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THE WEEKLY DIGEST
OF REGNUM CHRISTI
DAILY MEDITATIONS

Week of April 6 - 13 2025

Sunday, April 6, 2025 – Wise and Merciful

Monday, April 7, 2025 – One with the Father

Tuesday, April 8, 2025 – The Great “I AM”

Wednesday, April 9, 2025 – Rejecting False Paradigms

Thursday, April 10, 2025 – Jesus Is “I AM”

Friday, April 11, 2025 – Power in the Word

Saturday, April 12, 2025 – Persecution for the Gospel

Sunday, April 13, 2025 – Triumph and Sacrifice

April 6, 2025 – Wise and Merciful

Fifth Sunday of Lent

John 8:1-11

Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. But early in the morning he arrived again in the temple area, and all the people started coming to him, and he sat down and taught them. Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery and made her stand in the middle. They said to him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now in the law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” They said this to test him, so that they could have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with his finger. But when they continued asking him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he bent down and wrote on the ground. And in response, they went away one by one, beginning with the elders. So he was left alone with the woman before him. Then Jesus straightened up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She replied, “No one, sir.” Then Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin any more.”

Opening Prayer: Heavenly Father, you created me for communion with you. Thank you for sending your Son to be our King, serving with perfect justice and endless mercy. Let me never test you; instead, let me come to you in humility and offer myself to do your will.

Encountering Christ:

  1. Divine Justice: At the beginning of today’s Gospel, the scene is a familiar one. Jesus, the teacher “par excellence,” sat down and began to instruct the many people who had come to hear him proclaim the eternal truths of the Torah, along with his interpretation of this definitive word of God. We don’t know what the specific subject was that day, but we do know that Jesus could have pulled from numerous tales of the God of Israel exercising perfect justice on his fallen world—expelling Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden perhaps, or sending the Great Flood, or smiting the Egyptians with the ten plagues. Lord, let me remember your divine justice and seek to always discern and do your will.

  2. Divine Mercy: On this particular day, thanks to the conniving scribes and Pharisees, Jesus’ lesson would be interrupted. If the crowd gathered that day had indeed been hearing about divine justice, they were about to also experience first-hand how such justice should be applied. The woman caught in adultery—a sinner like you and me—was guilty. Justice in that day and time demanded a penalty of death for such a sin (cf. Lev 20:10). Jesus invited all who brought the charge to search within themselves and to cast the first stone as long as they found themselves sinless. Divine justice allowed none to qualify. That fallen woman was freed to live a new life, changed forever by Jesus’ penetrating divine mercy in these words: “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin any more.” Each of us, when we contritely approach the sacrament of Reconciliation, can be similarly freed from the shackles of sin.

  3. The First Stone: Many have speculated on what Jesus may have been scrawling in the dirt while the scribes and Pharisees, one by one, departed as they realized they could not cast the first stone. Could it have been that Jesus just wanted these men to bow their heads as they contemplated their own sinfulness? Or was there something Jesus wrote that touched their hearts and allowed them to identify with this poor woman—perhaps the Ten Commandments, or their names, or their own sins, or a question about the whereabouts of the man caught with the woman? Was the message in the dirt meant, instead, for the woman to read—something to assuage her fear? This was the only instance of Jesus writing in the Bible, but we have no record of the message. We do, however, know the words that God has written on our hearts as we listen to this Gospel passage, words that convict us in our sin, but that also console us by making the Lord’s mercy available to us. As today’s psalm response reminds us, “The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy” (Ps 126:3).

Conversing with Christ: Lord, I am sorry for the times when I have tested you, and for the times when I have committed offenses against you and the people whom you have placed in my path. Help me during these remaining days of Lent to examine my conscience frequently, and give me the grace to conform more to your will.

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will schedule a definite time to enjoy the divine mercy offered in the sacrament of Reconciliation.


For Further Reflection: Read Pope Francis’ very first Angelus address, from March 17, 2013, reflecting on the episode of the woman caught in adultery.

