Day 30: 5th Commandment: Respect for Human Life Fifth Commandment: You shall not kill. The words of Jesus add depth to this Fifth Commandment: “Everyone who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment.” Jesus reminds us of the basic principle that life is sacred. This is universal: in response to dishonoring life,…
Day 29: 4th Commandment: Civil Authorities Gratitude is so important, especially your gratitude for those who gave you life. This attitude calls you to: Obedience, Docility, Patience, Forgiveness, Charity, and Respecting, “parents in the faith.” As Proverbs reminds us to “keep your father’s commandments and do not forget your mother’s teaching.” So may we strive…
Mary of Magdala was weeping, her master had died, and now his body was no longer on the sepulcher. Suddenly, she saw two angels dressed in white, and they said to her: “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said, “They have taken my Lord, and I don’t know where they laid him. When she said…
My dear pilgrims: First of all, I want to wish you a Holy Lent. Every human person needs a time of purification, renewal, and revival. That’s what the Church provides us with during the season of Lent. In addition, this year, we are participating on our Exodus: Pilgrimage of Freedom to grow in true human and…
The Lover’s Tower By Fr. Cristobal Vilaroig We have spoken of Italian and Spanish pilgrims who visited the Holy Land in Ottoman times. Now let’s turn to the French who followed after them: the Jesuit, Michel Naud. Father Michel Naud, SJ, came to Galilee around 1670. He could barely see Magdala since, according to him,…
Day 28: 4th Commandment: The Family Family is a blessing. Honoring your mother and father means honoring the whole family, elders, subordinates, employers, employees, and leaders. This commandment emphasizes the family because the Lord makes the family an image of Himself. We are all called to love and to give ourselves completely to others; family…
Day 27: 3rd Commandment: The Lord’s Day Why bother having a day for worship alone? On the day of the Lord, every seven days, we’re coming to know Him more. That’s why we rest: in order to worship. We put our wealth at the service of places and times to worship. This was the purpose…
Day 26: Desert Father: Saint Sabas – Life of Solitude Every day of those 40 years was a new beginning for the people of Israel: coming into the Promised Land and having to form an entire nation. How did they know how to persevere? The desert. When we live desert experiences, we can hear the…
Day 24: 2nd Commandment: Making a Name for Yourself The beautiful facade of Petra’s Treasury, adorned with statues of the gods, reminds us of the Tower of Babel. To be freed from slavery – to get the Egypt out of us, to get the ungodliness away from us – means we can’t take the oaths…
Day 25: 3rd Commandment: The Sabbath Day The Lord wanted to sit and rest with the beauty of creation after six days: to see the wonderfulness of the creatures, especially the last, most beautiful creatures, man and woman. What does it mean to rest in God? How can I rest in the Lord? A foreshadowing…
