5th Sunday of Lent, Cycle C

Prayer 

Father, through our observance of Lent, help us to understand the meaning of your Son’s death and resurrection, and teach us to reflect it in our lives. Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Commentary

1st Reading: Isaiah 43:16-21

The Kingdom of Israel had long been divided (Israel in the North and Judah in the South) by the time Isaiah offered his prophetic voice. He warned of the impending destruction of Jerusalem and how the Jews would be forced into exile because of their sins.

However, not to be a prophet of doom-and-gloom, Isaiah assures those who will listen that God will be their Savior. He says:

“See, I am doing something new!

Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?”

The Psalm for this Sunday reflects the joy that the people will feel when they return from exile and are reunited with God:

“When the Lord brought back the captives of Zion, we were like men dreaming. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with rejoicing.”

Despite their sins, God loved his chosen people and longed for their return.

Question:

Am I dwelling on my past sins and wrongdoings? If so, what can I learn from this reading from Isaiah?

2nd Reading: Philippians 3:8-14

This Second reading from St. Paul continues the theme found in Isaiah. Don’t look back!

“Forgetting what lies behind but straining forward to what lies ahead, I continue my pursuit toward the goal, the prize of God’s upward calling, in

Christ Jesus.”

Considering everything as a loss, except life in Christ, Saint Paul is urging the Philippians to leave the things of this world behind. This includes sin.

Acknowledging our sins is fine. Dwelling on our sinful nature is not. We should dwell on how Christ has taken possession of us. This means that our new nature is grace – not sin. Abiding in grace is the way to live.

St. Paul warns us about trying to fix our sinful nature on our own. He acknowledges that he himself must not fall into the trap of “having any righteousness on [his] own based on the law but that which comes through faith in Christ.” The great temptation to fix our sins on our own is a trap. We end up getting into more trouble. Instead, placing our hope and faith in Christ will lead us from such a trap and into a righteous and grace-filled life with God.

Question:

Have I ever tried to fix my bad habits on my own without God’s help?

How do I feel when I call on Christ to come to my assistance?

Gospel: John 8:1-11

What did Jesus write on the ground? While no one is certain, the earliest Christian Fathers of the Church assumed that he may have written the passage from Jeremiah 17:13:

“O LORD, the hope of Israel, all who forsake you will be put to shame. Those who turn away from you will be written in the dust because they have forsaken the LORD, the spring of living water.”

This may have some validity, since Jesus refers to himself as the “spring of living water,” in John 7:38 (just 11 versus prior to this story of the woman caught in adultery).

If this is the case, one could assume that Jesus was setting a trap for the crowd. He writes this passage and, presuming that the crowd had read what he wrote, they would have guessed that this passage was referring to the adulterous woman.

Then Jesus straightened up and said, “Let the one among you who is without sin …” Jesus, again, writes in the dust. Now, they understand that the passage is referring to them.

Whether or not this is the passage that Jesus wrote in the dust, we can all agree that the message he was delivering was, “Hey sinners! Turn to me! Oh! And, don’t cast stones!”

We all need to come to Christ, the spring of living water. It is only in Christ that we are washed clean from our sins. No one is exempt from this, for we all have sinned.

Question:

Have I ever been quick to cast stones at another for the wrongs they have done to me or to others?

This Week’s Task 

You may want to attend a Sacrament of Reconciliation service in our area. This is a perfect way to prepare for Easter and renew our Baptismal commitment to Christ, the Spring of living water, who washes away our sins.

Group Prayer

After a brief examination of conscience in silence, the group leader invites the community to say the Confiteor:

I confess to almighty God, and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and what I have failed to do; through my own fault, through my own fault, through my most grievous fault; therefore I ask blessed Mary, ever virgin, all the angels and saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.

The prayer continues with Psalm 126.

Psalm 

Response: The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.

When the Lord brought back the captives of Zion,

we were like men dreaming.

Then our mouth was filled with laughter,

and our tongue with rejoicing.

R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.

Then they said among the nations,

“The Lord has done great things for them.”

The Lord has done great things for us;

we are glad indeed.

R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.

Restore our fortunes, O Lord,

like the torrents in the southern desert.

Those that sow in tears

shall reap rejoicing.

R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.

Although they go forth weeping,

carrying the seed to be sown,

They shall come back rejoicing,

carrying their sheaves.

R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.

Conclude with an Our Father

Used with permission. All rights reserved. Christ in Our Neighborhood is a Scripture program designed by Bishop John P. Dolan of the Diocese of Phoenix.