April 3, 2026 – Life on the Chrism Trail

Homily for Good Friday, Celebration of the Passion of the Lord

April 3, 2026
St. Patrick Cathedral
Fort Worth, Texas

Isaiah 52:13-53:12
Psalm 31:2, 6, 12-13, 15-16, 17, 25
Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9
John 18:1-19:42

The celebration of the Passion of the Lord, with all of the prayers and liturgical actions attached to this ceremony, is the Church’s way of displaying the fundamental battle between good and evil, between light and darkness, between love and sin. This is the battle that Christ has definitively won through His surrendering Himself to death and His Resurrection from the dead, putting death to death. Yet it is a battle that remains in the interiority of our souls and in our responsibilities in this world. The heart of our part of this battle is the willingness to decide to place our hope only in God’s power manifest in Christ’s loving action on the Cross and to act accordingly.

Homily for Holy Thursday, Mass of the Lord’s Supper

April 2, 2026
St. Patrick Cathedral
Fort Worth, Texas

Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14
Psalm 116:12-13, 15-18
1 Corinthians 11:23-26
John 13:1-15

“You have asked to have your child baptized. In doing so you are accepting the responsibility of training him (her) in the practice of the faith. It will be your duty to bring him (her) up to keep God’s commandments as Christ taught us, by loving God and our neighbor. Do you clearly understand what you are undertaking?” These words are part of the Church’s Rite of Baptism for One Child. They are addressed by the priest, or in his absence, the deacon, to the parents of the child who is to be baptized. In responding to this question, parents accept their responsibility to set an example for and to teach their children how to keep the Commandments as Christ taught us, by loving God and our neighbor.