A Reflection for Saturday of the Third Week of Lent
Find today’s readings here.
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!
He will come to us like the rain,
like spring rain that waters the earth.”
Today’s Gospel reading would be the natural one to reflect on, especially during Lent. The parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector is a profound lesson on humility and righteousness. Yet while most of us can always use a lesson in humility, with this Lenten season halfway over, I wanted to spend time on the first reading—and specifically one verse—as a reminder of God’s unending love and mercy.
This verse starts off by acknowledging the Lord in a deep and personal way. It is a reminder that he is always present in our lives, even if we don’t always pay close attention to him. It is so easy to only turn to him in times of despair, fear and need rather than on an ongoing basis. By developing a meaningful and regular relationship with him, each of us can turn to him during our highs and lows, just as we turn to other confidants to seek advice and share our successes.
Recently, my son was anxious about an upcoming test. The night before, he prayed the rosary and voiced his needs (out loud, for all of us to hear whether we wanted to or not!). I was driving him to school the next morning, and he asked me to slow down so that he could better appreciate and enjoy the vibrant sunrise God had given us. That caught me off guard. What a gift to pause to acknowledge and admire God’s goodness. To me, that was a profound example of turning to God in a time of need, but also in thanksgiving for all that he provides to us.
In addition to recognizing God’s many graces, seeing the sunrise reminded us, “as certain as the dawn is his coming,” that we can rely on God’s love and mercy. He may not answer our prayers on our timeline or in the fashion we desire, but he is always there for us, just as tomorrow will always bring a new day. If we remain close to him, he responds to our needs in some way with grace, whether through a sunrise or a passing grade, just to name a few.
The last line of the verse brings additional hope as we trudge through the doldrums of the middle of Lent. Perhaps, in addition to slipping on our Lenten promises, our spiritual life is also feeling dry or lacking depth. Knowing that “he will come to us like the rain, like spring rain that waters the earth” is another beautiful image of life, renewal and growth. His love for us doesn’t depend on the seasons or how we are feeling. As long as we continue to work on our faithfulness to him, our prayer life and relationship will be “watered” and the countless graces he bestows will become obvious.
As you go about today, I encourage you to first take time to acknowledge the Lord, be in conversation with him and trust in his everlasting love and mercy. Acknowledge a sunrise, sunset or how rain provides for the beauty of our earth.
