Lent

In Isaiah 58:7–10, the Lord redefines what authentic worship looks like. Rather than focusing on ritual alone, God calls His people to a faith expressed through mercy, justice, and compassion. This passage challenges believers to see care for the vulnerable not as an optional virtue, but as a core expression of fidelity to God.Scripture (Isaiah 58:7–10)Is this not, rather, the fast that I choose:releasing those bound unjustly,untying the thongs of the yoke;Setting free the oppressed,breaking every yoke?Is it not sharing your bread with the hungry,bringing the afflicted and the homeless into your house;Clothing the naked when you see them,and not turning your back on your own flesh?Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,and your wound shall quickly be healed;Your vindication shall go before you,the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer,you shall cry for help, and He will say: Here I am.If you remove from your midst oppression,false accusation and malicious speech;If you bestow your bread on the hungryand satisfy the afflicted;Then light shall rise for you in the darkness,and the gloom shall become for you like midday.Isaiah’s message cuts through the temptation to reduce faith to performance. God makes clear that prayer and fasting lose their meaning when they are separated from justice and love of neighbor. The prophet insists that devotion to God must reshape how we treat the poor, the oppressed, and even those closest to us.What follows is a promise. When mercy becomes the pattern of life, light follows. Healing follows. God draws near. Isaiah presents a direct connection between social justice and spiritual intimacy, reminding the faithful that holiness is revealed most clearly in compassion lived out.This passage holds particular weight during Lent, when the Church emphasizes fasting, prayer, and almsgiving. Isaiah reminds us that these disciplines must overflow into action, transforming hearts and communities alike.

St. Dimas, traditionally known as the Good Thief, stands as one of the most powerful witnesses to Christ’s mercy in the Gospels. Crucified alongside Jesus, Dimas had no lifetime of visible holiness, no recorded miracles, and no opportunity to make restitution for his sins. Yet in a single moment of humility and faith, he entrusted himself completely to Christ. His story reminds us that no soul is beyond redemption and that God’s mercy is not limited by time, circumstance, or past failures.According to the Gospel of Luke, while one criminal mocked Jesus, Dimas recognized both his own guilt and Christ’s innocence. Turning to Jesus, he uttered a simple but profound plea: “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Christ’s response was immediate and definitive: “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” In that moment, Dimas became the first canonized saint, declared holy by Christ Himself.St. Dimas is a patron for those who feel unworthy, forgotten, or too far gone to be forgiven. His life and death proclaim a central truth of the Christian faith: salvation is a gift of grace, not a reward earned by merit alone. Especially during Lent, St. Dimas invites us to examine our hearts, acknowledge our need for mercy, and trust fully in the saving love of Christ.