Our observance of Lent, with its emphasis on penitential reflection and restorative action, ends. The Novena of Grace for healing through the intercession of Francis Xavier (4-12) continues to be relevant as the pandemic's effect is still felt around the world. The season of new life, joy, and praise begins at Easter (17). This spring, we might focus our celebration in praise of the natural world and the bountiful gift of life in all its variety.

Lent begins to draw to a close, and it is time to consider where your Lenten journey has led. The readings this week encourage you to deal with both what lays behind and ahead on this path.

It's kind of amusing, really: Scholars aren’t sure what to do with the woman-caught-in-the-act-of-committing-adultery. It would be helpful, too, if we had a shorter name for her, or could identify her beyond her sin.

The life of Christopher Gardner, the man behind the movie The Pursuit of Happyness embodies scripture’s emphasis this week on pursuing an upward calling.

A cartoon in a Catholic magazine decades ago portrayed the scene in today’s gospel: Jesus has just lazily doodled in the sand and gotten the attention of the self-righteous assembled crowd—their hands tightly gripping rocks with which to stone the woman caught in adultery.

On this last Sunday before Palm Sunday and Holy Week, we ask God to prepare our hearts.

In this life guilt is not atoned for by any suffering simply as suffering, but rather by suffering borne with desire, love, and contrition of heart. The value is not in the suffering but in the soul’s desire.