These reflections are a result of more than 40 years of ministry as a Roman Catholic priest. Most of these years I spent in the Diocese of Charlotte which covers Western North Carolina. Now I am retired, and live in Medellín, Colombia where I continue to serve as a priest in the Archdiocese of Medellín.

FRIDAY, WEEK III of LENT

Thus says the LORD:
 Return, O Israel, to the LORD, your God . . . . 
 I will heal their defection, says the LORD, 
I will love them freely;
 for my wrath is turned away from them. 
I will be like the dew for Israel:
 he shall blossom like the lily; 
He shall strike root like the Lebanon cedar, 
and put forth his shoots.
 His splendor shall be like the olive tree
 and his fragrance like the Lebanon cedar. 
Again they shall dwell in his shade
 and raise grain;
 They shall blossom like the vine, 
and his fame shall be like the wine of Lebanon. (Hosea 14:2a, 5-8)

Return, be healed, and blossom. Good news for difficult times.