Fr. Scott Haynes “And there arose some of the synagogue that is called of the Libertines, and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of them that were of Cilicia and Asia, disputing with Stephen: And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit that spoke.” (Acts 6:9–10) How full this little passage is when one lingers over it in prayer. At first glance it seems only a brief note of controversy, one more dispute in the crowded life of Jerusalem. Yet beneath

Christ is the Good Shepherd who guides our souls.

See how the order of the Mass is linked to the encounter the disciples on the road to Emmaus have with the Risen Christ.

Fr. Scott Haynes “For if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought. But if it be of God, you cannot overthrow it, lest perhaps you be found even to fight against God” (Acts 5:38–39). There is something solemn and piercing in the words of Gamaliel. He is not yet speaking with the burning faith of the Apostles, yet God uses even his caution to utter a truth of lasting power. Human schemes rise quickly and fall quickly. They make noise for a time, gather admire

Meditate on this passage from the First Epistle of St. John appointed for Quasimodo Sunday.

This meditation is based on the writings of Pope Benedict XVI. On this Quasimodo Sunday, let us be friends of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Fr. Scott Haynes A Meditation on the Cloths of the Face of Christ in Scripture, Tradition, and Liturgy There are moments in the Gospel that seem almost too quiet to carry meaning, yet they are preserved with such care that we are compelled to linger over them. When St. John the Evangelist enters the empty tomb, he does not rush to proclaim the Resurrection in triumphant language. Instead, he describes what he sees. The linen wrappings lie there, and the cloth that had covered

The first century Jewish historian Josephus, (b. 37 A.D.), tells us about the crucifixion of the Temple lambs during Jesus' crucifixion.

The Paschal candle typifies Jesus Christ, “the true light which enlighteneth everyone that cometh into this world."

Consider the treacherous action of Judas.

Fr. Scott Haynes After Jesus has washed their feet, had put on His robes, and had returned to the table, He said to them, ‘Do you know what I have done to you?’ John 13.12. This night ushers in the most holy time of the Christian year, the Sacred Triduum. In this privileged time, we follow Christ on His via dolorosa . On this night, before His arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, we are with Our Lord in the Upper Room. There, with the twelve apostles, He washes their f

Fr. Scott A. Haynes Byzantine Icon of the Harrowing of Hell In the Apostles’ Creed we profess that Christ “descended into Hell.” For those unfamiliar, the Harrowing of Hell is an ancient tradition wherein, in the interim between Good Friday afternoon and Easter morning, Our Lord stormed the Gates of Hell and released those who had been there but were destined for Heaven. Harrowing of Hell, ‘Winchester Psalter’ or ‘Psalter of Henry of Blois’ Since salvation can only co

Fr. Scott Haynes A beautiful Catholic tradition speaks of a crucifix called the Cross of Forgiveness, before which a sinner came again and again to confess his sins. The story reminds us of a profoundly Catholic truth about repentance and mercy. Christ does not delight in the ruin of the sinner. He desires his return. As the Lord says through the prophet Ezechiel: “Is it my will that a sinner should die, saith the Lord God, and not that he should be converted from his ways,

Fr. Scott Haynes A Meditation for Monday in Holy Week A Meditation on John 12:1-9 J esus therefore, six days before the pasch, came to Bethania, where Lazarus had been dead, whom Jesus raised to life. And they made him a supper there: and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that were at table with him. Mary therefore took a pound of ointment of right spikenard, of great price, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair; and the house was filled wi

Fr. Scott Haynes Christ, Judas, and the Permission of Darkness at the Last Supper At the Last Supper, one of the most haunting moments in all the Gospel unfolds in a few brief lines. Jesus identifies the betrayer, hands him the morsel, and then says, “That which thou dost, do quickly.”[1] The scene is at once intimate and terrible. The table of fellowship has become the threshold of betrayal. The hand that receives from Christ is the hand that will soon deliver Him over. Yet

The Blessing of the Palms, as preserved in the Roman Rite, is a solemn liturgical act that anticipates the triumphal entrance of Christ.

The people gathered holding triumphal palms as they greeted Jesus, shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David."

Cristo de la Mano Tendida is a unique crucifix found along the Camino de Santiago.

Learn how Judas Iscariot betrays Christ on Spy Wednesday and makes a business deal for thirty silver pieces.

The ceremonies of today are an interesting and dramatic representation of the Passion of Our Lord. They are divided into three parts, each having its own historical interest.