Friday of the Fourth Week of Lent

Official Translation

Reading 1 – Wisdom 2.1a, 12-22

For the wicked said among themselves,
though thinking not aright:

Let us lie in wait for the just man,
because he is not like us,
and he is contrary to our actions,
and upbraids us for transgressions of the law,
and accuses us of the sins of our way of life.
He boasts that he has the knowledge of God,
and calls himself the son of God.
He has become a censure of our thoughts.
He is grievous unto us, even to behold:
for his life is not like other men's,
and his ways are very different.
We are considered by him to be triflers,
and he abstains from our ways as from filthiness,
and he prefers the final end of the just,
and glories that he has God for his father.

Let us see then if his words be true,
and let us test what shall happen to him,
and we shall know what his end shall be.
For if he be the true son of God,
he will defend him and will deliver him
from the hands of his enemies.
Let us examine him by outrages and tortures,
that we may know his meekness
and try his patience.
Let us condemn him to a most shameful death:
For by his own words, there will be a regard for him.

These things they thought,
but they were deceived:
for their own malice blinded them.
And they knew not the secrets of God,
nor hoped for the wages of justice,
nor considered the honor of holy souls.

Responsorial – Psalm 34.17-18, 19-20, 21+23 Resp. 19a

R. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted.

But the face of the Lord is against evildoers,
to cut off remembrance of them from the earth.
The just cried, and the Lord heard them,
and delivered them out of all their troubles.

R. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted.

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted,
and he will save the humble of spirit.
Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
but the Lord delivers him out of them all.

R. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted.

He protects all of his bones.
Not one of them is broken.
The LORD redeems the soul of his servants.
None of those who take refuge in him shall be condemned.

R. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted.

Gospel – John 7.1-2, 10, 25-30

Jesus was walking in Galilee,
for he would not walk in Judea,
because the Jews sought to kill him.
Now the feast of the Jews,
the Feast of Tabernacles, was at hand.

But when his brothers had gone up to the feast,
then he also went up,
not publicly but as it were in secret.

Some of the Jerusalemites said,
“Is this not he whom they seek to kill?
Behold, he speaks openly,
and they say nothing to him.
Can it be that the rulers indeed know
that this is truly the Christ?
However we know where this man comes from,
but when the Christ comes,
no one will know where he comes from.”

Jesus therefore cried out in the temple,
teaching and saying,
“You both know me,
and know where I am from.
But I have not come of myself,
but he who sent me is true,
whom you do not know.
I know him, because I am from him,
and he sent me.”

They sought therefore to take him;
but no one laid a hand on him,
because his hour had not yet come.