Pastoral Reflection for the 4th Sunday of Lent, March 30, 2025, Year C
N.B., parishes engaged in the OCIA (formerly the RCIA) may be using the Year A reading for the Scrutinies. However, the story of the Man Born Blind in John’s Gospel and the story of the Prodigal Son in Luke’s Gospel exemplify God’s great and tender mercy. In both stories, the bystanders are concerned about who committed what sin and assume that sinners deserve punishment. “Who sinned, this man or his parents?” they ask in John’s Gospel. In Luke’s Gospel, the bystanders are shocked that Jesus eats, drinks, and “hangs out” with known sinners. The human capacity to judge others, assume the worst about others, and then be unforgiving toward others is as palpable today as it was in the time of Jesus. We all want God’s merciful forgiveness for ourselves but are slow to think others may deserve it! The point is that God is merciful and tender-hearted toward the sinner and desires reconciliation with every one of us. God wishes to heal our blindness and wrap a coat of beauty over us when we feel ashamed. May this Lent truly be a time of healing, renewal, and reconciliation for us all!
Call to Action
- Are you prepared for Holy Week? Customize your Pew Engagement Card Templates for your parish’s use to prepare for your visitors and guests. You can find the Templates in your GC Dashboard’s Comms Portal under Email Templates in the Engagement Tools Folder.
- GiveCentral recognizes the challenges of donor retention, with a significant percentage of donors potentially lapsing after their initial contributions. To address this, GiveCentral’s Bridget Daly will host a Webinar on Wednesday, April 9th at 10 AM Central Time. Attending this webinar will provide actionable insights into increasing donor retention and cultivating lasting relationships with your supporters. Look for our upcoming invitation, or reserve your spot now! Reserve Your Spot!
- As Easter approaches, we know how important it is to make giving as seamless and accessible as possible for your parishioners. That’s why we’re excited to introduce GiveCentral’s SmartStickers—a simple and effective way to encourage generosity right from the pews! We encourage you to place them in pews and high-traffic areas this Easter to provide an easy, tech-friendly way for your parishioners to give. If you’d like to order stickers in time for Easter, please let us know—we’d be happy to assist! You can request GC SmartStickers from Teresa Meyer at teresa@givecentral.org. You can also read more about them on the GC SmartStickers webpage.
