word, through holy restraint we may be devoted to you with all our heart and be ever united in mercy and compassion for everyone we meet.

Deacon Ed Bayliss is assigned to the St. Gregory the Great family of parishes of Guardian Angels, Immaculate Heart of Mary and St. John Fisher.  He also serves as OCIA leader and deacon at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter in Chains.  Ordained to the diaconate in 2022, Ed and his wife Kim live in New Richmond.  They have been blessed with 5 children and 7 grandchildren.  

March 19- Solemnity of Saint Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Readings: 2 Samuel 7:4-5a, 12-14a, 16; Psalm 89:2-3, 4-5, 27 and 29; Romans 4:13, 16-18, 22; Matthew 1:16, 18-21, 24a

Invitation to Prayer: “Blessed are those who dwell in your house, O Lord; they never cease to praise you.” (Psalm 84:5)

Reflection: It’s tough to be a dad these days. And believe me I know because I am in the thick of it—I have four girls and two boys, ages six to 16! Sometimes it seems like the problems start at 6 a.m. and don’t stop until everyone’s in bed. Don’t get me wrong, I know I’m blessed. I’m not struggling to provide food or shelter for my family or anything like that. Still, we live in a time with lots of unique challenges.

When it comes to being a dad, there’s pressure. For all human history, fathers have been looked up to for their wisdom and strength. Whenever a child is going through something they go to their father, because chances are he’s been there. I remember when I was young thinking my dad knew everything and could handle anything. Now I’m the dad and I question myself.

Our children are growing up in the digital age, and they are going through challenges that we never experienced and often have difficulty understanding. On top of all the normal growing pains, there’s incredible technology (including A.I.) and social media, which have changed everything! We do our best to limit and moderate it, but it’s tough. When I see my children struggling to navigate through all this, I often feel helpless, worried, and not sure what to do. Men are supposed to be able to fix things, right?

Today is the feast of St. Joseph, a man who had to deal with things that nobody else had to deal with. He was called to be the husband of the Mother of God and the foster father of the Christ child. What a task!

So, what can we learn from him? How did he handle that situation? He was humble, prayerful and obedient to God’s will. Joseph was holy, but he did whatever he had to do to protect those in his care. He gave his all and then vanished quietly into the background. He is a perfect model for us. We should always start with prayer and humility and put our family first.

This brings me to Lent—a blessed time that the Church gives us each year. It is so important for us to hand on our Catholic traditions to our children and lead them down a holy path, participating in the Liturgical Year of the Church. The digital age makes this even more crucial! Perhaps it’s easier for youth to do homework these days, but it’s a lot more difficult for them to discover who they are and recognize God working in their lives. We must help our children enter the desert with Jesus and rid themselves of harmful distractions as much as possible. Like Joseph, we must all recognize that we are utterly dependent on God and put Him in the center of our lives.

Prayer: St. Joseph, Guardian of the Redeemer, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, to you God entrusted His only Son; in you Mary placed her trust; with you Christ became man. Blessed Joseph, to us too, show yourself a father and guide us in the path of life. Obtain for us grace, mercy and courage, and defend us from every evil. Amen (Pope Francis, Patris Corde).

Closing: Pray the rosary with your family tonight. Do what you can to limit screen time, especially for yourself. And, as we enter Spring, make sure you and your family are going out to enjoy creation—where God waits to be discovered.

David Cooley is the Editorial Director of The Catholic Telegraph. He and his wife Lindsay have six children and live in Anderson Township.

March 20 – Friday of the Fourth Week of Lent
Readings: Wisdom 2:1a, 12-22; Psalm 34:17-18, 19-20, 21 and 23; John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30

Invitation to Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit, and give me courage.

Reflection: As I read through these readings, I did so as one typically would: from the first reading to the psalm to the Gospel. While reading the psalm, I was comforted by the words “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.” Then the Gospel reading led to a certain level of discomfort. Jesus is not moving about freely. People are questioning him. Some want to kill him or arrest him. Yet in the middle of it, Jesus’ words are comforting.

