Joshua 5:9–12
The people of God went to the Promised Land and there kept the Passover.
Psalm 33(34):2–7
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
2 Corinthians 5:17–21
God reconciled himself to us through Christ.
Luke 15:18
I will rise and go to my Father and tell him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
Luke 15:1–3, 11–32
‘Your brother here was dead and has come to life.’
This people is the People of God, purchased by Christ’s Blood, gathered together by the Lord, nourished by his word. It is a people called to bring to God the prayers of the entire human family, a people giving thanks in Christ for the mystery of salvation by offering his Sacrifice.
—General Instruction of the Roman Missal, §5
In these days of Lent, we journey as God’s people to welcome new members into the Body of Christ. This journey began with God’s work through the redeeming blood of Christ. In our weekly gathering for Mass, the community serves as God’s ambassador and provides a tangible example of the good news of reconciliation that God extends to all. We are called to share this gift of reconciliation through the unity that is evident in our lives.
‘We place before you with joy these offerings, which bring eternal remedy, O Lord, praying that we may both faithfully revere them and present them to you, as is fitting, for the salvation of all the world.’
—prayer over the offerings
Matthew 4:17
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, king of endless glory!
Repent, says the Lord;
the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, king of endless glory!
by Cathy Jenkins
In Australia, the transition into Lent also signals (in most states, at least) a move from summer into autumn. The evenings grow cooler, giving way to darker mornings. And there is a stillness about autumn that encourages a quietening of the spirit—perhaps bringing with it an invitation to cultivate a Lenten spirit.
From the moment we hear the cry from the Book of Joel on Ash Wednesday, ‘No, no—it is the Lord who speaks—come back to me with all your heart, fasting, weeping, mourning’ (Joel 2:12), we are invited to plunge into a different world, a different way of being, a time for us to strip away the excess of our lives enabling us to be more attentive to God’s presence.
The readings for Ash Wednesday are the same each year, and our first meeting with the Lenten Jesus is from Matthew’s Gospel. This is the teaching Jesus, who offers us an insight into how to live our Lent. It is from the texts of this day that we can see where the ancient Lenten practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving have emerged. In addition, we are reminded that God ‘sees all that is done in secret; and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you’ (Matthew 6:18).
Prayer, fasting and almsgiving are three practical strategies that, if we accept the invitation, will help us return to God. The liturgical elements of Lent have come from careful reflection on the Scriptures and the deep desire to keep alive the mystery that is celebrated. From the earliest times in Jewish-Christian history, there has been a yearning to prepare for the feast of the Resurrection of Christ or the Pascha (Passover). The rituals and symbols associated with Lent enable us to engage more deeply in this change-of-heart time.
Many of us are aware that colour can affect our mood and feelings. Lent is rich in colour, helping reveal to us the sentiments of the season. On Ash Wednesday, we move from the green of Ordinary Time to violet. Over time, violet (or purple) has come to symbolise repentance and penance, and it is a colour that is also associated with royalty. In addition to vestments, many churches use altar and/or lectern frontals or panels of colour as a further reminder that the season has changed. Parishes who have printed bulletins may choose to print on purple paper. Depending on local practice, rose may replace violet on Laetare Sunday (the fourth Sunday of Lent), softening the tone for the fourth Sunday and reinforcing the entrance antiphon for this Sunday: ‘Rejoice, Jerusalem and all who love her. Be joyful, all who were mourning; exult and be satisfied at her consoling breast’ (cf Isaiah 66:10–11).
The violet vestments of the five weeks of Lent give way to red for Passion Sunday; liturgically we notice that red is also the liturgical colour for Pentecost Sunday, for the Sacrament of Confirmation, for Good Friday and for when the feast day of a martyr is celebrated. We may associate red with danger, fire, blood and high emotion. We return to violet for the remainder of Holy Week and move to white for the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, and white and gold for the Easter Vigil and following Sundays of Easter. White is the colour of celebration and joy.
As much as possible, flowers are avoided in the church during Lent, with this sparseness being transformed at the Easter Vigil or dawn Easter service by flowers and greenery symbolising new life. The General Instruction to the Roman Missal advises that ‘Moderation should be observed in the decoration of the altar … During Lent it is forbidden for the altar to be decorated with flowers. Laetare Sunday (Fourth Sunday of Lent), solemnities, and feasts are exceptions’ (§ 305). There is something about the lack of flowers that will also remind us that this is a time of stripping away or paring back, a time of simplicity.
Music is simplified, and we notice the absence of the celebratory Gloria and use of the term Alleluia. In keeping with the other aspect of the season, it is also an opportunity for the music of Lent to invite contemplation and penance. It may also be helpful to think about how silence is used in the liturgy during Lent. Perhaps instead of a post-Communion hymn, for example, there could be a period of silence. It might be helpful to provide some information to the community if silence is to be used in a different way—this will save the anxious looks from ministers and members of the congregation. It can sometimes be assumed that silence means something has gone awry!
