Morning Mass is not celebrated anywhere in the world on Holy Saturday. Sorrowfully, the Church Universal pauses in her liturgical life, recalling the forty hours when Jesus was dead and buried. Altars, stripped on Holy Thursday, remain bare; candles and decorations removed.

The Church is in mourning.

We live in an emotional time.  Our culture is increasingly shaped by those whose voices are the loudest and whose emotions are the strongest.  Loud voices and strong emotions are fine, but only if they are governed by reason and truth.

Immigration is a topic that triggers a strong emotional response for many people. Previously, Bishop Golka addressed “The Both/And of Immigration.”  In this issue he writes about the Church’s take on the common good. I’d like to share how Catholic Charities of Central Colorado works toward the common good and to dispel some myths about the work we do.

Our clothing tells the stories of our lives. Shirts from family reunions, high school bands, sports teams, and the resale shop stir our memories and declare to the world who we are and whence we came.  Whether deliberately or accidentally, our clothes become outward signs to the world of the ways we wish to label ourselves.

Gardening in containers is an excellent choice for almost every gardener.  Containers can be used in many places — a large patio, or a small patio, a bare spot or a shared spot. Containers are especially great for parishioners with limited space and where traditional gardens are not possible. Those of us who live in apartments or are renting have the perfect solution in container gardening. They also work beautifully in areas that have poor soil or if there aren’t any means to do landscaping and upkeep.

We have entered into the season of Lent, when we are called to practice more intensely the disciplines of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. In the prayer department, we can be greatly aided by books that help us to meditate on Christ’s passion and death. Below are several suggestions:

The highly anticipated holy days of Christmas have passed, our homes have been blessed and our sins have been confessed. We are now in the onset of ordinary time.

At the end of the new Ridley Scott biopic “Napoleon,” the director lists the total number of French soldiers killed under Napoleon’s command. As if the three hours of 19th-century warfare were not enough to remind you of the brutality of war, Scott drives it home as a last indictment of Napolean.  The numbers are sobering, but the disregard for human life seems to be his message. 

On Dec.  8 each year, the Catholic Church liturgically celebrates the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. She recognized that her delivery from sin came about, not by her own merits, but by none other than “God my Savior” (Luke 1:46). This direct historical event set into motion God’s plan for humanity’s redemption. This humble and sanctified woman would then permit God to take human form within her womb (see Luke 1:38).

Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me” are words from a well-liked song written by Jill Jackson-Miller and Sy Miller in 1955. That was 68 years ago, and yet the song can still bring a tear to our eye.