Andrew Rawicki and his wife, JoAnna, live in Irving, Texas, near seven of their nine grandchildren. A convert from Judaism, Andrew entered the Church in 1991 and has been a member of the Regnum Christi spiritual family since 2001. He has served as the Regnum Christi Local Director for Dallas since July 2020.

April 7, 2025 – One with the Father

Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent

John 8:12-20

Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” So the Pharisees said to him, “You testify on your own behalf, so your testimony cannot be verified.” Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I do testify on my own behalf, my testimony can be verified, because I know where I came from and where I am going. But you do not know where I come from or where I am going. You judge by appearances, but I do not judge anyone. And even if I should judge, my judgment is valid, because I am not alone, but it is I and the Father who sent me. Even in your law it is written that the testimony of two men can be verified. I testify on my behalf and so does the Father who sent me.” So they said to him, “Where is your father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” He spoke these words while teaching in the treasury in the temple area. But no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.

Opening Prayer: Blessed Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—you exemplify love and truth. I want to know you more intimately and imagine your goodness. Grant me the grace in this meditation to see through the darkness and respond to your light, and to refrain from judging others by appearances. Let me hear your words in Scripture, Jesus, and have them enter both my mind and my heart, so that I can better know the Father, with the help of your Holy Spirit.

Encountering Christ:

  1. Shedding Light: The eighth chapter of John’s Gospel started with the dark tale of a woman caught in adultery and an angry mob threatening to stone her. The situation was defused by impelling the crowd to come out of the darkness and look at themselves in the light of Christ. Jesus now explained in the following verses that he himself is the light. How should we approach this light? We must follow, close enough to “hear the shepherd’s voice” (cf. Jn 10:27) and to allow our hearts to be moved by his actions in our lives. May we cultivate a stronger habit of daily prayer, along with more frequent reception of the sacraments, confident that this prescription will keep us from slipping back into darkness.

  2. Staying Close to the Light: Scripture is rich with imagery of darkness and light. The second verse of the Bible tells us that God viewed the beginning of creation and saw darkness, compelling him to utter the first words of his that are recorded: “Let there be light” (Gen 1:3). God then assessed, for the first time, that something he created was “good”—light. Perhaps the most famous of all of the psalms, which begins, “The Lord is my shepherd,” reminds us (in today’s psalm response) that this good light is available to us in our most troubled times. “Even though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me” (Ps 23:4). Jesus comes to our side and walks with us if we just allow him to be our light in the darkness. When we see a lot of darkness in the world, we know that Jesus has conquered the world. We fear no evil when we keep him close.

  3. Glimpses of the Blessed Trinity: Fearing the light of the world that threatened to expose their hypocrisy, the Pharisees sought to discredit this man Jesus. Why should they believe him? Any individual could make bold claims. The Jews had well-established practices about testimony, and they relied on their principle of two voices being authoritative when verified. Today’s first reading from Deuteronomy 13, about the imperiled Susannah seemingly trapped by false testimony, should have been familiar to the Pharisees from their studies. They conveniently forgot that it isn’t so important how many testify on one’s behalf. Instead, the key is whether the source (or sources) of testimony possess integrity, which can be defined as “being whole or undivided.” Jesus taught them that day, and teaches us today, that he is one with the Father. When we consider the blessed Trinity, do we let this perfect model of integrity move us to glorify Our Lord? “Now this is the Catholic faith: We worship one God in the Trinity and the Trinity in unity, without either confusing the persons or dividing the substance; for the person of the Father is one, the Son’s is another, the Holy Spirit’s another; but the Godhead of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is one, their glory equal, their majesty coeternal” (CCC 266).

Conversing with Christ: Lord, I am sorry for often hiding in the shadows, fearful of coming into your light. I should know from your frequent offering of mercy to me, and the many blessings that I have, that it is your will that I be filled with joy. Let me ponder anew the words you spoke to your disciples on the night before you died: “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete” (Jn 15:11).

