How are you doing with your Lenten resolutions? We have this special time of Holy Week to welcome Jesus into our hearts. Let us make this week a retreat and keep it Holy by focusing on our Lenten resolutions, reading the Scriptures, performing charitable acts, and carving out more silence. Let us be Pilgrims of Hope with Jesus.

Catholic Mass Readings for Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion, April 13, 2025

Procession: Luke 19: 28-40
First Reading: Isaiah 50: 4-7
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 22: 8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24
Second Reading: Philippians 2:6-11
Verse Before the Gospel: Philippians 2: 8-9
Gospel: Luke 22: 14 – 23: 56

Do you sometimes feel like you need some help along the way of your Lenten journey? You always have a chance for God to give you a new set of tires to journey deeper into belief. Let us surrender to Jesus' wise love for us like Mary and Martha did, on our everyday journey coming to believe in Him.

Father Chuck gave this Sunday's homily at St. Henry Parish in Gresham, where he was parochial vicar (popularly known as associate pastor) from 2004-2010. Their mass readings are the optional readings used by parishes that have the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA).

Catholic Mass Readings for the Fifth Sunday of Lent, Scrutiny of the Elect, April 6, 2025

First Reading: Ezekiel 37:12-14
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8
Second Reading: Romans 8:8-11
Verse Before the Gospel: John 11:25a, 26
Gospel: John 11:1-45

Do you realize there are actually two lost sons in today's Gospel? Jesus' parable, which we normally title, "The Prodigal Son," shows the wideness of God's mercy as a forgiving father. To practice this wide, godly mercy is a major part of the Christian call. And that call can come to us even through German luxury cars! Yes, the "German Luxury Cars and Their Hidden Spiritual Messages" mini-series continues—and concludes, Fr. Chuck promises—with this homily.* Special thanks to parishioners who found messages of grace in other car names and passed them on to Fr. Chuck so we can all be more mindful of God at all times.

Catholic Mass readings for the Fourth Sunday of Lent, Year C, March 30, 2025

First Reading: Joshua 5: 9a, 10-12
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 34: 2-3, 4-5, 6-7
Second Reading: Second Corinthians 5: 17-21
Verse Before the Gospel: Luke 15: 18
Gospel: Luke 15: 1-3,11-32

*For the other episodes in this series, go to "German Luxury Cars as Reminders of Being Merciful" (Season 4, Ep. 14, posted 2/24/25) and "AUDI® Means Act Under Divine Influence" (Season 4, Ep. 18, posted 3/24/25).

Credit for special artwork visible on some platforms, which Fr. Chuck mentions in the homily [image cropped and/or border added]—Stained glass window in St. Mary de Castro Church, Leicester, England, photo by Fr. Lawrence (Paul) Lew, OP, on Flickr; license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/.