How parishes honour the call to pray, fast and give alms may differ; there may be an emphasis on Project Compassion with a Project Compassion box prominently displayed. This offers a visual reminder that we are called to be generous, to give alms. Perhaps a bowl of ashes from Ash Wednesday is placed in front of the lectern as a reminder that we are in a time of repentance. Perhaps the holy water jar is placed on its side as part of a Lent display reminding us that we are preparing to receive the water of life at the Easter Vigil ceremony.
Opportunities may be provided for communal prayer and reflection. The psalms of Lent may provide an opportunity for a parish focus, or perhaps a weekly opportunity to attend the evening prayer of the Church. Some parishes may offer the Stations of the Cross during Lent, or perhaps on some evenings in Lent, the church may be left open for people to stop and ‘pay a visit’. Lent may also encourage a greater emphasis on a daily reading of the Word. The Lent readings are rich with image and ancient stories, and provide a wonderful opportunity to encourage a form of lectio divina.
Perhaps some other spiritual reading opportunities could be provided for the community: readings about the patron saint of the parish could be made available, or perhaps an invitation to read some of the great spiritual writers such as Thomas Merton or Teresa of Avila. Or a more contemporary focus could be adopted, with readings from John O’Donohue or Ron Rolheiser, for example. Perhaps a link to some reading could be offered as part of the Lent bulletin, inviting people into contemplation. It might be as simple as inviting the community to take into their hearts every day the psalm response for that Sunday of Lent. Imagine if everyone in our community spent the week praying the following psalm responses two or three times a day:
This year we journey through Lent with the Gospel of Luke (Year C) as our guide on Sundays; the weekday Lent readings are from Year II. RCIA parishes may choose to build their Sunday liturgy around the Year A readings, which are taken from the Gospel of John because they speak more directly to the scrutiny period. This is a local decision, and consideration should be given to what will best suit the community. Lent may be an opportunity for parishes to reinvigorate a focus on the reading of Scripture and there are a variety of Lent programs to support this.
Guided by the Lenten Scriptures and our prayers, we enter more deeply into the spirit of Lent. We may become more aware of the penitential nature of the season, and we may be drawn to opportunities to participate in the sacrament of Penance. At this moment in our history, the sacrament of Penance is not widely accessed. Perhaps Lent provides an opportunity for a gentle reminder about the beauty of this sacrament and about the need for all of us to say sorry. A particular treatment of the penitential rite at Mass during Lent may assist with this. Over the days of Lent, a penitential litany could be developed, with the community invited to add to it and to ponder it during the days of Lent.
Some years ago, the spiritual writer Joyce Rupp walked the Camino de Santiago with a friend and reflected upon this experience in a book called Walk in a relaxed manner: Life lessons from the Camino (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, c. 2005). She commences her pilgrim journey with this reflection:
Imagine walking on a path where millions of feet from other lands and cultures have previously walked, feet that have trod hundreds of miles to reach a sacred site. Think of what it would be like to have that same path and those same stones beneath your feet as you, too, walk for many weeks to reach the same destination (p. 26).
Perhaps this is a little like the path we walk in Lent. This Lenten path has been walked by millions of our ancestors. And in Joyce Rupp’s words, ‘Each of us has a Camino, a road of life. This road allows us access to the spiritual richness of those who have travelled before us and those who travel with us now’ (p. 32).
As the forty days of Lent progress, the story of Jesus’ journey to the cross and beyond intensifies. This physical journey of Jesus offers readers a sense of urgency. Each year the rich scriptural passages take us on a journey that prepares us for Holy Week and the dramatic recalling of Jesus’ death and resurrection.
And perhaps this is a little of what we are trying to do when we create an environment for people of faith to enter into the Lenten spirit. It is a way of reminding us that in Lent we join with pilgrims all over the world as we once again bring our joys, troubles and hopes and add them to the cross that Jesus continues to carry for us. But we do this in the sure knowledge that in the echo of our ancestors and the splash of water on Easter night, we can proclaim that Jesus, who was once was dead, is alive.
Cathy Jenkins is the Executive Director: Mission Leadership at Mercy Health. She has also worked as a teacher, in education-system leadership with the Archdiocese of Melbourne and the Diocese of Sandhurst, as a publisher and editor, and as a leader of evangelisation for the Archdiocese of Melbourne. She is a member for the Australian Catholic Church Plenary Council.
This has been adapted from an article first published in The Summit Online in 2019.
