Mass Readings – Wednesday of the 3rd Week of Lent
Jesus comes to fulfill the Law, teaching as the new Moses and inviting us to draw close to God in a new and powerful way.
***************
Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
Category Archives: Lent
Daily Mass: The command, example and freedom of forgiveness. Catholic Inspiration
Mass Readings – Tuesday of the 3rd Week of Lent
We forgive:
- Because the Lord commands us
- To imitate the Lord’s example
- To be freed from the bondage of sin
And so…to whom do we have to say “I’m sorry” or “I forgive you” today?
*****************
Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
Share this:
4th Sunday of Lent: Seeing God at work in our world.
Study: Reflect back on a moment when you suddenly “saw” a situation clearly. What helped you make sense of it?
Pray: Do you feel like you are in the dark right now? Ask God for the light of grace to find your way.
Serve: Do you know someone who is struggling to act in a situation? How can you help them stay in God’s light?
Mass Readings – 4th Sunday of Lent
Let’s take a quick look at an overview of the readings this week:
- 1st Reading – Samuel “sees” David and anoints him with the Spirit
- Psalm – “The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.”
- 2nd Reading – We are children who live in the light of Christ
- Gospel – Jesus heals a man who was blind from birth
Images of sight, light, and darkness appear throughout these readings, reminding us of the crucial role our sight plays in daily life. As we rely on our eyes, we recognize light and color as it interacts with our senses and guides much of our action.
God helps Samuel to see – not with human but heavenly eyesight – the qualities that will make David king of Israel; Jesus helps the man born blind to see the face of the living God. Ephesians reminds us that as children of the light we turn away from darkness and live in goodness, while the Psalmist gives us courage to walk in the darkest of valleys…confident that the Lord is at our side.
For we know that the darkness is a part of life; indeed, many of us have had the experience of darkness – where fear, doubt, and indecision hold us in a grip of paralysis – and we understand all too well our sense of loneliness and loss.
The Good News: God restores our sight – helping us to see the Lord at work in our world – and inspires us to direct our thoughts, words and actions by the light of faith. May the Light of Christ open our eyes and guide our steps through this life!
***************
Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
Share this:
3rd Sunday of Lent: We thirst…for Jesus Christ. Catholic Inspiration
Mass Readings – 3rd Sunday of Lent
Our spiritual thirst helps us understand that there is a need in our hearts that will only be met by Jesus. May we pay attention to the thirst in our souls and respond – not to the temptations or distractions of the world – so that our we can drink deeply from the Water of Life.
***************
Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
Share this:
Daily Mass: Two sons, two sides of mercy. Catholic Inspiration
Mass Readings – Saturday of the 2nd Week of Lent
The parable of the Prodigal Son is well known and it speaks to some deep forces in our hearts. Like the two sons, we have the chance each day to “come to our senses” to receive mercy and “celebrate and rejoice” when we can share that mercy with one another.
***************
Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
Share this:
Daily Mass: Facing rejection with the gift of faith. Catholic Inspiration
Mass Readings – Friday of the 2nd Week of Lent
Both the 1st Reading and the Gospel detail stories of rejection: Joseph is sold into slavery by his brothers for 20 pieces of silver and Jesus explains how the tenants kill the vineyard owner’s son. Yet in both cases the reality of rejection is transformed and redeemed by God’s grace. May we face our moments of rejection with the power of our faith in Christ, that God will work in our lives to bring about good.
***************
Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
And to all of you who claim even a wee bit of Irish…Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Share this:
Daily Mass: Trust in the Lord! Catholic Inspiration
Mass Readings – Thursday of the 2nd Week of Lent
Jesus speaks the parable of the rich man and Lazarus to the pharisees, commenting on issues of Heaven/Hell, life after death, and the fact that we have all the information we need to live our faith. The point: we trust the Lord in this life to be ready to meet Him in the next.
***************
Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
Share this:
Daily Mass: The greatest must be a servant. Catholic Inspiration
Mass Readings – Wednesday of the 2nd Week of Lent
Who are the greatest among us? Those who serve and act as instruments of the grace and power of Christ. May we all become great!
***************
Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
Share this:
Daily Mass: Helping one another. Catholic Inspiration
Mass Readings – Tuesday of the 2nd Week of Lent
One way we can measure our success as disciples: how we help one another. Whether it is the justice described by Isaiah or the example of Jesus in the Gospel, the Lord accepts our service toward one another as if it were done to Him.
***************
Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
Share this:
3rd Sunday of Lent: Thirsting for Living Water
Study: Reflect on a time when you felt a deep emptiness in your soul. Where did you find relief?
Pray: Is there a longing in your heart right now? Ask the Lord to touch your life with his grace.
Serve: Many people are struggling, sometimes lost in destructive distractions; how can you help them?
Mass Readings – 3rd Sunday of Lent
As we enter into the heart of Lent, we encounter two readings that speak of a fundamental human need: to satisfy our thirst. We have all known moments of thirst, accompanied by the profound satisfaction of a cool drink of water. The relief is tangible, and the sensation reveals in a direct way how our bodily needs can be fulfilled.
In the first reading the people are grumbling to Moses in their thirst for water. A miracle is performed by the power of God, and the people once again witness the Lord’s presence in their lives.
In the Gospel of John, Jesus is standing by a well and strikes up a conversation with a Samaritan woman. Here, however, there is more than just physical thirst; the Lord speaks to her heart and satisfies a deep longing for spiritual life. In turn, she goes back to the villagers and brings them to Jesus…so that their spiritual thirst might be quenched as well.
Today we reflect on the reality of physical thirst to help us understand the longing in our souls. What’s missing in our lives? Do we have an ache, an emptiness that longs to be fulfilled?
There are many temptations and distractions in the world that promise fulfillment: drugs, alcohol, sex, money, power, fame, beauty…but all of these ultimately leave us empty. They are pleasing for a moment, but we long for something lasting.
Jesus Christ is the answer. The Lord comes to us in our need, knows our sins, and invites us to draw into his grace. Christ speaks to the deepest longings in our hearts and offers the love, joy and peace that reign supreme in the halls of Heaven.
May we draw close to the Lord today in our need, trusting in his compassion and mercy to quench our spiritual thirst!
***************
Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
Share this:
Catholic Inspiration – Podcast Archives of Homilies & Talks- Daily Mass: Our faith in Christ unites us in heart and mind
- Daily Mass: It is the Holy Spirit, and not our ego, that directs our faith
- Study, Pray, Serve: 3rd Sunday of Easter
- 2nd Sunday of Easter: Peace be with you
- Daily Mass: The Holy Spirit emboldens us to live our faith
- Daily Mass: We seek to do the will of God
- Daily Mass: Knowledge of Scripture is knowledge of Christ
- Daily Mass: We receive the gift of God and share it with others
- Daily Mass: Christian faith speaks to the mind and the heart
- Daily Mass: Our lives give witness to our faith in Christ
Three Great Things 