Official Translation
Reading 1 - Micah 7.14-15, 18-20
Shepherd your people with your staff,
the flock of your heritage,
who dwell by themselves in a forest,
in the middle of Carmel.
Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead,
as in the days of old.
As in the days of your coming out of the land of Egypt,
show us marvelous things.
Who is like you, O God,
who pardons iniquity,
and passes over the disobedience
of the remnant of his heritage,
who does not retain his anger forever,
because he delights in loving kindness,
who will again have compassion on us,
who will tread our iniquities under foot?
You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.
You will give truth to Jacob,
and mercy to Abraham,
as you have sworn to our fathers
from the days of old.
Responsorial – Psalm 103.1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12 Resp. 8a
R. The Lord is merciful and gracious.
Praise The Lord, my soul!
All that is within me, praise his holy name!
Praise The Lord, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.
R. The Lord is merciful and gracious.
He forgives all your sins;
he heals all your diseases;
he redeems your life from destruction;
he crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies.
R. The Lord is merciful and gracious.
He will not always accuse;
nor will he stay angry forever.
He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
nor repaid us according to our guilt.
R. The Lord is merciful and gracious.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so great is his loving kindness toward those who fear him.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
R. The Lord is merciful and gracious.
Gospel – Luke 15.1-3, 11-32
Now the tax collectors and sinners, draw near to Jesus, heard him,
and the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying,
“This man welcomes sinners, and eats with them.”
So he told them this parable, saying:
“There was a human who had two sons.
The younger of them said to his father,
‘Father, give me my share of your property.’
He divided his life between them.
Not many days after,
the younger son gathered all of this together
and traveled into a far country.
There he wasted his property with careless living.
When he had spent all of it,
there arose a severe famine in that country,
and he began to be in need.
He went and joined himself
to one of the citizens of that country,
who sent him into his fields to feed pigs.
He longed to fill his belly
with the carob-pods that the pigs ate,
but no one gave him any.
But when he came to himself he said,
‘How many hired servants of my father
have bread enough to spare,
and I am dying with hunger!
I will get up and go to my father, and will tell him,
“Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight.
I am no longer worthy to be called your son.
Make me as one of your hired servants.”’
He arose, and came to his father.
But while he was still far off,
his father saw him and was moved with compassion,
and ran and hugged his neck and kissed him.
The son said to him,
‘Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight.
I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
“But the father said to his servants,
‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him.
Put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet.
Bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate;
for this, my son, was dead, and is alive again.
He was lost, and is found.’
They began to celebrate.
Now his elder son was in the field.
As he came near to the house, he heard music and dancing.
He called one of the servants to him, and asked what was going on.
He said to him, ‘Your brother has come,
and your father has killed the fattened calf,
because he has received him back safe and healthy.’
But he was angry, and would not go in.
Therefore his father came out, and begged him.
But he answered his father,
‘Behold, these many years I have served you,
and I never disobeyed a commandment of yours,
but you never gave me a goat,
that I might celebrate with my friends.
But when this, your son, came,
who has devoured your living with prostitutes,
you killed the fattened calf for him.’
He said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me,
and all that is mine is yours.
But it was fitting to celebrate and be glad,
for this, your brother, was dead, and is alive again.
He was lost, and is found.’”
Mass Readings
Friday of the Second Week in Lent
Official Translation
Reading 1 - Genesis 37.3-4, 12-13a, 17b-28a
Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons,
because he was the son of his old age,
and he made him a coat of many colors.
His brothers saw that their father loved him
more than all his brothers,
and they hated him
and could not speak peaceably to him.
His brothers went to feed
their father’s flock in Shechem.
Israel said to Joseph,
“Your brothers are feeding the flock in Shechem,
are they not?
Come, and I will send you to them.”
Joseph went after his brothers,
and found them in Dothan.
They saw him a ways off,
and before he came near to them,
they conspired against him to kill him.
They said to one another,
“Behold, this dreamer comes.
Come now therefore,
and let us kill him,
and cast him into one of the pits,
and we will say, ‘An evil animal has devoured him.’
We will see what will become of his dreams.”
Reuben heard it
and delivered him out of their hand,
and said, “Let us not take his life.”
Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood.
Throw him into this pit that is in the wilderness,
but lay no hand on him”
—that he might deliver him out of their hand,
to restore him to his father.
When Joseph came to his brothers,
they stripped Joseph of his coat,
the coat of many colors that was on him;
and they took him, and threw him into the pit.
The pit was empty. There was no water in it.
They sat down to eat bread,
and they lifted up their eyes and looked,
and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites
was coming from Gilead,
with their camels bearing
spices and balm and myrrh,
going to carry it down to Egypt.
Judah said to his brothers,
“What profit is it
if we kill our brother and conceal his blood?
Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites,
and not let our hand be on him;
for he is our brother, our flesh.”
His brothers listened to him.
They sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites
for twenty pieces of silver.
Responsorial – Psalm 105.16-17, 18-19, 20-21 Resp. 5a
R. Remember his marvelous works, that the Lord has done.
The Lord called for a famine on the land.
He destroyed the food supplies.
He sent a man before them.
Joseph was sold for a slave.
R. Remember his marvelous works, that the Lord has done.
They bruised his feet with shackles.
His neck was locked in irons,
until the time that his word came to pass,
and the Lord’s word proved him true.
R. Remember his marvelous works, that the Lord has done.
The king sent and freed him;
even the ruler of peoples let him go free.
He made him lord of his house,
and ruler of all of his possessions;
R. Remember his marvelous works, that the Lord has done.
Gospel – Matthew 21.33-43, 45-46
Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people:
“Hear another parable.
There was a human, a master of a household,
who planted a vineyard,
set a hedge about it,
dug a wine press in it,
built a tower,
leased it out to farmers,
and went into another country.
When the season for the fruit drew near,
he sent his servants to the farmers,
to receive his fruit.
The farmers took his servants,
beat one, killed another, and stoned another.
Again, he sent other servants
more than the first:
and they treated them the same way.
Finally, he sent to them his son, saying,
‘They will respect my son.’
But the farmers, when they saw the son,
said among themselves, ‘This is the heir.
Come, let us kill him, and seize his inheritance.’
So they took him,
and threw him out of the vineyard,
and killed him.
When therefore the lord of the vineyard comes,
what will he do to those farmers?”
They told him,
“He will miserably destroy those miserables,
and will lease out the vineyard
to other farmers,
who will give him the fruit in its season.”
Jesus said to them,
“Did you never read in the Scriptures,
‘The stone which the builders rejected,
Has become the cornerstone.
This was done by the Lord.
It is marvelous in our eyes?’
“Therefore I tell you,
the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you,
and will be given to a nation producing its fruit.
When the chief priests and the Pharisees
heard his parables,
they perceived that he spoke about them.
When they sought to seize him,
they feared the crowds,
because they held him to be a prophet.
Reading 1 - Genesis 37.3-4, 12-13a, 17b-28a
Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons,
because he was the son of his old age,
and he made him a coat of many colors.
His brothers saw that their father loved him
more than all his brothers,
and they hated him
and could not speak peaceably to him.
His brothers went to feed
their father’s flock in Shechem.
Israel said to Joseph,
“Your brothers are feeding the flock in Shechem,
are they not?
Come, and I will send you to them.”
Joseph went after his brothers,
and found them in Dothan.
They saw him a ways off,
and before he came near to them,
they conspired against him to kill him.