“You know me and also know where I am from. Yet I did not come on my own, but the one who sent me, whom you do not know, is true. I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me.”

He is sent by the Father – who is true – to be close to the brokenhearted. Jesus is not afraid to draw near. Even in the discomfort, he is sure, steady, and, best of all, close. Any distance I find between myself and him, I put there. He sees all, knows all, and still draws near. By choice, our God became a human with a mission – to save me, to make me holy, to give me eternal life.

If I were to take a good look at my life, I would see a few pockets that I am keeping from him. There are things in my life that I am not surrendering to the good God who gave everything to save me. How short-sighted of me. When will I learn that God wants to draw near to my heart always, but especially when I am struggling? Hopefully, it is today. And the next day. And the day after that. But the day after that, if I need to learn the lesson again, I am grateful to know I have a God who is patient. He wants me to be with him in eternity; he can certainly wait as I walk through each lesson, even if it is one I have learned before.

Prayer: Lord, help me draw near to you.

Closing: What area of your life have you been keeping at a distance from God? Bring it to him today.

Molly Gallagher is a YDisciple Coach for NET Ministries and a parishioner at St. Cecilia of the Eastside Catholics in Cincinnati

March 21- Saturday of the Fourth Week of Lent 2026
Readings: Jeremiah 11:18-20; Psalm 7:2-3, 9bc-10, 11-12; John 7:40-53

Invitation to Prayer: “So a division occurred in the crowd because of him…Then each went to his own house.”

Reflection: This message we hear in John’s Gospel today is so true. Didn’t Simeon’s prophecy foretell us that “This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, and many others to rise. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him.” (Luke 2:34) Isn’t this the reality of our day. The only difference now is that we are the crowd, and the crowd is still divided on Jesus.

John’s Gospel opens the door of interpretation from the crowd, the chief priests, and the Pharisees of who is this Jesus, where is he from? Is he truly the Prophet and if so, how can he be from Galilee? Scripture says he must come from Bethlehem, from David’s family. Who is this Jesus? This back and front questioning mirror the reality of today on just about every issue in our lives, like religion, politics, abortion, transgender ideology, war, immigration, and the death penalty. Everyone has their own ideas to those issues, and they take them into “their own heart, their own house.”

This Lenten season I have plunged myself headfirst into the likes of Fr. John Riccardo’s book, “Heaven Starts Now, becoming a Saint Day by Day,” and from Paradisus Dei, Mark Hartfiel’s book, “Encountering Christ in The Beatitudes, the Art of Living,” with the expectation of deepening my personal relationship with Jesus. A good thing right, but some people I’ve encountered praying in front of Planned Parenthood these last several weeks, they do not see as I see.

The beauty of our Catholic faith, our identity in Christ Jesus is to share our story with love, to see Christ in them, to invite them into the presence of God. This Lenten season we are called to dive deep into the life of Jesus; to learn Jesus, love Jesus, and live Jesus. Fr. Riccardo states, “the only goal we need to focus on, is the Omega, which is sainthood. The grace is given. All it takes is our work and our cooperation with it.” Mr. Hartfiel states the Beatitudes depict “the precision and clarity…the inner secrets of his Sacred Heart, the blueprint to holiness and Divine Love.”

My dear friends, cooperation with God’s grace and embracing Jesus into “our heart,” “our house” is transformative, a heavenly communion. Our responsibilities as Catholics, sons and daughters of Christ Jesus are to deepen our relationship with Him, share our faith with others, serve others out of our love for Jesus.

In turn, knowing in the depth of our heart, we are loved by God, and we were created in the image and likeness of God. This is the grace of our faith; this is the beauty of the Lenten season. We are called to become more like Jesus and to see Him in others. We are called to share our story with the hope that division will be wiped away, and the glory of Jesus will radiate through all humanity, our beacon of hope.