By Paul Taylor
The Stations or Way of the Cross is one of the most traditional and identifiable devotional practices in Catholicism whereby the faithful are invited to focus their prayer and contemplation on fourteen steps in Christ’s suffering and death (and, in more recent versions, Christ’s resurrection from the dead). The devotional practice can be traced back to the practices of early Christian pilgrims who visited the various historical sites in Jerusalem that came to be associated with Christ’s suffering and death (sometimes known as the ‘Via Dolorosa’). These pilgrimages began in the early patristic period and continued throughout the middle ages. For the benefit of those Christians who could not make these often demanding pilgrimages, local churches produced their own versions of the stations in order to bring the practice closer to home.
When the Franciscans became custodians of the historical sites in Jerusalem and the Holy Land in 1342, they began to popularise the devotion, and it was not long before the practise spread to other parts of western Europe. Like other devotional practices, there was a degree of variety regarding the number and name of each station. Since around the sixteenth century, there have been fourteen stations, many of which can be identified in parish churches today. This ‘traditional’ set of fourteen was popularised by Leonard of Port Maurice (fl. 1750), who was also involved with establishing the famous set of stations in the Colosseum in Rome.
In 1975, the Congregation of Rites in Rome produced a revised version of the Stations of the Cross, where each station is based on an event recorded in Sacred Scripture. While the number remains constant, those stations without scriptural foundation have been deleted, namely, the falls of Jesus, Jesus meeting his mother and Veronica wiping the face of Jesus. This revised version was used at times by Pope (now Saint) John Paul II.
The Stations of the Cross serve a similar role to the passion narratives in the gospels: they invite us to contemplate and draw strength from the suffering and death of the Lord Jesus. The stations connect us with the early Church, whose members looked forward with eager hope to Christ’s coming again in glory. When we look at the stations now, we are called to reflect upon Christ’s example of total gift of self in his suffering and death, and we are invited to follow his path of love, self-sacrifice and service in our lives. The aim is not historical re-enactment of past events but savouring the Lord’s presence among us and being inspired by his words and witness.
When we pray the Stations of the Cross, many of the texts that are used are drawn directly from Sacred Scripture or possibly from the Church’s liturgy. The Scriptures might be used as direct quotations, or in some cases, they are given a new form of address—for example, in the Fourth Station (Jesus before Pilate) in John 18:37: ‘Yes, I am a king. I was born for this, I came into the world for this’ becomes ‘Yes, you are a king. You were born for this, you came into the world for this.’ In this way, the words of Jesus become the words of his body, the Church.
When celebrated as a public devotion, the Stations of the Cross take the form of a dialogue between the leader—who may be the bishop, priest, deacon or some other minister—and the people gathered. The response by the people tries to provide a heartfelt response to the event of the passion being depicted. Provision is made for singing (e.g. ‘Stabat mater’ or ‘By the cross, her vigil keeping’) by the people during each station as a way of fostering their contemplation of Christ’s passion and death, and also to cover any processional movement from one station to the next.
The Stations or Way of the Cross work best when there is a real sense of processional movement. Stations that are arranged with some distance between each scene (or cross on a wall) provide the best opportunity for a public celebration and can also cater well for private devotion. Public celebrations involve the ministry of the celebrant, who is assisted by a cross bearer, two candle bearers and sometimes a book bearer. Musicians also provide an important leadership role.
In terms of practical details, the following suggestions by Bishop Peter Elliott in Ceremonies of the Liturgical Year (San Francisco: Ignatius, 2002) may be useful:
The Way of the Cross provides room for devotional adaptation and can be supplemented by dramatisation and the inclusion of Scripture readings, good music, poetry and reverent silence. Judicious use of light and darkness can also be effective in fostering an evocative atmosphere. Whatever form is adopted, the ceremonial should speak for itself without requiring verbose commentaries and without becoming overly sentimental. The Stations of the Cross can also be adapted for use with children.
The version of the stations that is used in each parish during Lent and Holy Week will undoubtedly depend upon the set of stations that is arranged in each worshipping space. Both versions have devotional validity. The revised version is particularly useful during ecumenical gatherings when the stations are prayed, whereas the once ‘traditional’ version is considered by some to be especially appropriate during Lent as it does not yet depict Christ’s resurrection. Whatever version is used, the crucial point is to be still at each station, contemplate Christ’s suffering and death and resurrection, and unite one’s heart, mind and will with the Lord Jesus as represented in the moving scenes.
Dr Paul Taylor is Executive Secretary of the ACBC Bishops Commission for Liturgy and of the National Liturgical Council. This article was first published in The Summit Online in 2019.
Written by Fr Elio Capra
I need to issue this warning because that is what happened to me many years ago when I was studying the long journey of the catechumens towards the celebration of the sacraments of Christian initiation.
