Saturday of the 3rd Week of Lent

• First Reading – Hosea 6:1-6: God promises healing and revival to those who return to Him, with His arrival as certain as the sunrise. Yet, He questions Ephraim and Judah’s fleeting loyalty, emphasizing the desire for their love and understanding over rituals and sacrifices.
• Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 51: God desires true repentance over ritual offerings. A heart sincerely remorseful and seeking purification reflects the sacrifice He values, leading to blessings and favor upon His community.
• Gospel – Luke 18:9-14: Jesus tells a parable about a Pharisee and a tax collector who went to the temple to pray. The Pharisee boasts about his righteousness while the tax collector humbly asks for mercy, and Jesus concludes that it was the tax collector who was justified in the eyes of God.

Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.

Luke 18:14

The readings for Saturday of the 3rd Week of Lent beautifully illustrate themes of humility, repentance, and the true nature of righteousness in the eyes of God. Let’s break down these themes a bit more:

• Humility: Both readings highlight the importance of humility in our relationship with God. The tax collector’s humility stands in stark contrast to the Pharisee’s self-righteousness, teaching us that God values a humble heart that recognizes its need for mercy over outward displays of piety.
• Repentance and Return to God: The passage from Hosea invites us to return to God with the assurance of His healing and love. It emphasizes God’s desire for a sincere relationship based on love and knowledge of Him rather than mere adherence to rituals.
• God’s Mercy and Desire for Our Love: These readings collectively remind us of God’s boundless mercy and His yearning for our love over sacrifices and burnt offerings. The emphasis is on the quality of our relationship with God, rooted in understanding, love, and mercy.
• The Nature of True Righteousness: Through the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, Jesus teaches us about the true nature of righteousness. It’s not about boasting of one’s own virtues but recognizing our shortcomings and depending on God’s mercy.
• The Sacrament of Reconciliation: the parable emphasizes the importance of acknowledging our sins and seeking God’s forgiveness with a humble and contrite heart. This is precisely what we do in the sacrament of reconciliation, where we confess our sins to a priest and receive absolution.
• God’s Faithfulness: The imagery of dawn in the Hosea reading symbolizes the certainty and faithfulness of God’s promises. Just as the sunrise follows the night, God’s mercy and healing follow our genuine return to Him.

These themes for Saturday of the 3rd Week of Lent invite us to reflect on our own relationship with God, encouraging us to approach Him with a humble and repentant heart, seeking a genuine connection based on love and understanding rather than outward religiosity.

As we journey through Lent, the readings for Saturday of the 3rd Week offer profound insights into the nature of our relationship with God, emphasizing humility, repentance, and the essence of true righteousness. These scriptures invite us to a deeper introspection and a sincere return to God, with the promise of His unfailing love and mercy.

In the first reading from Hosea, we hear a heartfelt invitation to return to the Lord, who promises healing and revival. This passage beautifully illustrates God’s unwavering faithfulness, likening His arrival to the certainty of the dawn. Here, God’s yearning for us is clear; He desires not our sacrifices but our love, not our burnt offerings but our knowledge of Him. This message challenges us to consider the depth of our loyalty to God. Are we like Ephraim and Judah, whose devotion wavers, or do we seek a steadfast relationship with our Creator, rooted in understanding and love?

The Gospel of Luke presents a striking parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, teaching us about humility and the true nature of righteousness. The Pharisee stands, praying with self-righteousness, listing his virtues as if presenting a resume to God. In contrast, the tax collector, standing at a distance, beats his breast and humbly asks for mercy, recognizing his unworthiness. Jesus concludes that it was the tax collector, not the Pharisee, who went home justified before God.

This parable is a powerful reminder that God’s judgment is not based on our external actions or self-perceived righteousness but on the state of our hearts. It calls us to reflect on our approach to God and others. Do we, like the Pharisee, pride ourselves on our external observances, or do we, like the tax collector, approach God with a humble and contrite heart, fully aware of our need for His mercy?

