Readings and Reflection for Sunday March 14, Fourth Sunday of Lent
FIRST READING
The wrath and compassion of God are shown in the exile and liberation of his people.
A reading from the second Book of Chronicles (2 Chronicles 36:14-16.1923)
In those days: All the leading priests and people were exceedingly unfaithful, following all the abominations of the nations; and they polluted the house of the Lord which he had hallowed in Jerusalem. The Lord, the God of their fathers, sent persistently to them by his messengers, because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place; but they kept mocking the messengers of God, despising his word, and scoffing at his prophets, till the wrath of the Lord rose against his people, till there was no remedy. And the Chaldeans burnt the house of God, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all its palaces with fire, and destroyed all its precious vessels. The King of the Chaldeans took into exile in Babylon those who had escaped from the sword, and they became servants to him and to his sons until the establishment of the kingdom of Persia, to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed its Sabbaths. All the days that it lay desolate it kept Sabbath, to fulfill seventy years. Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing: “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, ‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever is among you of all his people, may the Lord his God be with him. Let him go up.”
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm137: I -2.3.4-5.6 (R. 6a)
R/. O let my tongue cleave to my palate if I remember you not.
By the rivers of Babylon
There we sat and wept,
Remembering Sion;
On the poplars that grew there
We hung up our harps. R.
For it was there that they asked us,
Our captors, for songs,
Our oppressors, for joy.
“Sing to us,” they said,
“one of Sion’s songs.” R.
R/. O let my tongue cleave to my palate if I remember you not.
O how could we sing
The song of the Lord/ on foreign soil?
If I forget you, Jerusalem,
Let my right hand writher! R.
O let my tongue cleave to my palate
If I remember you not,
If I prize not Jerusalem
As the first of my joys! R.
SECOND READING
“When we were dead through our trespasses, we were saved by grace.”
A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Ephesians (Ephesians 2:4-10)
Brethren: God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with him, and made us sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God not because of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
The word of the Lord.
VERSE BEFORE THE GOSPEL John 3: 16
Glory and praise to you, O Christ. God do loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should have eternal life. Glory and praise to you, O Christ.
GOSPEL
“God sent the Son that the World might be saved through him”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John (John 3:14-21)
At that time: Jesus said to Nicodemus, “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the son of man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.” For God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. He who believes in him is not condemned; he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God. And this is the judgement, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does what is true comes to the light, that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been wrought in God.
The Gospel of the Lord.
Today’s Reflection:
God in His mercy redeems and sanctifies us although our sin condemns us. In the first reading, God’s agent of salvation for the Jews is the Persian King Cyrus; God uses different agents in His plan of salvation. The Gospel reminds us that Christ will be lifted up so that everyone who believes in Him will be saved. When we see the symbol of a serpent on a staff in hospital signposts, it takes our minds back to the scriptures (Number 21:8-9). So too the crucifixes we see around us should take our minds back to the love of God and His generous mercy in giving up His only Son for our healing and redemption. It is up to us to believe in Him and be saved.
Readings and Reflection for March 13 Saturday of the Third Week in Lent
FIRST READING
“I desire mercy and not sacrifice.”
A reading from the Book of the Prophet Hosea (Hosea 6:1-6)
“Come, let us return to the Lord; for he has torn, that he may heal us; he has stricken, and he will bind us up. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him. Let us know, let us press on to know the Lord; his going forth is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.” What shall I do with you, O Ephraim? What shall I do with you, O Judah? Your love is like a morning cloud, like the dew that goes early away. Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets, I have slain them by the words of my mouth, and my judgement goes forth as the light. For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God, rather than burnt offerings.
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM psalm 51:3-4.18-19.20-21ab
R/. I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.
Have mercy on me, O God,
According to your merciful love;
According to your great compassion,
Blot out my transgressions.
Wash me completely from my iniquity,
And cleanse me from my sin. R.
For in sacrifice you take no delight;
Burnt offering from me would not please you.
My sacrifice to God, a broken spirit:
A broken and humble heart,
O God, you will not spurn. R.
R/. I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.
In your good pleasure, show favour to Sion;
Rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
Then you will delight in right sacrifice,
Burnt offering wholly consumed. R.
VERSE BEFORE THE GOSPEL Psalm95:7d.8a
Glory and praise to you, O Christ. Today, harden not your hearts, but listen to the voice of the Lord. Glory and praise to you, O Christ.
