THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

Her Doctrine and Morals

Quinquagesima Sunday

15 February 2026

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The Sunday

Sermon

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Dear Friends in Christ,

This Wednesday (Ash Wednesday), we begin the Season of Lent. In today's Gospel reading (Saint Luke 18:31-43), Jesus gathered the twelve around Him and shared knowledge of His future suffering and death. All that was written of Him in the prophecies was to take place. And He would rise from the dead on the third day.

The Apostles loved Jesus deeply, but their love sometimes blinded them to the necessity of His suffering and death. This spiritual blindness prevented them from fully understanding that Jesus would rise again on the third day, just as our emotions can sometimes hinder us from seeing the full picture of God's plan for us.

As we proceed into the penitential season of Lent, we are inclined to be dismayed by the penances before us rather than eager for them because they are the path forward to the Resurrection. There are many examples in the world around us that we may learn from. The farmer puts a lot of work in long before he sees the fruits of his labor. He must clear the land, till it, plant the seeds, monitor and maintain proper moisture and nutrition, keep out weeds, and keep away destructive pests. It is with knowledge of the work ahead that the farmer plants the seed, but it is also with the hope of a bountiful harvest at the end of the season.

Our Lenten penances and mortifications are the works that prepare and make possible the fruits of Jesus' Resurrection in our lives. To rise with Him, we must work and die with Him. He came to this earth to show us the Way. He made abundantly clear that we must follow Him in humble self-denial. We must daily deny ourselves and take up our cross to follow Him. This work is hard, but it is made light and sweet as we look forward to the fruits of these sacrifices and labor.

It is a mistake of many to think that we can bypass the work of preparation, planting, nurturing, and protecting our souls and enjoy the fruits. The argument is that Jesus has done all this for us so that we need do nothing except believe in Him. This line of thinking leads to the abuse of God's graces and blocks the application of the merits of Jesus' Sacrifice to our souls. He has shown us the Way to eternal life, which is through humble self-denial and sacrifice for the love of God. There is no other way. Jesus has redeemed us without our cooperation. The price He paid so that we may live is sufficient to save all of humanity. However, Jesus will not save us from damnation without our cooperation and imitation of Him. Faith and Baptism are the portals to the spiritual life, like planting seeds that lead to a bountiful harvest. Good beginnings are great, but the labors must continue right up to the end. Faith without works is dead.

Our emotions often blind us to the realities before us, just as the Apostles were blind to the truths Jesus spoke to them of all that would happen to Him in Jerusalem. It is not a physical blindness but rather a spiritual one. This is made manifest by the physically blind man who is told that Jesus of Nazareth is passing by, but he cries out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me." The blind man hears that a man is passing by, but with the eyes of faith he sees that it is God because he says: "have mercy on me."

Jesus heard his cry and asked him what he would like, and then gave him what he desired — physical sight. Reminding him that it was his faith that made him whole. But the man's work was not finished simply because he believed and was cured. On the contrary, his work had just begun. He now glorified God and followed Jesus. This man rose from physical darkness to see the physical light, but now, with eyes that can see the world around him, he perceives the spiritual work that is in front of him. He picks up the blind man's post to follow Jesus and be transformed, not so much physically as spiritually.

Our penances this Lenten Season are the works that lie before us. These are the necessary stages we must pass through if we are to reach the harvest and joys of the Resurrection. Faith has opened our eyes and brought us to the feet of Jesus. We have eyes open enough to see Him. Do we have faith and love to follow Him the rest of the Way — to follow Him to Calvary and the Cross?

May the Immaculate Heart of Mary inspire, guide, and protect us!