They said to one another,
“Behold, this dreamer comes.
Come now therefore,
and let us kill him,
and cast him into one of the pits,
and we will say, ‘An evil animal has devoured him.’
We will see what will become of his dreams.”
Reuben heard it
and delivered him out of their hand,
and said, “Let us not take his life.”
Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood.
Throw him into this pit that is in the wilderness,
but lay no hand on him”
—that he might deliver him out of their hand,
to restore him to his father.
When Joseph came to his brothers,
they stripped Joseph of his coat,
the coat of many colors that was on him;
and they took him, and threw him into the pit.
The pit was empty. There was no water in it.
They sat down to eat bread,
and they lifted up their eyes and looked,
and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites
was coming from Gilead,
with their camels bearing
spices and balm and myrrh,
going to carry it down to Egypt.
Judah said to his brothers,
“What profit is it
if we kill our brother and conceal his blood?
Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites,
and not let our hand be on him;
for he is our brother, our flesh.”
His brothers listened to him.
They sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites
for twenty pieces of silver.
Responsorial – Psalm 105.16-17, 18-19, 20-21 Resp. 5a
R. Remember his marvelous works, that the Lord has done.
The Lord called for a famine on the land.
He destroyed the food supplies.
He sent a man before them.
Joseph was sold for a slave.
R. Remember his marvelous works, that the Lord has done.
They bruised his feet with shackles.
His neck was locked in irons,
until the time that his word came to pass,
and the Lord’s word proved him true.
R. Remember his marvelous works, that the Lord has done.
The king sent and freed him;
even the ruler of peoples let him go free.
He made him lord of his house,
and ruler of all of his possessions;
R. Remember his marvelous works, that the Lord has done.
Gospel – Matthew 21.33-43, 45-46
Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people:
“Hear another parable.
There was a human, a master of a household,
who planted a vineyard,
set a hedge about it,
dug a wine press in it,
built a tower,
leased it out to farmers,
and went into another country.
When the season for the fruit drew near,
he sent his servants to the farmers,
to receive his fruit.
The farmers took his servants,
beat one, killed another, and stoned another.
Again, he sent other servants
more than the first:
and they treated them the same way.
Finally, he sent to them his son, saying,
‘They will respect my son.’
But the farmers, when they saw the son,
said among themselves, ‘This is the heir.
Come, let us kill him, and seize his inheritance.’
So they took him,
and threw him out of the vineyard,
and killed him.
When therefore the lord of the vineyard comes,
what will he do to those farmers?”
They told him,
“He will miserably destroy those miserables,
and will lease out the vineyard
to other farmers,
who will give him the fruit in its season.”
Jesus said to them,
“Did you never read in the Scriptures,
‘The stone which the builders rejected,
Has become the cornerstone.
This was done by the Lord.
It is marvelous in our eyes?’
“Therefore I tell you,
the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you,
and will be given to a nation producing its fruit.
When the chief priests and the Pharisees
heard his parables,
they perceived that he spoke about them.
When they sought to seize him,
they feared the crowds,
because they held him to be a prophet.
Thursday of the Second Week in Lent
Official Translation
Reading 1 – Jeremiah 17.5-10
Thus says the LORD:
Cursed is the man who trusts in man,
and makes flesh his arm,
and whose heart departs from the Lord.
For he shall be like the heath in the desert,
and shall not see any good come,
but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness,
a salt land and uninhabited.
Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,
and whose trust is the Lord.
For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters,
that spreads out its roots by the river,
and shall not fear when heat comes,
but its leaf shall be green;
and shall not be worried in the year of drought,
and shall not cease from yielding fruit.
The heart is deceitful above all things,
and it is exceedingly corrupt:
who can know it?
I, the Lord, search the mind,
I test the heart,
to give to every man
according to his ways,
according to the fruit of his deeds.
Responsorial – Psalm 1.1-2, 3, 4+6 Resp. 40.5a
R. Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord.
Blessed is the man who does not walk
in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stand on the sinners’ path,
nor sit in the scoffers’ seat,
but whose delight is in the Lord’s law.
On his law he meditates day and night.
R. Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord.
He will be like a tree
planted by the streams of water,
that produces its fruit in its season,
whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does shall prosper.
R. Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord.
The wicked are not so,
but are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
For the Lord watches the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked shall perish.
R. Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord.
Gospel – Luke 16.19-31
Jesus said to the Pharisees:
“Now there was a certain rich man,
clothed in purple and fine linen,
living in luxury every day.
A certain beggar, named Lazarus,
lay at his gate, full of sores,
desiring to be fed with the crumbs
that fell from the rich man’s table.
Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
The beggar died,
and he was carried away by the angels
to Abraham’s bosom.
The rich man also died, and was buried.
In Hades, he lifted up his eyes, being in torment,
and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his bosom.
He cried and said,
‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me,
and send Lazarus,
that he may dip the tip of his finger in water,
and cool my tongue!
For I am in anguish in this flame.’
“But Abraham said, ‘Child,
remember that you, in your lifetime,
received your good things,
and Lazarus, in the same way, bad things.
But now here he is comforted
and you are in anguish.
Besides all this, between us and you
there is a great gulf fixed,
that those who want to pass
from here to you are not able,
and that no one may cross over from there to us.’
“He said, ‘Then I beg you, father,
to send him to my father’s house;
for I have five brothers,
that he may testify to them,
so they will not also come into this place of torment.’
“But Abraham said to him,
‘They have Moses and the prophets.
Let them listen to them.’
“He said, ‘No, father Abraham,
but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’
“He said to him, ‘If they do not listen
to Moses and the prophets,
neither will they be persuaded
if one rises from the dead.’”
Reading 1 – Jeremiah 17.5-10
Thus says the LORD:
Cursed is the man who trusts in man,
and makes flesh his arm,
and whose heart departs from the Lord.
For he shall be like the heath in the desert,
and shall not see any good come,
but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness,
a salt land and uninhabited.
Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,
and whose trust is the Lord.
For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters,
that spreads out its roots by the river,
and shall not fear when heat comes,
but its leaf shall be green;
and shall not be worried in the year of drought,
and shall not cease from yielding fruit.
The heart is deceitful above all things,
and it is exceedingly corrupt:
who can know it?
I, the Lord, search the mind,
I test the heart,
to give to every man
according to his ways,
according to the fruit of his deeds.
Responsorial – Psalm 1.1-2, 3, 4+6 Resp. 40.5a
R. Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord.
Blessed is the man who does not walk
in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stand on the sinners’ path,
nor sit in the scoffers’ seat,
but whose delight is in the Lord’s law.
On his law he meditates day and night.
R. Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord.
He will be like a tree
planted by the streams of water,
that produces its fruit in its season,
whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does shall prosper.
R. Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord.
The wicked are not so,
but are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
For the Lord watches the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked shall perish.
R. Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord.
Gospel – Luke 16.19-31
Jesus said to the Pharisees:
“Now there was a certain rich man,
clothed in purple and fine linen,
living in luxury every day.
A certain beggar, named Lazarus,
lay at his gate, full of sores,
desiring to be fed with the crumbs
that fell from the rich man’s table.
Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
The beggar died,
and he was carried away by the angels
to Abraham’s bosom.
The rich man also died, and was buried.
In Hades, he lifted up his eyes, being in torment,
and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his bosom.
He cried and said,
‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me,
and send Lazarus,
that he may dip the tip of his finger in water,
and cool my tongue!