The journey included a long period of catechesis (the catechumenate), concluding with the Rite of Election, when the catechumens gathered around their bishop and handed in their names to be written in the Book of the Elect. At the end of the ceremony, the bishop would declare the newly elect ready to begin a period of intense preparation before celebrating the sacraments of Christian initiation at the Easter Vigil.
This intense period of preparation is the origin of Lent. It had a twofold purpose: purification and enlightenment. This twofold purpose is clearly described in Hosea 2:14–15. The Lord notices that Israel, his bride, has grown lukewarm, and so the Lord takes the initiative to rekindle the love:
‘Therefore, I will now allure her and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her … there she shall respond as in the days of her youth, as at the time when she came out of the land of Egypt.’
This is the original meaning of Lent: a time when God calls us into the desert so that through a process of purification and enlightenment, we will once again fall in love with Christ and make him the centre of our lives. Lent is about falling in love again with Jesus Christ. It is a time to fall in love again with the One who loves and longs for our love. It is the experience of God’s love that will give us the strength and courage to rid ourselves of any obstacles in the way of our relationship with Jesus Christ.
The process of purification and enlightenement becomes evident and alive through the celebration of the scrutinies. They are rituals celebrated during the third, fourth and fifth weeks of Lent to prepare those who are to be initiated (the elect) during the Easter Vigil (RCIA, §133). What is the purpose of the scrutinies? According to the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults:
They are meant to uncover, then heal all that is weak, defective, or sinful in the hearts of the elect; to bring out, then strengthen all that is upright, strong and good. For the scrutinies are celebrated in order to deliver the elect from the power of sin and Satan, to protect them against temptation, and so to give them strength in Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life.
—RCIA, §128
This passage clearly states that in order to become followers of Christ, the elect will have to undergo a challenging and demanding process of purification. As such, the scrutinies need to be celebrated properly and correctly.
Because the correct and proper method of purification and enlightenment is so essential, the Church does not want this to be the work of an individual or individuals who arbitrarily judge whether the elect are ready for initiation. Spiritual purification and enlightenment can only be done after consulting the guidelines and criteria given to the Church by Jesus, the Word of God, who came to call and to heal sinners. This is why the scrutinies are always celebrated after the Liturgy of the Word of God. The three gospels of the third, fourth and fifth Sundays of Lent in Year A become the criteria for the scrutinies. Jesus is proclaimed, is present and is encountered as the living water (the story of the woman at the well in John 4:5–42), as the light (the story of the man born blind in John 9:1–41) and as new life (the story of the raising of Lazarus in John 11:1–45).
Through these three gospels, the church is asking the elect: If you want to become a follower of Christ, does your heart really seek Christ
The world asks the question: ‘What can I get out of life?’ The Gospel’s question is far more challenging and demanding: ‘What does God want me to do with my life so that I may love God with all my heart and my neighbour as myself?’
These three gospels will inspire the elect to be united with Christ, but at the same time, they will uncover the weaknesses in their hearts. In order to be able to accept Christ as the living water, the light and the new life, the heart must be scrutinised and purified. The Word of God therefore will uncover:
Jesus, the living Word of God, does not uncover to condemn or to judge, but in order to heal and forgive. The exorcism celebrated during the scrutinies is a proclamation of the fact that God’s love for the elect is stronger and more powerful than their own sins and weaknesses: ‘In the rite of exorcism … the elect are freed from the effects of sin and from the influence of the devil. They receive new strength in the midst of their spiritual journey and they open their hearts to receive the gifts of the Saviour’ (RCIA, §131).
The Liturgy of the Word is then followed by the actual scrutiny. Scrutinising one’s heart is very challenging, demanding and often painful. The elect are not left to carry this out alone and isolated. They are gathered in the presence of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit (the trinitarian circle of love), of the angels and of all the saints. The whole parish community surrounds them and embraces them with their prayers and support. In this company, and only in this company, does the Church invite the elect to face sin and Satan and to uncover what is weak, defective and sinful in them in order to be transformed and to turn to Christ as their living water, their new light and their new life.
During the scrutinies, the elect are the primary, but not the exclusive, beneficiaries of God’s healing and transforming love. The whole community is invited to enter into the process of purification and enlightenment in two ways.
First, the presence of the elect reminds the whole Christian community that God is scrutinising not only the hearts of the elect, but also the hearts of every individual gathered to celebrate the scrutinies. Every member of the community is challenged to allow the proclamation of the three Lenten gospels—to love Jesus Christ as the living water, the new light and the new life—to purify and heal their hearts. The symbols of living water, new light and new life are the very symbols of our baptism. Lent, therefore, is our yearly calling and invitation to a renewal of our baptismal privileges, promises and commitments.
