THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT CYCLE C

THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT CYCLE C

INTRODUCTION:

Unless you repent, you will all perish. These hard words come from the mouth of Jesus. We read them today because we are approaching Easter, and it is already Lent’s third Sunday. We will try to repent. We will try to approach Easter in the same way Moses approached God in the burning bush. Moses showed us what it meant to repent. He fell to the ground. He respected God. He asked him what to do. He surrendered to him

GOSPEL: LUKE 13: 1-9

Some people told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices. Jesus said to them in reply, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were greater sinners than all other Galileans? By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did! Or those eighteen people who were killed when the tower at Siloam fell on them—do you think they were guiltier than everyone else who lived in Jerusalem? By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!” And he told them this parable: “There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard, and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none, he said to the gardener, ‘For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree but have found none. So cut it down. Why should it exhaust the soil?’ He said to him in reply, ‘Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future. If not you can cut it down.'”

Disability Parking

Please be mindful of the designated parking for persons with disabilities. Even if you are late for Mass, please leave the spaces FREE for persons with genuine disabilities

THE THREE PILLARS OF LENT

PRAYER | FAST | ALMSGIVING

1 PRAYER

EVERY FRIDAY DURING LENT

• 17:00 Stations of the Cross at St Jude
• 17:30 Mass at St Jude
• 18:00 Stations of the Cross at Regina Pacis
• 18:30 Growing in Faith session in the Hall.

LENTEN RETREAT AT RPP

17:00 Stations of the Cross at St Jude
17:30 Mass at St Jude
18:00 Stations of the Cross at Regina Pacis
18:30 Growing in Faith session in the Hall

2 FASTING

DO YOU WANT TO FAST THIS LENT?

In the words of Pope Francis

• Fast from hurting words and say kind words
• Fast from sadness and be filled with gratitude.
• Fast from anger and be filled with patience.
• Fast from pessimism and be filled with hope.
• Fast from worries and have trust in God.
• Fast from complaints; contemplate simplicity.
• Fast from pressures and be prayerful.
• Fast from bitterness; fill your hearts with joy.
• Fast from selfishness and be compassionate.
• Fast from grudges and be reconciled.
• Fast from words; be silent and listen.

3 ALMSGIVING

LENTEN APPEAL COLLECTION

Envelopes are available on the porch.
The second collection, is every weekend during Lent.
This collection directly and indirectly supports works of charity in dioceses involving feeding schemes, elderly in need and vulnerable children; educational outreaches including catechesis; the training of priests; Justice and Peace; youth ministry; specialised ministries such as those serving the deaf; as well as the offices helping to coordinate this work in the Southern African Church

POPE’S PRAYER INTENTION FOR MARCH:

For families in crisis:

Let us pray that broken families might discover the cure for their wounds through forgiveness, and rediscovering each other’s gifts, even in their differences.

UPCOMING EVENTS

• 30/03 Baptism of children
• 6/04: Meeting for all existing Altar Servers and Candidates who want to be altar servers, after Mass.

SICK & ELDERLY

Please pray for the sick & elderly of the parish, family & friends especially:

Nokuthula Kubheka, Penny Powell, Jean Smith, Dolly Bimbrish, Alvin Govender, Mavis Makhubo, Norman Browne, Khohli Kunene, Barbara Amod, Sebenzile Molefe, Margarida De Franca, Joyce Chetty, Netta Liebenberg, Mthokozisi Mthembu, and Avenel Aarons.

WHY DO WE PRACTICE
FASTING & ABSTINENCE
DURING LENT?

1. Imitating Jesus’ temptation in the desert.
2. Opportunity to suffer for Christ & His Church!
3. Numerous scriptural roots of fasting.
4. The Catechism of the Catholic Church
   (1434,1438, 2043)

LENT

PRAY | FAST | GIVE