For I am in anguish in this flame.’
“But Abraham said, ‘Child,
remember that you, in your lifetime,
received your good things,
and Lazarus, in the same way, bad things.
But now here he is comforted
and you are in anguish.
Besides all this, between us and you
there is a great gulf fixed,
that those who want to pass
from here to you are not able,
and that no one may cross over from there to us.’
“He said, ‘Then I beg you, father,
to send him to my father’s house;
for I have five brothers,
that he may testify to them,
so they will not also come into this place of torment.’
“But Abraham said to him,
‘They have Moses and the prophets.
Let them listen to them.’
“He said, ‘No, father Abraham,
but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’
“He said to him, ‘If they do not listen
to Moses and the prophets,
neither will they be persuaded
if one rises from the dead.’”
Solemnity of Saint Joseph, husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Official Translation
Reading 1 – 2 Samuel 7.4-5a, 12-14a, 16
The word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying,
“Go and tell my servant David,
When your days are fulfilled,
and you sleep with your fathers,
I will set up your seed after you,
who shall proceed out of your loins,
and I will establish his kingdom.
He shall build a house for my name,
and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
I will be his father, and he shall be my son.
Your house and your kingdom
shall be made sure forever before me.
Your throne shall be established forever.”
Responsorial – Psalm 89.2-3, 4-5, 27+29 Resp. 37
R. The son of David will live forever.
I will sing of the loving kindness of the Lord forever.
With my mouth, I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.
I indeed declare, “Love stands firm forever.”
You established the heavens and your faithfulness is in them.”
R. The son of David will live forever.
“I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
I have sworn to David, my servant,
‘I will establish your seed forever,
and build up your throne to all generations.’”
R. The son of David will live forever.
He will call to me, ‘You are my Father,
my God, and the rock of my salvation!’
I will keep my loving kindness for him forever more.
My covenant will stand firm with him.
R. The son of David will live forever.
Reading 2 – Romans 4.13, 16-18, 22
Brothers and sisters:
The promise to Abraham and to his seed
that he should inherit the world
was not through the law,
but through the righteousness of faith.
For this reason it is of faith:
that it may be according to grace,
to the end that the promise
may be sure to all the seed,
not to that only which is of the law,
but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham,
who is the father of us all.
As it is written,
“I have made you a father of many nations.”
In the eyes of God,in whom he believed,
who gives life to the dead,
and calls the not existing as the existing.
In hope he believed against hope,
that he might become a father of many nations,
according to that which had been spoken,
“So will your seed be.”
Therefore it also was “reckoned to him for righteousness.”
Gospel – Matthew 1.16, 18-21, 24a
Jacob became the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary,
from whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
Now the birth of Jesus Christ happened in this way:
After his mother, Mary, was engaged to Joseph,
but before they came together,
she was found pregnant by the Holy Spirit.
Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man,
and unwilling to shame her,
resolved to divorce her secretly.
But while he thought about these things,
behold, an angel of the Lord
appeared to him in a dream, saying,
“Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid
to take in Mary, your wife,
for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
She shall give birth to a son.
You shall call his name Jesus,
for it is he who shall save his people from their sins.”
Joseph arose from his sleep,
and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him,
and took his wife in.
Or Luke 2.41-51a
Jesus’ parents went every year
to Jerusalem at the feast of the Passover.
When he was twelve years old,
they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast,
and when they had fulfilled the days,
as they were returning,
the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem.
Joseph and his mother did not know it,
but supposing him to be in the company,
they went a day’s journey,
and they looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances.
When they did not find him,
they returned to Jerusalem, looking for him.
After three days they found him in the temple,
sitting in the midst of the teachers,
both listening to them,
and asking them questions.
All who heard him
were amazed at his understanding
and his answers.
When they saw him, they were astonished,
and his mother said to him,
“Son, why have you treated us this way?
Behold, your father and I were anxiously looking for you.”
He said to them, “Why were you looking for me?
Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”
They did not understand the saying which he spoke to them.
And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth.
He was obedient to them.
Reading 1 – 2 Samuel 7.4-5a, 12-14a, 16
The word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying,
“Go and tell my servant David,
When your days are fulfilled,
and you sleep with your fathers,
I will set up your seed after you,
who shall proceed out of your loins,
and I will establish his kingdom.
He shall build a house for my name,
and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
I will be his father, and he shall be my son.
Your house and your kingdom
shall be made sure forever before me.
Your throne shall be established forever.”
Responsorial – Psalm 89.2-3, 4-5, 27+29 Resp. 37
R. The son of David will live forever.
I will sing of the loving kindness of the Lord forever.
With my mouth, I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.
I indeed declare, “Love stands firm forever.”
You established the heavens and your faithfulness is in them.”
R. The son of David will live forever.
“I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
I have sworn to David, my servant,
‘I will establish your seed forever,
and build up your throne to all generations.’”
R. The son of David will live forever.
He will call to me, ‘You are my Father,
my God, and the rock of my salvation!’
I will keep my loving kindness for him forever more.
My covenant will stand firm with him.
R. The son of David will live forever.
Reading 2 – Romans 4.13, 16-18, 22
Brothers and sisters:
The promise to Abraham and to his seed
that he should inherit the world
was not through the law,
but through the righteousness of faith.
For this reason it is of faith:
that it may be according to grace,
to the end that the promise
may be sure to all the seed,
not to that only which is of the law,
but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham,
who is the father of us all.
As it is written,
“I have made you a father of many nations.”
In the eyes of God,in whom he believed,
who gives life to the dead,
and calls the not existing as the existing.
In hope he believed against hope,
that he might become a father of many nations,
according to that which had been spoken,
“So will your seed be.”
Therefore it also was “reckoned to him for righteousness.”
Gospel – Matthew 1.16, 18-21, 24a
Jacob became the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary,
from whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
Now the birth of Jesus Christ happened in this way:
After his mother, Mary, was engaged to Joseph,
but before they came together,
she was found pregnant by the Holy Spirit.
Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man,
and unwilling to shame her,
resolved to divorce her secretly.
But while he thought about these things,
behold, an angel of the Lord
appeared to him in a dream, saying,
“Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid
to take in Mary, your wife,
for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
She shall give birth to a son.
You shall call his name Jesus,
for it is he who shall save his people from their sins.”
Joseph arose from his sleep,
and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him,
and took his wife in.
Or Luke 2.41-51a
Jesus’ parents went every year
to Jerusalem at the feast of the Passover.
When he was twelve years old,
they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast,
and when they had fulfilled the days,
as they were returning,
the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem.
Joseph and his mother did not know it,
but supposing him to be in the company,
they went a day’s journey,
and they looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances.
When they did not find him,
they returned to Jerusalem, looking for him.
After three days they found him in the temple,
sitting in the midst of the teachers,
both listening to them,
and asking them questions.
All who heard him
were amazed at his understanding
and his answers.
When they saw him, they were astonished,
and his mother said to him,
“Son, why have you treated us this way?
Behold, your father and I were anxiously looking for you.”
He said to them, “Why were you looking for me?
Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”
They did not understand the saying which he spoke to them.
And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth.
He was obedient to them.
Tuesday of the Second Week in Lent
Official Translation
Reading 1 - Isaiah 1.10, 16-20
Hear the word of the Lord, rulers of Sodom!
Listen to the law of our God, people of Gomorrah!
Wash yourselves, make yourself clean.
Put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes.
Cease to do evil.
