SEVEN SUNDAYS TO LENT: Preparing Our Hearts with the Sunday Gospels
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Week 1 Recording Week 1 - January 4: Epiphany of the LordThe Feast of the Epiphany reminds us that faith often begins with a desire to seek.
Drawn by the Light
The Magi did not have all the answers. They did not know the full story. But they were attentive to the light they were given—and they followed it.
As we begin this seven-week journey toward Lent, the Church invites us to recover that same attentiveness. Lent does not begin with discipline or self-denial. It begins with noticing where God is already at work in our lives and allowing ourselves to be led.
The Magi remind us that conversion is rarely sudden. It is a journey—one step at a time—guided by grace. Before we turn away from sin in Lent, we first turn toward Christ.
Reflection question:
Where is God’s light gently drawing my attention right now?
Week 2 Recording
Week 2 - January 11: Baptism of the Lord
Beloved Before Anything Else
Before Jesus preaches a word or performs a miracle, He steps into the waters of the Jordan. There, the Father’s voice is heard: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
That moment matters—not only for Jesus, but for us. Lent is not about earning God’s love. It begins with remembering who we already are. Through baptism, we are named and claimed as beloved sons and daughters of God.
As we continue preparing for Lent, the Church invites us to let that truth sink in. Prayer, fasting, and almsgiving are not burdens placed upon us; they are ways of living more fully into our baptismal identity.
Lent does not begin with fear or failure. It begins with knowing that we are loved—and choosing to live accordingly.
Reflection question:
Do I live my faith from fear, or from the knowledge that I am beloved?
Week 3 Recording
Week 3 - January 18: 2nd Sunday in OT
Behold the Lamb of God
In today’s Gospel, John the Baptist does something essential: he points away from himself and toward Jesus. “Behold, the Lamb of God.”
Before Lent asks us to look closely at our own lives, it invites us to fix our gaze on Christ. Conversion does not begin with self-examination alone, but with recognition—recognizing who Jesus is and what He has come to do.
Jesus is not only teacher or example; He is the Lamb who takes away sin. When we truly behold Him, we begin to see ourselves more clearly as well—our need for mercy, and the depth of God’s love.
As we continue preparing our hearts for Lent, the Church invites us to slow down and look again—at Christ present in Scripture, in the Eucharist, and in the quiet movements of grace within our lives.
Reflection question:
What helps me truly behold Christ in my daily life?
Week 4 Recording
Week 4 - January 25: 3rd Sunday in OT
Time to Begin AgainIn today’s Gospel, Jesus begins His public ministry with a simple and direct message: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Repentance is often misunderstood. It is not about shame or fear, but about invitation. Jesus does not wait for people to have their lives in order before calling them. He meets them where they are and invites them to turn toward something new.
As we move closer to Lent, the Church reminds us that conversion is always possible. No matter how familiar our struggles may be, God’s mercy is never exhausted. Each day is another chance to begin again.
Lent is not about dwelling on the past. It is about responding to the grace offered today—and trusting that God is already at work.
Reflection question:
Where in my life might God be inviting me to begin again?
Week 5 Recording
Week 5 - February 1: 4th Sunday in OT
The Shape of the Christian Life
In today’s Gospel, Jesus goes up the mountain and teaches His disciples what a life shaped by God truly looks like. The Beatitudes do not describe success as the world defines it, but a heart formed by humility, mercy, and trust in God.
As we continue preparing for Lent, the Church invites us to reflect on what truly leads to blessing and joy. Lent helps reorder our desires and clarify our priorities, drawing us away from what is fleeting and toward what gives lasting life.
The Beatitudes remind us that the Christian life is not about perfection, but about direction—about choosing, again and again, the path that leads us closer to Christ and to one another.
Reflection question:
Which Beatitude challenges me most right now, and why?
Week 6 Recording
Week 6 - February 8: 5th Sunday in OT
Salt of the Earth, Light of the WorldIn today’s Gospel, Jesus tells His disciples, “You are the salt of the earth… You are the light of the world.” These words are not a challenge for the future; they are a statement of who we are now.
As Lent draws near, the Church reminds us that our faith is not meant to remain private or hidden. Prayer, fasting, and almsgiving are not ends in themselves. They shape us interiorly so that Christ may be seen more clearly in the way we live, speak, and serve.
What we practice quietly in Lent is meant to bear fruit in everyday life—at home, at work, and in our community. The light we receive from Christ is meant to be shared.
Reflection question:
How does my faith shape the way I live and treat others each day?
Week 7 Recording
Week 7 - February 15: 6th Sunday in OT
A Deeper Conversion of HeartIn today’s Gospel, Jesus calls His disciples beyond outward observance to a deeper righteousness—one that begins in the heart. Faith is not only about what we do, but about who we are becoming.
Over the past seven Sundays, the Church has gently prepared us for this moment. Now, as Lent begins this week, we are invited to enter the season with intention. Ash Wednesday does not mark the start of a sudden effort, but the continuation of a journey already begun.
Prayer, fasting, and almsgiving are not meant to change God’s mind about us, but to open our hearts more fully to His grace. Lent is not about perfection. It is about honesty, trust, and allowing God to do His work within us.
As we approach Ash Wednesday, may we enter Lent not out of obligation, but with a sincere desire to turn our hearts toward the Lord.
Reflection question:
What part of my heart is God inviting me to entrust to Him this Lent?Ash Wednesday — February 18, 2026
Today, we begin the holy season of Lent marked with ashes—an ancient sign of both our fragility and our hope. Over the past weeks, the Sunday Gospels have gently prepared us for this moment, inviting us to listen more closely, trust more deeply, and turn our hearts toward the Lord. Lent is not about proving ourselves or striving for perfection, but about honesty before God and openness to His mercy. Through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, we make room for God to do what only He can do: renew our hearts and draw us more fully into the life He desires for us. As we receive the ashes today, may they remind us not only of who we are, but of who we are called to become.
Ash Wednesday Prayer
Merciful God,
as we enter this holy season of Lent,
we come before You just as we are—
aware of our weakness, yet trusting in Your mercy.
Teach us to pray with sincerity,
to fast with humility,
and to give with generous hearts.
Strip away whatever keeps us from You,
and shape our hearts anew by Your grace.
May this Lenten journey draw us closer to Christ,
that renewed by Your love,
we may walk more faithfully in His way.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.