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will slowly and confidently pray Psalm 23, “The Lord is my Shepherd…”


For Further Reflection: Read the sections in the Catechism of the Catholic Church that explain the dogma of the Holy Trinity (CCC 253-256).

Andrew Rawicki and his wife, JoAnna, live in Irving, Texas, near seven of their nine grandchildren. A convert from Judaism, Andrew entered the Church in 1991 and has been a member of the Regnum Christi spiritual family since 2001. He has served as the Regnum Christi Local Director for Dallas since July 2020.

April 8, 2025 – The Great “I AM”

Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Lent

John 8:21-30

Jesus said to the Pharisees: “I am going away and you will look for me, but you will die in your sin. Where I am going you cannot come.” So the Jews said, “He is not going to kill himself, is he, because he said, ‘Where I am going you cannot come’?” He said to them, “You belong to what is below, I belong to what is above. You belong to this world, but I do not belong to this world. That is why I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your sins.” So they said to him, “Who are you?” Jesus said to them, “What I told you from the beginning. I have much to say about you in condemnation. But the one who sent me is true, and what I heard from him I tell the world.” They did not realize that he was speaking to them of the Father. So Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I AM, and that I do nothing on my own, but I say only what the Father taught me. The one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do what is pleasing to him.” Because he spoke this way, many came to believe in him.

Opening Prayer: Lord, I want to know you and follow you wherever you lead me. I thank you for your word that provides direction, and for your invitation to pray with the rest of your Church. Let your Holy Spirit help me better understand your word and more intimately meet you in this time of prayer.

Encountering Christ:

  1. The Great Chasm: With penetrating clarity, Christ taught the stubborn Pharisees that remaining “of this world,” refusing to believe in the Christ or the Father who sent him, carries a death sentence. This delineation of two worlds, infinitely separated upon one’s death, was further clarified by Jesus in the parable of the doomed rich man, who should have been kinder to the beggar, Lazarus: “Between us and you a great chasm is established” (Lk 16:26). The only way to have life is to believe in Jesus. Lord, may we have the grace to believe always in your name, trusting your word: “… to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in his name” (Jn 1:12).

  2. The Act of Faith: What would it take for these Pharisees whom Jesus encountered, whose fate was not yet sealed on the wrong side of the chasm, to find eternal life? Jesus plainly articulated the first step: an act of faith. Those who looked upon him when he was raised up on a cross would need to accept that this, indeed, was the Christ, the only one who could claim to be the great “I AM” from the Torah story of the burning bush (cf. Ex 3:14). Those of us with the benefit of Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition, and the teaching authority of the Church, must not be misled; we, too, must look to the cross and proclaim Christ, as “there is no salvation through anyone else” (Acts 4:12).

  3. Giving, Not Taking: How ironic that the Pharisees jumped to the strange conclusion that Jesus might be taking his own life. Only one thing might have surprised them more—if Jesus was contemplating giving his own life. Indeed, the King of Kings would ultimately give over his life. Following in his footsteps are others who history tells us literally laid down their lives, such as well-known martyrs St. Stephen, St. Maximillian Kolbe, and St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein). Today, our priests and consecrated souls are counter-cultural people who themselves generously give over their own lives for the sake of the Church. Let us pray for more laborers in the vineyard.

Conversing with Christ: I thank you, Lord, for your invitation to enter into prayer. You have the words of everlasting life, and you continually remind me of your willingness to meet me, whether it is in my sorrow, my doubts, my insecurity, or even in my joy. I look at you on the cross today and I recall the horrific day when my sins placed you on that hill at Golgotha. I also recall your words to the good thief, who looked to you with faith in your Kingship: “Today you will be with me in Paradise” (Lk 23:43).

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will pray the sorrowful mysteries of the rosary for friends or relatives who do not know Christ, and for more vocations to the priesthood and religious life.

