Main Menu

THE WEEKLY DIGEST
OF REGNUM CHRISTI
DAILY MEDITATIONS

Week of March 9-16, 2025

Sunday, March 9, 2025 – If You Are the Son of God…

Monday, March 10, 2025 – Serving with Joy

Tuesday, March 11, 2025 – The Lord’s Prayer

Wednesday, March 12, 2025 – Seeking Signs

Thursday, March 13, 2025 – Good Gifts

Friday, March 14, 2025 – Becoming Righteous

Saturday, March 15, 2025 – Radical Discipleship

Sunday, March 16, 2025 – God Truly Reveals Himself to Us

March 9, 2025 -If You Are the Son of God...

First Sunday of Lent

Luke 4:1-13

Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days, to be tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they were over he was hungry. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” Jesus answered him, “It is written, One does not live on bread alone.” Then he took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a single instant. The devil said to him, “I shall give to you all this power and glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I may give it to whomever I wish. All this will be yours, if you worship me.” Jesus said to him in reply, “It is written, You shall worship the Lord, your God, and him alone shall you serve.” Then he led him to Jerusalem, made him stand on the parapet of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written: He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you, and: With their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.” Jesus said to him in reply, “It also says, You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.” When the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from him for a time.

Opening Prayer: Lord, I do believe, but help my unbelief. Lord, I hope, but help me fight the discouragement I sometimes feel. Lord, I love you, but pour out more charity into my heart and actions.

Encountering Christ:

  1. Filled with the Holy Spirit/Led by the Holy Spirit: We follow Jesus into the desert this Lent in an effort to be filled with the Spirit, as he was. God the Creator, God the Redeemer, God the Sanctifier made us in his image and likeness. According to Gaudium Et Spes (22), “Christ, the final Adam, by the revelation of the mystery of the Father and his love, fully reveals man to man himself and makes his supreme calling clear.” As we enter this desert in Our Lord’s company, may he reveal to our open and humble hearts the way to resist temptation and become more filled with the Holy Spirit.                                                                                                                                                                   
  2. Tempted by Root Sins: The temptations Satan put before Christ are no different than those put before us. In this one passage, we find a representation of what some spiritualities call the root sins: pride, vanity, and sensuality. In the first temptation, Christ was hungry, and Satan asked him to turn stones to bread, a temptation to sensuality. In the second, Satan offered Jesus power and glory: “All this will be yours if you worship me…” This was a temptation to vanity. In the third, Satan appealed to pride, saying in effect, “If you are who you say you are…” What was Christ’s response to these temptations? “It is written, it is written, it is written.” “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (Jn 1:1). How well can we defend ourselves against temptation by relying on the Scriptures?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
  3. Until an Opportune Time: It’s outrageous to think that Jesus’ forty-day fast was not opportune enough for Satan, but that he would wait for a better “time.” Would that be when Christ was totally beaten down physically by the soldiers, beaten emotionally by the denials of those closest to him, beaten spiritually as he took the sins of the world upon his shoulder in the garden? Jesus was stronger than Satan even then! We can expect to fight the demons in our life only when integrally attached to the One who shows us the way.

Conversing with Christ: Merciful, loving God, you could have picked any of a thousand ways to save me from my sins, but you chose this most humble, intimate way. You chose to be so close to me that I can feel you and touch you. Why, because I am a wretched sinner? No, because I am fearfully and wonderfully made in the image and likeness of your Father. You truly are the Son of God, and your desire is to be with me. Lord, forgive me and draw me ever closer to you.

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will look at the different situations and people that you lead me to with the specific purpose of seeing you in each soul.

Bob Cohn and his wife Jeanette live in Maryland and have spent the last thirty-five years raising seven children, working in their parish, and singing together. He is an electrical engineer with a manufacturing firm, and he loves to share his faith through speaking and writing.

March 10, 2025 – Serving with Joy

Monday of the First Week of Lent

Matthew 25:31-46

Jesus said to his disciples: “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’ And the King will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’ Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’ Then they will answer and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?’ He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.’ And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

Opening Prayer: Open the eyes of my heart, Lord. I believe that you have humbled yourself to be truly present to me. I hope in your presence. Help me to know you, love you, and serve you.

