Friday of the Third Week of Lent – Year A
Hosea 14:2-10 • Psalm 81:6c-8a, 8bc-9, 10-11ab, 14 and 17 • Mark 12:28-34 Today’s readings sound like a gentle tug on the heart. Not a scolding. Not a lecture. A tug.A pull back toward the God who never stops wanting us. 1. “Return to the Lord your God…” — Hosea’s Tender Call Hosea speaks to a people who have wandered far. They’ve made mistakes, chased false securities, and forgotten who they are.And God’s response is astonishing: “I will heal their defection… I will love them freely.” Not “I’ll think about it.”Not “Prove yourself first.”Just: Come home. I’m ready to heal you. Lent is exactly this invitation.It’s not a season of guilt; it’s a season of return. Think of someone you love who drifted away—maybe a friend who stopped calling, or a child who pulled back. When they finally reach out, your heart softens. You don’t want explanations; you want connection.That’s God’s heart today. 2. “If only my people would hear me…” — The Psalm’s Longing Psalm 81 almost sounds like God sighing. We live in a world full of noise—notifications, opinions, endless tasks.Sometimes we don’t reject God; we just don’t hear Him. Lent invites us to turn down the volume. A parishioner once told me that the most transformative part of her Lent wasn’t giving up chocolate—it was turning off her phone for the first ten minutes of the morning.“God finally had space to speak,” she said. 3. “Which commandment is the greatest?” — Jesus Brings It All Together In the Gospel, a scribe asks Jesus a sincere question.And Jesus gives a sincere answer: Love God with everything.Love your neighbor.Love yourself. This is the whole spiritual life in three movements. And notice: Jesus doesn’t separate them.You can’t love God and mistreat people.You can’t love others while despising yourself.You can’t love yourself while ignoring God. Love is one fabric, woven in three directions. Real-life examples of this love: These small acts are not insignificant.They are the daily ways we live the Great Commandment. 4. Lent: A Season of Reordered Love Lent is not about proving our holiness.It’s about clearing away what blocks love. Maybe it’s resentment.Maybe it’s distraction.Maybe it’s fear.Maybe it’s the belief that God is disappointed in us. But Hosea tells us the truth:God is not disappointed. God is waiting. And Jesus tells us the path:Love—simple, honest, wholehearted love. 5. A Final Word At the end of the Gospel, Jesus tells the scribe,“You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” Not far.Just one step of love away. Maybe that’s where we are today—not far from healing,not far from peace,not far from God. Lent is the season to take that step. Reflection Questions