March 16, 2026 Monday of the Fourth Week of Lent Gospel: John 4:43-54
We are drawing closer to Holy Week. Starting this week, the Gospel readings in the Liturgy of the Word are taken from the Gospel according to St. John. Today, St. John tells us what happened after Jesus left Samaria. In our daily lives, we often seek help from others. For example, when we encounter urgent difficulties, we often place our hope in our neighbours, whom we see as our saviours; or when we are ill, we entrust our hope of recovery to medical staff, believing that those who care for us with dedication will heal our illnesses with their skilled medical expertise. All of this is built on trust and reliance. In today’s Gospel passage, a royal official from Capernaum, whose son was ill in Capernaum, disregarded his status and came to Cana to ask Jesus to go personally to Capernaum to heal his son. Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your son lives.” Full of faith, he returned home. While still on the way, his servants met him and told him that his son was alive. This is the fruit of worshipping the Father in spirit and truth. Similarly, today, having received the Baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ by faith and the Anointing of the Holy Spirit by faith, we must always believe in God and live out the grace He has given us. May the favor that Christ bestows upon us be shared more abundantly with those who do not yet know Christ through all that God works in us, so that they may see the notable changes in our lives, turn away from all evil and vanity like us, renounce all that is ours, courageously take up our cross, follow Christ, and walk toward holiness.
O God, who renew the world through mysteries beyond all telling, grant, we pray, that your Church may be guided by your eternal design and not be deprived of your help in this present age. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever
March 15, 2026 4th Sunday in Lent Year A Gospel: John 9:1-41 The Man Born Blind in Siloam
Today is the Fourth Sunday of Lent. The Gospel from Saint John tells us the mystery of Jesus healing a man born blind at the Pool of Siloam.
We often say that the eyes are the windows to the soul and an important way for us to perceive the world. When we cannot see what lies ahead, we lose our sense of direction. Sometimes, even though we can see what is happening before us, our lack of inner firmness still leaves us in confusion. Our understanding of God is no different. When we see people who suffer various misfortunes, have physical disabilities, or are wounded in spirit, we may, like the disciples of Jesus, think that their misfortune is due to the sins they have committed (cf. Jn 9:2). For we believe that the suffering they endure is because they (or their parents) did not accumulate merit for themselves.
When we receive the sacraments of initiation, we all receive the light from the Paschal Candle. This light is the Light of Christ, the light that shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it (cf. Jn 1:5). Furthermore, we receive the white garment symbolizing Christ from our godparents, so that we may put on Christ and be thoroughly cleansed of the stain of original sin and personal sins by the living water that gushed forth from His Sacred Side. We also receive the Holy Spirit of Christ and become children of God. In this way, we take up the responsibility and mission to proclaim the Gospel of God to all creation and to share all that Christ has done in us.
Today, Jesus healed this man born blind at the Pool of Siloam. The Pharisees repeatedly questioned him about this matter, intending to link him with the Messiah whom they did not acknowledge. This man born blind and his family stood firm under pressure and courageously testified to all that Jesus had done for him. Similarly, in life, we will constantly be asked by others about the source of our faith. Let us courageously imitate this man born blind and his family and boldly bear witness to the truth.
O God, who through your Word reconcile the human race to yourself in a wonderful way, grant, we pray, that with prompt devotion and eager faith the Christian people may hasten toward the solemn celebrations to come. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
March 14, 2026 Saturday of the Third Week of Lent Gospel: Luke 18:9-14 Imitate the Tax Collector, Humbly Recognizing Our Unworthiness
Today is the Saturday of the Third Week of Lent. The Gospel passage taken from Saint Luke recounts the scene of a Pharisee and a tax collector praying in the Temple. We know the Temple was a place of worship and adoration of God. So too is our present-day church: within its walls, hidden in the tabernacle, is the Word of God made flesh; there is the altar, the lectern, and the choir, which sings hymns praising God; there are lectors who proclaim God’s Word in language we can understand; there is our beloved priest, who preaches from the Ambo; and there are the people of God, who approach the altar to pay homage to God according to their custom and in obedience to the Church’s teachings. The Pharisee Jesus speaks of refers to those Jews who strictly observed the laws of God but emphasized external rituals, sought the praise of others, and often clashed with Him. Some biblical scholars note that tax collectors abandoned their faith, betrayed their own people for money, and became exploiters even of the poor. Thus, in our eyes, neither of these two men was righteous—both were sinners. From the Pharisee’s prayer (cf. Luke 18:11-12), we see his heart: he desired recognition from God, considering himself righteous and condemning those he deemed unworthy to pray to God. He hoped God would publicly condemn the tax collector, just as he did. To him, the God who heard his prayers was one who rewards the good and punishes the wicked—and by “good,” he meant those who obeyed the laws he had added to God’s commandments. The tax collector was different: unlike the Pharisee (cf. Luke 18:13), he did not boast of his own deeds. He dared not even lift his eyes to God, setting an example for us.
As we come to church today, let us imitate this tax collector: sit quietly before the altar, not boasting as the Pharisee did, but offering a prayer to God in the simplest words. This simple prayer is: “Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner, that I may fix my gaze on Your mysteries.”May He grant us various graces according to His holy will.
Rejoicing in this annual celebration of our Lenten observance, we pray, O Lord, that, with our hearts set on the paschal mysteries, we may be gladdened by their full effects. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,God, for ever and ever. Amen.
全属于祢 
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