Encountering Christ:

  1. We Are a Penitential People: It is interesting that the Church uses purple for Advent and Lent. The color purple signifies we understand that “these times are particularly appropriate for spiritual exercises, penitential liturgies, pilgrimages as signs of penance, voluntary self-denial such as fasting and almsgiving, and fraternal sharing (charitable and missionary works)” (CCC 1438). But Advent and Lent are not preparing us merely to celebrate the historical events of Christ’s life. They are calling us to anticipate the second coming of Christ. We know that judgment awaits us one day, and a humble, repentant heart is a good preparation for when the Son of Man comes in glory.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
  2. Jesus Didn’t Come to Save “Good” People: How often we hear people say, “I’m good.” As Christians, we know that we are called not to be merely good but righteous. Righteousness springs from a deep love of God. We identify as sons and daughters of God; we strive to love God with our whole heart, mind, and body; and we allow his grace to overflow into our love of others through the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. We are called to see “those on his left” and be Christ’s emissaries to them, according to his promptings in our soul. Who is it that the Lord is asking us to serve this Lent?                                                                                                                                                                                    
  3. Mission-Oriented: To feed the hungry, clothe the naked—this is our baptismal call. Our Lenten focus on prayer, fasting, and almsgiving gives us fresh opportunities for grace in order to live out our mission. What is interesting is how God makes the work we do for him so enjoyable. Service to the poor and outcast can be very difficult and often very draining. However, so many who do this work testify that they receive much more than they give. This shouldn’t come as a surprise. Christ came so that “our joy may be complete. When we walk closely with him in the service of our brothers and sisters, we experience a deep, lasting joy. “We are at Jesus’ disposal. If he wants you to be sick in bed, if he wants you to proclaim his work in the street, if he wants you to clean the toilets all day, that’s all right, everything is all right. We must say, ‘I belong to you. You can do whatever you like.’ And this is our strength, and this is the joy of the Lord” (St. Teresa of Calcutta).

Conversing with Christ: Loving and amazing Lord, I thank you for this gift of Lent. Thank you for the opportunity to continuously repent and draw closer to you. Help me as I go through my day to be mindful of you, and help me to see you in all those I encounter this week. Help me to show joy in the midst of my penance, knowing how much you love me and are calling me personally and intimately to walk with you.

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will intentionally write down the moments I encountered you and reflect on them.

For Further Reflection: Lord, make me an instrument of your peace; where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy (St. Francis).

Bob Cohn and his wife Jeanette live in Maryland and have spent the last thirty-five years raising seven children, working in their parish, and singing together. He is an electrical engineer with a manufacturing firm, and he loves to share his faith through speaking and writing.

March 11, 2025 – The Lord’s Prayer

Tuesday of the First Week of Lent

Matthew 6:7-15

Jesus said to his disciples: “In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him. This is how you are to pray: ‘Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’ If you forgive men their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.”

Opening Prayer: Lord Jesus, teach me to pray as you pray to the Father. I want to join in your mission for our salvation and your communion with the Holy Trinity. I want to pray like you.

Encountering Christ:

