On the Third Sunday In Lent

Here we are on yet another Sunday in Lent. Remember, Sundays fall IN Lent, since it would be impossible to remove Sundays from the cycle, but they are not OF Lent. One little word can make all the difference.

Sundays are Holy Days of Obligation. Why is that? The short answer would be because Sundays are a day of the Lord. But then aren’t all days of the Lord? After all, He is the creator of everything and everything belongs to Him. Catholics go to Church. We attend Mass. For Catholics worldwide the Mass is celebrated. Because it is celebrated, it cannot be a part of our 40-day Penance of Lent. Why do we say Mass is celebrated? Because every Sunday is viewed by the faithful as a Mini-Easter. It is a celebration of the fact that Christ died for the forgiveness of sin, was resurrected and is preparing a place in Heaven for all of us. He made this sacrifice not only for the people of His time, but for all time. Our sins had been forgiven long before we were born. Sometimes when I think about that, I think what if we NEVER sin? What if we could thank Him for this gift of forgiveness by not offending God? Unfortunately, we are human. We give in to temptations, we stumble and we fall. Sundays are a reminder that our Heavenly Father knows this, and loves us anyway. This alone is reason to celebrate.

Some Catholics will continue their chosen fast even on Sunday. By fast, I’m not talking about skipping a meal (although that could be a chosen sacrifice in the Lenten Season). Fast from Chocolate. Fast from dessert at the end of the evening meal. Fast from watching the news. Fast from anger and frustration. That’s one of my favorites since I once had a much shorter fuse when it came to stupidity. I still do at times, but my sense of compassion and understand has grown over the years thanks to long walks with Jesus. That’s really the most amazing thing about faith. When you open your heart to the Lord, He will begin to change how you view the world. Remember, God does not provide us with a way around the obstacles of life, but rather gives us the strength we need when we need it to manage through those difficulties. All it takes is a little faith. The faith the size of a mustard seed.

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As a day of celebration, I try to make Sunday Dinners special. That’s not always possible in our busy lives. One thing is certain, and that is I begin my day in His house. It puts a whole new spin on everything.

Oven Roasted Rosemary Pork Chops
3 sprigs fresh Rosemary
3 Garlic Cloves
4 thick cut boneless Pork Chops
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
1 cup Chicken Stock

Heat oven to 425-degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place a wire rack in the baking sheet; spray with cooking spray and set aside.

Strip rosemary needles from sprigs. Mince and set aside. Peel and mince garlic, add rosemary to the garlic. Stir to combine; set aside.

Season pork with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle half of the rosemary mixture evenly over the chops, massaging into the meat. Place chops, massaged side down, on the roasting rack. Sprinkle remaining rosemary mixture over the chops; work into the meat.

Place chops in the heated oven and roast for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350-degrees. Add chicken stock to the pan to create some steam. Continue to bake the pork chops for about 25 minutes longer or until cooked through.

Serve these delicious pork chops with Rice Pilaf and Green Beans. Now that’s a nice Sunday Supper.

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Merciful and gracious is the LORD,
slow to anger and abounding in kindness.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so surpassing is His kindness toward those who fear Him.