There are many fascinating stories about St. Catherine of Siena. She once almost got her head cut off. Another time, she caught the head of someone else just after it was cut off. Jesus literally removed her heart and replaced … Continue reading
Passion
The Seven Prayers of St. Gregory
A certain woman used to bring altar breads to Gregory every Sunday morning, and one Sunday, when the time came for receiving communion and he held out the Body of the Lord to her, saying “May the Body of our … Continue reading
Amor meus et Amor meus
“Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe” (Jn 20:29). The desire to feel God, to experience the consolations and sensible sweetness of his presence, is shared by even the most advanced souls in the … Continue reading
Behold, All Ye Who Pass By
“They will look on him whom they have pierced.” ( Zech. 12:10) Behold. Turn not your eyes away. Avert not your gaze. Cast not down your face. With the eyes of your body and the eyes of your heart, look … Continue reading
Mary’s View of the Passion
The most solemn week of the year has arrived—Holy Week. After the grand drama displayed before us on Palm Sunday, sweeping from Jesus’ entrance on a colt to His entombment, where should we focus our reflections? One of the best … Continue reading
By His Wounds
Jesus Christ did not die to save humanity. That is, not some abstract notion of it. Our Lord’s head was pierced with a crown of thorns. His back was scourged. His face was spit on. His clothes were torn off … Continue reading
O Crux Ave
Editor’s note: This post was originally published on Ash Wednesday, February 22, 2012. Fr. Leo Checkai was ordained a priest in May 2014 and now teaches at Providence College. Today is Ash Wednesday. Lent is upon us once more, and … Continue reading
Betrayal’s Foundation
There are two great betrayals in the Passion of Christ by two of Christ’s very apostles: Judas and St. Peter. Only one now has the title “saint” before his name. Why did Judas betray Christ? It was not a spontaneous … Continue reading
The Lord’s Fear
Anxiety develops in three ways: the tidal waves of sudden tragedy, the rising flood of compounded stresses, and that heavy, salty air of ambient anxiety caused by constant tension or worry. Save me, O God,for the waters have risen to … Continue reading
The Purple Haze of Lent
Jimi Hendrix probably didn’t have Lent in mind when he wrote “Purple Haze.” But Lent can feel like a “purple haze, all around,” and not just because of the vestments. In the confusing mix of emotions, one might echo Hendrix, … Continue reading
The Memory of His Passion
Why does the Catholic Mass focus so much on Jesus’s death on the Cross? For someone unaccustomed to Catholic worship, this may seem morbid or even embarrassing. Does not Christianity claim to be a religion that holds out the power … Continue reading