By Fr. Andrew Kelly
THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT – MARCH 3, 2013
Twice in Sunday’s Gospel (Luke 13:1-9) Jesus makes the same comment about events that resulted in the sudden, tragic deaths of innocent people: “No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.”
There was a belief that if someone died before they repented, they would be lost forever.
The season of Lent began with these words: “Repent, and believe in the Gospel.”
For a believer in Jesus Christ, repentance means a total radical conversion and commitment to the person, words and deeds of Jesus Christ. This is what it means to “believe in the Gospel.”
Repentance and conversion is a daily occurrence. Every day there is the call to “believe in the Gospel” through every thought, word and deed of the day.
Rabbi Eliezer was an ancient Jewish rabbi whose wisdom gives insight into Ash Wednesday’s words: “Repent, and believe in the Gospel.”
“‘Repent one day before dying!’ When the disciples inquired as to how it was possible to know on which day they would die, the rabbi replied: ‘That is just what I mean. Because a person does not know when he will die, he must therefore repent every day!’”
(Father Andrew Kelly is a retired priest of the Diocese of Davenport.)
Scripture Readings for March 3-10
Sunday
Ex 3:1-8a, 13-15
1 Cor 10:1-6, 10-12
Lk 13:1-9
Monday
2 Kgs 5:1-15ab
Lk 4:24-30
Tuesday
Dn 3:25, 34-43
Mt 18:21-35
Wednesday
Dt 4:1, 5-9
Mt 5:17-19
Thursday
Jer 7:23-28
Lk 11:14-23
Friday
Hos 14:2-10
Mk 12:28-34
Saturday
Hos 6:1-6
Lk 18:9-14
Sunday
Jos 5:9a, 10-12
2 Cor 5:17-21
Lk 15:1-3, 11-32
