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Brief reflections
on
the Sundays of Lent,
2026.
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Dominican Lenten Reflections
1st SUNDAY LENT
(A)
February 22, 2026
Genesis 2: 7-9; 3: 1-7; Psalm 51; Romans 5:
12-19; Matthew 4: 1-11
By:
Jude Siciliano, OP
From today’s Gospel reading:
At that time Jesus was led by the Spirit into the
desert
to be tempted by the devil for forty days and
forty nights.
Reflection:
During Lent we can look death, or anything that
threatens our vocation to follow God, in the face and not be afraid. Jesus has
preceded us into the place of temptation, the desert, and can help us get
through our own deserts, the places where, like the Israelites, we have wandered
from the path.
So, we ask ourselves:
· What is the path I need to get back on to be
a more faithful follower of Jesus?
· What ways help me return to the way of the
Lord?
1st SUNDAY LENT (A)
February 22, 2026
Genesis 2: 7-9; 3: 1-7; Psalm 51; Romans 5:
12-19; Matthew 4: 1-11
By:
Elaine Ireland
A reminder of our
Lenten focus:
Listen. Pay Attention. Choose.
Sunday, Feb 22:
“Through one man sin entered the world, and through sin, death” (Rom
5:12-19).
I love the creation
myths of indigenous peoples: the Cosmic Egg, the Wakan Tanka (the Great
Spirit), the Sky Woman, the Dreaming. Like Genesis, they also center around
nature and often incorporate the sources of light, the sun and the moon; the
Genesis story starts with light as well, Divine Light! But there is little in
indigenous tradition about the concept of sin or humanity’s dominance over the
rest of creation. Failure to live in harmony with nature, being out of balance
with creation and the community…these are the things that cause suffering in
people’s lives. This is perhaps the closest one gets to assigning blame. It’s
all about the choices one makes in their life.
As Christians, we
believe Jesus takes away the sin of the world, this sin of Adam that brings
death. But it’s not only sin that entered the world that fateful day in the
garden. Choice did as well. Choices about faith, choices about hope, choices
about how we live our lives.
Provision: “A
willing spirit sustain in me” (Ps 51). We read in today’s gospel that as
he endured the desert, Jesus had choices to make. He had been blessed by the
Spirit as God’s Beloved, but I imagine he prayed constantly for a willing spirit
to sustain him. Each day, remind yourself that you, too, are God’s beloved. PAY
ATTENTION to this affirmation and pray the Spirit will sustain and strengthen
you to make choices to live in harmony with nature and the community.
2nd SUNDAY LENT (A)
March 1, 2026
Genesis 12: 1-4a; Psalm
33; 2 Timothy 1: 8b-10; Matthew 17: 1-9
By:
Jude Siciliano, OP
From today’s Gospel reading:
“As they were coming down from the mountain,
Jesus charged them, “Do not tell the vision to
anyone
until the Son of Man has been raised from the
dead.”
Reflection:
Jesus teaches patience. Let the experience sink
in. Let it be tested by daily fidelity. The deepest witness is not excited talk,
but steady discipleship
shaped by the cross and illuminated by hope.
So, we ask ourselves:
· What “mountain moments” have strengthened my
faith, and how have they shaped my daily life afterward?
· Do I seek glory without accepting the cross
that gives it meaning?
· How is Christ asking me to live quiet,
patient faith right now, even without dramatic experiences?
3rd Sunday
Lent
(A)
March 8, 2026
Exodus 17: 3-7; Psalm 95; Romans 5: 1-2,5-8;
John 4: 5-42
By:
Jude Siciliano, OP
From today’s Gospel reading:
(Jesus said to the woman)
“But the hour is coming, and is now here, when
true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth; and indeed, the
Father seeks such people to worship him. God is Spirit, and those who worship
God must worship in Spirit and truth.”
Reflection:
During Lent, regular churchgoers are invited to
move beyond simply attending services or observing practices. Lent calls us to
worship “in Spirit and truth” – to pray with sincerity, to come before God
honestly, and to let the Spirit deepen our relationship with Him rather than
just maintain habits.
So, we ask ourselves:
· When I gather for worship, do I come merely out
of habit, or do I consciously invite God’s Spirit to renew my heart?
· Does the way I live during the week reflect the
truths I profess in church on Sunday?
· Where might there be a disconnect?
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