Learn to do good.
Seek justice.
Relieve the oppressed.
Judge the fatherless.
Plead for the widow.
“Come now, and let us reason together,” says the Lord,
“Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.
Though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”
If you are willing and obedient,you shall eat the good things of the land;
but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured with the sword;
for the mouth of the Lord has spoken it!
Responsorial – Psalm 50.8-9, 16bc-17, 21+23 Resp. 23b
R. I will show God’s salvation to the just.
I do not rebuke you for your sacrifices.
Your burnt offerings are continually before me.
I have no need for a bull from your stall,
nor male goats from your pens.
R. I will show God’s salvation to the just.
“What right do you have to declare my statutes,
and to have my covenant on your lips,
since you hate instruction,
and throw my words behind you?
R. I will show God’s salvation to the just.
You have done these things, and I kept silent,
so you thought that I was just like you.
I will rebuke you, and accuse you before your own eyes.
Whoever offers the sacrifice of thanksgiving glorifies me,
and to him who rightly goes his way, I will show God’s salvation.”
R. I will show God’s salvation to the just.
Gospel – Matthew 23.1-12
Jesus spoke to the crowds and his disciples, saying:
“The scribes and the Pharisees have sat in the chair of Moses.
Therefore, observe and do all things whatsoever they say to you,
but do not act according to their works.
For they speak and do not act.
For they bind heavy and insupportable burdens
and lay them on the shoulders of humans:
but they do not wish to move them with their own finger.
They do all their works for the attention of humans.
For they make their phylacteries broad and enlarge their fringes.
And they love the first places at feasts and the first chairs in the synagogues,
and salutations in the marketplace, and to be called by humans, ‘Rabbi’.
But as for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’.
For one is your teacher, and you are all brothers.
And do not call your father upon the earth,
For one is your Heavenly Father.
And do not be called masters: for your master is one: the Christ.
But the greatest of you, will be your servant.
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled,
and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
Reading 1 - Isaiah 1.10, 16-20
Hear the word of the Lord, rulers of Sodom!
Listen to the law of our God, people of Gomorrah!
Wash yourselves, make yourself clean.
Put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes.
Cease to do evil.
Learn to do good.
Seek justice.
Relieve the oppressed.
Judge the fatherless.
Plead for the widow.
“Come now, and let us reason together,” says the Lord,
“Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.
Though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”
If you are willing and obedient,you shall eat the good things of the land;
but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured with the sword;
for the mouth of the Lord has spoken it!
Responsorial – Psalm 50.8-9, 16bc-17, 21+23 Resp. 23b
R. I will show God’s salvation to the just.
I do not rebuke you for your sacrifices.
Your burnt offerings are continually before me.
I have no need for a bull from your stall,
nor male goats from your pens.
R. I will show God’s salvation to the just.
“What right do you have to declare my statutes,
and to have my covenant on your lips,
since you hate instruction,
and throw my words behind you?
R. I will show God’s salvation to the just.
You have done these things, and I kept silent,
so you thought that I was just like you.
I will rebuke you, and accuse you before your own eyes.
Whoever offers the sacrifice of thanksgiving glorifies me,
and to him who rightly goes his way, I will show God’s salvation.”
R. I will show God’s salvation to the just.
Gospel – Matthew 23.1-12
Jesus spoke to the crowds and his disciples, saying:
“The scribes and the Pharisees have sat in the chair of Moses.
Therefore, observe and do all things whatsoever they say to you,
but do not act according to their works.
For they speak and do not act.
For they bind heavy and insupportable burdens
and lay them on the shoulders of humans:
but they do not wish to move them with their own finger.
They do all their works for the attention of humans.
For they make their phylacteries broad and enlarge their fringes.
And they love the first places at feasts and the first chairs in the synagogues,
and salutations in the marketplace, and to be called by humans, ‘Rabbi’.
But as for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’.
For one is your teacher, and you are all brothers.
And do not call your father upon the earth,
For one is your Heavenly Father.
And do not be called masters: for your master is one: the Christ.
But the greatest of you, will be your servant.
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled,
and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
Monday of the Second Week in Lent
Official Translation
Reading 1 – Daniel 9.4b-10
O Lord, great and awesome God,
who keep your covenant and loving kindness
toward those who love you and keep your commandments:
We have sinned,and have dealt perversely,
and have done wickedly, and have rebelled,
even turning aside from your precepts and from your ordinances;
we have not listened to your servants the prophets,
who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers,
and to all the people of the land.
Lord, righteousness belongs to you,
but to us confusion of face, as on this day;
we men of Judah, and inhabitants of Jerusalem,
and all Israel, who are near, and who are far off,
through all the countries where you have driven them,
because of their trespass that they have trespassed against you.
Lord, to us belongs confusion of face,
to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers,
because we have sinned against you.
To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgiveness;
for we have rebelled against him,
and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God,
to walk in your laws,
which you set before us by you servants the prophets.
Responsorial – Psalm 79.8, 9, 11+13 R. 103:10a
R. Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins.
Do not hold the iniquities of our forefathers against us.
Let your tender mercies speedily meet us,
for we are in desperate need.
R. Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins.
Help us, God of our salvation,
for the glory of your name.
Deliver us, and forgive our sins,
for your name’s sake.
R. Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins.
Let the sighing of the prisoner come before you.
According to the greatness of your power, preserve those who are sentenced to death.
So we, your people and sheep of your pasture,
will give you thanks forever.
We will praise you forever, to all generations.
R. Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins.
Gospel – Luke 6.36-38
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Be merciful, even as your Father is also merciful.
Do not judge, and you will not be judged.
Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned.
Release, and you will be released.
Give, and it will be given to you:
good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over,
will be given to you.
For with the same measure you measure, will it be measured back to you.”
Reading 1 – Daniel 9.4b-10
O Lord, great and awesome God,
who keep your covenant and loving kindness
toward those who love you and keep your commandments:
We have sinned,and have dealt perversely,
and have done wickedly, and have rebelled,
even turning aside from your precepts and from your ordinances;
we have not listened to your servants the prophets,
who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers,
and to all the people of the land.
Lord, righteousness belongs to you,
but to us confusion of face, as on this day;
we men of Judah, and inhabitants of Jerusalem,
and all Israel, who are near, and who are far off,
through all the countries where you have driven them,
because of their trespass that they have trespassed against you.
Lord, to us belongs confusion of face,
to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers,
because we have sinned against you.
To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgiveness;
for we have rebelled against him,
and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God,
to walk in your laws,
which you set before us by you servants the prophets.
Responsorial – Psalm 79.8, 9, 11+13 R. 103:10a
R. Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins.
Do not hold the iniquities of our forefathers against us.
Let your tender mercies speedily meet us,
for we are in desperate need.
R. Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins.
Help us, God of our salvation,
for the glory of your name.
Deliver us, and forgive our sins,
for your name’s sake.
R. Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins.
Let the sighing of the prisoner come before you.
According to the greatness of your power, preserve those who are sentenced to death.
So we, your people and sheep of your pasture,
will give you thanks forever.
We will praise you forever, to all generations.
R. Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins.
Gospel – Luke 6.36-38
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Be merciful, even as your Father is also merciful.
Do not judge, and you will not be judged.
Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned.
Release, and you will be released.
Give, and it will be given to you:
good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over,
will be given to you.
For with the same measure you measure, will it be measured back to you.”
