We have turned the corner and we are now on the countdown. The Season of Lent ends as begin the Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper on only Holy Thursday. At that moment we move into the Easter Triduum, a single celebration that begins with "In the name of the Father..." on Thursday and ends with "Go in Peace, Alleluia, Alleluia" on Saturday night.
This weekend priests may wear rose colored vestments, to mark the joy of this turning point in Lent. But this year we have another joy to celebrate as well. The Cardinals have announced that on Tuesday March 12 the Conclave will begin. Perhaps even by the Solemnity of St. Joseph (Patron of the Universal Church) on March 19 we will have a new Supreme Pontiff for our Church. The process is long because each cardinal one by one walks to the altar and places his ballot in the urn with the words, "I call as my witness Christ the Lord who will be my judge, that my vote is given to the one who before God I think should be elected." While there is much conversation among the the cardinals even now, in the end it comes down to each Cardinal, his conscience, Christ The Lord, and God the Father.
We pray for all 115.
