The Fifth Sunday in Lent | April 6, 2025 | 10 a.m. | St. Dunstan's |CV CA

The Fifth Sunday in Lent | April 6, 2025 | 10 a.m. | St. Dunstan's |Carmel Valley CA The readings for the Fifth Sunday in Lent weave together themes of renewal, devotion, and hope in God's transformative power. In Isaiah 43:16-21 God declares His ability to do new and miraculous things, calling His people to leave behind the past and embrace the new pathways He creates, even in the wilderness. Psalm 126 Celebrates God's restoration and the joy it brings, promising that tears sown in faith will yield a harvest of joy. In Philippians 3:4b-14 Paul urges believers to press forward, letting go of past achievements and failures, striving toward the ultimate goal of knowing Christ and the hope of resurrection. John 12:1-8 Tells of Mary’s act of extravagant love and devotion to Jesus, anointing Him with costly perfume as an anticipation of His burial, and reminding us to treasure the presence of Christ. Together, these passages invite us to trust God's redemptive work, embrace renewal, and express devotion to Christ with joyful hearts, even in the face of challenges. THE COLLECT Extravagant God, lavishing your love on our poverty of heart: inspire us to give without stint, to lose life that we might find it again, so the world will be filled with the fragrance of your love; through Jesus Christ, who offers himself for us. Amen