The readings for Saturday of the 3rd Week of Lent challenge us to break down the barriers of pride and self-righteousness, inviting us to return to God with genuine humility and repentance. They remind us that God’s mercy is always available to those who seek Him with a sincere heart, emphasizing that our relationship with Him should be based on love, understanding, and a humble recognition of our need for His grace.

As we continue our Lenten journey, let these readings inspire us to examine our relationship with God, encouraging us to approach Him with the humility and repentance that He so deeply desires. Let us remember that it is not our outward rituals that please God, but our sincere love and understanding. In doing so, we open ourselves to the healing and revival that God promises to those who return to Him, assured of His mercy and love as certain as the sunrise.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, grant us the humility to acknowledge our faults and seek your forgiveness. Help us to follow the example of the tax collector and have faith in your mercy. Amen.

Word on Fire: Prayer Audience

Bishop Robert Barron’s reflection contrasts the Pharisee’s self-centered prayer with the tax collector’s humble plea in the Gospel for Saturday of the 3rd Week of Lent. He criticizes the Pharisee’s egoistic prayer as inadequate, directed towards a false god of his own making. In contrast, the tax collector’s genuine, God-centered prayer acknowledges his sinfulness and need for mercy, embodying a model of authentic spiritual life. Barron highlights this narrative to encourage approaching God with humility and recognizing our dependence on His grace, rather than boasting of our righteousness.

What date is Saturday of the 3rd Week of Lent?

The next date is Saturday March 29, 2025.

What are the Mass readings for Saturday of the 3rd Week of Lent?

The Mass readings for Saturday March 29, 2025 are:
First Reading – Hosea 6:1-6: A Call to Return to the Lord and Seek Knowledge
Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 51: Emphasizing Mercy over Sacrifice in Prayer
Gospel – Luke 18:9-14: The Pharisee and the Tax Collector

What is the main message of Hosea 6:1-6 for Saturday of the 3rd Week of Lent?

The main message of this reading is God’s call for genuine repentance and return to Him. It emphasizes that God values our love and understanding more than mere rituals and sacrifices. The passage invites us to reflect on the quality of our devotion to God, encouraging us to seek a heartfelt relationship with Him.

How does the Gospel for Saturday of the 3rd Week of Lent relate to the first reading?

The Gospel of Luke 18:9-14 complements the message of Hosea by illustrating the importance of humility and sincerity in our approach to God. Through the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, it teaches us that true righteousness in God’s eyes is not about boasting of one’s piety but about recognizing one’s need for God’s mercy and approaching Him with a humble heart.

Why does God emphasize the desire for love and understanding over rituals in Hosea 6:1-6 for Saturday of the 3rd Week of Lent?

God emphasizes the desire for love and understanding because He seeks a personal and authentic relationship with us. While rituals can be expressions of faith, God values the intention and heart behind our actions more. This teaching urges us to examine the depth of our relationship with God, prioritizing genuine love and understanding over formal observance.

What lesson can we learn from the tax collector’s prayer in the Gospel reading for Saturday of the 3rd Week of Lent?

From the tax collector’s prayer, we learn the power of humility and the recognition of our need for God’s mercy. His example teaches us that approaching God with a contrite heart, acknowledging our sins, and asking for mercy is what justifies us before God, rather than self-righteousness or pride.

How can we apply the messages from the readings for Saturday of the 3rd Week of Lent to our daily lives?

We can apply these messages by cultivating a humble and sincere relationship with God, acknowledging our imperfections, and seeking His mercy. It encourages us to reflect on our actions and intentions, ensuring they arise from genuine love and understanding. In our daily lives, we can strive to serve others with humility, acknowledging our dependence on God’s grace.

What does it mean to be ‘justified’ in the eyes of God, as mentioned in the Gospel for Saturday of the 3rd Week of Lent?

Being ‘justified’ in the eyes of God means being deemed righteous and acceptable before Him, not because of our own merits or actions, but through our faith and humility in recognizing our need for His mercy. It highlights the transformative power of God’s grace in our lives when we approach Him with genuine repentance and humility.