Second Sunday of Lent (A)
Official Translation
Reading 1 - Genesis 12.1-4a
Now the Lord said to Abram,
"Get out of your country, and from your relatives,
and from your father's house,
to the land that I will show you.
I will make of you a great nation.
I will bless you and make your name great.
You will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you,
and I will curse him who curses you.
In you will all of the families of the earth be blessed."
So Abram went, as the Lord had spoken to him.
Responsorial – Psalm 33.4-5, 18-19, 20+22 Resp. 22
R. Let your loving kindness be on us, O Lord, since we have hoped in you.
The word of the Lord is right.
All his work is done in faithfulness.
He loves righteousness and justice.
The earth is full of the loving kindness of the Lord.
R. Let your loving kindness be on us, O Lord, since we have hoped in you.
Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him,
on those who hope in his loving kindness;
to deliver their soul from death,
to keep them alive in famine.
R. Let your loving kindness be on us, O Lord, since we have hoped in you.
Our soul has waited for the Lord.
He is our help and our shield.
Let your loving kindness be on us, O Lord,
since we have hoped in you.
R. Let your loving kindness be on us, O Lord, since we have hoped in you.
Reading 2 – 2 Timothy 1.8B-10
Beloved:
take your share of suffering for the Gospel,
measured by the power of God.
He saved us and called us with a holy calling,
not according to our works,
but according to his own purpose and grace,
which was given to us in Christ Jesus before times eternal,
but has now been revealed by the appearance of our Savior, Christ Jesus,
who abolished death,
and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel.
Gospel – Matthew 17.1-9
Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John his brother,
and brought them up onto a high mountain by themselves.
He was transfigured before them.
His face shone like the sun, and his garments became as white as the light.
Behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them talking with him.
Peter answered, and said to Jesus,
"Lord, it is good for us to be here.
If you want, let us make three tents here:
one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them.
Behold, a voice came out of the cloud, saying,
“This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to him.”
When the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces, and were very afraid.
Jesus came and touched them and said, “Get up, and do not be afraid.”
Lifting up their eyes, they saw no one, except Jesus alone.
As they were coming down from the mountain,
Jesus commanded them, saying,
"Do not tell anyone what you saw, until the Son of Human has risen from the dead."
Reading 1 - Genesis 12.1-4a
Now the Lord said to Abram,
"Get out of your country, and from your relatives,
and from your father's house,
to the land that I will show you.
I will make of you a great nation.
I will bless you and make your name great.
You will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you,
and I will curse him who curses you.
In you will all of the families of the earth be blessed."
So Abram went, as the Lord had spoken to him.
Responsorial – Psalm 33.4-5, 18-19, 20+22 Resp. 22
R. Let your loving kindness be on us, O Lord, since we have hoped in you.
The word of the Lord is right.
All his work is done in faithfulness.
He loves righteousness and justice.
The earth is full of the loving kindness of the Lord.
R. Let your loving kindness be on us, O Lord, since we have hoped in you.
Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him,
on those who hope in his loving kindness;
to deliver their soul from death,
to keep them alive in famine.
R. Let your loving kindness be on us, O Lord, since we have hoped in you.
Our soul has waited for the Lord.
He is our help and our shield.
Let your loving kindness be on us, O Lord,
since we have hoped in you.
R. Let your loving kindness be on us, O Lord, since we have hoped in you.
Reading 2 – 2 Timothy 1.8B-10
Beloved:
take your share of suffering for the Gospel,
measured by the power of God.
He saved us and called us with a holy calling,
not according to our works,
but according to his own purpose and grace,
which was given to us in Christ Jesus before times eternal,
but has now been revealed by the appearance of our Savior, Christ Jesus,
who abolished death,
and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel.
Gospel – Matthew 17.1-9
Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John his brother,
and brought them up onto a high mountain by themselves.
He was transfigured before them.
His face shone like the sun, and his garments became as white as the light.
Behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them talking with him.
Peter answered, and said to Jesus,
"Lord, it is good for us to be here.
If you want, let us make three tents here:
one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them.
Behold, a voice came out of the cloud, saying,
“This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to him.”
When the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces, and were very afraid.
Jesus came and touched them and said, “Get up, and do not be afraid.”
Lifting up their eyes, they saw no one, except Jesus alone.
As they were coming down from the mountain,
Jesus commanded them, saying,
"Do not tell anyone what you saw, until the Son of Human has risen from the dead."
Saturday of the First Week in Lent
Official Translation
Reading 1 - Deuteronomy 26.16-19
Moses spoke to the people, saying:
“This day the Lord your God
commands you to do these statutes and ordinances.
You shall therefore keep and do them
with all your heart and with all your soul.
You have declared this day that the Lord is your God,
and that you would walk in his ways,
and keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his ordinances,
and listen to his voice.
The Lord has declared this day
that you are a people peculiarly his own,
as he has promised you,
and that you should keep all his commandments.
He will make you high above all nations that he has made,
in praise, in name, and in honor;
and that you may be a holy people to the Lord your God,
as he has spoken.”
Responsorial – Psalm 119.1-2, 4-5, 7-8 Resp. 1b
R. Blessed are those who walk according to the Lord’s law.
Blessed are those whose ways are blameless,
who walk according to the Lord’s law.
Blessed are those who keep his statutes,
who seek him with their whole heart.
R. Blessed are those who walk according to the Lord’s law.
You have commanded your precepts,
that we should fully obey them.
O that my ways were steadfast
to obey your statutes!
R. Blessed are those who walk according to the Lord’s law.
I will give thanks to you with uprightness of heart,
when I learn your righteous judgments.
I will observe your statutes.
Do not utterly forsake me.
R. Blessed are those who walk according to the Lord’s law.
Gospel - Matthew 5.43-48
Jesus said to his disciples:
“You have heard that it was said,
‘You shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.’
But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you,
do good to those who hate you,
and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you,
that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven.
For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good,
and sends rain on the just and the unjust.
For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have?
Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
If you only greet your brothers and sisters,
what more do you do than others?
Do not even the Gentiles do the same?
Therefore you shall be perfect,
just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
Reading 1 - Deuteronomy 26.16-19
Moses spoke to the people, saying:
“This day the Lord your God
commands you to do these statutes and ordinances.
You shall therefore keep and do them
with all your heart and with all your soul.
You have declared this day that the Lord is your God,
and that you would walk in his ways,
and keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his ordinances,
and listen to his voice.
The Lord has declared this day
that you are a people peculiarly his own,
as he has promised you,
and that you should keep all his commandments.
He will make you high above all nations that he has made,
in praise, in name, and in honor;
and that you may be a holy people to the Lord your God,
as he has spoken.”
Responsorial – Psalm 119.1-2, 4-5, 7-8 Resp. 1b
R. Blessed are those who walk according to the Lord’s law.
Blessed are those whose ways are blameless,
who walk according to the Lord’s law.
Blessed are those who keep his statutes,
who seek him with their whole heart.
R. Blessed are those who walk according to the Lord’s law.
You have commanded your precepts,
that we should fully obey them.
O that my ways were steadfast
to obey your statutes!
R. Blessed are those who walk according to the Lord’s law.
I will give thanks to you with uprightness of heart,
when I learn your righteous judgments.
I will observe your statutes.
Do not utterly forsake me.
R. Blessed are those who walk according to the Lord’s law.
Gospel - Matthew 5.43-48
Jesus said to his disciples:
“You have heard that it was said,
‘You shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.’
But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you,
do good to those who hate you,
and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you,
that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven.
