The fourth Sunday of Lent marks a threshold. No longer will our weekday readings emphasize prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. The Church assumes, that at this point, we have habituated these practices. Rather, from now until Holy Week, our weekday scripture readings will focus on the identity of Jesus as the Divine Messiah, and the mounting hostility he faced leading up to his arrest and crucifixion.
The gospel book changes as well. Since Ash Wednesday, the weekday scripture readings have been taken from the Synoptic Gospels: Matthew, Mark, or Luke. For the rest of Lent, we will read predominately from the Gospel of John.
Where the Synoptic Gospels are filled with stories of Jesus’ miracles: Matthew includes about 20, Mark, the shortest Gospel has around 18, Luke records about 24, John features only 7.
The seven miracles of John’s Gospel serve to emphasize to the reader, Jesus’ identity—he is the Word made flesh come to accomplish what no one else can do—to save us from our sins.
Chronologically, today’s Gospel is the second of the seven miracle stories: the healing of the nobleman’s son.
It is good for us to remember that has we progress through Lent. Jesus is not merely a teacher, telling us to be nice to each other. He just doesn’t cure people’s ailments, like an itinerant medicine man. He is God come to save us from our sins.
If the Scripture readings for first three weeks of Lent helped us to focus on prayer, fasting and almsgiving, how should we be responding to God’s Word in this latter half of Lent?
I think the answer is this: with deeper faith and focus on Jesus himself. The first half of Lent teaches us what to do. The second half of Lent reminds us why we are doing it, and for whom. We pray, fast, and give alms not as ends in themselves, not as spiritual exercises for their own sake, but to be drawn more fully to Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the one who alone can heal and save.
Look at the nobleman in today’s Gospel. He comes to Jesus with faith, though it is still imperfect. He begs for his son’s life. And Jesus calls him to an even deeper faith—not merely faith in what he can see, but faith in the power of Christ’s word. “You may go; your son will live.” And the man believed what Jesus said and left. That is the response these later Lenten readings are meant to awaken in us: to take Jesus at His word, to trust Him more completely, and to entrust our lives to Him.
So in these coming days, as the readings reveal more clearly who Jesus is and as opposition to Him increases, we should ask for the grace for our love, and grace, and sympathy for Him to be deepened. We should not give up on our Lenten practices, but our hearts are not to be fixed on them, but on Jesus—in appreciation, and wonder, and awe, for what he endures for us for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.
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Let us lift up our prayers to the Father.
For the Church, that during these latter days of Lent she may proclaim with clarity that Jesus is the Divine Messiah, and lead many hearts to deeper faith in Him. Let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, hear our prayer.
For those preparing to receive the Easter Sacraments, that the Lord may deepen their faith and draw them into a living and lasting friendship with Jesus. Let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, hear our prayer.
For those whose faith is weak, imperfect, or burdened by doubt, that like the nobleman in the Gospel they may learn to trust in the power of Christ’s word and entrust their lives more completely to Him. Let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, hear our prayer.
For those who oppose the Gospel, persecute Christians, or harden their hearts against Christ, that the mercy of God may soften them and lead them to repentance and faith. Let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, hear our prayer.
For those who are sick, suffering, or carrying heavy burdens for loved ones, that they may turn to Jesus with confidence and find in Him healing, strength, and peace. Let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, hear our prayer.
For the faithful departed, that they may behold forever the face of Christ, whom they trusted on earth and now see in glory. Let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, hear these prayers we offer in faith. Deepen our trust in your Son, fix our hearts upon Him, and lead us through this holy season to the joy of Easter. Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
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