March 23, 2014

Homily: Sunday, March 23, 2014

MASS READINGS TODAY
•  All the readings together
•  Exodus 17:3-7
•  Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9
•  Romans 5:1-2, 5-8
•  John 4:5-42

FR. MARK'S HOMILY 3RD SUNDAY OF LENT


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•  OPENING IMAGE

•   How are you doing with Lent?
•   Do you still have the fervor of Ash Wednesday?
•   How's your commitment to your Lenten penance?

•  TRANSITION TO CORE MESSAGE

•   It's easy for us to loose steam.
•   It's easy to loose our "passion" in our relationship with Jesus.

•  CORE MESSAGE: THE HOMILY IN ONE SENTENCE

>  It's easy for our hearts to grow hardened.

•  WHAT DO TODAY'S SCRIPTURES SAY?

In Exodus 17: "In those days, in their thirst for water, the people grumbled against Moses, saying, 'Why did you ever make us leave Egypt? Was it just to have us die here of thirst with our children and our livestock?"

In Exodus 14: "Moses answered the people, 'Do not fear! Stand your ground and see the victory the LORD will win for you today. For these Egyptians whom you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you have only to keep still.' ... The Egyptians will know that I am the LORD, when I receive glory through Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen. ... Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD drove back the sea with a strong east wind all night long and turned the sea into dry ground. The waters were split, so that the Israelites entered into the midst of the sea on dry land, with the water as a wall to their right and to their left. ... Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea returned to its normal flow. The Egyptians were fleeing head on toward it when the LORD cast the Egyptians into the midst of the sea. As the water flowed back, it covered the chariots and the horsemen. Of all Pharaoh’s army which had followed the Israelites into the sea, not even one escaped. ... When Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the seashore and saw the great power that the LORD had shown against Egypt, the people feared the LORD. They believed in the LORDe and in Moses his servant."

Today's Responsorial Psalm: "If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts."

•  WHY IS ISRAEL'S HEART HARDENED?

1.  It's harder than they expected.
2.  They're looking at the destination, not the journey.
3.  They're looking at the "world" not God.

•  WHY DO OUR HEARTS HARDEN?

1.  Life is harder than we expect.
2.  We looking at the destination, not the journey.
3.  We look at the "world" not God.

•  CORE MESSAGE: THE HOMILY IN ONE SENTENCE

>  It's easy for our hearts to grow hardened.

•  CONCLUSION

•   Turn your heart back to God.

Recorded Sunday, March 23, 2014 at Christ the Redeemer Catholic Church in Thibodaux, Louisiana. © Fr. Mark Toups, 2014

JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM TODAY


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© Fr. Mark Toups, 2014