For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good,
and sends rain on the just and the unjust.
For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have?
Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
If you only greet your brothers and sisters,
what more do you do than others?
Do not even the Gentiles do the same?
Therefore you shall be perfect,
just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
Friday of the First Week of Lent
Official Translation
Reading 1 – Ezekiel 18.21-28
Thus says the Lord GOD:
“If the wicked turn from all his sins that he has committed,
and keep all my statutes,
and do that which is lawful and right,
he shall surely live, he shall not die.
None of his transgressions that he has committed
shall be remembered against him:
in his righteousness that he has done
he shall live.
Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked?”
says the Lord;
“Do I not rather that he should turn back from his way and live?
But when the righteous turns away from his righteousness,
and commits iniquity,
and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does,
shall he live?
None of his righteous deeds that he has done shall be remembered:
in his trespass that he has trespassed,
and in his sin that he has sinned, in them shall he die.
Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’
Hear now, house of Israel:
Is my way not fair?
Are not your ways unfair?
When the righteous man turns away from his righteousness,
and commits iniquity, and dies therein;
in his iniquity that he has done shall he die.
Again, when the wicked man turns away from
his wickedness that he has committed,
and does that which is lawful and right,
he shall save his soul and live.
Because he considers, and turns away
from all his transgressions that he has committed,
he shall surely live, he shall not die.
Responsorial - Psalm 130.1-2, 3-4, 5-7a, 7bc-8 R. 3
R. If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, who could stand?
Out of the depths I have cried to you, Lord.
Lord, hear my voice.
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my petitions.
R. If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, who could stand?
If you, Lord, kept a record of sins,
Lord, who could stand?
But there is forgiveness with you,
therefore you are feared.
R. If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, who could stand?
I wait for the Lord.
My soul waits. I hope in his word.
My soul longs for the Lord
more than watchmen long for the dawn;
Israel, hope in the Lord.
R. If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, who could stand?
For with the Lord there is loving kindness.
With him is abundant redemption.
He will redeem Israel
from all their sins.
R. If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, who could stand?
Gospel – Matthew 5.20-26
Jesus said to his disciples:
For I tell you that unless your righteousness
exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees,
there is no way you will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.
“You have heard that it was said to the ancient ones,
‘You shall not murder;’ and
‘Whoever shall murder shall be in danger of the judgment.’
But I tell you that everyone who is angry with his brother
shall be in danger of the judgment;
and whoever shall say to his brother, ‘Raqa!’
shall be in danger of the Sanhedren;
and whoever shall say, ‘You fool!’
shall be in danger of the fire of Gehenna.
“If therefore you are offering your gift at the altar,
and there remember that your brother has anything against you,
leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way.
First be reconciled to your brother,
and then come and offer your gift.
Agree with your adversary quickly,
while you are with him on the way;
lest the prosecutor deliver you to the judge,
and the judge deliver you to the guard,
and you be cast into prison.
Amen I say to you,
you shall by no means get out of there,
until you have paid the last penny.
Reading 1 – Ezekiel 18.21-28
Thus says the Lord GOD:
“If the wicked turn from all his sins that he has committed,
and keep all my statutes,
and do that which is lawful and right,
he shall surely live, he shall not die.
None of his transgressions that he has committed
shall be remembered against him:
in his righteousness that he has done
he shall live.
Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked?”
says the Lord;
“Do I not rather that he should turn back from his way and live?
But when the righteous turns away from his righteousness,
and commits iniquity,
and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does,
shall he live?
None of his righteous deeds that he has done shall be remembered:
in his trespass that he has trespassed,
and in his sin that he has sinned, in them shall he die.
Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’
Hear now, house of Israel:
Is my way not fair?
Are not your ways unfair?
When the righteous man turns away from his righteousness,
and commits iniquity, and dies therein;
in his iniquity that he has done shall he die.
Again, when the wicked man turns away from
his wickedness that he has committed,
and does that which is lawful and right,
he shall save his soul and live.
Because he considers, and turns away
from all his transgressions that he has committed,
he shall surely live, he shall not die.
Responsorial - Psalm 130.1-2, 3-4, 5-7a, 7bc-8 R. 3
R. If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, who could stand?
Out of the depths I have cried to you, Lord.
Lord, hear my voice.
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my petitions.
R. If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, who could stand?
If you, Lord, kept a record of sins,
Lord, who could stand?
But there is forgiveness with you,
therefore you are feared.
R. If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, who could stand?
I wait for the Lord.
My soul waits. I hope in his word.
My soul longs for the Lord
more than watchmen long for the dawn;
Israel, hope in the Lord.
R. If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, who could stand?
For with the Lord there is loving kindness.
With him is abundant redemption.
He will redeem Israel
from all their sins.
R. If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, who could stand?
Gospel – Matthew 5.20-26
Jesus said to his disciples:
For I tell you that unless your righteousness
exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees,
there is no way you will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.
“You have heard that it was said to the ancient ones,
‘You shall not murder;’ and
‘Whoever shall murder shall be in danger of the judgment.’
But I tell you that everyone who is angry with his brother
shall be in danger of the judgment;
and whoever shall say to his brother, ‘Raqa!’
shall be in danger of the Sanhedren;
and whoever shall say, ‘You fool!’
shall be in danger of the fire of Gehenna.
“If therefore you are offering your gift at the altar,
and there remember that your brother has anything against you,
leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way.
First be reconciled to your brother,
and then come and offer your gift.
Agree with your adversary quickly,
while you are with him on the way;
lest the prosecutor deliver you to the judge,
and the judge deliver you to the guard,
and you be cast into prison.
Amen I say to you,
you shall by no means get out of there,
until you have paid the last penny.
Thursday of the First Week of Lent
Official Translation
The first reading today from Esther is very strange. I have consulted the Septuagint, the Vulgate, and many translations, but cannot see how the ended up with the reading. Not even the NAB, the basis of the lectionary, has anything like it. So I collected a first reading from Esther that while a prayer by Esther is significantly different.
Reading 1 - Esther C.12, 14-16, 23-25 (14.1-2abd,3-5abc,13-14, 19)
Queen Esther was in fear of death
and resorted to the Lord.
She took off her splendid garments
and put on the clothing of weeping and mourning
and she utterly humbled her body
And she prayed to the Lord God of Israel, saying,
“O Lord, my only King.
Help me, who am alone, and have no helper but you.
for my danger is in my own hands.
Since birth, I have heard in the tribe of my family
that you, O Lord, took Israel out of all the nations.
Put eloquent speech in my mouth before the lion
and turn his heart to hate the man who fights against us,
so that he and those who agree with him may be finished.
Save us by your hand, and help me, who am alone
and have no helper but you, O Lord.
O God almighty,
hear the voice of the despairing,
and save us from the hands of evildoers,
and save me from my fear.
Responsorial – Psalm 138.1-2ab, 2cde-3, 7c-8 Resp. 3a
R. Lord, on the day that I called, you answered me.
I will give you thanks with my whole heart.
for you have heard the words of my mouth
before the gods I will sing your praise.
I will bow down toward your holy temple,
and give thanks to your Name.
R. Lord, on the day that I called, you answered me.
Because of your loving kindness and your truth,
for you have exalted above all
your Name and your Word.
In the day that I called, you answered me.
You encouraged me with strength in my soul.
R. Lord, on the day that I called, you answered me.
Your right hand will save me.
The Lord will fulfill that which concerns me;
your loving kindness, O Lord, endures forever.
