March 23, 2025 – Third Sunday of Lent

Our Great Journey

This week is Our Great Journey at Church. Please remember your items for the Mercy Bags. Check your email for the link with items to bring.

The theme is “Till the Soil” based on Luke 13:1-9 / Lucas 13:1-9

All pray the Sign of the Cross

Lord Jesus Christ, as we look at the crucifix, we remember your suffering, we see your love. May this reminder of your sacrifice help us to give ourselves to others. May we become more loving. Amen.

In addition to our prayers from the heart, our prayer for March is The Rosary. Pray one decade. Children should know which prayers to pray on the beads. www.usccb.org/how-to-pray-the-rosary. Practice learning the Hail Holy Queen to close the Rosary.

Using the Bible, invite a family member to read the Gospel aloud.

Things to talk about:

In this Gospel, Jesus tells us to repent. To repent is to be sorry for something you’ve done wrong. Why is it important to repent?
What does it take to make a plant grow? What are some things you have to do to take care of it?
Jesus shares a parable about nurturing a fig tree that is not bearing fruit. What is Jesus teaching us in this parable?
What can I do this week to till the soil and help build God’s kingdom?

Things to do:

If you haven’t been to sacrament of Reconciliation, make a point to go this week.
Pick up a copy of the Lent Trivia Quiz while you are at Our Great Journey. Winner gets to bake the Oatmeal Fig Cookies! (Recipe below.)
Purple is the liturgical color for Lent, and it represents repentance (turning away from sin). Where do you see purple at Mass today?
Oatmeal Fig Cookies Eat this dessert with figs to remind you of the parable in today’s Gospel passage.1 cup butter, softened, 1 cup packed light brown sugar, 1/3 cup granulated sugar. 1 egg. 1 ½ tsp vanilla, 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 2 ½ cups quick cooking oats, ¾ cup dried figs, diced, (optional) 10 oz. dark chocolate chips Preheat oven to 350 F. Beat butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a bowl until creamy. Add egg and vanilla, beat well. Combine flour and baking soda, add to butter mixture beating well. Stir in oats, figs, and optional chocolate chips. Using a teaspoon, drop heaping scoops onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for 1 to 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Closing Prayer

Prayer for those in Religious Life

Inspired by St. Rafqa Pietra Choboq Ar-Rayes, pray today for those in religious life and for those who may be called to join a religious order.

Heavenly Father, in Your wisdom, You have called certain women and men to a life of special consecration. In prayerful observance of a lifestyle of poverty, chastity, and obedience, they are witnesses to us and show us that, as St. Paul says, “our true citizenship is in heaven.” Give them, Lord, the grace of joy and perseverance as they live their holy vocation. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Name those who need our prayers.

Catholic Insights

This Gospel prepares us to hear Lent’s call to conversion and repentance.

The intention of the crowd reporting about the massacre of Galileans by Pilate, seems to be asking Jesus to explain why these people suffered. Jesus replies that even a fatal accident, a natural disaster are not to be interpreted as punishment for sin.

The parable of the barren fig tree contrasts the patience and hopefulness of the gardener with the practicality of the property owner. Jesus gives us an image of God’s patience and hopefulness as he prepares his Kingdom. Yes, God calls us to repent. God is merciful, he tends to us so that we may bear the fruit he desires from us.

This is our reason for hope: Not only does God refuse to abandon us, he tills the soil, he chooses to attend to us even when we show no evidence of his efforts. We too, are called to till the soil, to help others to come to believe in the Gospel.

Did you know….During Lent, at the 9:30 a.m. Mass, those preparing to be baptized at the Easter Vigil participate in three rites called the Scrutinies, which happen on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th Sundays of Lent. The Scrutinies and the readings for these Masses offer a special chance for personal reflection and self-examination for those preparing for baptism.

Resources adapted from 52Sundays.com, Celebrating the Lectionary, At Home with the Word, Celebrating Families, Sunday Connection

Fig trees do not flower like many other fruit-bearing trees. The flowers that are produced by fig trees are actually inside of the fruit. When you eat figs, the small crunchy pieces inside are seeds that come from these internal flowers. Fig trees have been propagated since ancient times.