Gospel
The tax collector went down to his house justified rather than the Pharisee.
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke (Luke 18;9-14)
At that time: Jesus told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, I give tithes of all that I get.’ “But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for every one who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
Today’s Reflection
The Pharisees in today’s Gospel did a lot of good things. But he was not sure whether God knew it. So he had to inform God! He lacked one very important virtue, humility. And God knew that, though the man himself didn’t. The tax collector was the exact opposite. He had done a lot of bad things. He knew it, and God knew it too. But he had the humility to acknowledge his shortcomings, and beg for forgiveness. God answered his prayer. No one is ever so good and righteous that he does not need God’s mercy. We should always approach him with a humble and contrite heart, like the tax collector.
Readings and Reflection for March 12 Friday of the Third Week in Lent
First Reading
“We will say no more, ‘Our God, to the work of our hands.”
A reading from the Book of the Prophet Hosea 14:1-9
Thus says the Lord: Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity. Take with you words and return to the Lord; say to him, “Take away all iniquity; accept that which is good and we will render the fruit of our lips. Assyria shall not save us, we will not ride upon horses; and we will say no more, ‘Our God,’ to the work of our hands. In you the orphan finds mercy.” I will heal their faithlessness; I will love them freely, for my anger has turned from them. I will be as the dew to Israel; he shall blossom as the lily, he shall strike root as the poplar, his shoots shall spread out; his beauty shall be like the olive, and his fragrance like Lebanon. They shall return and dwell beneath my shadow, they shall flourish as a garden; they shall blossom as the vine, their fragrance shall be like the wine of Lebanon. O Ephraim, what have I to do with idols? It is I who answer and look after you. I am like an evergreen cypress, from me comes your fruit. Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them; for the ways of the Lord are right, and the upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them.
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm81:6c-8a.8bc-9.10—11ab.1 4and 17 (R. see 11a.9b)
R/. I am the Lord your God: listen to my voice.
A voice I did not know said to me:
“I freed your shoulder from the burden;
your hands were freed from the builder’s basket.
You called in distress and I delivered you.” R.
“I answered, concealed in the thunder;
at the waters of Meribah I tested you.
Listen, my people, as I warn you.
O Israel, if only you would heed!” R.
R/. I am the Lord your God: listen to my voice.
“Let there be no strange god among you,
nor shall you worship a foreign god.
I am the Lord your God,
who brought you up from the land of Egypt.” R.
“O that my people would heed me,
that Israel would walk in my ways!
But Israel I would feed with finest wheat,
and satisfy with honey from the rock.” R.
VERSE BEFORE THE GOSPEL Matthew 4:17
Glory and praise to you, O Christ. Repent, says the Lord, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Glory and praise to you, O Christ.
GOSPEL
“The Lord our God, the Lord is one, and you shall love him.”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark (Mark 12:28b-34)
At that time: One of the scribes came up to Jesus and asked him, “Which commandment is the first of all?” Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that he is one, and there is no other but he; and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbour as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that no one dared to ask him any question.
The Gospel of the Lord.
Today’s Reflection
The Hebrew Scriptures, our own Old Testament, contain a multitude of commandments. The scribe in today’s Gospel wanted to know which of them was the first Jesus gave the answer. The first was to love God above all things, with every atom of your being. But he would not let the scribe get away without also learning the second commandment, which was to love your neighbour as yourself. These two commandments always go together. It is not possible to love God without loving our neighbour, just as it is hypocritical to say that we love our neighbour when we don’t love God
Church Building Project Site Visitation by Rev. Mother Esther Ajayi
Rev. Mother Esther Ajayi, one of our huge donors during the ground breaking ceremony of our church building and some members of the Parish Building Committee visited the project site to see the progress of works so far.
Readings and Reflection for March 11 Thursday of the Third Week in Lent
FIRST READING
“This is the nation that did not obey the voice of the Lord their God.”
A reading from the Book of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 7:23-28)
Thus says the Lord: “This command I gave my people, ‘Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people; and walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you. ’ But they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in their own counsels and the stubbornness of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward. From the day that your fathers came out of the land of Egypt to this day, I have persistently sent all my servants the prophets to them, day after day; yet they did not listen to me, or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck. They did worse than their fathers. “So you shall speak all these words to them, but they will not listen to you. You shall call to them, but they will not answer you. And you shall say to them, ‘This is the nation that did not obey the voice of the LORD their God, and did not accept discipline; truth has perished; it is cut off from their lips.”’