Do not forsake the works of your own hands.
R. Lord, on the day that I called, you answered me.
Gospel – Matthew 7.7-12
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Ask, and it will be given to you.
Seek, and you will find.
Knock, and it will be opened for you.
For everyone who asks receives.
They who seek, find.
To the one who knocks, it will be opened.
Who is there among you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone?
Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?
If you then, being perverse, know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
Therefore whatever you desire for humans to do to you, you shall also do to them;
for this is the law and the prophets.”
The first reading today from Esther is very strange. I have consulted the Septuagint, the Vulgate, and many translations, but cannot see how the ended up with the reading. Not even the NAB, the basis of the lectionary, has anything like it. So I collected a first reading from Esther that while a prayer by Esther is significantly different.
Reading 1 - Esther C.12, 14-16, 23-25 (14.1-2abd,3-5abc,13-14, 19)
Queen Esther was in fear of death
and resorted to the Lord.
She took off her splendid garments
and put on the clothing of weeping and mourning
and she utterly humbled her body
And she prayed to the Lord God of Israel, saying,
“O Lord, my only King.
Help me, who am alone, and have no helper but you.
for my danger is in my own hands.
Since birth, I have heard in the tribe of my family
that you, O Lord, took Israel out of all the nations.
Put eloquent speech in my mouth before the lion
and turn his heart to hate the man who fights against us,
so that he and those who agree with him may be finished.
Save us by your hand, and help me, who am alone
and have no helper but you, O Lord.
O God almighty,
hear the voice of the despairing,
and save us from the hands of evildoers,
and save me from my fear.
Responsorial – Psalm 138.1-2ab, 2cde-3, 7c-8 Resp. 3a
R. Lord, on the day that I called, you answered me.
I will give you thanks with my whole heart.
for you have heard the words of my mouth
before the gods I will sing your praise.
I will bow down toward your holy temple,
and give thanks to your Name.
R. Lord, on the day that I called, you answered me.
Because of your loving kindness and your truth,
for you have exalted above all
your Name and your Word.
In the day that I called, you answered me.
You encouraged me with strength in my soul.
R. Lord, on the day that I called, you answered me.
Your right hand will save me.
The Lord will fulfill that which concerns me;
your loving kindness, O Lord, endures forever.
Do not forsake the works of your own hands.
R. Lord, on the day that I called, you answered me.
Gospel – Matthew 7.7-12
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Ask, and it will be given to you.
Seek, and you will find.
Knock, and it will be opened for you.
For everyone who asks receives.
They who seek, find.
To the one who knocks, it will be opened.
Who is there among you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone?
Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?
If you then, being perverse, know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
Therefore whatever you desire for humans to do to you, you shall also do to them;
for this is the law and the prophets.”
Wednesday of the First Week in Lent
Official Translation
Reading 1 – Jonah 3.1-10
The word of the Lord came to Jonah again, saying,
“Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city,
and preach to it the message that I give you.”
So Jonah arose, and went to Nineveh,
according to the Lord’s word.
Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city,
three days’ journey across.
Jonah began to enter into the city
one day’s journey,
and he cried out, and said,
“In forty days, Nineveh will be overthrown!”
The people of Nineveh believed God;
and they proclaimed a fast,
and put on sackcloth,
from their greatest even to their least.
The news reached the king of Nineveh,
and he arose from his throne,
and took off his royal robe,
covered himself with sackcloth,
and sat in ashes.
He made a proclamation
and published through Nineveh
by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying,
“Let neither man nor animal, herd nor flock,
taste anything; let them not feed, nor drink water;
but let them be covered with sackcloth,
both man and animal,
and let them cry mightily to God.
Yes, let them turn everyone from his evil way,
and from the violence that is in his hands.
Who knows whether God will not turn and relent,
and turn away from his fierce anger,
so that we might not perish?”
God saw their works,
that they turned from their evil way.
God relented of the disaster
which he said he would do to them,
and he did not do it.
Responsorial – Psalm 51.3-4, 12-13, 18-19 Resp. 19b
R. A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
Have mercy on me, God, according to your loving kindness.
According to the multitude of your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity.
Cleanse me from my sin.
R. A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Renew a right spirit within me.
Do not cast me out from your presence,
and do not take your Holy Spirit from me.
R. A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
For you do not delight in sacrifice.
I would give a burnt offering, but you have no pleasure in it.
My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit.
A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
R. A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
Gospel - Luke 11.29-32
While the crowds were gathering together to Jesus, he began to say,
“This kind is a perverse kind.
It seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah, the prophet.
For even as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Human be to this kind.
At the judgment, the queen of the south will rise up with the men of this kind,
and will condemn them:
for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon;
and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.
The men of Nineveh will stand up in the judgment with this kind, and will condemn it:
for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.”
Reading 1 – Jonah 3.1-10
The word of the Lord came to Jonah again, saying,
“Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city,
and preach to it the message that I give you.”
So Jonah arose, and went to Nineveh,
according to the Lord’s word.
Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city,
three days’ journey across.
Jonah began to enter into the city
one day’s journey,
and he cried out, and said,
“In forty days, Nineveh will be overthrown!”
The people of Nineveh believed God;
and they proclaimed a fast,
and put on sackcloth,
from their greatest even to their least.
The news reached the king of Nineveh,
and he arose from his throne,
and took off his royal robe,
covered himself with sackcloth,
and sat in ashes.
He made a proclamation
and published through Nineveh
by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying,
“Let neither man nor animal, herd nor flock,
taste anything; let them not feed, nor drink water;
but let them be covered with sackcloth,
both man and animal,
and let them cry mightily to God.
Yes, let them turn everyone from his evil way,
and from the violence that is in his hands.
Who knows whether God will not turn and relent,
and turn away from his fierce anger,
so that we might not perish?”
God saw their works,
that they turned from their evil way.
God relented of the disaster
which he said he would do to them,
and he did not do it.
Responsorial – Psalm 51.3-4, 12-13, 18-19 Resp. 19b
R. A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
Have mercy on me, God, according to your loving kindness.
According to the multitude of your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity.
Cleanse me from my sin.
R. A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Renew a right spirit within me.
Do not cast me out from your presence,
and do not take your Holy Spirit from me.
R. A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
For you do not delight in sacrifice.
I would give a burnt offering, but you have no pleasure in it.
My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit.
A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
R. A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
Gospel - Luke 11.29-32
While the crowds were gathering together to Jesus, he began to say,
“This kind is a perverse kind.
It seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah, the prophet.
For even as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Human be to this kind.
At the judgment, the queen of the south will rise up with the men of this kind,
and will condemn them:
for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon;
and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.
The men of Nineveh will stand up in the judgment with this kind, and will condemn it:
for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.”
Tuesday of the First Week of Lent
Official Translation
Reading 1 – Isaiah 55.10-11
Thus says the LORD:
For as the rain and the snow
come down from the heavens,
and do not return there,
until they water the earth,
and makes it grow and bud,
giving seed to the sower
and bread to the eater,
so shall my word be
that goes out of my mouth:
it shall not return to me void,
but it shall accomplish my will,
and it shall prosper
in what I sent it to do.
Responsorial – Psalm 34.4-5, 6-7, 16-17, 18-19 Resp. 18b
R. The Lord delivered the just out of all their troubles.
Oh magnify the Lord with me.
Let us exalt his name together.
I sought the Lord, and he answered me,
and delivered me from all my fears.