Andrew Rawicki and his wife, JoAnna, live in Irving, Texas, near seven of their nine grandchildren. A convert from Judaism, Andrew entered the Church in 1991 and has been a member of the Regnum Christi spiritual family since 2001. He has served as the Regnum Christi Local Director for Dallas since July 2020.

April 9, 2025 – Rejecting False Paradigms

Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Lent

John 8:31-42

Jesus said to those Jews who believed in him, “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How can you say, ‘You will become free’?” Jesus answered them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. A slave does not remain in a household forever, but a son always remains. So if the Son frees you, then you will truly be free. I know that you are descendants of Abraham. But you are trying to kill me, because my word has no room among you. I tell you what I have seen in the Father’s presence; then do what you have heard from the Father.” They answered and said to him, “Our father is Abraham.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works of Abraham. But now you are trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God; Abraham did not do this. You are doing the works of your father!” So they said to him, “We were not born of fornication. We have one Father, God.” Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and am here; I did not come on my own, but he sent me.”

Opening Prayer: Lord, thank you for these moments to be with you by pondering your words in the Scriptures. Bless me as I look for meaning and trust that you have a special message for me today.

Encountering Christ:

  1. The Catholic Meaning of Freedom: Jesus frequently preached that the truth will set us free. In our generation, some reject Jesus because they have a distorted view of truth and freedom. Truth, they say, belongs to the person who believes it and can vary from individual to individual. Freedom, the modern mind believes, is the ability to choose whatever we deem as good, or good for us, from among a limitless array of options. According to Pope Benedict XVI, “We are building a dictatorship of relativism that does not recognize anything as definitive and whose ultimate goal consists solely of one’s own ego and desires.” Catholics embrace Jesus’ words and believe God is the fullness of truth. As Bishop Robert Barron says, freedom is “not so much liberty of choice, but rather the disciplining of desire so as to make the achievement of the good first possible and then effortless.” We are disciples of Christ, and fight moral relativism by praying and being able to use Scripture in dialogue with others. “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Tim 3:16).

  2. My Word Has No Room among You: These descendants of Abraham were trying to kill Jesus because they couldn’t (or wouldn’t) accept his word. What drove the word of God from their minds and hearts? Sin. Perhaps the Pharisees suffered from arrogance, intellectualism, and intolerance. In their self-righteousness, they shut their hearts and proclaimed themselves judge and executioner of Jesus. Sin can also keep us from hearing God’s will in our lives, even if we are trying to follow him as a disciple. May we stay close to the sacrament of Reconciliation to keep our souls free from even the smallest blinding or deafening sin.

  3. Clinging to a False Paradigm: The Pharisees clung to the fact that they were Abraham’s descendants, as if that had all the power of redemption they needed. By their insistence, they pushed away the only redemption that could truly save them: Jesus Christ, who stood before them. We can fall into a similar trap by forcing Our Lord into a box of our making or subjugating him to our earthly passions. Every time we consider “we know better,” we are falling into a false paradigm. This denial of truth can sap our joy and leave us with the earthly remnants we cling to, rather than the heavenly joy for which we were made. Again, may we stay close to the sacrament of Reconciliation, which will help us to embrace truth and live joyfully.

Conversation with Christ: Lord, reading these lines of Scripture with hindsight, it is easy to judge the Pharisees for their hard-heartedness and presume I am different. Help me, Lord, to keep my soul pure through your sacramental grace so that I can embrace true freedom and reject all relativistic paradigms in my life.

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will do a thorough examination of conscience and make a plan to attend the sacrament of Reconciliation.

Maribeth Harper celebrated paying the last tuition bill for her kids’ college by writing a book for moms who have college-aged young adults, And So We Pray, Guidance for Moms with College-Aged Young Adults. She is a wife of thirty-five years, mother of four, and grandmother of nine and counting.