Second, the presence of the elect reminds and challenges the whole community to reflect on the missionary dimension of the church and of every member of the Church community. The very reason for the existence of the Church and of all her members is for mission. The presence of the elect during the celebration of the scrutinies asks every member of the community the following questions: ‘How do I live out my missionary privilege and responsibility as a baptised Christian? How do I, through my words and actions, attract and invite others to enter into a relationship with Jesus Christ as the centre of their lives?’
If your parish is blessed with the presence of catechumens, make sure that the scrutinies are celebrated by the whole community with solemnity and integrity. If your parish does not have catechumens, ask your parish priest and your parish council, ‘Why doesn’t our parish attract new members to become followers of Christ?’
I started with a question: ‘Is it really Lent without catechumens and without the scrutinies?’ My short answer is, ‘Yes, it is, but you will be missing out on a great deal!’
Rev. Dr Elio Capra SDB, a Salesians of Don Bosco priest, lectures in liturgical and sacramental theology at Catholic Theological College, Melbourne.
This article originally appeared in The Summit Online in 2019. It is a summary of the workshop Fr Elio delivered at the liturgical planning day ‘The Lenten Jesus: Discerning the Way’. It also appeared in the March 2019 edition of Melbourne Catholic.
Featured image: Edward Coley Burne-Jones, Christ and the Woman of Samaria at the Well, 1880.
These Stations of the Cross—also downloadable as a PDF via the link above—have been prepared for individual and group use, and are based on the Gospel of Luke. For each station, a biblical text is offered as a point for meditation, followed by a short thought to reflect on. The biblical text is drawn from the New Revised Standard Version of the bible. A suggested mantra for moving between stations is the Taizé chant ‘Jesus remember me’, the text of which is taken from Luke 34:42.
God of life and living, today, Good Friday, we recall the story of Jesus’ life; we retell the story of his suffering, and we remember the sacred story of his death on the cross. Jesus lived, died and rose to help us understand more about you. In your graciousness, bless us on this most solemn of days and make us holy.
Leader: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
Now when all the people were baptised, and when Jesus also had been baptised and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.’
Jesus was about thirty years old when he began his work.
—Luke 3:21–23
(Reflect) We pray for those we love. We commend them to the loving care of the Lord.
Leader: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
Sing: Jesus, remember me, when you come into your Kingdom Jesus, remember me, when you come into your Kingdom.
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness where for forty days he was tempted by the devil …
Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written, “He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you,” and “On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.”’
Jesus answered him, ‘It is said, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”’
When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time.
—Luke 4:1–2, 9–13
(Reflect) We think and pray for those who are tested in our society. We commend them to the loving care of the Lord.
Leader: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
Sing: Jesus, remember me, when you come into your Kingdom Jesus, remember me, when you come into your Kingdom.
He came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples followed him. When he reached the place, he said to them, ‘Pray that you may not come into the time of trial.’ Then he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed, ‘Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but yours be done.’ Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and gave him strength. In his anguish he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground. When he got up from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping because of grief, and he said to them, ‘Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not come into the time of trial.’
—Luke 22:39–46
(Reflect) We allow whatever is in our hearts to rise in prayer to our God.
Leader: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
Sing: Jesus, remember me, when you come into your Kingdom Jesus, remember me, when you come into your Kingdom.
After three days Mary and Joseph found Jesus in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, ‘Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety.’ He said to them, ‘Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?’ But they did not understand what he said to them. Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart.
—Luke 2:46–51
(Reflect) We think and pray for our own family. We commend them to the loving care of the Lord.
Leader: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
Sing: Jesus, remember me, when you come into your Kingdom Jesus, remember me, when you come into your Kingdom.
Jesus got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore … ‘Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.’ Simon answered, ‘Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.’ When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. So they signalled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, ‘Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!’ For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken … Then Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.’ When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.
—Luke 5:3, 4–9, 10–11
(Reflect) We think about and pray for those we know who carry others’ burdens. We commend them to the loving care of the Lord.
Leader: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
Sing: Jesus, remember me, when you come into your Kingdom Jesus, remember me, when you come into your Kingdom.
A woman in the city, who was a sinner, having learned that he was eating in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster jar of ointment. She stood behind him at his feet, weeping, and began to bathe his feet with her tears and to dry them with her hair. Then she continued kissing his feet and anointing them with the ointment … Then turning toward the woman, Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has bathed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.’ Then he said to her, ‘Your sins are forgiven.’ But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, ‘Who is this who even forgives sins?’ And he said to the woman, ‘Your faith has saved you; go in peace.’
—Luke 7:37–38, 44–50
(Reflect) We reflect on sin. We ask God to pardon our sins.
