Daily Meditation for March 11, 2025

Settling into the season of Lent may seem like a gloomy and austere time of extra prayer and fasting. Yet, nature is shouting with new life—longer days of light, buds and green grass are beginning to appear. Pope Francis has declared 2025 as a Jubilee Year focused on hope. So Lent 2025 is a special year in which Pope Francis encourages us to be pilgrims of hope—treading our path joyfully, filled with hope and anticipation. Hope is the deep conviction that God is here among us bringing about a new life of love, joy and peace. This Lent, we are invited to fast from being afraid and be filled with the conviction that God is with us every step of the way. So that as people of hope we may look with new eyes at the darkness and difficulties we are experiencing and walk knowing that God is with us and bringing new life out of our daily difficulties. Happy Lent.

By Marlene Meierhofer, OSB