3rd Friday in Lent, March 28, 2025
Hos 14:2-10; Ps 81:6c-11b, 14, 17; Mk 12:28-34
The first verse of today’s reading from Hosea, Chapter 14, verse 2 reads: “Return, O Israel, to the Lord, your God.” Often during Lent I try and reflect on what I should give up, change, or just do. So many times, I come up short. This last Sunday, I was thinking about it, and I heard: “Be present.” And then, as I read that first line from today’s first reading, it dawned on me, “Be present for the Lord.” As we go through Lent, like many of the seasons in the Church, we are preparing for the end of that season. In this case, it is Easter Sunday we are waiting for. As we prepare, we tend to forget about where we really are. In this case, the third week of Lent. We are only halfway to Easter, and we are already losing our presence in Lent. I think God is trying to tell us something in that verse, “Return to the Lord your God.” In the psalm, one line in particular, sticks out as well. Psalm 81 verse 17 says: “If only my people would hear me.”
Continuing to reflect on the reading from Hosea, think about how many times the Jewish people turned their backs on God, and then turned around and ran back to Him. The number does not matter. What really matters is they recognized their sin and God forgave them. Just like we have all been doing during the first three weeks of Lent. We have been beating ourselves up for all the sinful things we have done, and rightly so. But now, we repent, purposefully change our ways, stop doing those things and run to God for forgiveness. Running back to Him, we can use the words found in verse 3: “Forgive all my iniquity and receive what is good.” Forgiveness from God is what we receive and an everlasting promise for a strong future.
Once our hearts are free from sin and we are forgiven, God will pour out His graces on us so we can live freely in love. Jesus was asked today’s reading, what was the greatest commandment? It is love. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. And the second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these. So, for these last three weeks of Lent, continue to turn away from what is bad for yourselves, be present, and turn to God with the greatest gift we can give Him, Love. Love for God, and Love for others. For to love God with all your heart, and your neighbor as yourself, is worth more than any sacrifice we could offer.
Saint James Catholic Church 