Prayer: Father God may our personal relationship with Jesus continue to deepen and inspire us to share our story of Jesus’ presence in our lives with others, in the hope that they too, will come to recognize Jesus in themselves and others.

Closing: May the remainder of this Lenten remind us of the beauty of our Catholic faith, own relationship with Jesus, and how we might share our story with others in building up His Kingdom.

Deacon Henry Jacquez, ordained April 2013, serves in the Queen of Apostles Family of Parishes, married to his wife, Betsy for 46 years, and is a father of three children Christina, Mark, Eric and blessed with eight grandsons; Nathan, Ryan, George, Weston, Lincoln, Teddy, Harrison, and Quincy.

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February 18 – Ash Wednesday
Readings: Joel 2:12-18; Psalm 51:3-4, 5-6ab, 12-13, 14 and 17; 2 Corinthians 5:20—6:2; Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

Invitation to Prayer: “We are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” (2 Corinthians 5:20)

Reflection: I remember on our wedding day after all the festivities were over, I confided a bit nervously to my husband, “I don’t know how to be a wife.” He responded with some small amount of alarm in his voice, “Well couldn’t you just be like you were before we got married?” We laugh about that now 51+ years later. We figured it out as we went along, but we didn’t have – and still don’t have – a blueprint on how to survive job changes or the newborn death of a twin daughter or children leaving home and their children being born or retirement. We just know we love one another in whatever form that is.

It is like how we approach Lent. Of course, we’ll select our penances and sacrifices – give up chocolate, maybe spend less time on the internet? We know as we begin this time of prayer, sacrifice and almsgiving that we can be better children of God and hopefully not miss the point that Lent is a time for being reconciled with God, drawing closer in love. We are followers of Christ and ambassadors for him. We carry out the commandments to love God and love all our neighbors, not just those in a particular zip code or those who speak a language we grew up hearing. We are called to especially love those in poverty as Pope Leo encourages us.

When we do that as fully as we can, we abandon our desires and reconcile with God. That’s when we are truly building a kingdom of God, not one of our design or what our judgment tells us would be satisfactory, but a kingdom that is of God’s design, following his blueprint. That’s when we become ambassadors carrying forth the message of the king. When we become married to the idea that Lent is the time to empty ourselves, as Jesus did, and be reconciled to the Father in love.

Prayer: A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me. Cast me not out from your presence, and your Holy Spirit take not from me. (Psalm 51: 12-13)

Closing: As you commit to your sacrifices and penances, reflect on how they bring you to a deeper love of God and of neighbor. Adjust as necessary!

Pam and Bob Long have been married for over 51 years, giving birth to three children and welcoming three grandchildren and a son-in-law to their family, all close to their heart. Pam is the Director of Love in Action for the St. Stephen Family of Parishes in Hamilton, Chair of the Archdiocesan Catholic Social Action Commission and co-lead of Catholic Relief Services’ Dayton, Cincinnati and Southwest Ohio Chapter and also CRS’ Ohio Coalition.

February 19 – Thursday after Ash Wednesday
Readings: Deuteronomy 30:15-20; Psalm 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6; Luke 9:22-25

Invitation to Prayer: Lord, let me take a deep breath and let you in to my life.

February 20 – Friday after Ash Wednesday
Readings: Is 58:1-9a, Ps 51:3-4, 5-6ab, 18-19, Mt 9:14-15

Invitation to Prayer: As we enter into the first Friday of Lent, let us take a moment to call to mind our sins. Being aware of our own brokenness helps us turn to the Lord and beg for his mercy.

Reflection: As we begin this Lenten season, we are invited into this season of extra prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. The first reading teaches us the purpose of fasting. We don’t fast for attention or recognition, but should instead fast as a sign of penance and anticipation for union with our Lord. Fasting can also be a way of giving back, providing for the needs of those less fortunate. This past year, with the government shutdown, we began a simple sacrifice as a family of not eating out for a month. We had many conversations about those who don’t have any food and how we can be grateful that we still have food, even if we’re simply sacrificing not getting food from a restaurant. We set aside that money and donated it to those in need. If you haven’t yet decided on a Lenten sacrifice, spending some time with today’s first reading in prayer may be a good way to discern how the Lord may be calling you to fast or give alms this Lent.

