Lent is when we sit down in a loud and confusing world and try to figure out what we’re doing here. That is all the more important for the people who are most confused.

We love being able to claim we’re solely responsible for our successes. But today’s readings remind us that none of us get to where we are on our own, nor should we want to.

It’s a cliché but these two miracles say it well: Jesus is there for us in good times and bad. Jesus celebrates with us; Jesus heals us when we are broken.

Rules are important, but they only exist to safeguard loving relationships. The Catechism is not a penal code, but our guide to a life lived in love. 

What does Jesus do with panicked hearts? He reveals that God’s desire for us exceeds our desire for God!

Pope Francis' prayer at the interreligious meeting at Ur, Iraq on Saturday, March 6.