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm95:1-2.6-7abc.7d-9(R.7d-8a)
R/. O that today you would listen to his voice!
Harden not your hearts.
Come, let us ring out our joy to the Lord;
hail the rock who saves us.
Let us come into his presence, giving thanks;
let us hail him with a song of praise. R.
O come; let us bow and bend low.
Let us kneel before the God who made us,
for he is our God and we
the people who belong to his pasture,
the flock that is led by his hand. R.
R/. O that today you would listen to his voice!
Harden not your hearts.
O that today you would listen to his voice!
“Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,
as on that day at Massah in the desert
when your forebears put me to the test;
when they tried me, though they saw my work.” R.
VERSE BEFORE THE GOSPEL Joel 2:12-13
Glory and praise to you, O Christ. Even now, says the Lord, return to me with all your heart, for I am gracious and merciful. Glory and praise to you, O Christ.
Gospel
“He who is not with rue is against me. ”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to (Luke 11:14-23)
At that time: Jesus was casting out a demon that was mute; when the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people marvelled. But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons”; while others, to test him, sought from him a sign from heaven. But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and house falls upon house. And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. When a strongman, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace; but when one stronger than he assails him and overcomes him, he takes away his armour in which he trusted, and divides his spoil. He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
Today’s Reflection
Listening is a virtue in itself, for it is only when we listen that we can learn and understand. Listening to the voice of God keeps us informed, wise and safe. Rebellious people never listen because they are stubborn. The Lord rejects those who harden their hearts and rebuff His voice but He blesses those who listen and adhere to His voice. Today God calls us to believe in Him and to gather with Him. Let us therefore heed the voice of God and lead holy lives as a people. “O that today you would listen to His voice harden not your hearts!”
Readings and Reflection for March 10 Wednesday of the Third Week in Lent
FIRST READING
Keep the commandments, and your work will be complete
A reading from the Book of Deuteronomy (Deuteronomy 4:1.5-9)
Moses spoke to the people, saying, “And now, O Israel, give heed to the statutes and the ordinances which I teach you, and do them; that you may live, and go in and take possession of the land which the Lord, the God of your fathers, gives you. Behold, I have taught you statutes and ordinances, as the Lord my God commanded me, that you should do them in the land which you are entering to take possession of it. ‘Keep them and do them; for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. ’For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? And what great nation is there, that has statutes and ordinances so righteous as all this law which I set before you this day? “Only take heed, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things which your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life; make them known to your children and your children’s children.”
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 147: 12-13.15-16. 19-20 (R. 12a)
R/. O Jerusalem, glorify the Lord!
O Jerusalem, glorify the Lord!
O Sion, praise your God!
He has strengthened the bars of your gates;
he has blessed your children within you. R.
He sends out his word to the earth,
and swiftly runs his command.
He showers down snow like wool;
he scatters hoarfrost like ashes. R.
He reveals his word to Jacob;
to Israel, his decrees and judgements.
He has not dealt thus with other nations;
he has not taught them his judgements. R.
VERSE BEFORE THE GOSPE John 6:63c.68c
Glory and praise to you, O Christ. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life; you have the words of eternal life. Glory and praise to you, O Christ.
GOSPEL
He who does them and teaches them shall be called great
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Matthew 5:17-19)
At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfil them. For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomp1ished. Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who does them and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
Today’s Reflection
“A thing of beauty is a joy forever.” God gave commandments to the Israelites through Moses. Those commandments were so sound that Moses believed people of other nations would marvel at them. They would stand the test of time, and continue to be binding for all time to come. Jesus says exactly that in today’s Gospel: he did not come to abolish the old order, but to fulfill it. The spirit of man is such that it is always yearning for new things. However, in our quest for new things, we will always be well advised to bring along whatever may be of enduring value in the old. That is how the Old Testament is part of the Christian Bible, and the Ten Commandments continue to be binding not only on the Jewish people, but on all humankind. It is also the reason why the Catholic Church affirms Sacred Tradition to be an authentic source of faith and morals, alongside Sacred Scripture
Readings and Reflection for March 9 Tuesday of the Third Week in Lent
FIRST READING
“With a contrite heart and a humble spirit may we be accepted.”
