The readings for this homily: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/022426.cfm Father Mark Baron, MIC, invites us to move beyond a superficial recitation of the Our Father and let this prayer become the heartbeat of our Lenten journey. He reminds us that the season of Lent began with Ash Wednesday, calling us to the three classic practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. These disciplines are not ends in themselves; they are pathways that lead us into a richer relationship with the Holy Trinity.

Fr. Chris Alar, MIC, asks the question that every soul must face: Will I be saved? In a world where nearly every funeral assumes heaven, the Scriptures — and the saints — give us a sobering reminder: “Narrow is the road that leads to life, and few find it.” (Mt 7:14)

The Gospel presents a man described as “full of leprosy.” Not partially wounded. Not mildly afflicted. Completely sick. And yet this is the man who is healed — because he approaches Jesus correctly. Father Anthony Gramlich, MIC, explains that Scripture reveals three responses to spiritual leprosy. The first is pride: refusing to see one’s own sin while accusing everyone else. This leprosy cannot be healed because it denies the wound. The second is despair: seeing the sin clearly but believing mercy is impossible. This leprosy turns inward and never reaches the Physician.