This Fourth Sunday of Lent brings us to the silver- lining, as we return to the liturgical color rose for the simplicity of the joy that is in our midst. It is through the paschal mystery in sharing in the passion, death, and resurrection of Christ that we know that joy is truly present in our midst, and as a result we rejoice in it. Rejoice in the Lord always again I say Rejoice! Who among us could not manage a sprinkle of joy, because we know we are turning the corner toward the most joyful and glorious event for which Jesus conquers sin and death, by overcoming the grave. We now can see what is ahead of us on the horizon, the sun is rising and upon us is the dawning of a new day!

Now in this third week of Lent, we connect at the beginning of our journey with the cross of ash we received upon our heads, in recognizing the invitation from Jesus we receive, and how Esther we are to be marked by him and for him.

1. We have been invited to bear the cross of the Lord, and to bear it boldly. We say yes in a radical way to his call, "will you be my disciple" It is by the cross that we identify with Christ, and his cross as a device of torture, shame, and execution, but his cross becomes our gateway to redemption and eternal life.

In these first Sundays of Lent since Ash Wednesday, we have come from being marked in the cross, accepting our mortality, and deciding to be the disciple Christ is calling us to be, and following him. Today there is a shift, as we enter the transfiguration, and we ascend the mountain to witness the Lord in all his glory. Scripture has a way of skipping us through these aspects of Christ's life, not concerned so much about chronological order, but the order of illumination of how such parts of the Gospel coincide with the context of the season of faith we are in, and how they illuminate in us the message of redemption.

We have now crossed the threshold of Lent. Each year marked in the boldness of ashes upon our forehead; we are marked in the cross of Christ. This is a pivotal crossroads for us, because it is here that we must decide how well invested into the process of Lent that we are. Lent is a penitential season primarily designed for us to be led into a deeper conversion. The first order of business is that all the faithful are called to admit their faults, take a long look into the mirror of our soul, and determine what must change about us.

Dear Parish Family,

We find ourselves at the brink of entering the season of Lent. This is a time for change. It's not so much being concerned with how others change, but how such change begins with us. In this jubilee year of St. Francis his prayer rings true to let peace begin with me. You want change than be the change, you want more fervor than practice it! Don't try to transfer your sense of piety on others, if anything, you should be a good example of humility and let that be contagious. After all, we can only change ourselves. We are also called to bloom where we are planted, to pick-up our cross, not run from it or move away from it.

Dear Parish Family,

Something wonderful occurs as the minutes of light grow in number during the month of February. Our days become a little longer, brighter, and in Arizona a little warmer with the return of the sun. It's a bit of a miracle really to begin witnessing nature awakening from her deep winter slumber. Arizona is privy to literally front row seats, as the deserts will soon burst into color as the sun calls the wildflowers to bloom. It's supposed to be a great spectacle this year with the winter rain that fell. One thing we learn from nature is if we do not have light, we die.

Dear Parish Family,

Our scripture readings today sheds some light upon the human aspects of our struggle in faith. We learn that such faith is made real and is visible during our moments of heartache and difficulty. The Christian does not run from the cross, nor says may I have an easier one to carry. We obey the Lord and pick up our cross and follow him. Our call to discipleship is our willingness to accept the cross, and to give our lives to Christ. Our struggle is the source of our motive to seek God, and to better align ourselves with Christ.