It’s that time of the year! Gardeners are atwitter, wondering, “Should I start seeds now? Should I wait?” They are like children on a long (or short) road trip asking, “Are we there yet? Are we there yet?” Get ready, spring is here, we’re off to start indoor seeds! 

“In this world you will have trouble.” In the Upper Room of Passover before Calvary’s offering, Jesus comforted his disciples. There will be suffering, he reminded them; there will be persecution, some would face martyrdom. There was no saccharine happiness — no beige discipleship — that would forever mark their footsteps. There would be trouble.

Every Sunday after Mass, Juanita brings Communion to a local long-term rehabilitation facility. She has been doing this for almost eight years, and it is anything but routine. Her ministry began when her pastor asked if anyone in the congregation would be interested in visiting residents at a nearby care center. She volunteered, unaware of the profound impact it would have on both her spiritual life and the lives of those she would encounter.

The Universal Church has entered the liturgical season of Lent, known as the Great Fast, to prepare her children to celebrate worthily the resurrection of Jesus Christ at Easter.  Grumbling tummies join the church choir as we accompany Christ in the wilderness for forty interminable days while our prayer, fasting, and almsgiving help purge vice and grow the virtues indicative of the children of God. 

Youngsters astonish parents with unexpected occasions of instantaneous affection. Their compassionate little hearts eagerly prompt them to help Mom or Dad. And these wonderfully impulsive incidents become cherished memories.

In this liturgical “ordinary time” of year, we Catholics have a case of the “in-betweens.” We’ve celebrated the birth of Jesus at Christmas and know Lent will soon be here, followed by his resurrection and the glorious celebrations of Easter. During this “in-between time” what is a gardener to do? This ordinary time with its bitter temperatures, and frozen solid ground, all we’re asking for is a little patch of green grass!

The Diocese of Colorado Springs Young Adult Ministry began the Jubilee Year with a trip out to Salt Lake City, Utah, for a five-day life-changing journey. Sponsored by the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS), SEEK is an annual Catholic conference geared towards young adults. With 18,000 participants, hundreds of seminarians, priests, and up to 20 bishops in attendance, it is hard to walk away from the week without a changed heart. This year, our group was nine young adults strong, and we were proudly accompanied by a few of the Salesian sisters.

Brrrrrr! Winter is here. The beautiful snow, the crisp cold air, the green of the pines and God’s vivid blue sky. We are blessed to have all four seasons in our diocese and yet all agree that at times our seasons can seem to be a bit mixed up with their topsy-turvy-temps!  The season of winter has a purpose in our gardens. It brings a time for rest, rejuvenation and the cold can bring death to diseases and some of those pesky garden pests.

The Jubilee Year of Hope is underway.  Pope Francis opened the St. Peter’s Basilica Holy Door on December 24, 2024, and Bishop Golka welcomed the Jubilee for our diocese on December 29, the Feast of the Holy Family.

“Where flowers bloom so does hope.” — Lady Bird Johnson.

If you haven’t experienced the amaryllis, you should, and if you have, you know that its beauty can only be described as spectacular!