A Homily for the Third Sunday of Lent

+ At the end of the Gospel of this Holy Mass Our Lord responds to those praising the privilege given to His Blessed Mother in bearing Him with the unexpected yet poignant riposte: “Blessed rather are those who hear the Word of God and keep it!” The Church meditates on this teaching throughout much of the year in the Gospel of the third votive Mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Saturdays. But on this third Sunday of Lent—and throughout the coming week—we would do well to ponder it a little more closely.

If we are here this morning (or reading this text) it is probable that we are blessed by God’s Providence to be amongst those who have heard the Word of God—that we self-identify as Catholics. We can sing the Creed with faith, and indeed we believe it. Deo gratias! But of course, the gift of faith is not a gnostic treasure to be guarded parsimoniously. It is not a lamp to be hidden under a bowl but is to shine for all to see so that others may come to live in and by its light. (cf. Mt. 5:15)

Now, whilst it is, please God, true that we believe and are indeed grateful for the gift of faith, we may at times hesitate to put the light of our faith on a stand so that others can come to that same faith and be sustained in living it by the radiance of our example. Indeed, at times, the light shed by our own living of the faith may currently be somewhat dim for various reasons. Our Lord’s command to “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven,” (Mt. 5:16) may cause us more embarrassment at times than anything else—be that in respect of our fundamental living of Christian life, or be it in respect of our particular vocation. For it is not enough simply to hear the Word of God, to have faith, to hear His call; no: in order to enjoy the beatitude of eternal life we must also keep His Word—we must live according to it; we must respond wholeheartedly to His call.

It is apposite, then, that Our Holy Mother the Church confronts us with this teaching as Lent progresses. For Lent is indeed the time to make a frank assessment of my Christian life. Lent is the time to strip away the distractions and pretences through self-denial and to take time to ask myself in all candour in the silence of prayer: do I keep the Word of God? Am I responding wholeheartedly and without reservation to God’s call to serve Him in my particular vocation? Or am I holding back? Am I happy enough to be Catholic, for sure, but am nevertheless not quite prepared to give myself to God completely so that He can make use of me according to His plan—in ways that I simply cannot presently imagine? Am I too attached to my own will? Do I cling to my vices, even as I know that they are sinful?

In examining our consciences in respect of keeping the Word of God, the Gospel of Sexagesima Sunday (the Parable of the Sower; Lk 8:4-15) is of real help. The Sower, as we know, scattered the seed in different places and on different types of soil. Our Lord explains:

“The seed is the word of God. The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, that they may not believe and be saved. And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy; but these have no root, they believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. And as for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bring forth fruit with patience.”

Where am I in respect of this? What type of soil is my heart, mind and soul? What rocks and thorns need to be removed from them so that, as well as hearing the Word of God, I shall actually faithfully and fruitfully keep it? What do I need to change so that in due season I shall bring forth that fruit that only the generous following of my particular vocation can ensure?

My brothers and sisters, these questions cannot be ignored or postponed forever. Spiritual procrastination risks spiritual death and eternal condemnation—which is why our Holy Mother, the Church, calls us each year in Lent to put aside the distractions and diversions that surround us and to take stock of the state of our souls. Let us contemplate Our Lord’s insistence that we keep the Word of God carefully in these sacred days, for even our busyness about right and good things can become a distraction that prevents us from responding to God’s will and His call, be we in the world or in the cloister.

As we go now to His altar let us ask anew for the grace and humility this Lent ever to be more attentive to His voice so that we may come to rejoice in the beatitude of those “who hear the Word of God and keep it.” +