Franciscan Media

In the washing of feet on Holy Thursday, we catch a glimpse of the servant leadership Christ taught his disciples to practice. “But Jesus summoned them and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them…. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.’” (Matthew 20:25–27).

The Holy Spirit gives us wisdom. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus told his disciples not to worry because the Holy Spirit would tell them what to say. When you face tough choices, pray for the Holy Spirit’s guidance to know what is right and for the strength to do it.

– from the book A 40-Day Spiritual Workout for Catholics

Our thoughts turn to the passion and death of our Lord, and we long to share his pain with him. What is the pain of Jesus? It is the pain of loving and not being loved in return. He has loved us with an everlasting love, and what do we give him in return? We allow our minds to be preoccupied with little things and so spend many hours without thinking of Jesus. And yet our hearts and minds, bodies and souls, belong only to him. Let us meditate on the sufferings of Christ each day.

Lent is a favorable time to intensify spiritual life: may the practice of fasting be of help to you, in order to acquire greater mastery of yourselves; may prayer be the means to entrust your lives to God and to feel him always nearby; may the works of mercy help you to live open to the needs of brothers and sisters.

– from the book The Hope of Lent

We are called as Christians to proclaim the liberating news that forgiveness for sins committed is possible, that God is greater than our sinfulness, that he freely loves us at all times, that we were made for communion and eternal life.

– from The Hope of Lent

Hide nothing from your confessor. A sick man can be cured only by revealing his wounds. — St. Margaret of Cortona

– from A 40-Day Spiritual Workout for Catholics