April 10, 2025 – Jesus Is “I AM”

Thursday of the Fifth Week of Lent

John 8:51-59

Jesus said to the Jews: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.” So the Jews said to him, “Now we are sure that you are possessed. Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.’ Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? Or the prophets, who died? Who do you make yourself out to be?” Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is worth nothing; but it is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ You do not know him, but I know him. And if I should say that I do not know him, I would be like you a liar. But I do know him and I keep his word. Abraham your father rejoiced to see my day; he saw it and was glad.” So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old and you have seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM.” So they picked up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid and went out of the temple area.

Opening Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for this moment of prayer. As I reflect on these words of Scripture, I want to recommit to my Lenten resolutions out of love and gratitude.

Encountering Christ:

  1. You Are Possessed: As Jesus was preaching to these Jews, their rejection of him escalated until they called him possessed. They couldn’t have been farther from the truth at this moment, despite their physical proximity to Jesus. Their passions stirred them to anger and their hearts were hardened to faith in Christ. They were sure of their wrongful assessment of him, but lacked true discernment. Discernment in a Catholic sense is the ability to sift through a variety of seemingly contradictory movements of the mind, heart, and soul and, by the power of the Spirit, align one’s will with God’s. To discern God’s will for our lives, we need spiritual proximity to Christ through the sacraments and in our daily prayer. We can also benefit from regular dialogue with a spiritual director.

  2. Never Taste Death?: It’s a fact of human nature that most of us don’t think much about death until we’re at a funeral, standing by someone’s deathbed, or very ill ourselves. This crowd was incited when Jesus said, “Whoever keeps my word will never see death.” But, had they seen the master of life and death for who he is, they might have been curious instead of incensed, hopeful instead of angry, open to the Spirit instead of hurling insults about devilish possession. Death is an inevitability for all of us and it behooves us to reflect on it periodically. When we do, we can embrace this encouragement from St. Thérèse of Lisieux: “It is not Death that will come to fetch me, it is the good God. Death is no phantom, no horrible specter, as presented in pictures. In the Catechism, it is stated that death is the separation of soul and body, that is all! Well, I am not afraid of a separation which will unite me to the good God forever.”

  3. I AM: The Lord clearly revealed his divinity to this crowd of irate men, proclaiming “I AM.” They thought he was blaspheming, and they failed to recognize his divinity. But we know the truth. Before Abraham was, Jesus existed. This tells us that God is eternal. God is timeless. God is completely independent of his creatures. God never changes. And Jesus revealed by his suffering, death, and Resurrection that God is pure love. Reflecting on these words, “I AM” with the Holy Spirit’s gift of fear of the Lord can help us to explore more deeply the inexhaustible nature of God.

Conversing with Christ: Lord, this group of people called you possessed and threw stones at you. If they had heard you with “ears to hear,” they would have realized that you were clearly identifying yourself to them. What a generous and loving God you are! May I never lack the courage to approach you in my weakness and frailty because you show me in these verses of Scripture how much you want me to know your deepest reality.

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will spend ten minutes reflecting on “I AM.”

Maribeth Harper celebrated paying the last tuition bill for her kids’ college by writing a book for moms who have college-aged young adults, And So We Pray, Guidance for Moms with College-Aged Young Adults. She is a wife of thirty-five years, mother of four, and grandmother of nine and counting.

April 11, 2025 – Power in the Word

Friday of the Fifth Week of Lent

John 10:31-42

The Jews picked up rocks to stone Jesus. Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of these are you trying to stone me?” The Jews answered him, “We are not stoning you for a good work but for blasphemy. You, a man, are making yourself God.” Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, “You are gods”’? If it calls them gods to whom the word of God came, and Scripture cannot be set aside, can you say that the one whom the Father has consecrated and sent into the world blasphemes because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? If I do not perform my Father’s works, do not believe me; but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may realize and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” Then they tried again to arrest him; but he escaped from their power. He went back across the Jordan to the place where John first baptized, and there he remained. Many came to him and said, “John performed no sign, but everything John said about this man was true.” And many there began to believe in him.

