Saturday of the Third Week of Lent
Reading 1 Hos 6:1-6
it is he who has rent, but he will heal us;
he has struck us, but he will bind our wounds.
He will revive us after two days;
on the third day he will raise us up,
to live in his presence.
Let us know, let us strive to know the LORD;
as certain as the dawn is his coming,
and his judgment shines forth like the light of day!
He will come to us like the rain,
like spring rain that waters the earth.”
What can I do with you, Ephraim?
What can I do with you, Judah?
Your piety is like a morning cloud,
like the dew that early passes away.
For this reason I smote them through the prophets,
I slew them by the words of my mouth;
For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice,
and knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.
Responsorial Psalm PS 51:3-4, 18-19, 20-21ab
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
R. It is mercy I desire, and not sacrifice.
For you are not pleased with sacrifices;
should I offer a burnt offering, you would not accept it.
My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit;
a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
R. It is mercy I desire, and not sacrifice.
Be bountiful, O LORD, to Zion in your kindness
by rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem;
Then shall you be pleased with due sacrifices,
burnt offerings and holocausts.
R. It is mercy I desire, and not sacrifice.
Gospel Lk 18:9-14
to those who were convinced of their own righteousness
and despised everyone else.
“Two people went up to the temple area to pray;
one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector.
The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself,
‘O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity —
greedy, dishonest, adulterous — or even like this tax collector.
I fast twice a week,
and I pay tithes on my whole income.’
But the tax collector stood off at a distance
and would not even raise his eyes to heaven
but beat his breast and prayed,
‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner.’
I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former;
for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,
and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
SICKENING GOD OR PLEASING HIM IN PRAYER
"For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts." –Hosea 6:6
We can go to church and spend our time thinking of ourselves rather than of God. We can put down other people rather than lift up the Lord (see Lk 18:11). We can say words in our prayer that are quite wonderful – if we only lived as if we believed in them (see Hos 6:1-3). We can so nauseate God (see Rv 3:16) in our prayers that He asks the question: "What can I do with you?" (Hos 6:4)
Because of our sin and rebellion, our prayer can be an abomination to the Lord (Prv 28:9). The Lord may even detest, get tired of, and be burdened by our church services (Is 1:14). The Lord has said: "I hate, I spurn your feasts, I take no pleasure in your solemnities" (Am 5:21). The Lord has had enough of our hypocrisy, so He declares: "When you spread out your hands, I close My eyes to you; though you pray the more, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood! Wash yourselves clean!" (Is 1:15-16)
On the other hand, our prayers can be as sweet-smelling incense to the Lord (see Ps 141:2). We can be a joy and a delight to the Lord (Is 65:18). Our lives, prayers, and church services can be so pleasing to the Lord that He rejoices over us with gladness, renews us in His love, and sings joyfully because of us, "as one sings at festivals" (Zep 3:17, 18).
What is God getting out of hearing your prayers and your church services?
| PRAYER: | Father, teach me to live and pray to please You. |
| PROMISE: | "Believe Me, this man went home from the temple justified but the other did not." –Lk 18:14 |
| PRAISE: | John thanks God he found the Catholic Church, Confession, and the Eucharist. He takes the call to repentance very seriously as he begins each Lent by going to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. |
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