Learning to be Quick to Listen

Entering the desert of Lent is not a frantic dash to a finish line, but a slow, intentional pilgrimage into the heart of God. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us, by the solemn forty days of Lent the Church unites herself each year to the mystery of Jesus in the desert (CCC 540). This is a season of "interior penance," which is not a mere surface-level adjustment of our habits, but a "radical reorientation of our whole life" (CCC 1431). Just as Christ spent forty days in the wilderness, we are called to a sustained journey of purification. If we treat Lent like a quick sprint, we risk burning out by the second week; instead, we must pace ourselves, allowing the silence of the desert to gradually strip away our distractions and reveal our true need for divine mercy. St. Francis of Assisi, a man who lived his entire life as a perpetual journey toward Christ, once said, "Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenl...

The gift of mercy is a light that helps Christians reflect on the past year and radiates hope at the start of the new year, Pope Francis said. While retracing the events of 2015 may recall moments of both joy and sorrow, it also offers a moment to understand the presence of God who "renews and sustains with his help," Pope Francis said during an evening prayer service in St. Peter's Basilica on New Year's Eve. The prayer service included eucharistic adoration and Benediction, as well as the singing of the "Te Deum," a hymn of praise and thanksgiving to God, for the closing year.  The " Te Deum ," he said, is the church's way of giving thanks and recognizing the loving presence of God throughout history. "With this hymn, we look back at the history of salvation where, through God's mysterious plan, the various events of our life in this past year find" their place and meaning, the pope said. Although the past year may bring bo...