3rd Sunday of Lent

The 3rd Sunday of Lent reminds us that God offers us new life. In one year, Jesus meets a woman at a well and offers her living water. She comes to believe in Him and tells others. This shows that Jesus knows our past and still invites us to follow Him. His love is for everyone.

In another year, Jesus clears the temple, calling people to respect God’s house. He also speaks about His death and rising again. Another Gospel tells of a fig tree that gets one more chance to grow. These readings teach us to turn back to God, change our ways, and make room for Him. The 3rd Sunday of Lent is a time to listen, believe, and grow in faith.

Click on the appropriate year below to see resources, themes, homilies, and more. See how to determine the correct year.

3rd Sunday of Lent Year A
3rd Sunday of Lent Year B
3rd Sunday of Lent Year C

Mass Readings for the 3rd Sunday of Lent Year A

See resources, homilies, and more for the 3rd Sunday of Lent Year A readings here.

• First Reading – Exodus 17:3-7: The Israelites, while wandering in the wilderness, grew thirsty and complained to Moses about the lack of water. God instructed Moses to strike a rock with his staff, and water poured out for the people to drink, thus demonstrating God’s provision and care for his people.
• Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 95: Worship and praise God with joy and thanksgiving, and to listen to his voice without hardening hearts. This psalm warns against the temptation to doubt or test God, referencing the Israelites’ behavior at Meribah and Massah.
• Second Reading – Romans 5:1-2, 5-8: Through faith in Jesus Christ, believers have been justified and made at peace with God. This access to grace gives hope and allows believers to boast in the glory of God. The passage goes on to express the incredible love of God demonstrated in Christ’s death for sinners, which highlights the depth of God’s love for humanity.
• Gospel – John 4:5-42: Jesus meets a Samaritan woman at a well and engages her in conversation. Through their discussion, Jesus reveals himself as the Messiah, and the woman becomes a believer and shares the news of Jesus with her community, leading many to believe in him as well.

Mass Readings for the 3rd Sunday of Lent Year B

See resources, homilies, and more for the 3rd Sunday of Lent Year B readings here.

• First Reading – Exodus 20:1-17: God gives the Ten Commandments, which are a set of fundamental laws given by God to the Israelites through Moses. The commandments cover various aspects of human behavior, such as the obligation to worship God alone, honor parents, avoid murder, adultery, theft, and false witness.
• Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 19: God’s words are perfect, trustworthy, right, and true, bringing wisdom and joy to those who follow them. The psalmist emphasizes the value of God’s words, which are more precious than gold and sweeter than honey.
• Second Reading – 1 Corinthians 1:22-25: Paul explains that the message of the cross may seem foolish to some and a stumbling block to others, but to those who are saved, it is the power of God. He contrasts the wisdom of the world with the wisdom of God, asserting that God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.
• Gospel – John 2:13-25: Jesus goes to Jerusalem during Passover and becomes angry at the merchants and money changers in the temple, accusing them of turning the house of God into a marketplace. When challenged, Jesus predicts his own death and resurrection, and many believe in him because of the miracles he performs.

Mass Readings for the 3rd Sunday of Lent Year C

See resources, homilies, and more for the 3rd Sunday of Lent Year C readings here.

• First Reading – Exodus 3:1-8A, 13-15: Moses encounters God in a burning bush at Horeb. Instructed to remove his sandals on holy ground, he is tasked to rescue Israelites from Egypt, armed with God’s name, “I AM.”
• Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 103: I praise the Lord for His kindness: forgiving sins, healing diseases, rescuing lives, and crowning with love. He is righteous, merciful, and gracious, with boundless mercy.
• Second Reading – 1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12: Our forefathers, guided by a cloud and sea, were baptized into Moses, shared spiritual sustenance, and drank from Christ, the spiritual rock. Their failures in the wilderness warn us against evil cravings and complacency.
• Gospel – Luke 13:1-9: Jesus addressed the news of Galileans killed by Pilate, emphasizing that suffering isn’t directly linked to personal sinfulness. He called for repentance to avoid a similar fate. He then told a parable of a barren fig tree; a gardener sought more time to nurture it, symbolizing God’s patience and call for repentance.

Lookup Other Liturgical Dates in the Lectionary

The Bible is the full collection of sacred books. The Lectionary is a book used at Mass that contains selected readings from the Bible. These readings follow the Church calendar and help guide us through the seasons of the liturgical year. Not every verse from the Bible is included, but each Sunday, such as the 3rd Sunday of Lent, has chosen passages meant to help us reflect and grow in faith.

The Lectionary follows a set pattern. Sundays go through a three-year cycle: Year A, Year B, and Year C. Each year focuses on a different Gospel writer. Weekday readings follow a two-year cycle. During special seasons like Lent and Easter, the Gospel of John is often used. The readings at Mass in the United States come from the New American Bible. This keeps the readings consistent in churches across the country, including on the 3rd Sunday of Lent.

How to Determine the Liturgical Year

The liturgical cycle is a three-year sequence of A, B, and C.

• 2024 is Year B
• 2025 is Year C
• 2026 is Year A
• 2027 is Year B
• 2028 is Year C
• 2029 is Year A
• 2030 is Year B
• 2031 is Year C
• … and so on

The 3rd Sunday of Lent helps us think about what we are really seeking in life. In one Gospel, Jesus meets a woman at a well. He offers her living water, something much deeper than just water for drinking. She comes to believe in Him and shares the good news with others. Her life is changed because she listened and responded.

In another year, Jesus clears the temple. He sees that people are not respecting God’s house. He reminds them that worship should be honest and true. He also speaks about His death and resurrection, which His followers will understand later.

Another reading tells the story of a fig tree that hasn’t grown any fruit. The gardener asks for one more chance to care for it. This reminds us that God gives us time to grow and change.

The 3rd Sunday of Lent calls us to listen, repent, and start again with hope.

The 3rd Sunday of Lent invites us to reflect. What is Jesus offering you? What do you need to change?

Read the Scripture readings. Think about how they speak to your life. Share your thoughts or your experience in the comment section.