The Fifth Sunday of Lent – Second Reading – 03/22/2026

Paul's Letter to the Romans challenges us to live with a mindset focused on things of the spiritual realm rather than the earthly one.

Transcript

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Howdy, and welcome to Bob the Lector. I'm Bob. The purpose of this podcast is to inspire Catholic lectors to bring their proclamation of God's Word to life. This episode is for the March 22nd, Sunday Mass's second reading. It's the fifth Sunday of Lent, year A, a reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Romans. Brothers and sisters, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh. On the contrary, you are in the Spirit, if only the Spirit of God dwells in you. Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is alive because of righteousness. If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also, through his spirit dwelling in you. The word of the Lord. Welcome to the Fifth Sunday of Lent. Only two more weeks till Easter. We're reading from Saint Paul's letter to the Romans. I find this to be a challenging reading, but there are some great nuggets here to lift up the congregation. So let's get to it, shall we? I always start my own lecture practice with preparation, which is not the external proclamation, but the internal discernment of the message. What is God saying to us in this reading? What is the point of this reading? What is the meaning of this reading? Because if it doesn't mean anything to us, how can we as lectors make it mean anything to the congregation before us? For my own preparation, I focus on where the reading aims for the heart, because that's where the strongest emotional connection will register with the people in the pews. This passage has some of that, but also has some complex and, frankly, somewhat confusing esoteric theological statements as well. I don't know if it's possible to fully communicate their meaning as a lector. That's really more the job for the homilist, but we'll give it our best shot. So the intellectual aspect of this reading draws on frequent references to the flesh, twice, and to the spirit, six times, used in different ways. When Paul talks about those in the flesh, he's not talking about our mortal bodies. But that's not clear from this text. Immediately preceding this reading in verse 7, Paul speaks of the concern of the flesh, which clarifies his intent. The Greek word for concern is phronima, which means mindset or a way of thinking. So what Paul has in mind is a way of thinking that's focused just on the flesh. It's limited to thinking about things of this world. Instead, we believers have a mindset focused not on this world, but on matters of the spiritual realm. There are some great opportunities here to engage and lift up the congregation before you. For these segments, take these words out of the hands of Paul to the Romans, and take them into your own hands, and deliver them to the congregation before you in the here and now. What lessons do you get from this reading? We start with, brothers and sisters, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh. On the contrary, you are in the Spirit, if only the Spirit of God dwells in you. Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Him. Consider two ways to kick off this reading and choose the one most authentic for you. Brothers and sisters with an upward lilt, or brothers and sisters with a downward one. Whichever method you choose, these words tell us this is a personal and intimate message, to be presented in a conversational tone, as if you're sitting across the kitchen table talking with the congregation. This informal manner will make the reading more accessible to your listeners. This segment begins and ends with two negative exclusionary messages. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God, and whoever does not have the spirit of Christ does not belong to Him. For the first of these, convert those who are in the flesh into a question. Insert a small pause, then answer with cannot please God. Use the same device for the second, converting whoever does not have the spirit of Christ into a question, again followed by a small pause, then answer with does not belong to him. In between, we have a positive, inclusionary message. But you are not in the flesh. On the contrary, you are in the spirit. Engage the congregation with eye contact and smile during this joyful segment. If you can do so authentically, add a tremble to the back of your throat for you are not, to emphasize that the people before you belong to God, not this world. Moreover, you are delivering this message not to the Roman community two thousand years ago, but to the Christian community before you. Highlight the first flesh, cannot, the first not, contrary, the second you, the first spirit, the second not, and the third not. Insert a small pause after the second you before are in the spirit. Next, but if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the spirit is alive because of righteousness. Smile broadly. Use an animated tone of voice with a sense of joy and wonder about this mystery. Make the people in the pews feel that when we use the word you, we are talking directly to them. Maximize your eye contact to make this real for your listeners. Emphasize Christ, dead, sin, spirit, and alive. Insert a small pause after alive. The last segment. Smile at this point, with as much eye contact as you can muster, or memorize. Use an animated tone and sense of wonder over this good news as you answer. We'll give life to your mortal bodies also, through his spirit dwelling in you. Make sure the people in the pews before you know when you say the words you and your, this is a message directly to them. Stress dwells, the first you, Christ, your, the second spirit, and the second you. Insert a small pause after the second spirit. Well, that's all for now. Thanks for listening. My hope is these ideas will help you find your authentic voice so your proclamation of God's word will transform your listeners, whether they're in pain and broken or just going through the motions. Because the good news deserves great delivery. Visit us on the web at bobthelector.org, and we'll see you at the Ambo.