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3rd Sunday of Lent 2013

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Thursday marks the final day in office for our Holy Father, Benedict XVI, after which the papacy will be a sede vacante... a vacant seat.  This term is used universally in the church for when a bishop's seat (his cathedra) is vacant.  Normally when a bishop's seat is becomes vacant (through death, retirement, resignation, or reassignment), the Pope through the Holy See seeks to fill that vacancy.  But when the "seat of Peter" is vacant, the College of Cardinals gather in Conclave to elect a new pope.  This is most certainly a busy and interesting time in our Church.

It is also a very busy time for those going through the RCIA process.  This coming Sunday we enter the period of the Scurtinies.  For the next three weeks, our Elect and Candidates will listen to specially selected readings during Mass and go through special Rites as they discern or "scrutinize" their calling to full initiation.  For those attending the 1st Scrutiny this Sunday, our readings will be:

The Word for the 1st Scrutiny (3rd Sunday of Lent Cycle A):
        Exodus 17:3-7
        Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9
        Romans 5:1-2, 5-8
        John 4:5-42

For those attending one of the other Masses this Sunday, you will hear the normal Cycle C readings:

The Word for the 3rd Sunday of Lent:
        Exodus 3:1-8a, 13-15
        Psalm 103:1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8, 9
        1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12
        Luke 13:1-9

During our session this week we will visit both sets of readings and discuss their message as we discern the relevance of that message to us during the season of Lent.  You can also read more about the Scrutinies in this Catholic Update: Lenten Customs
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