Skip to main content

5th Sunday of Lent 2013

WE HAVE A POPE!
Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires, Argentina has been elected as our next Pope, Pope Francis!

Our Lenten journey is winding down as we enter the 5th Sunday of Lent.  For our Elect and Candidates, we prepare for the Third Scrutiny, and John's Gospel story of the raising of Lazarus. This is the culmination of our revelation about the Christ... the resurrection! Jesus shows us that through God, death itself can be beaten.:

The Word for the 3rd Scrutiny (5th Sunday of Lent Cycle A):
        Ezekiel 37:12-14
        Psalm 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8
        Romans 8:8-11
        John 11:1-45

Our main readings for this cycle remind us of God's infinite ability to forgive - The root or our Sacrament of Reconciliation. Jesus recognizes that we all have sin, yet using both Jesus and God as our model, we come to discover the redemptive power of and healing that comes with forgiveness, both in giving it, and in accepting it.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Ascension of the Lord - Cycle C

Following the traditional calendar, the Solemnity of the Ascension falls on a Thursday, 40 days after the Resurrection, and 10 days before Pentecost.  But since the Ascension is such an important moment for us as Church, many dioceses, including our own, have moved this celebration to this coming Sunday (in place of the 7th Sunday of Easter). The Word for the Ascension of the Lord Acts 1:1-11 Psalm 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9 Ephesians 1:17-23 or Hebrews 9:24-28, 10:19-23 Luke 24:46-53 Our first reading is from the beginning of the Acts of the Apostles.  While it might be more appropriate that this reading should follow our Gospel reading for today (as it naturally follows after Luke’s Gospel), the book-end effect of these two readings remains intact, reminding us how this was a pivotal moment for the Church.  Like most sequels, our reading opens with a recap of where we left off at the end of Luke’s Gospel with the Ascension of Jesus.  Also like most sequels, this “recap” of t...

28th Sunday of Ordinary Time - Cycle C

“Thank you.”  It’s a phrase we hear and use every day.  It’s an accepted and expected courtesy for a variety of interactions.  In fact, when we don’t hear it when we expect to, we feel slighted and unappreciated.  Here’s a question:  Does God feel slighted and unappreciated when we don’t give him thanks for his great gifts?  Let’s see what this week’s readings might say on the subject… The Word for the 28th Sunday of Ordinary Time 2 Kings 5:14-17 Psalm 98:1, 2-3, 3-4 2 Timothy 2:8-13 Luke 17:11-19 Our first reading comes from 2nd book of Kings.  Naaman, a Syrian military commander, seeks to thank Elisha for curing him of his leprosy (an act that King Joram of Israel isn’t likely to appreciate).  Not only does Naaman wish to give thanks to Elisha, but also to his God.  This is nothing short of a complete conversion for Naaman, who not only sees the glory of God but recognizes the importance of the land in this covenant relationship.  In f...

30th Sunday of Ordinary Time - Cycle C

Humility.  It’s a virtue that seems to have been left behind in our current civil discourse.  To many, being humble is a sign of weakness.  Contrary to popular thinking, humility actually takes courage and strength, and affords even greater rewards as our readings this week will show: The Word for the 30th Sunday of Ordinary Time Sirach 35:12-14, 16-18 Psalm 34:2-3, 17-18, 19, 23 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18 Luke 18:9-14 Our faith teaches that we must approach our prayer with humility.  Our first reading from Sirach is an example.  Here he reminds us that all our prayers are heard by God, but those coming from the lowest among us “pierce the clouds”.  This sage from the 2nd century BCE reminds us that though we are all equal in God’s eyes, he also hears the cry of those who are marginalized – the weak, the oppressed, the orphan, the foreigner.  This ideal has echoed through the ages, including in our Psalm when we sing, “The Lord hears the cry of the poor.” ...