Today’s psalm is one of my favorites. “Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense. Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin, cleanse me.” We are reminded of our brokenness and shortcomings as we read today’s Scripture passages. I think it’s important to start there, we were created in God’s image and likeness, but broken from the beginning through original sin. When we acknowledge our brokenness, that honesty helps us to move forward in our relationship with the Lord. Today’s psalm is one that I like to pray before going to confession, as it reminds us of God’s desire for a contrite heart. He just wants us to turn back to Him.

This reminder of God’s mercy and His desire for our hearts is consoling. Today’s Gospel is short and sweet with a message of fasting and feasting. Jesus responds, that the disciples do not fast while He is present. This is a great reminder of the opportunities we have to fast during Lent, because we are awaiting Christ’s return.

Prayer: Jesus, prepare our hearts to receive you more fully. Help us to welcome others into our lives and into your Church. Grant us the grace we need to repent of our sins and turn to you and the Sacraments to receive your love and mercy.

Andrea Patch is the Eastern Regional Director for NET Ministries. Andrea and her husband reside in Cincinnati with their four children.

 

February 21 – Saturday after Ash Wednesday
Readings: Is 58:9b-14; Ps 86:1-2, 3-4, 5-6; Lk 5:27-32

Invitation to Prayer: “Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.” (Ps 86:11)

Reflection:  Pope Francis once described Lent as a privileged time.  Privileged because of the three traditional pillars of Lent:  prayer, fasting and almsgiving.  These practices are emphasized during Lent in order that they may become a habit for us – a part of who we are – as natural as breathing both during Lent and throughout the entire year.  Not for their own sake, but rather that we might turn from doing evil; which at its root is an inordinate and destructive focus on self, to doing good for others out of love for them and God.  Love of God and neighbor.  A love that builds up the Kingdom rather than tears it down.

In the Gospels, the Pharisees show us what an inordinate and destructive focus on self looks like.  They ask the disciples about Jesus, but their questions are neither sincere or honest.  They are actually, in a very calculated way, trying to drive a wedge between Jesus and his disciples under the cover of “holiness.”  The question they asked was designed to sow seeds of doubt in the minds of the disciples so that they might start to question Our Lord’s motives and actions: “Yeah, why does Jesus eat with tax collectors?  They’re not only sinners, after all, they are traitors!!!”

Jesus, for his part, doesn’t take the bait of course.  Instead, he very charitably but directly uses the opportunity to educate his adversaries about who he is and about the Kingdom of God.  He does this by saying to them in reply: “Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do.  I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.”

You see, the Pharisees always focused on the external and judged everything they saw according to their notion of holiness.  They were always on the look-out for an opportunity to put down or tear down.  Our Lord, the Divine Physician, on the other hand, focused on the internal.  He was grateful for every event and circumstance of life, whether good or bad, and saw in them an opportunity to build up the Kingdom of God!  Today he did this by seeing in the tax collectors hearts that they were open to becoming the saints God was calling them to be.

Lent is a perfect opportunity for us to be like Our Lord.  To add gratitude to the traditional pillars of Lent; to the prayer, fasting, and almsgiving that are already part of our Lenten preparation.  To see in everything an opportunity to build up the Kingdom of God!  Now it is natural to wonder how events in our lives could possibly build up the Kingdom of God.  But remember, Jesus tells us plainly that the coming of the Kingdom of God cannot be observed, for the Kingdom of God is in our hearts.

