We hear these words in the Second Reading at Mass every year on Ash Wednesday. Along with the First Reading from Joel (2:12–18), Psalm 51, and Matthew’s Gospel (6:1–16, 16–18), each and every year as we enter the season of Lent, we hear the same readings. Do we hear the same message every year? That may depend on our individual circumstances and also on the homilist or preacher.

“Instituted by St. Pope John Paul II in 1997, World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life is celebrated in conjunction with the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, also known as Candlemas Day, which commemorates through the blessing and lighting of candles that Christ is the light of the world. So too, those in consecrated life are called to reflect the light of Jesus Christ to all peoples.”

I recently finished reading a book published earlier this year, called American Catholics: A History by Leslie Woodcock Tentler. I would recommend it for anyone who enjoys learning about American History, especially those who are interested in the history of the Catholic Church in the United States. Towards the end of the book, Ms. Tentler recounts and analyzes the five-day visit of Pope Francis to the United States in 2015.

In recent days, my thoughts have turned to the words of the Pledge of Allegiance: I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. I would encourage you to Google “Pledge of Allegiance.” I was surprised to learn that its history is traced back to 1892 and that, “The last change in language came on Flag Day 1954, when Congress passed a law which added the words “under God” after “one Nation.”

Pope Francis announced a Year of St. Joseph for the whole Church just over a month ago. Shortly afterward, in my Beacon column, I wrote that friends had given me two copies of Father Calloway’s book Consecration to St. Joseph: The Wonders of Our Spiritual Father, which offers a 33-day preparation and a form for the consecration.

This Jan. 22 will be the 48th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion on demand in our country. As we speak about and experience political and other divisions, I am not sure if there has been any issue that has been more divisive on the national and many other levels of society over these past 50 (plus) years.