Opening Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for this opportunity to quietly reflect on your word. Increase my faith as I contemplate your awesome miracles. Increase my hope in your almighty power. Increase my love as I say with confidence, “… everything John said about this man was true.”


Encountering Christ:

  1. Scripture Can’t Be Set Aside: Jesus quoted Scripture to fight Satan during the temptations in the desert (cf. Mt 4:1-11) and here used a verse from Psalm 82:6 (I declare: “Gods though you be, offspring of the Most High all of you…”) to make his point to the crowd. Jesus was reinforcing for us that Holy Scripture is the word of God and that “until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law…” (Mt 5:18). It is our responsibility as Catholic Christians to know what the Scripture teaches. As St. Jerome famously said, “Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.”

  2. Believe the Works: Jesus entreated the people to believe in him, at the very least because of the works he accomplished in the name of the Father. What more miraculous, more mind-blowing, more nature-defying works did Jesus do in his healings and his raising of Lazarus from the dead? And his own death and Resurrection for the salvation of mankind? Surely his works spoke of the grandeur, majesty, and pure love of the Father. May we consider Christ’s miracles with fresh eyes and renew our astonishment at the works he did for the glory of his Father, so that we may be drawn more deeply to faith.
  3. He Escaped: In several Gospel passages, we are told that Jesus defied angry crowds and walked away unscathed, miraculously disappeared, or “escaped from their power.” No matter how dangerously violent the crowds became, Jesus was in control of his circumstances. Our Lord has always been and will always be omnipotent. “Of all the divine attributes, only God’s omnipotence is named in the Creed: to confess this power has great bearing on our lives. We believe that his might is universal, for God who created everything also rules everything and can do everything” (CCC 268).

Conversing with Christ: Lord, your word is powerful in my life. You often speak to me through the Scriptures, and for this I am grateful. Help me to see the familiar stories in ways that inspire me to conform to your will.

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace may I spend a bit of extra time reading your word, trusting that you speak to me in this way.

For Further Reflection: CCC 274: “Nothing is more apt to confirm our faith and hope than holding it fixed in our minds that nothing is impossible with God. Once our reason has grasped the idea of God’s almighty power, it will easily and without any hesitation admit everything that [the Creed] will afterwards propose for us to believe—even if they be great and marvelous things, far above the ordinary laws of nature.”

Maribeth Harper celebrated paying the last tuition bill for her kids’ college by writing a book for moms who have college-aged young adults, And So We Pray, Guidance for Moms with College-Aged Young Adults. She is a wife of thirty-five years, mother of four, and grandmother of nine and counting.

April 12, 2025 – Persecution for the Gospel

Saturday of the Fifth Week of Lent

John 11:45-56

Many of the Jews who had come to Mary and seen what Jesus had done began to believe in him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. So the chief priests and the Pharisees convened the Sanhedrin and said, “What are we going to do? This man is performing many signs. If we leave him alone, all will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our land and our nation.” But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing, nor do you consider that it is better for you that one man should die instead of the people, so that the whole nation may not perish.” He did not say this on his own, but since he was high priest for that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, and not only for the nation, but also to gather into one the dispersed children of God. So from that day on they planned to kill him. So Jesus no longer walked about in public among the Jews, but he left for the region near the desert, to a town called Ephraim, and there he remained with his disciples. Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before Passover to purify themselves. They looked for Jesus and said to one another as they were in the temple area, “What do you think? That he will not come to the feast?”

Opening Prayer: Jesus, be with me today as I read and meditate on your words in Scripture. I dedicate this time to the members of my family who do not believe in you and ask you for graces for their conversion.

