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March 9, 2013

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Saturday of the Third Week of Lent 
Lectionary: 242

Reading 1HOS 6:1-6

“Come, let us return to the LORD,
it is he who has rent, but he will heal us;
he has struck us, but he will bind our wounds.

Hosea invites the people of Israel to return to God, "Turn back to God.  He has struck us down, but He will also build us up.  He will heal us.

He will revive us after two days;
on the third day he will raise us up,
to live in his presence.

And He will raise us on the third day that we might be in His presence forever.

Let us know, let us strive to know the LORD;
as certain as the dawn is his coming,
and his judgment shines forth like the light of day!

Let us turn to God and work hard to do His Will because it is certain that His Day is coming.  And His Judgement is like a piercing light that sees everything.

He will come to us like the rain,
like spring rain that waters the earth.”

His coming is as predictable as the rain which soaks the earth."

What can I do with you, Ephraim?
What can I do with you, Judah?
Your piety is like a morning cloud,
like the dew that early passes away.
For this reason I smote them through the prophets,
I slew them by the words of my mouth;
For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice,
and knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

God says, "What can I do with the people of Israel?  Their faith is like the morning dew which is dried off by the sun.  It lasts but a second and that fades away.  This is why I punished them through my prophets.

I desire love, not sacrifice.  Understanding rather than offerings." 

Responsorial PsalmPS 51:3-4, 18-19, 20-21AB

R. (see Hosea 6:6) It is mercy I desire, and not sacrifice.Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
R. It is mercy I desire, and not sacrifice.

I desire that you love one another, not sacrifices of sheep and cows.
God be kind to me and forgive my sins.  In your mercy, erase my sins.  Wash me in your grace and cleanse me from all spot of evil.

For you are not pleased with sacrifices;
should I offer a burnt offering, you would not accept it.
My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit;
a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
R. It is mercy I desire, and not sacrifice.

You don't care about dead animals offered to you.  You want us to sacrifice our lusts and evil spirits.  You want us to turn to you in humility and goodness of heart.

Be bountiful, O LORD, to Zion in your kindness
by rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem;
Then shall you be pleased with due sacrifices,
burnt offerings and holocausts.
R. It is mercy I desire, and not sacrifice.

Grant us your great mercy, O God.  Rebuild our city and accept our sacrifices which we offer in humility and obedience. 

GospelLK 18:9-14

Jesus addressed this parable
to those who were convinced of their own righteousness
and despised everyone else.

Jesus told this story to the Pharisees who were sure that they were better than everyone else.

“Two people went up to the temple area to pray;
one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector.

Two people went to Church to pray.  One was a minister of God's people, the other a tax collector.

The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself,  ‘O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity — greedy, dishonest, adulterous — or even like this tax collector.  I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.’

The minister began to say these things to God.  "Thanks be to God that I am not like the rest of the rabble.  I am not greedy, I'm not a liar, I am faithful to my wife.  I am not like this sorry tax collector.  I abstain from food twice a week and I pay money to the Church.

But the tax collector stood off at a distance
and would not even raise his eyes to heaven
but beat his breast and prayed,
‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner.’

But the Tax Collector did not even consider himself worthy to come close to the altar nor even to turn his face in the direction of heaven.  But lowering himself as far as he could, he beat his breast in sadness and prayed, "Be merciful to me, O Lord, for I am a sinful man."

I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former;
for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,
and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

I tell you the Tax Collector went home justified and not the Pharisee.  For God raises the humble but the prideful He fells to the ground.