The week ahead – from 16 to 22 March

The glorious events of Easter week this year. Changing attitudes to the Papacy over the last 50 years. Our part in the election of the next Pope. A warning against politics, and three prayer intentions. Episode notes.

Easter joy as an engine for the soul. The Resurrection as a step forward, not back. Our own healing and our own resurrection. The Easter Alleluias. Episode notes.

How the whole creation praises God, and how we praise him through it, liturgically, with sun, moon, leaves, ash, oil, bread, wine, wood, fire, light, wax, smoke, and water.

The inevitable tragedy: tragedy, not melodrama. Caiaphas the prophet; Caiaphas in the confessional. More about Confession. The Mission to the Rusty: a dream. Episode notes.

Laetare Sunday, purple and white mixed. The Prodigal Son as a model for Confession. Why sin makes sense. Some questions and answers about Confession. A pure heart. Episode notes.

The Liturgy of the Hours: how to do psalms, and the origin of the psalm-prayers. How to get the psalm-prayers in Universalis. The Annunciation; the namelessness of God; St Etheldreda’s and the tax-collectors. An example of justice. Episode notes.

The Transfiguration in Lent and out of it: two views of the same landscape. "Do not judge", and when and how we have to judge. Judgement as love and justice as virtue. How to donate: universalis.com/donate Episode notes.

Giving up things for Lent. Social media, and the still centre invaded by noise. Reconquering the still centre and inviting God in. The Scriptures as paint applied year by year. Paying other people to do our charity. Jonah and comedy. Ezekiel and hereditary guilt. The anniversary of this podcast. How to donate: universalis.com/donate Episode notes.

The Book of Job. Some Lenten exercises. Almsgiving: secret or public? How the Word on Fire conference went. Episode notes.

The Book of Ecclesiastes. Greek philosophy and Jewish wisdom. Where true value comes from. The goodness of work. How Universalis started. Get up and do something! Episode notes.