Mass Readings for the 3rd Sunday of Lent Year C
- 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.
If your parish is doing the RCIA scrutinies, use the readings for Year A instead.
Themes for the Mass Readings for the 3rd Sunday of Lent Year C
The readings for the 3rd Sunday of Lent for Year C are a call to repent and return to the Lord. The first reading tells of how Moses encountered God in the burning bush. The psalm sings of God's kindness and mercy. In the second reading Paul tells us to learn from the past.
And in the gospel Jesus warns people to change their ways. He also tells the parable of the fig tree. God gives us many opportunities to grow, but we must not resist his efforts to help us mature in faith.
- What needs to change in our lives
- Why do people suffer?
- Who is God?
- Sacrament of Reconciliation
See the Homilies and Reflections section and the More Thoughts section for further expansion on these readings and some reflection questions for the 3rd Sunday of Lent Year C.
Resources for the 3rd Sunday of Lent Year C
Bad Stuff: A Lesson Plan on Suffering and Evil
This Bad Stuff lesson plan on suffering and evil will help youth understand that God does not cause bad things to happen to us. But he wants us to be prepared for bad stuff when we encounter it.
Receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession)
Consider going to reconciliation as a family or with youth group or youth ministry. And then do something afterwards to celebrate this beautiful gift of grace from our Lord. Go out for pizza together or something similar.
Praise the Goodness of God
This prayer praising God's goodness and mercy is based on Psalm 103, which is the responsorial psalm for the 3rd Sunday of Lent Year C.
Newspaper Tower Challenge Game
This is a teambuilding game. Groups of youth will be given a limited number of supplies. Then they use their creativity to build the tallest newspaper tower in a limited amount of time. It ties in with the tower falling in the Gospel.
Lenten Ideas for the 3rd Sunday of Lent Year C
Make Blessing Bags for the Homeless
Almsgiving is one of the traditional Lenten practices. One way to give to the less fortunate is to make blessing bags for the homeless. These care packages can be given to a local homeless shelter or outreach program to be distributed to their clients. You can also keep blessing bags in your car to distribute to any homeless members of the community you encounter in your daily life
Post a Religious Message to Social Media
Some people fast from social media during Lent. This can be a very effective way to regain wasted time. But if you are not fasting from social media, consider posting an inspirational message. This is a really good Lenten practice for teenagers and adults to try.
See More Lenten Ideas
See specific ideas for practicing prayer, fasting, and almsgiving during the Lenten season.
Homilies and Reflections for the 3rd Sunday of Lent Year C
Why the Burning Bush is Such Good News
From Bishop Robert Barron. God appears in a burning bush, a bush on fire but not consumed. God is present to it in the most powerful way, but nothing of the bush has to give in order for God to work with it and through it. When the true God comes close, things are not destroyed; in fact, they become radiant and beautiful.
A Tale of Two Trees
Also from Bishop Barron. Today’s scriptures for the 3rd Sunday of Lent Year C present stories of two trees: the burning bush, that represents the reality of a soul that is receptive to God’s presence, and the fig tree, which represents God’s presence resisted and refused.
A Transformation of Lives
Lent should be for us like the season of reprieve given to the fig tree, a grace period in which we let “the gardener,” Christ, cultivate our hearts, uprooting what chokes the divine life in us, strengthening us to bear fruits that will last into eternity.
Don't Give Up
Jeff Cavins tells us that these readings recall the Israelites’ days in the wilderness and the parable of the fig tree. Never give up on the Lenten journey, because God doesn’t give up on us.
More Thoughts for the 3rd Sunday of Lent Year C
God does not cause suffering, people and circumstances do. The people whom Pilate killed died because of an evil ruler's wrath. Those who died in the tower collapse were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Bad things can happen to good people.
But Jesus is calling for repentance when talking about these incidents. We don't know when our end is coming. These people may have not been right with God when they died. Bad things can also happen to bad people.
We might want to see justice happen in our own lifetimes. We want to see good people rewarded. We want to see bad people punished. But the parable of the fig tree shows us that God is tending to humanity. He is still hoping we will bear fruit. So divine justice is not here yet.
Thus the call to repentance. At some point, the time for judgement will come. We must turn away from sit and turn back to God. We must be willing to let God transform us, even though it might mean cutting away some things we don't want to let go of. Then we can grow into the fig trees God envisions.
Reflection Questions
- What needs to be pruned away in my life?
- Have I recieved gifts in my life which I don't deserve?
- How am I allowing God to transform my life during this Lenten season?
Frequently Asked Questions
Social Media Graphic for the 3rd Sunday of Lent Year C
These things happened to them as an example, and they have been written down as a warning to us, upon whom the end of the ages has come. Therefore, whoever thinks he is standing secure should take care not to fall.
Frequently Asked Questions
What date is the 3rd Sunday of Lent Year C?
The upcoming dates are Sunday March 23, 2025
For other years see the links below:
3rd Sunday of Lent Year A: Sunday March 8, 2026
3rd Sunday of Lent Year B: Sunday February 28, 2027
What are the Mass readings for the 3rd Sunday of Lent Year C?
First Reading – Exodus 3:1-8A, 13-15: Moses and the Burning Bush
Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 103: Celebrating God's Mercy
Second Reading – 1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12: Lessons from Forefathers' Faith
Gospel - Luke 13:1-9: Call to Repentance and Parable of the Fig Tree
If your parish is doing the RCIA scrutinies, use the readings for Year A instead.
What are the themes for the Mass readings for the 3rd Sunday of Lent Year C?
What needs to change in our lives
Suffering
Encountering God in unexpected places
Sacrament of Reconciliation
Divine justice
Bearing fruit
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