  1. Many Words: The Our Father is one of the most, if not the most, frequently recited traditional prayers of the Church. It is offered daily at every Mass and in the Divine Office, which is prayed by every Roman Catholic priest and by many orders of religious sisters and laypeople as well. Also called the Lord’s Prayer, the Our Father introduces each of the five decades of the rosary. It is reasonable to assume, therefore, that the Our Father is prayed many, many thousands of times a day. Because it’s so familiar, we can sometimes find ourselves reciting this beautiful prayer thoughtlessly, babbling like the pagans. Our Lord understands this tendency, but when we catch ourselves being distracted, we can simply return our mind to heartfelt prayer, which pleases him. As St. Edmund reminds us, “It is better to say one Our Father fervently and devoutly than a thousand with no devotion and full of distraction.”                                                                                                                                                       
  2. Your Father Knows What You Need: Vocal prayers like the Our Father are said repeatedly and sometimes distractedly, but they are nevertheless an important component of the prayer life of the Church. The Catechism states, “The Tradition of the Church proposes to the faithful certain rhythms of praying intended to nourish continual prayer” (2698). Vocal prayer is an essential element of the Christian life. When we’re vigilant and attentive during vocal prayer, we are engaging in the rhythm of the Church. As we make an effort to say our prayers fervently, the Lord blesses and nourishes our relationship with him.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
  3. This Is How You Are to Pray: Reciting the Our Father can lift our hearts, since Jesus prays with and for us to God our Father. The experience can lead us to profound gratitude. Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name: thank you, God and Creator, for loving us as your children and allowing us to call you “Father.” Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven: Thank you, Jesus, for including us in your Kingdom here on earth and for sending your Holy Spirit to guide us to heaven. Give us this day our daily bread: Thank you, Jesus, for being truly present with us in the Eucharist. Forgive us our trespasses: Thank you, Lord, for your forgiveness every time we sin and for strengthening us against further sin through the sacrament of Reconciliation. As we forgive those who trespass against us: Thank you, Holy Spirit, who gives us the strength and desire to forgive others. Lead us not into temptation: Thank you, Lord, for the Church, which teaches us right from wrong and good from evil, and provides the sacraments so we can always choose right and good. But deliver us from evil: Thank you for the gift of our guardian angel and St. Michael to protect us and bring us safely home to you.

Conversing with Christ: Lord, thank you for teaching me how to pray. Thank you for showing me how to worship the Father and how to be his child. Grant me the grace to be more attentive at Mass and whenever I pray the Our Father so that I can offer my prayer with, in, and through you.

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will pay special attention while I recite an Our Father, so that I can offer my heart and not just say these words.

Nan Balfour is a grateful Catholic whose greatest desire is to make our Lord Jesus more loved. She seeks to accomplish this through her vocation to womanhood, marriage, motherhood, and God’s gifts of writing and speaking.  

 

March 12, 2025 – Seeking Signs

Wednesday of the First Week of Lent

Luke 11:29-32

While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them, “This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah. Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. At the judgment the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation and she will condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and there is something greater than Solomon here. At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because at the preaching of Jonah they repented, and there is something greater than Jonah here.”

Opening Prayer: Lord, here I am. What signs of your goodness do you want me to see? How can I be more present to you in my thoughts, words, and actions today?

Encountering Christ:

  1. This Generation Is an Evil Generation: Why did Jesus tell the crowd of people, “This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah”? Jesus often preached about signs and urged his disciples to pay attention to them, so he didn’t have an issue with seeking signs. What was it, then? Disciples are people who seek to learn from a master, so as to follow his doctrines more closely. We didn’t hear that disciples were present here. We heard, “People gathered in the crowd,” which is an indication to us they were not gathering to listen and follow, but to see if Jesus would perform a miracle. Jesus knew their hearts and knew they only wanted to be amazed and entertained. Therefore, no sign would be given to them. How do we view Our Lord? Are we faithful disciples who want to know, love, and serve the Lord, or are we part of a crowd looking for quick and easy solutions to our problems?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
  2. The Sign of Jonah: With his words, “Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation,” Jesus was not so gently shaking this crowd out of their complacency and presumption. Seven hundred years earlier, at the command of God, the Hebrew prophet Jonah walked the streets of Nineveh, Israel’s ancient enemy, preaching repentance for three days. All the people, from the king to his lowliest subjects, humbled themselves by wearing sackcloth and ashes. Seeing their repentance, God did not carry out the punishment planned for them. At this, Jonah complained, angry because the Lord spared them. In this passage, Jesus was reminding the crowd that God does not perform according to the will of men. God acts as he wills, and his will is always for our good. We are to work to conform our will to his, not the other way around. When we feel tempted to complain because God does not act as we want, a fitting response is to humble ourselves and pray today’s responsorial psalm: “A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.”                                                                                                                                                 
  3. The Queen of the South: Jesus said, “At the judgment, the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation and she will condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and there is something greater than Solomon here.” Solomon, the son of King David, asked God for the gift of wisdom and received it. The queen of Sheba, who we hear in 1 Kings traveled far to see him for herself, was not disappointed: “I did not believe the report until I came and saw with my own eyes that not even the half had been told me. Your wisdom and prosperity surpass the report I heard” (1 Kgs 10:7). Evil, as Jesus defined it here, was to prefer the gifts over the Giver. The Jewish people were chosen by God, given his law, and sent a Son as an emissary, but they refused to see what the Ninevites and the queen of the south, outsiders to God’s covenant, quickly acknowledged. God desires a relationship with us. Do we settle for something less than the call to be his disciple? Lent is a time for us to reflect and discern whether we are wise enough to prefer the Giver over his gifts.

