As I began to prepare for this Sunday’s liturgy, the 3rd Sunday of Lent, a labor we bear together in living out the Word of God at Mass my thoughts turned to the momentous events of last week, the retirement of His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI. The readings for the Mass and the Pope’s final words and farewell melded as one in my reflections.

“There were moments of joy and light, [the Pope said] but also moments that were not easy. . . there were moments, [he continued] as there were throughout the history of the Church, when the seas were rough and the wind blew against us and it seemed the Lord was sleeping.”
(“Excerpts from Pope Benedict’s final address,” NBC News.com, 2/27/2013).