Leader: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
Sing: Jesus, remember me, when you come into your Kingdom Jesus, remember me, when you come into your Kingdom.
While everyone was amazed at all that he was doing, he said to his disciples, ‘Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into human hands.’ But they did not understand this saying; its meaning was concealed from them, so that they could not perceive it. And they were afraid to ask him about this saying.
—Luke 9:43–45
(Reflect) We pray for all who are unjustly treated. We commend them to the loving care of the Lord.
Leader: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
Sing: Jesus, remember me, when you come into your Kingdom Jesus, remember me, when you come into your Kingdom.
Soon afterwards Jesus went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve were with him, as well as some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their resources.
—Luke 8:1–3
(Reflect) We pray for those who model accompaniment through lives of service. We commend them to the care of the Lord.
Leader: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
Sing: Jesus, remember me, when you come into your Kingdom Jesus, remember me, when you come into your Kingdom.
Jesus said, ‘Simon, Simon, listen! Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your own faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.’ And Simon said to him, ‘Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death!’ Jesus said, ‘I tell you, Peter, the cock will not crow this day, until you have denied three times that you know me.’
—Luke 22:31–34
(Reflect) We pray for those who find life a burden. We commend them to the loving care of the Lord.
Leader: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
Sing: Jesus, remember me, when you come into your Kingdom Jesus, remember me, when you come into your Kingdom.
Now the men who were holding Jesus began to mock him and beat him; they also blindfolded him and kept asking him, ‘Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?’ They kept heaping many other insults on him.
—Luke 22:63–65
(Reflect) We pray for those whose lives are affected by violence. We commend them to the loving care of the Lord.
Leader: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
Sing: Jesus, remember me, when you come into your Kingdom Jesus, remember me, when you come into your Kingdom.
Two others also, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with Jesus. When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.’ And they cast lots to divide his clothing. And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, ‘He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!’ The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, and saying, ‘If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!’ There was also an inscription over him, ‘This is the King of the Jews.’
One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, ‘Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!’ But the other rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ He replied, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.’
—Luke 23:32–43
(Reflect) We pray for all those who suffer. We commend them to the loving care of the Lord.
Leader: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
Sing: Jesus, remember me, when you come into your Kingdom Jesus, remember me, when you come into your Kingdom.
It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, while the sun’s light failed; and the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, ‘Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.’ Having said this, he breathed his last. When the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God and said, ‘Certainly this man was innocent.’ And when all the crowds who had gathered there for this spectacle saw what had taken place, they returned home, beating their breasts. But all his acquaintances, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.
—Luke 23:44–49
(Reflect) We pray for our dead. We commend them to the loving care of the Lord.
Leader: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
Sing: Jesus, remember me, when you come into your Kingdom Jesus, remember me, when you come into your Kingdom.
Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph, who, though a member of the council, had not agreed to their plan and action. He came from the Jewish town of Arimathea, and he was waiting expectantly for the kingdom of God. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.
—Luke 23:50–52
(Reflect) We pray for those who seek to be free of burden and worry. We commend them to the loving care of the Lord.
Leader: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
Sing: Jesus, remember me, when you come into your Kingdom Jesus, remember me, when you come into your Kingdom.
Then he took the body of Jesus down, wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid it in a rock-hewn tomb where no one had ever been laid. It was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was beginning. The women who had come with him from Galilee followed, and they saw the tomb and how his body was laid. Then they returned, and prepared spices and ointments.
On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.
—Luke 23:53–56
(Reflect) We ask you, Jesus, to open our hearts in order that we may know deeply the power of your resurrection.
Leader: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
Sing: Jesus, remember me, when you come into your Kingdom Jesus, remember me, when you come into your Kingdom.
Loving God, we believe that in Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, we have the great sign of hope for the world. In this world, people live prayerfully, simply and generously—always mindful of your abiding presence.
May we go this day: blessed by your great love, inspired by the selfless love of Jesus and enlivened with the hope of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Image credits Cover: Christ, detail from Crucifixion by Cimabue (San Domenico, Arezzo, Italy) Other images: Baptism of Christ (12th century, mosaic) Cappella Palatina di Palermo; The Road to Calvary by Maurice Denis; Deposition of Christ by Fra Bartolomeo. All images sourced from Wikipedia Commons.