Encountering Christ:

  1. Jesus Divides: The presence of Jesus among the Jews divided them. Many of them who had come to Mary and witnessed Lazarus rising from the dead began to believe. Others didn’t. They sought out the Pharisees, hoping most likely to put a halt to Jesus’ miracles and preaching. This same kind of division occurs today, in our society and in our families. When believers in Jesus share their enthusiasm with adult children, for example, the result is sometimes fractious contention. Why? We can ask ourselves if our approach was overzealous or insensitive (too much too soon), if we felt threatened by their disbelief (How could they abandon what we’ve worked so hard to teach them?), or if there was any arrogance or self-righteousness on our part. Any of these elements in our manner are likely to cause division instead of faith-sharing. The best way to share the faith is to live the Gospel truths and use words when necessary.

  2. The Sanhedrin: Jesus’ ministry had grown from grass roots, person-to-person, into a political problem for the Jews governed by Rome. He had become so popular that the Pharisees and Sadducees convened the Sanhedrin, which had civil, religious, and criminal jurisdiction. Ironically, Caiaphas, the high priest, prophesied that Jesus would die for the sake of the nation. And they planned to kill him. Did any of these political leaders question this seemingly rash decision to kill Jesus? Only Nicodemus—and he slipped out at night to interview Jesus privately. As disciples of Christ, we are called to be courageous in standing for the truth—in the public square, at our jobs, and in our families. “God’s love calls us to move beyond fear. We ask God for the courage to abandon ourselves unreservedly, so that we might be molded by God’s grace, even as we cannot see where that path may lead us” (St. Ignatius Loyola).

  3. Will He Not Come?: Political and religious tensions peaked just as the Passover was beginning in Jerusalem. Many Jews went early to perform the required cleansing rituals, and we can imagine them speculating, even gossiping about whether the controversy would keep Jesus away. The Pharisees had given orders to turn Jesus over to the authorities, but the people were fascinated by Christ. Word about Lazarus had spread. Into this cauldron of sentiment, Jesus not only came to the feast, but rode in on a donkey and was received as a king. The crowds sang, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” In his omniscience, Jesus knew exactly what was at risk and entered Jerusalem to begin his Passion anyway. Love for each one of us was his sole motivation.

Conversing with Christ: It sometimes feels like I am surrounded by unbelievers like the Pharisees who object to my “religion.” Jesus, you show me how to respond as I consider the tensions and objections raised against your preaching and miracles. I am to be humble and loving, calm and truthful. I know I can count on the Holy Spirit in those moments for inspiration. Thank you for the personal relationship we share. May I be an effective witness to your love.

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will pray “Come, Holy Spirit” whenever I feel tension or sadness.

For Further Reflection: Matthew 5:10-12: Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in Heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Maribeth Harper celebrated paying the last tuition bill for her kids’ college by writing a book for moms who have college-aged young adults, And So We Pray, Guidance for Moms with College-Aged Young Adults. She is a wife of thirty-five years, mother of four, and grandmother of nine and counting.

April 13, 2025 – Triumph and Sacrifice

Palm Sunday

Luke 19:28-40

Jesus proceeded on his journey up to Jerusalem. As he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples. He said, “Go into the village opposite you, and as you enter it you will find a colt tethered on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here. And if anyone should ask you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you will answer, ‘The Master has need of it.’” So those who had been sent went off and found everything just as he had told them. And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying this colt?” They answered, “The Master has need of it.” So they brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks over the colt, and helped Jesus to mount. As he rode along, the people were spreading their cloaks on the road; and now as he was approaching the slope of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of his disciples began to praise God aloud with joy for all the mighty deeds they had seen. They proclaimed: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest.” Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” He said in reply, “I tell you, if they keep silent, the stones will cry out!”

Opening Prayer: My Lord and Savior, today we recall your triumphant entry into Jerusalem and the bitter suffering of your Passion. I am overwhelmed by the sacrifice you endured. Please give me a heart of gratitude for your selfless love. As I meditate today on this painful Gospel, open my eyes to your love, your mercy, and my own deep need for redemption.

