Corpus Christi Blog

For this Divine Mercy Sunday, Father Rey asked that I discuss the mercy the Church offers in the form of indulgences and the special indulgences offered in this 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope. We will begin with a general explanation of what an indulgence is and what it does for us. Then, we will cover the specific ways to earn indulgences during this Jubilee year as declared by Pope Francis for the entire Church, and how Bishop Dolan has provided opportunities for us here in our diocese.

Today, we celebrate the greatest feast of the Christian faith. Easter commemorates the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who suffered and died for our sins so that we might have hope for our salvation and eventual resurrection. Pope Francis has designated 2025 the Jubilee Year of Hope and the faithful as “pilgrims of hope.” In his papal bull, Spes Non Confundit: Bull of Indiction of the Ordinary Jubilee of the Year 2025, the pope says, “The death and resurrection of Jesus is the heart of our faith and the basis of our hope” (#20). In other words, Easter is the very foundation for our hope, which is why this is our greatest celebration, since without hope, what do we have? Thus, Easter of 2025 seems to be the perfect opportunity to unpack why Jesus’ Resurrection is the foundational source of our hope.

Today is Palm Sunday — our Lenten journey is drawing to a close as we enter Holy Week and look forward to Easter. We have been meditating on how Jesus may have experienced his passion and crucifixion through each of his five senses. God, in his divine nature, does not have, nor does he need senses to experience things around him, so they are unique to Jesus’ human nature and can help us relate personally to him. Hopefully, this has been a fruitful meditation series for you, as you have imagined what it might have been like for your divine Savior to see, hear, taste, smell, and feel just as you do. Now, for Palm Sunday, we’ll do the same, covering all five senses for the single event.

We are nearing the end of our Lenten journey and headed toward Holy Week. We have been reflecting on how Jesus might have experienced his final hours from the Last Supper through his crucifixion, using each of his five senses, thus far covering sight, hearing, taste, and smell. Let's now explore and meditate on what Jesus experienced through his sense of touch. While this is arguably the most effortless sense to imagine, it is still helpful to tune out the other senses and focus on what Jesus was feeling through his entire body on his path to Calvary, even just to begin appreciating what he endured for our salvation.