In this powerful Lenten homily, Fr. Miguel reflects on Jesus' perfect timing and willing surrender to the Father's plan. Drawing from John's Gospel and the Book of Wisdom, he explores how Christ freely enters His Passion—never hesitating to suffer and die for our liberation from sin. Fr. Miguel shares personal insights on the word "willingly" from the Mass consecration, our own struggles with acceptance (like St. Paul's), and Mother Angelica's wisdom: holiness is simply doing God's will in the present moment. Discover how we can follow Jesus by willingly embracing our crosses for God's greater plan. A moving call to deeper conversion and trust in divine timing.

Fr. Miguel reflects on Jesus' direct revelation: "I and the Father are one," making Himself equal to God—truth only God can reveal, leading to His condemnation and crucifixion. This oneness means Jesus always seeks the Father's will, not His own (human will in perfect harmony with divine, seen in Gethsemane: "Not my will, but thine be done"). Lent calls us to align our stubborn human will with God's. St. Faustina learned: after offering everything, Jesus asked for her "misery" (sins, struggles, trials)—our exclusive property. Give Him your misery; let Him fill the emptiness with His grace. We adore and worship Jesus, truly God.

Fr. Miguel reflects on John 5: the man ill for 38 years at the pool of Bethesda (near the Sheep Gate in Jerusalem). Jesus asks, "Do you want to be healed?"—respecting free will, knowing our hearts, yet inviting us to express our desire. The man explains his helplessness; Jesus heals directly: "Rise, take up your mat, and walk." He obeys and is freed. We too cannot heal ourselves from spiritual, moral, or emotional illnesses—we need Jesus. Lent asks: Do you want to be healed? Tell Him your desires; rely on His grace to live freely as God's children.

Fr. Miguel reflects on John 9: the man born blind's faith grows gradually—from knowing Jesus only by name, to seeing Him as from God and not a sinner, then a prophet, and finally receiving direct revelation: "You have seen him... the one speaking with you is he." He believes, calls Him Lord, and worships. Like the Samaritan woman last week, faith starts from encounter/experience and deepens to full profession. Pharisees resist; parents hide faith from fear of expulsion. Lent prepares us to renew baptismal faith—grow from seed to maturity, see with eyes of faith, and worship authentically as Easter nears (Laetare Sunday rose color).

Fr. Miguel explains the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector: Jesus spoke it to those convinced of their own righteousness who despised others. The Pharisee prays to himself ("me, myself, and I"), boasting and despising his neighbor. The tax collector stands far off, eyes down, beating his breast: "O God, be merciful to me a sinner." Humility exalts; pride humbles. St. Francis learned true humility from Christ's crib, cross, and Eucharist. Saints relied on grace, not self-effort. Lent shifts us from "I'll do this" to "Lord, work in me." Sublime humility—pour out your hearts before Him.

Fr. Miguel unpacks the Greatest Commandments: love God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength—and love your neighbor as yourself. It's not either/or but both/and; temptations arise when we focus on one while neglecting the other. As late Fr. Angelus Shaughnessy said, "We love God no more than the person we love the least." This tests our love—acknowledge hard-to-love people for honest self-knowledge (Mother Angelica: self-knowledge is our friend for transformation). Christ loved perfectly: total obedience to the Father and sacrificial love for each of us. Pray for grace in this Mass to grow in both loves toward eternal life.

r. Miguel urges us to heed God's repeated call to listen and obey—from Jeremiah, the burning bush ("I have heard their cry"), Baptism/Transfiguration, to Pope Leo XIV's 2026 Lenten message on "Listening and Fasting." God listens first to the poor and suffering; we must make room for His word through silence (Mother Angelica: 5 minutes of dead silence to hear the elusive Spirit), Scripture reading with prayer (CCC 2653: dialogue where we speak in prayer, listen in reading), and liturgy. Unlike rebellious angels who refused obedience, Lent invites us to listen deeply, obey like Christ, and respond with grace.

Fr. Miguel reflects on Matthew 5:17-19: Jesus comes not to abolish the Law and Prophets but to fulfill every command—big (carrying the cross) and small—so we can reach the Kingdom. We must keep the Ten Commandments (not suggestions!), fulfill duties in our state of life, and live the Gospel as St. Francis urged: "observe the holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." Mother Angelica adds: Being a saint means being a frail human keeping commandments—loving when unloved, patient in frustration, strong in suffering. Lent is the perfect time to recharge by following God's instructions for eternal life.

Fr. Miguel reflects on Jesus' conversation with the Samaritan woman (John 4). Authentic, regular prayer/conversation with God deepens self-knowledge, knowledge of God, and faith—leading her to drop her jar, evangelize her town, and spark belief in others ("We have heard for ourselves... the Savior of the world"). Lent calls us to deepen this prayer for mature faith and sharing Christ.

Fr. Miguel's moving homily on the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15) reorients it as the Parable of the Merciful Father. Both sons misunderstand their generous, compassionate Father—one through wayward living, the other through dutiful resentment. Yet the Father runs to embrace the repentant, forgives instantly, and invites the elder in with love. This glimpses God's heart: always ready to forgive, no sin too great. Jesus, the perfect Son, reveals the Father's mercy fully. A powerful call to know and love God truly.