Conversing with Christ: Lord, so often I question what you are doing in my life. I do not see you acting, but I know you are always at work. I am sorry for looking for you when I want something rather than seeking to conform my will to yours. Forgive me, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. Praise you, Jesus.

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will pray the rosary every other day during Lent so that I can grow in wisdom.

For Further Reflection: Read the book of the Prophet Jonah and 1 Kings 10.

Nan Balfour is a grateful Catholic whose greatest desire is to make our Lord Jesus more loved. She seeks to accomplish this through her vocation to womanhood, marriage, motherhood, and God’s gifts of writing and speaking.  

March 13, 2025 – Good Gifts

Thursday of the First Week of Lent

Matthew 7:7-12

Jesus said to his disciples: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Which one of you would hand his son a stone when he asked for a loaf of bread, or a snake when he asked for a fish? If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him. Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the law and the prophets.”

Opening Prayer: Lord, I have many concerns. I need help, and I want to trust you. How do I remain faithful when it seems like you are not listening? How do I remain confident in you while experiencing spiritual deserts?

Encountering Christ:

  1. Ask and It Will Be Given to You: How often have we heard this Gospel passage and said to ourselves, “God did not give me what I asked for. He did not answer my prayer for (fill in the blank).” Notice that Jesus did not just say, “Ask and it will be given to you,” as if God were a supernatural vending machine. Jesus taught us to add to our asking, “Seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” In our asking, we also seek and knock. We seek God’s will because God is omniscient, seeing further and deeper than we can into our finite and limited understanding of things. When we knock, we act with confident expectation that our request will be welcomed by God and will be answered. Jesus assures us here that God keeps his promise. He hears our prayer. He answers us. It may take a while because he is the master of time, or the circumstances of our request may demand it, or we may first need a healing to be able to hear his answer. He is trusting us to remain faithful, watchful, and persevering. This is where fasting can help. Fasting is not only about denying ourselves to suffer with Christ. By fasting, we empty ourselves so as to provide a space for God to enter. Fasting gives us the capability to hear God’s knock and open ourselves to him.                                                                                                                                             
  2. Stones and Snakes: “Which one of you would hand his son a stone when he asked for a loaf of bread, or a snake when he asked for a fish?” When we’re asking for something and losing our patience, or seeking and feeling lost, or knocking but losing hope, Jesus reminds us to consider the nature of our Father. God—Love—has only our best interests at heart. He will never hand us a stone, even if we’re mistakenly begging for it. He will never send us a snake because a good God is incapable of trickery or intimidation. We can ask, seek, and knock because we believe wholeheartedly that Our Lord is all good and all loving. It can be hard, when life’s trials weigh us down, to remember this, because our understanding of God has been corrupted by original sin. “As a result of original sin, human nature is weakened in its powers; subject to ignorance, suffering, and the domination of death; and inclined to sin” (CCC 418). As we build a relationship with God in prayer, our faith can reassure us of his goodness, and we can more readily believe that he desires to answer our prayers according to what is best for us.                                                                                                                                                                          
  3. Good Gifts: “If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him.” Jesus is teaching his disciples that God never “misses the mark.” God is a good father and, as it says in Romans 8:28, “We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” When we get discouraged, wondering if God is acting in our lives, spiritual writers, mystics, and saints recommend that we “double down” on our prayer, on our fasting, and on our other devotions. This is the asking, seeking, and knocking that Jesus teaches us.