Prayer-related news and articles from the Vatican, including commentary on the Pope’s monthly prayer intentions
The Pope’s monthly prayer intentions, including a link to the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, where you can find videos and reflections based on each month’s intention
Prayers of the People for this Sunday and previous Sundays, from Australian Catholics Magazine, published by Jesuit Communications
Pray.com.au—a free daily prayer service from Jesuit Communications, providing reflections on the day’s Gospel readings as well as other articles exploring people’s experiences of God
Pray as you go—a popular audio app and website with daily prayer sessions based on Ignatian spirituality and incorporating Scripture, music and questions for reflection, produced by Jesuit Ministries UK
The Examen—a strikingly designed downloadable prayer resource based on the Examen, published on The Well website by Catholic Youth Paramatta
Franciscan Media—a US Franciscan spirituality website that includes a range of useful prayer and devotional resources such as Minute Meditations and Pause+Pray
Daily intercessions for the prayer of the faithful, from the Catholic Archdiocese of Adelaide
Prayer of the Church—a succinct introduction to praying the Liturgy of the Hours from the Catholic Diocese of Maitland–Newcastle
How to pray the rosary—an 11-minute YouTube video from Catholic Online that clearly and engagingly explains how to pray the rosary
The Way of Prayer resource from the Teresian (Discalced) Carmelites in Australia—a comprehensive guide to the life of prayer, including a variety of approaches to Catholic prayer
Prayer resources from the Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart—a rich collection of prayers and liturgies for feasts and commemorative days, as well as traditional devotions and prayers in the spirit of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop
Prayers of the faithful for each Sunday from the Catholic Diocese of Auckland
Pray.com—a Christian prayer app with daily and nightly prayers, bedtime Bible stories, a ‘read the Bible in a year’ program and Christian podcasts
Jerusalem Bible © 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd and Doubleday & Company Inc.
Jesus told a parable to his disciples: ‘Can one blind man guide another? Surely both will fall into a pit? The disciple is not superior to his teacher; the fully trained disciple will always be like his teacher. Why do you observe the splinter in your brother’s eye and never notice the plank in your own? How can you say to your brother, “Brother, let me take out the splinter that is in your eye,” when you cannot see the plank in your own? Hypocrite! Take the plank out of your own eye first, and then you will see clearly enough to take out the splinter that is in your brother’s eye.
‘There is no sound tree that produces rotten fruit, nor again a rotten tree that produces sound fruit. For every tree can be told by its own fruit: people do not pick figs from thorns, nor gather grapes from brambles. A good man draws what is good from the store of goodness in his heart; a bad man draws what is bad from the store of badness. For a man’s words flow out of what fills his heart.’
(Luke 6:39–45)
Points of interest and Catholic lore
Jesus often used parables as a teaching tool. These are generally brief stories that have a double meaning, and we should read them for their metaphorical interpretation rather than their literal meaning.
Luke continues with his examination of the new order ushered in by discipleship and delves into the personal dimension of what it means to be a follower of Christ. The ‘fully trained disciple will always be like his teacher’. Jesus offers himself as a model of non-judgment. Judgement, after all, belongs only to God. Echoes of last week’s text can be heard in this week's gospel: ‘Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate. Do not judge and you will not be judged yourselves; grant pardon and you will be pardoned.’ Disciples must recognise their own shortcomings and work tirelessly to rectify them so that what issues forth from their hearts are the good fruits that only true goodness of heart can produce.
Opportunities for group discussion and personal prayer
A closer look at the Scripture of the day, to see how it makes more explicit God’s word to us through the teachings of Jesus Christ
From its earliest days, the Church has provided an avenue through which to help the faithful recognise and address human frailty and weakness. The sacrament of reconciliation provides us an opportunity to confess our failings before God, seek his forgiveness for them and become reconciled again in his love. The Church describes ‘interior penance’ as ‘conversion of the heart, interior conversion’ (CCC, §1430). This notion of heart conversion is central to Jesus' message in the gospel text:
Interior repentance is a radical reorientation of our whole life, a return, a conversion to God with all our heart, an end of sin, a turning away from evil … At the same time it entails the desire and resolution to change one’s life, with hope in God’s mercy and trust in the help of his grace.
(CCC, §1431).
This text again immediately follows last week’s gospel and continues the theme we have begun to explore. The Gospel's demands are both surprising and challenging. In this week's text, the emphasis shifts to the necessity and importance of scrutinising our own conduct. True disciples are in no position to judge others, but they must honestly confront what lies in the depths of their own hearts.
Practical ideas for group leaders to employ in connecting Scripture and daily life, with suggestions for music and environment
Jerusalem Bible © 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd and Doubleday & Company Inc.
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘I say this to you who are listening: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who treat you badly. To the man who slaps you on one cheek, present the other cheek too; to the man who takes your cloak from you, do not refuse your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and do not ask for your property back from the man who robs you. Treat others as you would like them to treat you. If you love those who love you, what thanks can you expect? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what thanks can you expect? For even sinners do that much. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what thanks can you expect? Even sinners lend to sinners to get back the same amount. Instead, love your enemies and do good, and lend without any hope of return. You will have a great reward, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.
