Sunday, March 3, 2024 – Third Sunday of Lent - Cycle B Readings: Exodus 20:1-17, Psalm 19 “Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.”, 1 Corinthians 1:22-25, John 2:13-25

                           WE PREACH JESUS CHRIST ON THE CROSS
 
The essence of the Readings today is faith. Christ has saved us so we can be free, by taking the Ten Commandments as an answer for the love of God. But our faith can face the problems of those men in the time of Jesus, more than two thousand years ago: with the scandals of the Jews and the madness of the Greek. On Good Friday we will contemplate Christ on the cross, but let's not fall into the mistake of this scandal and this madness. Instead, let us seek to identify ourselves with Christ crucified and renew the mystery of redemption in our own life. Easter will lead us to the conversion through the passion, death, and resurrection of Christ.
 
Sisters and Brothers:
1. Let us think of our conversion. Let's practice a lifestyle more in tune with the Passover of Christ. Easter is the transition into something new. Easter challenges us. We shouldn't just say Alleluia! We must have a great admiration for the powerful action of God who raised Christ. Passover is also our response to God. As it was in the time of the Israelites. The receiving of the sacraments of the Eucharist and confession is the best expression of our consistency. What is communion?
 
Communion is the Alliance to accept what was conquered by Christ on the cross. The chalice of the Blood of Christ is the "Blood of the New Alliance." This is the alliance that we make with God in our baptism, and that we renew at the Easter Vigil. In front of everyone we have renounced to all that is not in accordance with the commandments and we proclaim our faith in God, in Christ, His Spirit, and in His Church.
 
2. Today's Gospel has an essence of true Love. Christ crucified and risen from the dead leads to knowledge and worship of God. The poet Rafael Laffon says: "High teaching you are in, a lesson you are giving fast.... Hands, feet, sides and head attest thread by thread". For he whom faith is revealed the cross becomes a great sign, the divine wisdom available to the poorest. The cross is destroying the church where I worshiped and have discovered the power of Jesus.
 
3. God finds a new way to reveal himself through the cross. He is the only one capable of moving us to conversion, when wisdom and the proof of miracles cannot convert the rational man. God is not known or reached other than through the mystery of the cross. The medieval mystic says: "You move me Lord: moves me to see you nailed to the flesh on that cross; moves me to see your mangled body; moves me, your fight and your death".
 
Easter is approaching. This year we have the possibility to live it with more attention and devotion if we pre-pare beginning today... with a good confession and receiving holy communion. Explain to your children the meaning of each rite. Remember the commandment the Church asks of us "to confess and receive commun-ion at least once a year, around the time of Lent". This is necessary to survive.
 
Source: ePriest.com / Best Practices and Homily Resources for Catholic Priests