Conversing with Christ: Lord, you teach us that we have a good Father and that he keeps his promises to us. You teach us that God hears our prayers and answers them if we ask, seek, and knock. Thank you, Jesus. Praise you, Jesus. You came so we would not remain lost in our ignorance and sin. You came to save us. May I grow in faith so that I never doubt your love for me.

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will repeat what St. Faustina said, “Jesus, I trust in you,” when I am tempted to doubt your goodness and personal care for me. I will also make an effort to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet daily at the 3 p.m. Hour of Mercy.

Nan Balfour is a grateful Catholic whose greatest desire is to make our Lord Jesus more loved. She seeks to accomplish this through her vocation to womanhood, marriage, motherhood, and God’s gifts of writing and speaking.  

 

March 14, 2025 – Becoming Righteous

Friday of the First Week of Lent

Matthew 5:20-26

Jesus said to his disciples: “I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment. But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, Raqa, will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna. Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.”

Opening Prayer: From Psalm 130: Out of the depths I call to you, Lord; Lord, hear my cry! May your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy. If you, Lord, keep account of sins, Lord, who can stand? But with you is forgiveness, and so you are revered. I wait for the Lord.

Encountering Christ:

  1. Entering Heaven: “I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven.” Those listening to Jesus must have been shocked at what he said for three reasons. First, the Pharisees and scribes were considered the arbiters of God and his law. No common person would consider questioning their authority in public. Secondly, Pharisees were strict observers of the law, adhering to the oral laws and traditions. Scribes translated and taught the law of God. How could anyone be more righteous than they were? Finally, Jesus was opening up a path for the common person to access Heaven. With the heavy burden of the over six hundred laws Jews were expected to keep, Heaven was considered an impossibility for the ordinary man or woman.                                                                                                                                                                                            
  2. Following the Commandments: “You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment. But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, Raqa, will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna.” Jesus was teaching us that subtle temptations can lead a person into increasing levels of sin. Once anger over the action of another enters the heart, the emotion can produce condemnation in thought. That critical thought can lead to action against a person, such as calling them, “You fool.” Raqa is an Aramaic word believed to mean imbecile. Each allowance, if not stopped, can lead all the way to killing. Jesus teaches that each sin upon sin increases the punishment due: first judgment, then the courts (Sanhedrin), to finally Hell (Gehenna).                                                                                                                                               
  3. Leave Your Gift at the Altar: The law of God is not a set of rules meant to deter people from killing, stealing, committing adultery, etc. The law of God is a way of being that transforms the entire person—spirit, mind and body—into living gifts to God who loves each of us. Jesus spent much of his public ministry teaching us that following the commandments of God perfectly flows from living by the greatest commandment: “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments” (Mt 22:37-40). These words of Jesus challenge us as much as they did the Jews who first heard them. If we harbor anger against another, if we go beyond criticizing a person’s action to condemning that person, if we speak harshly to another, we are liable to God’s justice. Lent offers us opportunities to take inventory of any ill will we hold in our hearts against others. We may have reason to be angry, but Jesus gave us the sacrament of Reconciliation, a sacred place to release our claims against others, leaving behind not only our judgments against them, but freeing us from judgment as well.

Conversing with Christ: Lord, your words are very challenging. It sometimes seems impossible to live the life to which you call me. I know nothing is impossible with God, so I will believe in you and I will repent when I fail. I will try to do your will in all situations and with all people. Jesus, help me. Jesus, I trust in you.

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will examine my actions, noting where I have failed to live up to the call of a Christian, and I will ask for forgiveness.

For Further Reflection: Meditate on the prayer Our Lord Jesus gave us, the Our Father.

Nan Balfour is a grateful Catholic whose greatest desire is to make our Lord Jesus more loved. She seeks to accomplish this through her vocation to womanhood, marriage, motherhood, and God’s gifts of writing and speaking.  

