February 22, 2026: First Sunday of Lent

Adam and Eve experienced the goodness of God.  But then a doubt planted by the cunning serpent caused them to turn away from God, and the effects harmed teh succeeding generations of humanity.

Then Jesus came and reversed the curse of sin.  He also showed what faithfulness and obedience look like.  In comparison to the Hebrews, who were unfaithful in their desert journey, Jesus, led by the Spirit, contended with the devil in the desert and showed obedience in three different temptations, drawing from the Word of God to show what it means to be in a relationship with God.

So when the transgressions of Adam and Eve unleashed the fury of sin and death upon the world, Christ, by His obedience, offered us the gift of forgiveness and life, which was a truly great gift.

We are called during this Lenten season to turn away from our own desires and more deeply embrace God and His grace that is truly life-giving because it enables us to live obediently to the One True God.

Because He saved us in Christ, we look to Him as the One worthy of worship.

Normally, February 22 is the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter.  In the Gospel reading for that Feast, we read how St. Peter declares Jesus to be the Messiah, the Son of the living God.  This Feast speaks to our Lenten journey as we are called to honor God and live His way, proclaiming Who He is.

It's also the birthday of George Washington, another example of leadership, and as he contributed to starting a new nation, he had a sense of noble principles which to strive for and realize for the flourishing of all people.

When we live as God calls us to, seeking a relationship with Him, Who is the Truth, we find true freedom, acclaiming God as God alone, Who rules the world.

February 18, 2026: Ash Wednesday

We are called to repent, changing the focus of our lives.

We are reminded that we have come from dust and we will return to dust.

Yet even with this world broken by sin, God provides a way for us to return to Him, through the Gospel.

So we turn anew to the Gospel to believe the Good News it proclaims and live the reality of being reconciled back to God.

We do so with hearts that seek to be pleasing not to people but ultimately to God, Who provides the way of salvation for us out of sin and into Eternal Life.

February 15, 2026: 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time

The commandments of God have life-giving power, if we go beyond just the words.

Jesus clearly stated in the Gospel reading that He didn't come to abolish the Law but to fulfill it.  He fulfilled it by showing how the Law calls us to shape our interior disposition to reflect God's character, to be people of integrity and display holiness in our relationships, not seeking to tear others down, but to edify them.

This is the greater wisdom of which St. Paul writes that embraces God's presence, rather than repelling Him.

So even now that Christ has come to Earth, the Law remains.  Furthermore, Christ grants us the grace and the power of the Holy Spirit so we can go beyond just following the letter of the Law to heed its intent and to live it so we can embrace the heart of God and show it in how we live.

February 8, 2026: 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Jesus Christ calls us to be salt and light, becuase God has created us to be filled with His goodness and shine forth His love that He pours into us.

Like St. Paul writes, in humility, we magnify the power of God as we put love in action through deeds that serve others.

And as the prophet Isaiah writes, as people of faith, we don't just settle for religious rituals.  We are called to transformation that leads us to meet the needs of others, and to be charitable, holding back from malicious speech, and then our Light shines as God truly works through us.

We are not meant to live for ourselves, but to find fulfillment as we are transformed to shine what God has put into us.

February 2, 2026: Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

The people of Israel marveled at God's Presence descending on the Temple in Jerusalem.

When Mary the Blessed Mother and St. Joseph brought Jesus Christ to the Temple to offer Him in accordance wiht hte Law, there was rejoicing anew in the presence of God coming to the Temple.

Two faithful people, Simeon and Anna, praised God for the appearance of Jesus Christ in the Temple.  Simeon rejoiced in the Savior Who is a Light to the nations and the glory of God's people Israel.

We spent Advent preparing to welcome Christ, and we spent Christmas Season marveling at how God manifested Himself in Christ.  Once again, we behold how God has revealed Himself in Christ and open our hearts to let Christ transform us into Temples of His Glory, so that, free from disordered desires, we may bear His Presence into the world.

February 1, 2026: 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time

God came to us when Jesus Christ humbled Himself and took on human form.

He showed us the power in being humble, and He elaborated upon it in offering us the Beatitudes at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount.

In these statements, we see what it means to be blessed when we are in a lowly position and seek after what only God offers, which truly satisfies in a profound way.

When we think of ourselves less, we are more open to how God can work in us and how He can build the Kingdom of God on Earth through us, making Heaven real here.

January 25, 2026: 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

God speaks His Word, Who is Jesus Christ, and is a light in the midst of darkness.

We are freed from the burdens of the darkness as Christ comes proclaiming the message of repentance, that we might change the course of our lives to be fully devoted to Him.

Bishop Barron noted in his homily this week that there was lots of division among the tribes of Israel.  Ultimately, Christ came to bring back the tribes together and establish the Church that would be One in Him.

Normally, January 25 is the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul.  We see in him a great example of someone who wholeheartedly devoted his life to Christ after a powerful encounter with Him, and is a pillar of the Church.

St. Paul had to tell the Corinthians to stop thinking in terms of associating with one figure, but to fix themselves on Christ, Who alone makes God known to us, Who has saved us, and has established the Church.

My thoughts also drift back 7 years ago to attending Mass on the 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time in Panama with Pope Francis.  It was a time of rejoicing in how God's Word was present among us and sending us forth as we came together as One Church.

And as we conclude the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, we renew ourselves in our relationship with Christ, Who unifies us, so that we can go forth to make the one God known in our world.

On this Word of God Sunday, we continue to be inspired by the Word that became Flesh among us, and continues to speak so that we can live who we're meant to be as One Church.