So we build up the Kingdom of God when we forgive those responsible for the wrongs we have suffered; we build up the Kingdom when we yearn to do his will rather than ours; we build up the Kingdom when we accept, even if we do not understand, that good can come even from trials and tragedy.  We build up the Kingdom when we ungrudgingly and even joyfully unite our sufferings to that of Christ’s.  The Kingdom of God comes unannounced and is build up in the measure by which we give our hearts to Him; in the measure with which we are grateful for all He has done for us.

Prayer: God my Father, give me the grace to see every event and occasion in my life as an opportunity to love.  May I turn away from sin and turn to you!  May I recognize all I have to be grateful for and become a Catholic with an attitude of gratitude!  I ask this through Christ Our Lord.

Closing:  Is there any finer gift we can give our Lord this Lent, than to present ourselves to him beautifully clothed in prayer, fasting, and almsgiving; our hearts well adorned with an abundance of love of God, love of neighbor, and gratitude?  I think that would be the finest gift of all.

Deacon Rusty Baldwin is assigned to the St. Gaspar Family of Parishes. He has been married to his wonderful wife Heather for 42 years. They have 8 children. He is retired but keeps quite busy serving in various roles in his Family of Parishes.

February 22 – First Sunday of Lent
Readings: Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7; Psalm 51:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 17; Romans 5:12-19 or 5:12, 17-19; Matthew 4:1-11

Invitation to Prayer: A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me.

Reflection: Many of us give something up for Lent. Fasting from something helps us build virtue and leads us to inward conversion, which is why it is one of the three pillars of Lent—fasting, prayer, and almsgiving. But it seems like as soon as we begin to fast from something, the desire for that thing grows all the stronger. When the thing from which we are fasting is within easy reach, we are often tempted to break our fast. “Maybe just this once,” we may think, “what could it hurt?” Temptations appeal to us because so often they have a kernel of goodness in them. The thing we desire may itself be good, but the inordinate pursuit of a good thing can lead to vice. That is how the Deceiver works in our world, by making bad things (or the improper use of a thing) appear to be good.

That is just what the serpent does in the garden. He directs Eve’s attention to the fruit (good) while he deceives her about eating the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (bad). The apple itself wasn’t bad. Eating the fruit of that tree was bad because in doing so Adam and Eve chose to disobey God’s command. They chose to trust themselves and their desires more than God.

Sometimes temptations can seem overwhelming. Whether the temptations are physical or spiritual, when faced with them, we should look toward Jesus. Jesus understands temptation. When God the Father sent Jesus to save us, Jesus came as one of us—fully God and fully human. As the first reading tells us, we are made of clay and the breath of life—body and spirit. When Jesus took on our form he became like us in all things but sin. Since He does not sin, it is easy to think He never suffered temptation. And yet, that is just what today’s Gospel describes. The devil tries to tempt both Jesus’s natures. After forty days in the desert, Jesus was hungry, so the devil tries to tempt Him to turn stones into bread. The devil then tempts Jesus spiritually by offering him power and privilege. Jesus prevails through His trust in God the Father.

And that is the key. If we place our trust in Jesus and the redemption he offers us, God’s grace will overflow for us. If we keep our eyes on Jesus, we can withstand any temptation.

But if we do falter, if we do give in to temptation, we can pray today’s Psalm, “be merciful O Lord, for I have sinned.” In the Sacrament of Reconciliation, through God’s grace, we receive mercy and forgiveness, and are made right with God. God in His great compassion will wipe out our offense and give us strength to avoid giving into temptation.

Questions for reflection: Am I willing to live according to God’s word? Do I trust Jesus and can I keep my eyes on Him even when my temptations are strong? If I falter, am I willing to trust in His mercy and forgiveness?

Prayer: Jesus, give me the grace to keep my eyes on you, even when I am tempted to look away.

Deacon Jesse Fanning serves the Mother of God Family of Parishes (NE-5) in Kettering, and assists the Archdiocese with the formation of aspirants to the permanent deaconate.

February 23 – Monday of the First Week of Lent
Readings: Lev 19:1-2, 11-18; Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 15; Mt 25:31-46