St. Mary's Basilica
Phoenix, Arizona
Fasting and Abstaining from Meat
Fasting is more than a means of developing self-control. It is often an aid to prayer, as the pangs of hunger remind us of our hunger for God. The first reading on the Friday after Ash Wednesday points out another important dimension of fasting. …
Giving Something Up
For most older Catholics, the first thought that Lent brings to mind is giving something up. In my childhood, the standard was to give up candy, a discipline that found suitable reward in the baskets of sugary treats we received on Easter. Some of…
Pastor’s Notes
There is an old expression, “as patient as Job,” often describing someone of long suffering.Ā Ā Turns out, Job is not very patient at all. In the first reading this weekend, chaos erupts and his life spins out of control. He feels he has done…