March 15, 2025 – Radical Discipleship

Saturday of the First Week of Lent

Matthew 5:43-48

Jesus said to his disciples: “You have heard that it was said, you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you,

that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brothers and sisters only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Opening Prayer: Lord, I have strong feelings in my heart against those who have hurt me. Teach me your ways. Heal me of my anger and show me the path to lasting peace in you.

Encountering Christ:

  1. Love Your Enemies: Jesus challenged his disciples (as he challenges many of us) to love our enemies. In some areas around the globe, the traditional understanding of “enemy” is a real threat to life—the Taliban, for example. For many of us, though, our enemy is not as clear. Given Our Lord’s command, it is helpful to take a prayerful inventory of our enemies. Where is there discord? In our family? With a coworker? Are our strong feelings real or imagined? Jesus did not make a distinction. If there is anyone in our life with whom we are unreconciled, we are called as Christians to love them and pray for them. Simple but not at all easy. How do we do it?                                                                                                                                                                                          
  2. Radical Discipleship: “For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brothers and sisters only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same?” Jesus already knows whether we love our enemies or not, yet he asks us. With each question, he is in essence asking, “Are you willing to be my disciple?” To be a Christian means to be radically loving in a world where people hate whom they choose to hate and love whom they choose to love. Is there an upside to trying to love this way? According to Thomas á Kempis in The Imitation of Christ, “The patient man goes through a great and salutary purgatory when he grieves more over the malice of one who harms him than for his own injury; when he prays readily for his enemies and forgives offenses from his heart; when he does not hesitate to ask pardon of others; when he is more easily moved to pity than to anger; when he does frequent violence to himself and tries to bring the body into complete subjection to the spirit” (emphasis added).                                                                                              
  3. Seeking Perfection: The Catechism of the Catholic Church (2013) defines perfection and holiness as synonymous: “All Christians in any state or walk of life are called to the fullness of Christian life and to the perfection of charity. All are called to holiness: ‘Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.’” It was the Jewish understanding that neighbors included only one’s fellow countrymen. Jesus was telling them that every person, enemy or not, is our neighbor. How can we love those who hurt us and wish us harm? We cannot on our own strength. But, as the Catechism states, perfection/holiness is possible if we “use the strength dealt out to [us] by Christ’s gift.” What is Christ’s gift? It is Christ himself. He is the gift given through his Passion, death and Resurrection. We can love those whom we consider enemies by loving in, with, and through Jesus. This is done by participating often in the sacraments (Mass and Reconciliation), spending time in prayer and in Scripture, and adoring Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament.

Conversing with Christ: Lord, these words are so difficult to embrace. Everything human in me wants to push back. Yet if I do, I push you away. You tell me the way to your peace is through loving and praying for my enemies. I need you. I cannot do this on my own. Strengthen me to love radically, as you do, Jesus.

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will resolve during Lent to spend at least one hour a week in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, asking Jesus to heal my heart of hurt so I can love my enemies.

For Further Reflection: Meditate on Psalm 119, today’s Responsorial Psalm.

Nan Balfour is a grateful Catholic whose greatest desire is to make our Lord Jesus more loved. She seeks to accomplish this through her vocation to womanhood, marriage, motherhood, and God’s gifts of writing and speaking.  

 

March 16, 2025 – God Truly Reveals Himself to Us

Second Sunday of Lent

Luke 9:28b-36

Jesus took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain to pray. While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white. And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem. Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep, but becoming fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As they were about to part from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here; let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” But he did not know what he was saying. While he was still speaking, a cloud came and cast a shadow over them, and they became frightened when they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my chosen Son; listen to him.” After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. They fell silent and did not at that time tell anyone what they had seen.

Opening Prayer: Father in Heaven, Jesus taught us to call you Father, and you have revealed that we are your children. Thank you for inviting me to this moment of prayer with you. Just as you called Peter, James, and John apart with you, you are inviting me to enter your heart. Increase my faith, hope, and love, as I recognize that I am in your presence. May I fully enter this sacred space and time of dialogue with you.

