Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Lent (Year A)
Readings: Isaiah 49:8-15; Psalm 145:8-9, 13cd-14, 17-18; John 5:17-30 A little boy once asked his mom, “If God never forgets anything, does that mean He remembers where I hid my homework?”Without missing a beat, she said, “Oh yes—and He also remembers that you didn’t actually do it.” The boy sighed and said, “Well… I was hoping He’d forget just this once.” We laugh because we know the feeling. There are moments when we hope God forgets something about us—and other moments when we desperately hope He remembers us. Today’s readings speak right into that tension. God Never Forgets You In Isaiah, God says one of the most tender lines in all of Scripture:“Can a mother forget her infant? … Even should she forget, I will never forget you.” This is not God scolding us.This is God reassuring us. Lent can sometimes feel like a season where we’re painfully aware of our shortcomings—our “unfinished homework,” so to speak. But God’s message today is not, “Look how far you’ve fallen,” but rather,“I see you. I remember you. I am with you.” God Lifts the Weary Psalm 145 continues the theme:“The Lord lifts up all who are falling.” Not some.Not the deserving.Not the ones who have everything together. All. If you feel tired, stretched thin, spiritually sluggish, or emotionally worn—this psalm is for you. Lent is not a test of endurance. It is a season where God bends down, picks us up, and carries us forward. The Son Gives Life In the Gospel, Jesus reveals something astonishing:He shares the very life-giving power of the Father. “Just as the Father gives life, so the Son gives life to whomever he wishes.” Jesus is not merely a teacher or a healer.He is the One who restores life where it has faded. Where you feel spiritually flat—He breathes life.Where you feel forgotten—He remembers.Where you feel judged—He offers mercy. Lent is not about proving ourselves to God.It is about letting God do what He does best:lift, restore, and give life. Bringing It Home So back to the little boy and his homework. He was afraid God remembered the wrong thing.But God remembers the right things: And He forgets the right things too: Because His mercy is bigger than your mess. A Simple Lenten Invitation Today, let God remember you.Let Him lift you.Let Him breathe life into the places that feel tired or forgotten. That is the heart of Lent—not punishment, but restoration.
Wednesday of the First Week in Lent – Year A
Readings: Jonah 3:1–10 • Psalm 51 • Luke 11:29–32 Lectio — The Word Speaks The thread running through all three readings is unmistakable:God calls, we turn, and mercy flows Meditatio — The Word Touches My LifeWhere do I hear God inviting me to turn back?What part of my life needs cleansing, honesty, or a new beginning? Oratio — I Speak to God“Lord, give me the courage of Nineveh and the sincerity of the psalmist.Help me recognize Your presence and respond with a willing heart.” Contemplatio — Resting in GodSit quietly in God’s mercy.Let the truth settle: God delights in your return. Actio — Living the WordChoose one small act today that expresses your desire to turn toward God—a moment of honesty, forgiveness, or renewed prayer.