Third Sunday of Lent – What think you of Christ?
We are are commanded to take a position on the Third Sunday of Lent.
We are are commanded to take a position on the Third Sunday of Lent.
Editor’s Notes
The Gospel of the Third Sunday of Lent (and Ember Saturday) recounts Our Lord casting out devils, disputing with the Pharisees, and responding to praise of his Holy Mother.
Its reading at this time highlights this episode’s connection to the Passion. It occurred in the phase of Christ’s ministry which Coleridge calls “the preaching of the Cross,” which followed St Peter’s confession of faith.
Christ’s presentation as “the stronger man” who overcomes the Devil’s kingdom was surely part of preparing the Apostles for the struggle and apparent failure to come.
In a similar way, those catechumens to be baptised at Lent are being prepared to answer the most important question of every man’s life: “What think you of Christ?”
The parts of Fr Coleridge’s treatment are included below – along with The WM Review’s commentary on the liturgical propers of the day, our “Little Lenten Effort”, and our Top Five Lent Articles.
Our Lord and his Slanderers
Part I: How did Christ turn back the charge of casting out devils by Beelzebub?
As Our Lord’s fame spread, the malice of his enemies grows.
Part II: The moment Christ announces his invasion of Satan’s kingdom
Our Lord made clear that he had not come simply for a few exorcisms—but for the total overthrow of Satan by ‘the stronger man.’
Part III: Did Christ rebuke the woman who praised his Mother?
Some say that Our Lord Jesus Christ rejected a woman’s praise of his Mother—but this is not the case at all.
Part IV: Why does Christ refuse to prove himself on demand?
What was ‘the sign of Jonas’ that Our Lord mentioned?
Part V: Why does rejecting the truth lead to deeper darkness?
Even simply failing to accept the known truth can lead to the same blindness as rejecting it.
Bonus Articles
Before Passiontide, Lent asks us: ‘What think ye of Christ?’
This is the most important question of our lives, and each man must give an answer to it. Lent both asks the question, and gives us the answer.
The WM Review’s Little Lenten Effort
See here for a very simple programme based on the “Little Way” of St Thérèse of Lisieux:
The WM Review’s Top Five Lent Articles
Father Coleridge Reader is a project of The WM Review. Here are our favourite five sets of WM Review articles for the Lenten period.
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