St James Catholic Church

On this, the Third Sunday of Lent, we hear of the foundations of our faith.  First we are reminded of the commandments God gave the chosen people to guide them in their daily living.  St. Paul, in our second reading, explains how Jesus’ self-sacrifice was neither foolish nor weak, for in it he demonstrates the strength life has over death.  The Gospel of John recalls when Jesus cleanses the temple by lashing out at those who profane the house of the Lord.  Jesus goes on to say that he will raise it up in three days in which he is referring to the temple of his body.

After hearing the commandments God delivered to the Jewish nation, we sing, “Lord you have the words of everlasting life.”  The words of everlasting life are glorious, but they are also very difficult.  We fail.  We sin.  We are weak human beings, so we turn to God for strength.  During this penitential season of forty days, we are very much aware of our need for mercy and forgiveness.  We have broken those ten commandments many times.  Our own temples need cleansing.  So God, in His mercy and forgiveness, came to full fruition in Jesus, who redeemed us by taking on our failings, our sins, our mortality.  So we look to God this day for words of mercy and love as we recommit ourselves to our Lenten disciplines of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

Love, Peace, Joy

-Fr. Bob