March 12, 2026 Thursday of the Third Week of Lent Gospel: Luke 11:14-23
In our lives, we often face criticism for all that we do. Especially when we spontaneously assist those who are lonely and vulnerable, those who witness our good deeds may, like the crowds who saw Jesus driving out demons (cf. Lk 11:15-16), believe that our achievements are not from good works but from satisfying our own desires to gain praise in this fleeting world.
How should we act when we endure such criticism, that we may be worthy of God’s blessing? If we debate with those who hold different views on certain matters and try to outwit them with our own reason, we would, as Jesus said (cf. Lk 11:17-19), lose the peace God originally bestowed upon us, leading us to fall into eternal perdition together in hatred for one another. But if we strive to learn from Christ, “the One lifted up from the earth [who] will draw all to Himself” (cf. Jn 12:31B-32), we will discover this: in the eyes of the world, the cross was once an instrument of extreme cruelty, sowing hatred among people; yet for those who, through Baptism in Christ, “have crucified the old self with Christ, so that the self belonging to sin might die and we might no longer be slaves to sin” (cf. Rom 6:6); who “rely on the Holy Spirit to put to death the misdeeds of the body and follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit, becoming children of God” (cf. Rom 8:13-14); and who share “the one cup of blessing which we bless, and the one bread which we break, and are all united in Jesus Christ” (cf. 1 Cor 10:1-17)—for these, the cross is not an instrument of division, but a sign of reconciliation with the Father and all His creation. For the Christ lifted high on the cross once “with loud cries and tears, offered prayers and supplications to the One who could save Him from death” (cf. Heb 5:7). As He hung on the cross, He prayed to the Father: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (cf. Lk 23:34).
We implore your majesty most humbly, O Lord, that, as the feast of our salvation draws ever closer, so we may press forward all the more eagerly towards the worthy celebration of the Paschal Mystery. 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 11, 2026 Wednesday of the Third Week of Lent Gospel: Matthew 5:17-19 Jesus Christ: The Fulfiller of All the Law and the Prophets
We often treat our relationship with God casually, according to our own understanding of His holy will. In our view, if everything God bestows upon us is not what we hope to receive from Him in our hearts, we will turn away from Him. When such thoughts dwell in our hearts, our actions will react accordingly—that is, like the Pharisees, we will arbitrarily add to or subtract from all that God has revealed to us through His Church as His holy will, according to our own understanding of His will.
Today, Jesus tells us: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the least stroke of a letter will pass from the Law until all is accomplished” (cf. Mt 5:17-18). He came into the world to correct the errors caused by the Pharisees, whose God was a harsh deity whom they arbitrarily altered in the Torah; He also came to correct the errors of the Sadducees, who portrayed God as one who delights in sacrifices. We know that Jesus is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact imprint of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word. After He had made purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high (cf. Heb 1:3). St. Paul the Apostle says: “God sent His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh as an offering for sin, and condemned sin in the flesh, so that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit” (cf. Rom 8:1-4). Therefore, He did not come to abolish the Law or the Prophets, but to restore them to their original state, revealing to us the true God.
Grant, we pray, O Lord, that, schooled through Lenten observance and nourished by your word, through holy restraint we may be devoted to you with all our heart and be ever united in prayer. 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 10, 2026 Tuesday of the Third Week of Lent Gospel: Matthew 18:21-35
Today is Tuesday of the Third Week of Lent. The passage from the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew presents a dialogue between Jesus and Peter.
St. Peter asked Jesus, “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? Up to seven times?” (cf. Mt 18:21) This resonates with the attitude we often hold in daily life. For at times, we too set a limit for ourselves in every matter—a limit that we arbitrarily establish. Thus, when Jesus says, “I tell you, not seven times but seventy-seven times” (cf. Mt 18:22), we might naturally interpret this to mean: for me, I only need to forgive others 490 times, and beyond that limit, I can retaliate justifiably.
In fact, like the servant in the parable told by Jesus today who was unable to repay his huge debt, we have committed many sins. For from the moment we are born into the world, we are stained with the guilt of original sin due to the disobedience of our first parents (Adam and Eve). The infinitely merciful God, in accordance with His divine providence, when the fullness of time had come, sent His only Son into the world so that whoever believes in Him may not perish but have eternal life (cf. Jn 3:16).
What do we do after our sins are forgiven? I believe that among us, there are some brothers and sisters who, like the wicked servant in the parable (Mt 18:28-30)—who, after having all his debt forgiven by his master, still demanded repayment of what was owed to him—remain preoccupied with the things of this world, neglecting the happiness that God has prepared for us from the very beginning of creation. The happiness that God has prepared for us from the very beginning of creation is this: with the assistance of His grace, we are washed clean of our original sin by the living water flowing from Christ’s sacred side, and by receiving the Holy Spirit whom He sent to us after Christ’s Ascension, we begin a new life in the infinite love of Christ.
May your grace not forsake us, O Lord, we pray, but make us dedicated to your holy service and at all times obtain for us your help. 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
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