“Our soul waits for the Lord, who is our help and our shield. May your kindness, O Lord, be upon us who have put our hope in You.”

~ Psalm 33, 20 to 22

Friend,

The second week of Lent… and transformation is definitely the message of today’s Gospel. Are you up to the challenge?

In the company of his disciples—Peter, James and John his brother—Jesus revealed his divinity. At that moment, Matthew says “his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light.” What Jesus is telling us by example is that we can be changed, too.

Lent is the time for a quiet transformation of our spiritual lives, a time to shine our light and proclaim through prayer and good works salvation in Christ. The best way I know to be transformed is to give ourselves over to God so that each day we are a new creation, reflecting in some way an expression of infinite love and endless compassion.

With the words of a humble missioner, let’s ask God to transform us today. Here’s a suggestion: Stop for a moment and think about the things in your life that may be going in the wrong direction. Pick just one thing you want to change, and place your intentions in God’s hands. Pray over it. Then be open to the Spirit and let yourself be transformed.

Friend, we can be comforted knowing that the goodness we do as God’s children will not only change us, but every life we touch. In this second week of Lent, I’ll be working on my own transformation right beside you. Let’s pray for each other and place our trust in God. God never fails.

 

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Father Raymond J. Finch, M.M.

 

Prayer for 2nd Sunday of Lent

It is good for us to be here, Jesus,

alone with You in prayer and praise.

For here You reveal to us

not only who You are but also

who You call us to become.

You do not take away our suffering,

You transform it into the door

that opens the way to You.

You do not protect us from temptation

but give us the grace to resist.

You do not spare us from failing

but rather show us Your love even there.

For when we offer You our faults and failures

and give our temptations and testing

over to Your Holy Will in that daily dying to ourselves

we find we too have been transformed and transfigured.

Amen.

Prayer by Maryknoll Missioner, Father Joseph Veneroso

ABOUT MARYKNOLL

We are a Catholic Society of priests and brothers based in the United States. We are dedicated to missionary work overseas in over 20 countries. Additionally, we animate Catholics in the United States to follow their own baptismal call to share God’s compassion and love with the poor, the sick, and all those in need.

OUR GENERAL COUNCIL

L-R Tom O'Brien, Ray Finch, Joe Everson, Russ Feldmeier

(Fr. Lance P. Nadeau, Fr. James M. Lynch, Fr. Timothy O. Kilkelly, Fr. Juan Montes Zúñiga)

The Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers is overseen by our General Council, led by Superior General Rev. Lance P. Nadeau, M.M.

OUR FOUNDERS

L-R Tom O'Brien, Ray Finch, Joe Everson, Russ Feldmeier

(Our Co-Founders Father Price and Father Walsh)

PLACES WE SERVE

EVANGELIZATION, PARISHES, AND PROJECTS

USA

STORIES OF MISSION

(Africa) Education and Formation of African Clergy

The Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers Africa Region will provide tuition assistance to African clergy, male and female religious at institutes of higher education or specialized training. Read More

Stories of Our Global Mission

The calling of a lifetime

The life of a Maryknoll missioner is challenging, fulfilling, and deeply rewarding. Follow your baptismal call to mission by sharing God’s compassion with the poor, the sick, and people most in need.

Dear Friend in Mission,

With hearts full of hope, Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers joyfully welcomes the election of our new Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV. In this historic moment for the universal Church, we give thanks to God for the gift of a new pope—chosen to succeed Pope Francis and guide us forward in faith, love, and missionary zeal.

Pope Leo XIV brings with him a deep commitment to dialogue, peace, and global solidarity—values that echo the very heart of our missionary vocation. A seasoned pastoral leader and thoughtful theologian, he is known for his compassionate outreach and dedication to the spiritual and social needs of the Church, particularly in regions experiencing hardship and need.

His years of missionary service in Peru, working among underserved communities, reflect a profound dedication to the Church’s mission of presence, accompaniment, and evangelization. His firsthand experience on the peripheries of society has shaped his vision for a Church that listens, serves, and uplifts—all grounded in Christ’s love.

As missionaries, we have been deeply inspired by Pope Francis’s call to go to the peripheries, to serve the poor, and to be instruments of God’s mercy and peace. We now look with prayerful anticipation to Pope Leo XIV, confident that the Holy Spirit will continue to lead the Church through his words and witness.

We invite you to join us in praying for our new pope, asking the Lord to bless him with wisdom, courage, and compassion as he begins his ministry as the Vicar of Christ and visible sign of unity for the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics.

Thank you for walking with us on this missionary journey. Together, in communion with the successor of St. Peter, we remain committed to proclaiming the Gospel and witnessing to Christ’s love around the world.

In gratitude and peace,

Father Lance Nadeau, M.M. signature

Reverend Lance P. Nadeau, M.M.
Superior General

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