Third Sunday of Lent

The Month of March Devoted to Saint Joseph

In other years: Saint Maximilian, Martyr in Africa (d. 295); Pope Saint Innocent I (d. 417); Saint Seraphina (13th century)

Readings of the Day

Rule of Saint Benedict: Ch 34 Distribution of Goods According to Need

Mass: Ex 17:3-7; Resp Ps 95; Rm 5:1-2, 5-8; Jn 4:5-42

Come, let us bow down in worship.

MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE,

SAINT MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL,

PRAY FOR US.

JOSEPH MOST PRUDENT,

PRAY FOR US.

We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

(Rm 5:1)

Welcome to the Third Sunday of Lent. This holy season marches on.

In today's first reading, we have the people grumbling against Moses. It seems they were "dying" of thirst. Is that what they were dying of? And what's more, they were questioning if the Lord was in their midst, or not (see Ex 17:7). Then we have our Samaritan woman at the well. She knew the Messiah was coming, the one called the Christ. She was eager for Him to tell her everything. And there He was speaking to her! (see Jn 4:25-26). With all this news, we know that this is truly the savior of the world (see Jn 4:42). United in faith and prayer, we should have no anxiety at all ... (see Ph 4:6).

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.

Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

(Mt 6:34/KJV)

Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil,

graciously grant peace in our days,

that, by the help of your mercy,

we may always be free from sin

and safe from all distress,

as we await the blessed hope

and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

(Order of the Mass, Communion Rite, Lord's Prayer, Prayer of the Priest)

Today, therefore, we can ask ourselves: Do I thirst for God? Do I realize that I need His love like water to live? And then: Am I concerned about the thirst of others? May our Lady intercede for us and sustain us of the way.

(Pope Francis, Angelus Address, Third Sunday of Lent, March 12, 2023)

SAINT MAXIMILIAN,

POPE SAINT INNOCENT I,

SAINT SERAPHINA,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: Let us kneel before the Lord who made us.

© Gertrude Feick 2023