A reading from the Book of the Prophet Daniel (Daniel 3:2.11-20)
In those days: Azariah stood and offered this prayer; in the midst of the fire he opened his mouth and said: “For your name’s sake do not give us up utterly, and do not break your covenant, and do not withdraw your mercy from us, for the sake of Abraham your beloved and for the sake of Isaac your servant and Israel your holy one, to whom you promised to make their descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as the sand on the shore of the sea. For we, O Lord, have become fewer than any nation, and are brought low this day in all the world because of our sins. And at this time there is no prince, or prophet, or leader, no burnt offering, or sacrifice, or oblation, or incense, no place to make an offering before you or to find mercy. Yet with a contrite heart and a humble spirit may we be accepted, as though it were with burnt offerings of rams and bulls, and with tens of thousands of fat lambs; such may our sacrifice be in your sight this day, and may we wholly follow you, for there will be no shame for those who trust in you. And now with all our heart we follow you, we fear you and seek your face. Do not put us to shame, but deal with us in your forbearance and in your abundant mercy. Deliver us in accordance with your marvellous works, and give glory to your name, O Lord!”
The Word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 25:4-Sab.6 and 7cd.8-9 (R. 6a)
R/. Remember your compassion, O Lord.
O Lord, make me know your ways.
Teach me your paths.
Guide me in your truth, and teach me;
For you are the God of my salvation. R.
Remember your compassion, O Lord,
and your merciful love,
for they are from of old.
In your merciful love remember me,
Because of your goodness, O Lord. R.
R/. Remember your compassion, O Lord.
Good and upright is the Lord;
he shows the way to sinners.
He guides the humble in right judgement;
To the humble he teaches his way. R.
VERSE BEFORE THE GOSPEL Joel 2:12-13
Glory and praise to you, O Christ. Even now, says the Lord, return to me with all your heart, for I am gracious and merciful. Glory and praise to you, O Christ.
GOSPEL
If you do not forgive your brother from your heart, the Father will not forgive you,
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Matthew 18:21-35)
At that time: Peter came up and said to Jesus, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven. “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began the reckoning, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents; and as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay you everything. ’ “And out of pity for him the lord of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. But that same servant, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’ So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ “He refused and went and put him in prison till he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me; and should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you? And in anger his lord delivered him to the jailers, till he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
Today’s Reflection
In this third week of Lent we are reminded once again to forgive one another from our hearts. A talent was the equivalent of 6,000 denarii, and a day’s wage is just one denarius. Now to gain 6,000 denarii (one talent) one would have to work for 6,000 days, which is roughly 16 years. The unforgiving debtor in today’s parable owned not just a talent but 10,000 talents, which is the equivalent of 164,383.56 years of labor. He was thus pardoned for a debt he couldn’t pay in his lifetime, even if his family and possessions were sold besides. But he refused to forgive another who owned him just 100 denarii (three and half month’s wages). We are all debtors to the king of kings who has already pardoned us for debts we can never dream of paying back. Why then can’t we forgive others who owe us far less?
Readings and Reflection for March 8 Monday of the Third Week in Lent
FIRST READING
“There were many lepers in Israel, but none was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.”
A reading from the second Book of Kings (2 kings 5:1-15a)
In those days: Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master and in high favour, because by him the Lord had given victory to Syria. He was a mighty man of valour, but he was a leper. Now the Syrians on one of their raids had carried off a little maid from the land of Israel, and she waited on Naaman’s wife. She said to her mistress, “Would that my Lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.” So Naaman went in and told his Lord, “Thus and so spoke the maiden from the land of Israel.” And the king of Syria said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So he went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten festal garments. And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which read, “When this letter reaches you, know that I have sent to you Naaman my servant, that you may cure him of his leprosy.” And when the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? Only consider, and see how he is seeking a quarrel with me.” But when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come to me, that he may know that there is a prophet in Israel.” So Naaman came with his horses and chariots, and halted at the door of Elisha’s house. And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean.” But Naaman was angry, and went away, saying, “Behold, I thought that he would surely come to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place, and cure the leper. Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them, and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage. But his servants came near and said to him, “My father, if the prophet had commanded you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much rather, then, when he says to you, ’wash and be clean’?” So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he went clean. Then he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and he came and stood before him; and he said, “Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel.”
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 42:2.3; 43: 3.4 (R. 42:3)
R/. My soul is thirsting for God, the living God.
When can I enter and appear before the face of God?
