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The Light of the World
return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He is bountiful to
forgive” (Chapter at Sext; Is 55:7).
Prayer
Grant salutary effects to our fasts, we beseech Thee, O Lord, that the chastisements of the flesh
which we have undertaken, may bestow more life to our souls.
Keep Thy household, we beseech Thee, O Lord, with continual loving kindness, that as
it relies only on the hope of heavenly grace, it may also be fortified by heavenly protection.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Third Sunday of Lent
The Mass
The liturgy for the third Sunday of Lent has been arranged with the catechumens in mind,
that is, those who are to receive baptism on the vigil of Easter. We who have already been
baptized unite ourselves to them and relive the great event of our baptism, which is the basis
of our whole life as Christians. We gather together in the church of St. Lawrence, under
whose protection the catechumens were placed on Septuagesima Sunday. Today the first
act of their solemn baptism is anticipated: the first exorcism of the evil spirit. Filled with
an ardent longing for freedom from the slavery of Satan and inspired by a desire of ranging
themselves on the side of Christ, the catechumens, and we with them, pray: “My eyes are
ever toward the Lord, for He shall pluck my feet out of the snare.” Filled with longing we
cry out with the catechumens: “Look Thou upon me and have mercy on me” (Introit). In
the Collect we pray, “Have regard to the desires of the lowly, we beseech Thee, O almighty
God, and stretch forth the right hand of Thy majesty in our defense.”
What do the catechumens seek? What are they trying to accomplish? The answer is given in
the Epistle: “Brethren, be ye followers of God as most dear children. . . . But fornication and all
uncleanness or covetousness, let it not so much as be named among you, as becometh saints. . . .
For you were heretofore darkness, but now light in the Lord. Walk then as children of the light.”
Here we find clearly explained the meaning of the baptism we have received.
It is imperative that we grasp what the Epistle tells us with regard to the effects of our
baptism and the obligations we assumed. Should we not arouse ourselves to a manner of life
such as our baptism requires? For this we pray when we say, “Arise, O Lord, let no man be
strengthened. . . . To Thee I have lifted up my eyes who dwelleth in heaven. . . . Have mercy on
us O Lord, have mercy on us” (Gradual and Tract). Give us light and strength.
The poor man in the Gospel, from whom the devil was driven, is a figure of the baptized.
“The strong one” has been driven out of our hearts by one who is stronger, by Christ. Christ
has deprived him of his armor, so that he no longer has any power over the baptized. Truly
the kingdom of God, the kingdom of grace and salvation, is at hand. But the work of salvation
is not yet finished. The operation of grace in our souls requires our full cooperation. It is for
this reason that the candidates for baptism, and we the baptized, are admonished: “He that is
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