Third Sunday of Lent

We pray through the Third Sunday of Lent and explore how the Liturgy of the Word is a living encounter where Christ speaks now, not only then. We walk through each reading’s role, the posture of listening, and simple ways to let Scripture shape prayer and action.

• opening prayers for Lent and intention
• posture of sitting as attentive listening
• Christ present and speaking in Scripture
• unity of Old Testament and Gospel
• psalm as our trained response to God
• second reading as doctrine and exhortation
• Gospel as living presence, not memory
• practical reflection questions for Lent
• closing invocations and blessings

If you found this time of prayer and reflection fruitful and would like more opportunities to grow in your faith this Lent, consider joining the Cristeros and purchasing our Lenten Reflection booklet, now available on Amazon.com
The Cristeros app is available on the Apple app and Google Play Store
More information on the Cristeros can be found at theCristeros.org

Transcript

Posture For The Word

How The Readings Fit Together

The Gospel As Living Presence

Personal Reflection And Closing Prayers

Resources And Next Steps

SPEAKER_00 0:03

The third Sunday of Lent, in the name of the Father, and of the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. O God, come to my assistance. O Lord, make haste to help me. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer you my prayers, works, joys, and sufferings of this day, in union with the holy sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world, for the remission of my sins, for the intentions of my family and friends, and in particular for the intentions of the Holy Father. Amen. The Word of God. Having completed the introductory rites, the Church now has us sit for the reading or proclamation of the Word of God. This posture allows us to be attentive and is not in any way some passive pose meant to encourage zoning out. Rather, like students at the feet of the Master, we sit and are attentive to the very words which fall from his lips. It is as if the Lord is telling us at this moment, be attentive to my wisdom, incline your ear to my understanding. As the word of God resounding in the church, this verse is fitting. For the word, the second person of the Blessed Trinity, speaks to his people at Mass through the Scripture readings. He is present in his word, since it is he himself who speaks when the holy scriptures are read in the church. It is not simply the lector, deacon, or priest reading the passages of the Holy Writ, but Christ, the teacher, himself, proclaiming the word to his faithful people. Christ speaks, and we must listen. The structure of readings is meant to help us delve into this mystery. Generally, on Sundays, the first reading is in some relation to the gospel, often as a prophecy leading to fulfillment. This emphasizes what St. Augustine says of the two biblical testaments. The old is made manifest in the new, and the new is hidden in the old. A psalm or gradual, usually a psalm verse or two, then helps the people to respond to the first reading with words of the word. This teaches us to pray as Jesus and the church would have us do, with the words of Scripture on our lips. The second reading is often Saint Paul, though can be from any of the epistles of the New Testament or the Book of Revelation. This is meant to give doctrinal instruction and moral exhortation to the assembly, that they might better know and live the Christian faith. Finally, the Gospel is the highlight of the liturgy of the Word, and we will see more about this later this week. For now, we can suffice it to say that in the Gospel, Jesus walks among us, preaches the Word, and works his wonders. As a living word, the solemn proclamation of the Gospel is not simply a nostalgic memory of the things past, but a living memory made present now. Jesus is still doing these things among us at this point in the Mass. If we are attentive, the readings of Mass can take us from one degree of glory to another, for they are not dead words, but the Word of God at work in us who believe. Do you strive to hear God speaking to you in the biblical readings? How have the readings made an impact in your heart and prayer this Lent? All that I have, and all that I am, I give to your hands, Jesus, through the heart of Mary, your blessed mother. Amen. Through the sacred heart of Jesus, have mercy on us. Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. If you found this time of prayer and reflection fruitful and would like more opportunities to grow in your faith this Lent, consider joining the Christeros and purchasing our Lenten Reflection booklet, now available on Amazon.com. The Christeros app is available on the Apple app and Google Play Store. More information on the Christeros can be found at theCristeros.org.