PODCAST | Fourth Sunday & Week of Lent: Sharing in the Self-Emptying of Christ
Note: This meditation was recorded in front of a live audience.
In this meditation for the Fourth Week of Lent, Fr. Peter Armenio invites us to renew our commitment to the three pillars of Lent: almsgiving, prayer, and fasting. As we reach the midpoint of this penitential season, he reminds us that Lent centers on Christ’s self-giving sacrifice on the Cross—the greatest expression of love. To follow Christ is to embrace the Cross and come to know him through our own acts of self-emptying.
Fr. Armenio emphasizes that almsgiving is the animating force behind prayer and fasting. Without charity, the other two lose their vitality. He encourages us to begin with love for our families and extend it outward—living the works of mercy and witnessing to Christ’s love in our daily interactions.
Prayer and fasting, too, are essential. Fr. Armenio encourages us to carve out moments of silence in our days to encounter the Lord. In this quiet, we receive his love and are strengthened to share it with others. Through fasting, we learn to deny ourselves, resist temptation, and redirect our hearts toward Christ.
To accompany our Lenten meditation of the week, explore “Lent 2025: Called By Name”: a collection of readings and devotions from the St. Josemaria Institute to inspire your conversion and renewal this holy season contemplating how Our Lord continues to call each of us by our name.
Rev. Peter Armenio
Rev. Peter V. Armenio was ordained a priest of the Prelature of Opus Dei in 1980. He is the author of several books published by Midwest Theological Forum, including Highlights of the Catholic Faith. He also served as President of the St. Josemaria Institute from 2006 to 2012. He has been working in campus ministry for the past 30 years and also preaches recollections and gives spiritual direction in Chicago.
