Meditations in Manhattan

During Lent and Holy Week, let us watch and wonder at the great love of God for us. Let us realize what a great friend we have in Christ. Let us follow Christ, and make Christ present, everywhere in this world. A meditation by Father Thomas Bohlin.

Although Christ does not condemn the woman caught in adultery, he finds himself condemned to death, a death he freely accepts for our sakes. We can meditate this Lent more frequently and more deeply on our Lord's Passion and Death, and in doing so find greater security and the means to be better every day.

The Annunciation is the moment when God revealed to Mary his plan for her life. Mary’s response, her “Yes,” changed the course of history: God became man, bridging the infinite distance between creature and Creator. May we too, like Mary, say "yes" to God, making his teaching come alive in the many events of our life.  A meditation by Father John Agnew.

In a world where the superhero and the empowered individual are glorified, St. Joseph stands out as an ordinary man whose extraordinary influence lay in his fidelity to Jesus and Mary. We can learn from him how to live and work side-by-side with Our Lord, doing our tasks well and uniting them with Christ's redemptive sacrifice. A meditation by Father Joe Keefe.

A deeper conversion means a turning away from ourselves and towards God and others. Our struggle to turn outwards involves promoting peace among family, friends and colleagues; praying tirelessly for others; and seeking to do good for others in all circumstances. A meditation by Father Timothy Uhen.

Lent invites us each year to obtain a deep conversion of heart, through prayer and self-denial. We are encouraged to open ourselves to God's action in renewing our hearts, and not to expect perfection in our Lenten observances, but rather to keep struggling, no matter how often we fall short. A meditation by Father John Agnew.

From Cain to Saul to the chief priests in Jesus' time, envy has brought about great evil, and we ourselves can fall prey to an unhealthy competitive spirit. When we realize what blessings God has bestowed upon us as children of God, our hearts expand, we trust in God's plan for our lives, and we find true happiness. A meditation by Father John Agnew.

Christ's Beatitudes make it clear that we obtain God-given joy through the mercy we show others, not only in action but in thought and disposition towards others. Forgiving others frees us from bitterness and petty annoyances and expands our hearts to love more. A meditation given by Fr. John Agnew.

We can make our own the petition of the apostles: "Lord, teach us how to pray." We need to renew our prayer life, because prayer is the true basis of conversion. Meditation by Father Henry Bocala.

The Beatitudes are a portrait of the heart of Jesus, what God is like, and what our life could be. A meditation by Monsignor Thomas G. Bohlin, U.S. vicar of Opus Dei

By entering into the scene of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, we can learn valuable lessons of humility and dedication from Mary, Simeon, and Anna.

"This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me." We do not want our Lord's reproach of the Pharisees in the words of Isaiah to be true of us, and so we want to live our Christian lives authentically. This entails a constant desire for conversion, honesty in our self-examination, and openness to the Holy Spirit's action in our soul. A meditation by Father Timothy Uhen.

Our anger in itself is not sinful, but we run the risk of offending God if we allow our anger to make us act out of selfish motives. As Christians, we are called to exercise prudence and meekness and to accept setbacks peacefully. A meditation given by Fr. Timothy Uhen.

On the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, we can recall how we are in need of purification and repentance, and Jesus shows us the way.   Our own baptism results in death and a new life in Christ, one which we can live fully by seeking God in the midst of our ordinary lives. A meditation given by Father Timothy Uhen.

A meditation by Father Thomas Bohlin, U.S. vicar of Opus Dei.

A meditation by Father Tom Bohlin.

A meditation by Father John Agnew.

A meditation by Father Mike Manz.

A meditation by Father John Agnew.

A meditation by Father Timothy Uhen. 

Meditation by Father John Agnew.

A meditation by Father Timothy Uhen.

A meditation by Father Henry Bocala.

A meditation by Father John Agnew. 

A meditation by Father Timothy Uhen.