Live What We Celebrate
Third Sunday of Lent
Today, the Third Sunday of Lent, the liturgy speaks to us of the Ten Commandments, of the wisdom of the Cross, about the Temple with its external sacrifices and the new temple of the Risen Christ. In him we will find the presence of God in our midst. These commandments help measure our relationships with the Creator and with each other as creatures and children of God, and He presents them as an answer to the love which He has shown us when he freed his people from the slavery of sin, and which is his sure promise of a love of a Father for his children, of love of the children for each other. They are the true foundation of the human family.
The symbolic gesture of the expulsion of the merchants from the temple signifies that—as far as God is concerned—the days of the empty and external rituals are over. Jesus begins the era of the true Temple where we give worship to God.
We are playing with our Faith in front of the world and even the very continuity of our Faith. We just cannot permit that our Church descends into what the Temple in Jerusalem became. Today we need to become aware of the commitment we make when we go to church to seek the administration of a sacrament or when we go to Mass. When we do not live what we celebrate, at times we even regret not attending the ceremonies for not having taken our faith. If this is what we are doing, do we not deserve the very lashes with which Jesus whipped the businessmen in the temple? In his announcement of the destruction of the temple of his Body and its reconstruction in three days, Christ is proclaiming his death and resurrection, the very soul and heart of our Christian life.
First Scrutiny
Today, Sunday, March 8, at 10:00 am Mass we celebrate the FIRST SCRUTINY for our “ELECTED”. The “elect” are those who are prepared to celebrate the sacraments of Christian Initiation (Baptism-Confirmation-Eucharist). The scrutinies are prayers of purification and repentance for the elect and the whole community. The whole community should pray for them, so that God opens their heart, mind and spirit.
Readings for the Week
Monday: 2 Kgs 5:1-15b; Ps 42:2, 3; 43:3, 4; Lk 4:24-30
Tuesday: Dn 3:25, 34-43; Ps 25:4-5ab, 6-7bc, 8-9; Mt 18:21-25
Wednesday: Dt 4:1, 5-9; Ps 147:12-13, 15-16, 19-20; Mt 5:17-19
Thursday: Jer 7:23-28; Ps 95:1-2, 6-9; Lk 11:14-23;
Friday: Hos 14:2-10; Ps 81:6c-11ab, 14, 17; Mk 12:28-34;
Saturday: Hos 6:1-6; Ps 51:3-4, 18-21ab; Lk 18:9-14
Sunday: 2 Chr 36:14-16,19-23; Ps 137:1-6; Eph 2:4-10; Jn 3:14-21
Alternate readings (Year A):
1 Sm 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a; Ps 23:1-6; Eph 5:8-14; Jn 9:1-41[1, 6-9, 13-17, 34-38]
Saints & Special Observances
Sunday: Third Sunday of Lent; First Scrutiny; Daylight Saving Time begins; Girl Scout Sunday
Monday: St. Frances of Rome
Friday: Abstinence
News
- Pray for those who are celebrating birthdays and marriage anniversaries — So that God continues to bless them with health for the soul and body.
- Let us commend the various ministries and groups in our parish community for their commitment in serving the people of God.
- No flowers during Lent—We ask that you please not bring flowers to the church during this Lenten season.
- We invite you to Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament every Friday from 8am to 6pm. We invite and encourage you to spend a few minutes in the company of Jesus.
Treasures from Our Tradition
Participating in Lent, we are engaging in patterns that have endured across the centuries. From very early times, we have the sense of accompanying the elect on their journey to the font. From as long ago as the fourth century, we receive Lent as forty days to shake the dust from our spirituality and reorder our conduct. Then, fast- ing was not seen as a strict duty, yet it seems it was widely observed. Think of the rules of politeness and courtesy that everyone agrees on. Fasting was also seen as a social duty, since food was in short supply as winter wore on, and the weak and the sick had the first claim on what remained on hand. As a boost to the fasting of the body, the church developed a richer spiritual fare, including celebration of the Eucharist every day. This practice began in Rome by the sixth century. Weekday Mass was only at designated “stations.” The pope would arrive on horseback at the stational churches. In those days, although the catechumenate was already in eclipse, there were pre‐baptismal activities at the stational Masses: the giving of the Lord’s Prayer, prayers for the godparents, and constant references to baptism.
Monsignor Romero Beatified by Pope Francis
The Archbishop of San Salvador, an almost mythical figure, was killed in 1980, by death squads, while celebrating the Eucharist. Pope Francis said that this crime was committed by “hatred of the faith”. Romero, a man of God and the Church, a man of prayer, obedience, and love for people. He prayed a lot, if he was angry in the early hours of the morning while praying, it interrupted him. And he was hard on himself, but prayer was relaxation, peace, and strength in his life. When he had to make complicated or difficult decisions he retired in prayer. He was a faithful bishop to the Magisterium, in their roles, Emerge Clara familiarity with the documents of Vatican II, Medellin, Puebla, and the Social Doctrine of the Church. Twenty days before his death, March 2, 1980, in a homily on Sunday he said: “Brothers, the glory of a pastor is to live in communion with the Pope.”