Encountering Christ:

  1. Triumph and Acclaim: Today our readings take us first from the joyous and triumphant entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem, to the glorious events of Holy Thursday, and finally, to the betrayal, anguish, and suffering of Good Friday. During the Gospel reading and the procession with palms, we proclaim with the disciples, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Lk 19:38). We are reminded of the Sanctus we say at every Mass and silently bow in heart and mind once again before our King in humble adoration. We ponder the majesty of Our Lord and give him the praise he is due. “I tell you, if they keep silent, the stones will cry out!” (Lk 19:40).

  2. Abandonment and Betrayal: Jesus asked an agonizing question in today’s responsorial psalm: “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” He had been wounded to the core when his friends fell asleep as he suffered in the garden of Gethsemane, when his disciple Judas betrayed him, when his right-hand man Peter denied knowing him. In our darkest hours, we can unite our suffering and feelings of abandonment to Jesus. He understands. He knows our pain. “Wait for the Lord; take courage; be stouthearted, wait for the Lord!” (Ps 27:14).

  3. Death and Redemption: In her books chronicling the lives and struggles of several Church of England priests during WWII, author Susan Howatch reminds us again and again that there is no Easter Sunday without Good Friday. Since we, as Catholics, know the end of the story, there is a temptation to gloss over the grim reality of Holy Week. Although Jesus has indeed conquered sin and death, and has in fact opened up the gates of Heaven to us all, his suffering and death—this act of perfect love—was an integral part of the process. His redemption of our souls was only made possible by his suffering, death, and Resurrection. “Do not pass one day without devoting a half hour, or at least a quarter of an hour, to meditation on the sorrowful Passion of your Savior. Have a continual remembrance of the agonies of your crucified Love, and know that the greatest saints, who now, in heaven, triumph in holy love, arrived at perfection in this way” (St. Paul of the Cross). This Holy Week is a solemn period, given to us by Mother Church, to deeply ponder and appreciate all he suffered for us.

Conversing with Christ: Jesus, how uncomfortable it is to really contemplate what you did for me on the cross. To do so brings me face to face with my own sin. I ask that you unite all of my sufferings today, whether large or small, to yours. I give you thanks for your sacrifice. Jesus, heal me from sin and bring me ever closer to you.

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will offer up any suffering, inconvenience, or annoyance I encounter in thanksgiving for your sacrifice.

Cathy Stamper lives in Maryland with her husband, Mike. They have been partners in business, marriage, and parenthood for over thirty-one years. She enjoys reading, daily Mass, exercise, and time with her five young adult children, large extended family, and friends. Cathy is a lay member of Regnum Christi, an occasional speaker at women’s retreats, and an active member of her parish and Walking With Purpose.

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Alex Kucera

Atlanta

Alex Kucera has lived in Atlanta, GA, for the last 46 years. He is one of 9 children, married to his wife Karmen, and has 3 girls, one grandson, and a granddaughter on the way. Alex joined Regnum Christi in 2007. Out of the gate, he joined the Helping Hands Medical Missions apostolate and is still participating today with the Ghana Friendship Mission.

In 2009, Alex was asked to be the Atlanta RC Renewal Coordinator for the Atlanta Locality to help the RC members with the RC renewal process. Alex became a Group Leader in 2012 for four of the Atlanta Men’s Section Teams and continues today. Running in parallel, in 2013, Alex became a Team Leader and shepherded a large team of good men.

Alex was honored to be the Atlanta Mission Coordinator between 2010 to 2022 (12 years), coordinating 5-8 Holy Week Mission teams across Georgia. He also created and coordinated missions at a parish in Athens, GA, for 9 years. Alex continues to coordinate Holy Week Missions, Advent Missions, and Monthly missions at Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Cumming, GA.

From 2016 to 2022, Alex also served as the Men’s Section Assistant in Atlanta. He loved working with the Men’s Section Director, the Legionaries, Consecrated, and Women’s Section leadership teams.

Alex is exceptionally grateful to the Legionaries, Consecrated, and many RC members who he’s journeyed shoulder to shoulder, growing his relationship with Christ and others along the way. He knows that there is only one way, that’s Christ’s Way, with others!