Year B
Discover the deeper meaning and connections found in this week's readings, through these great commentaries written by our priests.
Explore this week's readings and hear what God is saying to us through His Word.
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Jeremiah 31:31-34
Psalm 50:3-4. 12 -15
Hebrews 5:7-9
John 12:20-30
In today’s first reading from the prophet Jeremiah, the significance of the Covenant relationship between God and his chosen people is understood as a binding union and communion with them, it is a process initiated by God himself, and intended to be a guiding light that radiates God’s power, intentions, and loving care.
In the first instance, Jeremiah offers to the people a reflection on the theme of Covenant when God brought his people out of Egypt; this Covenant, having been broken due to infidelity, is once more offered as a sign of renewal, and new beginnings: ‘deep within them I will plant my law, writing it on their hearts. Then I will be their God and they shall be my people.’
In the above way, God’s intention is to deepen commitment and purpose with regard to continuity of his intentions, his initiative, and the depth of his love. By virtue of this new Covenant, the hearts and minds of his people will be transformed and each person will reflect one purpose and direction in response to God’s initiative.
The Responsorial Psalm (50) is a heartfelt acknowledgement of one’s infidelity, and a request, ‘A pure heart create for me O, God.'
In John’s gospel, Jesus’ union with the Father is an abiding commitment of purpose, where Jesus’ vocation is following God’s will and intentions in his regard (Covenant).
With the above in mind, Jesus lays out a way of life for his followers that includes dying to oneself - ‘unless a grain of wheat falls on the ground and dies, it remains only a single grain; but if it dies, it yields a rich harvest.’
Jesus offers to his disciples a further condition of Covenant: ‘If a man serves me he must follow me, wherever I am, my servant will be there too. If anyone serves me, my Father will honour him’.
5th Sunday in Lent
Catholicism of the Catholic Church References:
CCC 606-607: Christ’s life an offering to the Father
CCC 542, 607: Christ’s desire to give his life for our salvation
CCC 690, 729: the Spirit glorifies the Son, the Son glorifies the Father
CCC 662, 2853: Christ ascended in glory as our victory
CCC 56-64, 220, 715, 762, 1965: the history of the covenants
Today is the last of the three Scrutiny Sundays when those preparing for Baptism at the Easter Vigil undergo special rites whose purpose is to strengthen what is good in the candidates and eliminate what is not so good. Indeed, these rites are not intended only to purify the candidates but to remind the entire community of their need for purification as Easter approaches. It’s worth remembering, also, that the Elect are obliged to celebrate the Scrutinies, and that only the Bishop can dispense them from this obligation, not the parish priest.
If the Third Scrutiny is celebrated, then the readings for Year A are used, including the Gospel of the raising of Lazarus. In this case the Preface is also proper to the day (pp. 281-2 in the Missal), and there are proper antiphons and prayers (pp.1180-81). There is a proper commemoration in the Eucharistic Prayer, during which the godparents are mentioned by name, and a proper Hanc Igitur, both of these found on p. 1178.
If there are no Elect present and the Third Scrutiny is not celebrated, the readings for Year B are used, with the Jeremiah reading about the New Covenant, a psalm whose response asks that our hearts may be purified, Christ becoming the source of eternal salvation through obedience (Letter to the Hebrews), and a Gospel that is so full of possibilities (“We should like to see Jesus”, “Unless a grain of wheat falls on the ground and dies”, “If anyone serves me, they must follow me”, “When I am lifted up from the earth, I shall draw all people to myself”) that homilists will need to select what they will focus on in order not to overload the people. The Year A readings may also be used as an alternative. It will be important to liaise with readers, especially if different readings are used at different Masses, and with musicians, since music choices will vary considerably according to which readings are used.
Most of the Missal texts are common to all three years, but there is a proper Communion Antiphon for Year B (the third option on p. 282),and a choice of Preface of Lent I or II is offered. Of these, Lent II (pp.582-3) is by far the more appropriate for the readings of the day.
For those celebrating St Patrick as a Solemnity, he is transferred to the day following, 18 March; otherwise, his celebration is omitted this year.
These hymns have been chosen from different sources.
Grant to us, O Lord, a heart renewed (CFE400, L220, LHON304)
Unless a grain of wheat (CFE754, L748, LHON697)
Lift high the cross (CFE363, L389, LHON429)
Praise to the holiest in the height (CFE606, L788, LHON582, TCH260)
When I survey the wondrous cross (CFE801, L756)
Key
CFE - Celebration Hymnal for Everyone
L – Laudate
LHON – Liturgical Hymns Old and New (Mayhew, 1999)
TCH – The Catholic Hymnbook (Gracewing)
Do you have questions about the liturgy and how we are called to participate in it? Explore how the Church councils, saints, and popes have answered this key question and many more.
Every movement of the Mass is rich in meaning but we can become over-familiar with it. Rediscover the Mass and explore how it relates to the Exodus story, where many of its rituals come from, and how it makes Jesus present to us today.
