Themes of Faith from Fifth Sunday in Lent, 2010

Prayer Intention
Almighty God, you alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners: Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire what you promise; that, among the swift and varied changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found.

Isaiah 43:16a,18-19
Thus says the LORD, ...
Do not remember the former things,
or consider the things of old.
I am about to do a new thing;
now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?

Psalm 126: 6-7
Those who sowed with tears *will reap with songs of joy. Those who go out weeping, carrying the seed, will come again with joy, shouldering their sheaves.

Letter of St. Paul to the Philippians 3:4b,7-10a, 14
If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: ... Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings. ... I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.

Gospel according to John 12:1-3, 7
Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus' feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. ... [When one of the disciples protested] Jesus said, "Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. ..."

Today's Theme In Music:

From different points in time, today's Bible selections look propheticlly forward, and backward, to the crucifixion of Christ. The following motet by Mozart is about the same theme which will be remembered on a special holy day, Good Friday, in 13 days The Latin text of this music begins as follows, in English --- "Hail, true Body, born of the Virgin Mary, who has truly suffered (and) was sacrificed on the cross for mortals ...". The music is presented by the Nino Rota Orchestra and Chorus of Bari, Italy.