Third Sunday in Lent - C - March 23, 2025
Have you ever questioned the goodness of God in the face of evil? Have you ever been tempted to blame others for their misfortunes whether they deserve the blame or not? These questions are at the heart of the religious dilemma. Why does evil exist, God? Why don't you do something about evil? Jesus answered those questions with another question. How long will we wait before we turn to God in hope, despite the evil that surrounds us?
FIRST READING Exodus 3 recorded the story of Moses and the burning bush. God called out to Moses through the bush, and Moses responded in faith.
PSALM Psalm 103 is a hymn of blessing. The Song calls upon all of us to bless God for his goodness, not to ask for blessings. Instead of masked petitions (our blessings), it turns the notion of blessing into thanks and praise.
SECOND READING In his first letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul drew a parallel between the Exodus and Christian sacraments of initiation. Both journeys lead from death to life, from bondage to freedom.
GOSPEL In Luke's gospel, Jesus answered the question "Why do bad things happen to good people?" According to the Master, we cannot presume the good are being punished for evil, or the evil are receiving their just ends. Instead, Jesus pointed to the mystery of God's actions and the need for repentance.
DAILY READINGS for the Second Week in Lent.
FEAST OF ST. JOSEPH March 19, 2025
CHILDREN'S READINGS In the story for the first reading, Paul and Theo started a club with a secret code word, names they called each other that represented qualities of their personalities. When God revealed his name to Moses, he revealed a quality of his being. He was the God who acted with power. In the story for the gospel, Kathy called Tammy a name and hurt her feelings. Instead of getting back in Kathy's face, Tammy decided to cool off and think of the right way to resolve the dispute. Like Tammy, Jesus told a parable about God's patience with us. He wants to resolve our convicts and forgive us.
CATECHISM LINK In this week's Catechism Link, we study the Lordship of Jesus.
FAMILY ACTIVITY Springtime is a season for planting. Use this theme to create a poster of "God's Garden." How can we grow in that garden?