‘Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate. Do not judge, and you will not be judged yourselves; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned yourselves; grant pardon, and you will be pardoned. Give, and there will be gifts for you: a full measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap; because the amount you measure out is the amount you will be given back.’
(Luke 6:27–38)
Points of interest and Catholic lore
This gospel contains the most challenging of all Christian commandments, as well as probably the most difficult commandment to keep: love your enemies and do good to those who hurt you.
In last week’s gospel, the disciples learned that they must be committed to a new order if they are to be faithful followers of Jesus. This week’s text reveals how they must live in that new order; in a sense, it provides the practical details of being a follower. What Jesus is suggesting should not be confused with passivity, inaction or resignation in the face of persecution and injustice. On the contrary! Jesus is suggesting radical action: that we believers act towards others without being asked, and that we offer friendship and pardon constantly, without asking or hoping for anything in return. In Jesus, we find God’s self-revelation, his actions in and for the world, and his plan for salvation and its fulfilment. Followers of Jesus must act in these ways precisely because they are the ways of God.
Opportunities for group discussion and personal prayer
A closer look at the Scripture of the day, to see how it makes more explicit God’s word to us through the teachings of Jesus Christ
This text—along with the fifth commandment, ‘Thou shalt not kill’—offers clear guidance to the Church in relation to acts of violence and war. And yet, shamefully, we can all point to some terrible events in history in which the Church seems to have disregarded such guidance.
Crucially, we must recognise that sometimes the Church—a divine institution that is also limited by human frailty in its actions and historical circumstances—must seek to redress any situations of injustice or hurt in order to move forward in a way that aligns more closely with God’s plan for the world.
This text immediately follows the Beatitudes of last week’s gospel, and it continues the theme of radical reversal that the Gospel calls for. What the world might consider simply human nature or a natural response is not the way of Jesus’ disciples, who follow a different world order. Followers of Jesus must act and respond in a certain way because that is the way of God!
Practical ideas for group leaders to employ in connecting Scripture and daily life, with suggestions for music and environment
Jerusalem Bible © 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd and Doubleday & Company Inc.
Jesus came down with the Twelve and stopped at a piece of level ground where there was a large gathering of his disciples with a great crowd of people from all parts of Judaea and from Jerusalem and from the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon. Then fixing his eyes on his disciples he said:
‘How happy are you who are poor: yours is the kingdom of God.
Happy you who are hungry now: you shall be satisfied.
Happy you who weep now: you shall laugh.
Happy are you when people hate you, drive you out, abuse you, denounce your name as criminal, on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice when that day comes and dance for joy, for then your reward will be great in heaven. This was the way their ancestors treated the prophets.
‘But alas for you who are rich: you are having your consolation now.
Alas for you who have your fill now: you shall go hungry.
Alas for you who laugh now: you shall mourn and weep.
(Luke 6:17; 20–26)
Points of interest and Catholic lore
Luke carefully describes who is present at this gathering, which includes the newly formed twelve special friends of Jesus, as well as many other disciples, and both Jews and foreigners who come out of curiosity. Although Jesus' words are meant for all, they are especially addressed to his disciples.
Luke does not address ‘the poor in spirit’ or ‘those who hunger and thirst for justice’ as Matthew does. Luke focuses more on the experiences of those who are literally poor, hungry and suffering. These people were persecuted as part of the status quo of their day—and they were the ones who were open to the new order that Jesus announced in his preaching of the kingdom. The powerful, who directed the established order of the day, could not bear such a challenge to their own position; therefore, they will ‘drive you out, abuse you, denounce your name as criminal’ for preaching the new order of God’s kingdom. This is the challenge that disciples must face.
Opportunities for group discussion and personal prayer
A closer look at the Scripture of the day, to see how it makes more explicit God’s word to us through the teachings of Jesus Christ
‘The Beatitudes confront us with decisive choices concerning earthly goods; they purify our hearts in order to teach us to love God above all things’ (CCC, §1728). The Church does not teach that being wealthy is wrong—in fact, it enshrines the right to own private property. However, it does teach that wealth should be used properly. If acquiring wealth becomes an end in itself, then we have lost sight of what is truly important for our ultimate salvation—that is, our relationship with and fidelity to God. If we are fortunate enough to have more wealth than what we need (not want!), then we are obliged to share our good fortune with those who do not have enough to even meet their basic needs.
Jesus highlights a new order in this text—one in which positions will be reversed. Those who are comfortable and successful, as judged by the standards of the world, and those who pursue worldly concerns will ultimately be the ones who lose. Indeed, the kingdom of God will be for the poor, those who hunger and suffer and those who continue to confess their faith in Jesus.
Practical ideas for group leaders to employ in connecting Scripture and daily life, with suggestions for music and environment