THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT (C)
24th March 2019


Dear Parishioner,

All three of today's readings speak of God's mercy and compassion in disciplining His children by occasional punishment while giving them another chance despite their repeated sins. He invites us during Lent to repent of our sins and to renew our lives by producing fruits of love, compassion, forgiveness, and faithful service.

The first reading tells us how God shows His mercy to His chosen people by giving them: Moses as their leader and liberator. He declares His intention to use Moses as the leader who will rescue His enslaved people.

The second reading warns us that our merciful God is also a disciplining God. Paul reminds the Christians of Corinth that they must learn from the sad experience of the Israelites who were punished for their sins by a merciful but just God.

Today's Gospel explains how God disciplines His people, invites them to repent of their sins, to renew their lives, and to produce the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Although God patiently waits for sinners to repent, giving them grace to do so, He will not wait forever. Time may run out; therefore, timely repentance is necessary. Hence, one can say, "A Lent missed is a year lost from the spiritual life".

So let us live lives of repentance and be fruitful trees in God's orchard. Lent is an ideal time "to dig around and manure" the tree of our life so that it may bring forth fruits of repentance, reconciliation, forgiveness and sensitivity to the feelings of others. Let us make the best use of the "second chances" God gives us.

SEND, O LORD: HOLY APOSTLES INTO YOUR CHURCH

Fr Sabu Pariyadan RCJ


Notices:

Please remember to pray for:

Daily for the sick clergy of our Diocese

The sick and housebound

Those who have recently died: Monica Burgess

Years Mind:
Monday: Fr John Sherlock
Tuesday: Colin Bennett, Mgr Canon Alfred Gilbey, Fr Denis Hall
Wednesday: Leia Iago
Friday: Fr Joseph Tuohey
Sunday: Canon William Toft


Next Sunday - FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT (C)

First Reading: Joshua 5:9-12
The People of God keep the Passover on their entry into the promised land.

Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:17-21
God reconciled us to himself through Christ.

Gospel: Luke 15:1-3,11-32
Your brother here was dead and has come to life.