Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, In this Sunday’s Gospel, we are taken with Peter, James, and John up the mountain to witness the Transfiguration of Jesus. There, in a moment of breathtaking grace, they see Jesus revealed in His glory. Overwhelmed by what he is experiencing, Peter says, “Lord, it is good that we are here.” He wants to stay. He wants to build tents. He wants to hold on to that holy moment forever.

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ, As we begin the holy season of Lent, the Church invites us into the desert with Jesus. In this Sunday’s Gospel, we hear how Jesus, after forty days of prayer and fasting, is tempted by the devil. Hungry, tired, and alone, He is tested, not when He is strong, but when He is vulnerable. And yet, each time, Jesus responds with faith, wisdom, and trust in His Father.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, In this weekend’s Gospel from Matthew 5:17-37, Jesus speaks words that are both challenging and deeply healing. He reminds us that our faith is not only about what we do on the outside, but about what is happening in our hearts, especially in our relationships with one another.

In this Sunday’s Gospel (Matthew 5:13-16), Jesus speaks words that are both simple and deeply challenging: “Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.” These words come at the heart of the Sermon on the Mount, and they reveal something essential about what it means to live as a disciple of Christ.