Encountering Christ:

  1. Privileged Place of Prayer: Today’s Gospel reading marks the second Sunday of our Lenten journey, and is an important moment in Jesus’ self-revelation to his Apostles—and to us. It is significant that this event happened when “Jesus took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain to pray.” As we strive to discover God’s presence in our daily lives and, perhaps, open our hearts to God with our Lenten resolutions and commitments, let us not forget this one: Taking time and space apart for prayer is essential to growing in our relationship with God. There, in a privileged way, he reveals himself to us. Let us recognize with Peter, “It is good that we are here.”                                                                                                                                                                                                    
  2. Good Jesus Prepared Them: Our Lord called these three Apostles apart at a significant time in his ministry. Already, he had predicted his Passion to them twice, yet it is clear from Luke’s Gospel—and clearer from Mark’s (9:30-32)—that they did not understand what he was talking about. He knew the immense blow it would be to their way of seeing things. They were still arguing about ranking order among themselves while Jesus was opening his heart to them and sharing with his friends that he was going to suffer. Perhaps they still imagined a political savior, a terrestrial king, and an all-too-earthly Kingdom of God. Their faith was real, but it was weak, and Jesus wanted to prepare them, to teach them to see things with God’s eyes rather than their own. Perhaps in this time of prayer, we can let rise up in our heart that particular person for whom we need more light to see with God’s eyes. We can speak to Our Lord about this as we sit apart on our “mountaintop” in prayer.                                                                                                                                                 
  3. Remembering His Faithfulness: Appearing together with Jesus were Moses, representing the fulfillment of the Old Testament law, and Elijah, fulfillment of the prophecies. For Peter and the Apostles, their presence would have pointed to the true identity and mission of Jesus and the revelation of God’s plan—though they would need time and the guidance of the Holy Spirit to fully grasp it. Perhaps this vision strengthened their experience of God’s fidelity. God, who revealed himself to Abraham, who gave his law to Moses, and who promised that another Elijah would come to reveal his presence among men, had been fulfilled in Jesus before them. And everything was affirmed when they heard, “This is my chosen Son; listen to him.” As we repeat these words over and over in prayer, may our faith be strengthened, together with theirs.

Conversing with Christ: Father, you are faithful to your word, to your promises; nothing that you do is in vain. I believe this. You know my faith is weak, as the Apostles’ faith was. Strengthen my faith. Give me the grace to open my heart to you in prayer, and teach me to see things a bit more like you do, with great trust in your providence. Above all, Lord, fill me with your love and let me hear your voice in my heart today, saying that I, too, am your chosen child.

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will strive to let these words or another phrase from my prayer accompany me throughout the day, repeating them from time to time: You are my chosen child; with you I am well pleased.

For Further Reflection: You may wish to go back to the Old Testament and read about the lives of Moses (Moses’ birth in Exodus 2:2 and death in Deuteronomy 34:5-7) and Elijah (1 Kings 17, 18).

Beth Van de Voorde is a Regnum Christi Consecrated Woman, currently serving in pastoral ministry to families in Madrid and Valencia, Spain. When she’s not reading Ratzinger or humming along to some song or another, you may find her making her pilgrim way through Spain’s timeless history of faith, walking alongside the beautiful families and young people she’s there to serve.

  • LATEST ARTICLES
  • RELATED POSTS
DAILY MEDITATION ARCHIVE
WEEKLY MEDITATION ARCHIVE
Facebook Twitter Youtube Instagram Flickr

Links of Interest

Contact Us

  • Regnum Christi North American Territorial Office
  • 855-556-6872
  • [email protected]
  • 525 Tribble Gap Rd. Suite 1466, Cumming, Ga, USA, 30028

Subscribe to Our Newsletters 

LEARN MORE

Copyright © 2025, Regnum Christi Federation, all rights reserved.

Privacy Notice     |     Safe Environments     |     Press Releases    |    LOG IN

Scroll to Top

Donate

Looking for another country?

RC Near You

News & Resources

Main Menu

News & Resources

The Regnum Christi Mission

The Regnum Christi Family

The Regnum Christi Identity

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!