Like The deer that yearns
for running streams,
so my soul is yearning
for you, my God. R/.
My soul is thirsting for God,
The living God;
When can I enter and appear
Before the face of God? R/.
R/. My soul is thirsting for God, the living God.
When can I enter and appear before the face of God?
O send forth your light and your truth;
They will guide me on.
They will bring me to your holy mountain,
To the place where you dwell. R/.
And I will come to the altar of God,
To God, my joy and gladness.
To you will I give thanks on the harp,
O God, my God. R/.
VERSE BEFORE THE GOSPEL Psalm 130: 5.7
Glory and praise to you, O Christ. I wait for the Lord, and in his word I hope; with him is mercy and plenteous redemption. Glory and praise to you, O Christ.
Gospel
Like Elijah and Elisha Jesus is not sent only to the Jews.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Luke 4:24-30)
At that time: when Jesus had come to Nazareth, he said to the people in the synagogue, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his own country. But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when there came a great famine over all the land; and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha; and none of them was cleansed but only Naaman the Syrian. When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. And they rose up and put him out of the city, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw him down headlong. But passing through the midst of them he went away.
The Gospel of the Lord.
Today’s Reflection
When you are doing well, and you have won the approval of many people, the expectation is that the people closest to you, your kith and kin, will be among them. According to Jesus in today’s Gospel, that expectation is not always met. As a matter of fact, your own people can be offended by your very success. More often than not, it is because they know you only too well. As the saying goes, “Familiarity breeds contempt.” The lack of recognition by his people did not deter Jesus from carrying on with his mission of salvation. The lack of recognition by people should not stop a disciple of Jesus from doing whatever good he has been sent to do.
Readings and Reflection for Sunday March 7, Third Sunday of Lent
FIRST READING
The law is given through Moses.
A reading form the Book of Exodus (Exodus 20:1-17)
In those days: God spoke all these words, saying, “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. “you shall have no other gods before me, you shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing mercy to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labour, and do all your work; but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your manservant, or your maidservant, or your cattle, or the sojourner who is within your gates; for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. Honour your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which the LORD your God gives you. You shall not kill. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour. You shall not covet your neighbour’s house; you shall not covet your neighbour’s wife, or his manservant, or his maidservant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbour’s.”
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 11 (R.cf John 6:68c)
R/. Lord, you have the words of eternal life.
The law of the LORD is perfect;
It revives the soul.
The decrees of the LORD are steadfast;
They give wisdom to the simple. R.
The precepts of the LORD are right;
They gladden the heart.
The command of the LORD is clear;
It gives light to the eyes. R.
R/. Lord, you have the words of eternal life.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
Abiding forever.
The judgements of the Lord are true;
They are, all of them, just. R.
They are more to be desired than gold,
Than quantities of gold.
And sweater are they than honey,
Than honey flowing from the comb. R.
SECOND READING
“we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to men, but to those who are called, the wisdom of God.”
A reading from the first Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 1:22-25)
Brethren: Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
The word of the Lord.
VERSE BEFORE THE GOSPEL John 3:16
Glory and praise to you, O Christ, God so loved the world that he gave his only son; that whoever believes in him should have eternal life. Glory and praise to you, O Christ.
GOSPEL
“destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John (John 2:13-25)
The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers at their business, and making a whip of cords, he drove them all, with the sheep and oxen, out of the temple; and he poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. And he told those who sold the pigeons, “take these things away; you shall not make my Father’s house a house of trade.” His disciples remembered that it was written, “zeal for your house will consume me.” The Jews then said to him, “what sign have you show us for doing this?” Jesus answered them, “destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “it has taken forty-six years to builds this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” but he spoke of the temple of his body. When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken. Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs which he did; but Jesus did not trust himself to them, because he knew all men and needed no one to bear witness of man; for he himself knew what was in man.
The Gospel of the Lord.
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.” R.
Today’s Reflection
Today we are reminded of the commandments of God, which can be summarized in love of God and neighbor. God has the message of eternal life and He desires that we live by this message so that we can attain the joys of being reunited with Him. The actions of the money changers in the temple were tantamount to disobedience of the first commandment. Definitely no one can serve both God and wealth. Christ’s displeasures is visible when He sees people putting their business and trade before God, even in the very house of God. This wrong attitude may not be too different from what occurs in some churches today. We are therefore encouraged today to retrace our steps and be obedient to God’s commandements.