R. The Lord delivered the just out of all their troubles.
They looked to him, and were radiant.
Their faces shall never be covered with shame.
This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him,
and saved him out of all his troubles.
R. The Lord delivered the just out of all their troubles.
The eyes of the Lord are on the just,
and his ears are for their prayers.
But the face of the Lord is against evildoers,
to cut off remembrance of them from the earth.
R. The Lord delivered the just out of all their troubles.
The just cried, and the Lord heard them,
and delivered them out of all their troubles.
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted,
and he will save the humble of spirit.
R. The Lord delivered the just out of all their troubles.
Gospel – Matthew 6.7-15
Jesus said to his disciples:
In praying, do not pile up words, as the Gentiles do;
for they think that in their many words they will be heard.
So do not be like them,
for your Father knows what things you need before you ask him.
Pray like this:
‘Our Father who is in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your Kingdom come.
Your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
and forgive us our debts,
as we forgive those who owe debts to us.
lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For if you forgive humans their missteps,
your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
But if you do not forgive humans their missteps,
neither will your Father forgive your missteps.
Reading 1 – Isaiah 55.10-11
Thus says the LORD:
For as the rain and the snow
come down from the heavens,
and do not return there,
until they water the earth,
and makes it grow and bud,
giving seed to the sower
and bread to the eater,
so shall my word be
that goes out of my mouth:
it shall not return to me void,
but it shall accomplish my will,
and it shall prosper
in what I sent it to do.
Responsorial – Psalm 34.4-5, 6-7, 16-17, 18-19 Resp. 18b
R. The Lord delivered the just out of all their troubles.
Oh magnify the Lord with me.
Let us exalt his name together.
I sought the Lord, and he answered me,
and delivered me from all my fears.
R. The Lord delivered the just out of all their troubles.
They looked to him, and were radiant.
Their faces shall never be covered with shame.
This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him,
and saved him out of all his troubles.
R. The Lord delivered the just out of all their troubles.
The eyes of the Lord are on the just,
and his ears are for their prayers.
But the face of the Lord is against evildoers,
to cut off remembrance of them from the earth.
R. The Lord delivered the just out of all their troubles.
The just cried, and the Lord heard them,
and delivered them out of all their troubles.
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted,
and he will save the humble of spirit.
R. The Lord delivered the just out of all their troubles.
Gospel – Matthew 6.7-15
Jesus said to his disciples:
In praying, do not pile up words, as the Gentiles do;
for they think that in their many words they will be heard.
So do not be like them,
for your Father knows what things you need before you ask him.
Pray like this:
‘Our Father who is in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your Kingdom come.
Your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
and forgive us our debts,
as we forgive those who owe debts to us.
lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For if you forgive humans their missteps,
your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
But if you do not forgive humans their missteps,
neither will your Father forgive your missteps.
Monday of the First Week of Lent
Official Translation
Reading 1 – Leviticus 19.1-2, 11-18
The Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
“Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and tell them,
‘You shall be holy;
for I, the Lord your God, am holy.”
“You shall not steal.
You shall not lie.
You shall not deceive one another.
You shall not swear by my name falsely, and profane the name of your God.
I am the Lord.”
“You shall not oppress your neighbor, nor rob him.
The wages of a hired servant
shall not remain with you all night until the morning.
You shall not curse the deaf,
nor put a stumbling block in front of the blind;
but you shall fear your God.
I am the Lord.”
“You shall do no injustice in judging.
You shall not be partial to the poor, nor show favoritism to the great;
but you shall judge your neighbor in righteousness.
You shall not go up and down as a slanderer among your people.
You shall not stand by while the blood of your neighbor is threatened.
I am the Lord.”
“You shall not hate your brother in your heart.
You shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him.
You shall not take vengeance,
nor bear any grudge against the children of your people;
but you shall love your neighbor as yourself.
I am the Lord.”
Responsorial – Psalm 19.8, 9, 10, 15 Resp. John 6:63b
R. Your words, O Lord, are Spirit and life.
The law of the Lord is perfect,
restoring the soul.
The covenant of the Lord is sure,
making the simple wise.
R. Your words, O Lord, are Spirit and life.
The precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart.
The command of the Lord is pure,
enlightening the eyes.
R. Your words, O Lord, are Spirit and life.
The fear of the Lord is pure,
enduring forever.
The ordinances of the Lord are true,
and righteous altogether.
R. Your words, O Lord, are Spirit and life.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your sight,
O Lord, my rock, and my redeemer.
R. Your words, O Lord, are Spirit and life.
Gospel – Matthew 25.31-46
Jesus said to his disciples,
“When the Son of Human comes in his glory,
and all the holy angels with him,
then he will sit upon the throne of his glory.
Before him shall be gathered all the Gentiles,
and he will separate them, one from another,
as a shepherd separates his sheep from the goats.
He will make the sheep stand at his right hand
and the goats at his left.
Then the King will say to those on his right hand,
‘Come, blessed of my Father,
inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
For I was an hungry, and you gave me to eat.
I was thirsty, and you gave me to drink.
I was a stranger and you brought me in.
I was naked, and you clothed me.
I was sick, and you visited me.
I was in prison, and you came to me.’
Then the righteous will answer him, saying,
‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you?
Or thirsty, and gave you drink?
When did we see you a stranger, and brought you in?
Or naked, and clothed you?
When did we see you sick, or in prison, and came to you?’
And the King shall answer and say to them,
‘Amen, I say unto you,
inasmuch as you have done it
for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine,
you have done it for me.’
Then he will say also to those at his left hand,
‘Depart from me, you cursed,
into the everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.
For I was an hungry, and you did not give me to eat.
I was thirsty, and you did not give me to drink.
I was a stranger and you did not bring me in.
I was naked, and you did not clothe me.
I was sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’
Then they will also answer him, saying,
‘Lord, when did we see you
hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison,
and did not minister to you?’
Then he will answer them, saying,
‘Amen, I say unto you,
inasmuch as you did it not for one of the least of these,
you did not do it for me.’
And they will go away to everlasting punishment,
but the righteous to life eternal.”
Reading 1 – Leviticus 19.1-2, 11-18
The Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
“Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and tell them,
‘You shall be holy;
for I, the Lord your God, am holy.”
“You shall not steal.
You shall not lie.
You shall not deceive one another.
You shall not swear by my name falsely, and profane the name of your God.
I am the Lord.”
“You shall not oppress your neighbor, nor rob him.
The wages of a hired servant
shall not remain with you all night until the morning.
You shall not curse the deaf,
nor put a stumbling block in front of the blind;
but you shall fear your God.
I am the Lord.”
“You shall do no injustice in judging.
You shall not be partial to the poor, nor show favoritism to the great;
but you shall judge your neighbor in righteousness.
You shall not go up and down as a slanderer among your people.
You shall not stand by while the blood of your neighbor is threatened.
I am the Lord.”
“You shall not hate your brother in your heart.
You shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him.
You shall not take vengeance,
nor bear any grudge against the children of your people;
but you shall love your neighbor as yourself.
I am the Lord.”
Responsorial – Psalm 19.8, 9, 10, 15 Resp. John 6:63b
R. Your words, O Lord, are Spirit and life.
The law of the Lord is perfect,
restoring the soul.
The covenant of the Lord is sure,
making the simple wise.
R. Your words, O Lord, are Spirit and life.
The precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart.
The command of the Lord is pure,
enlightening the eyes.
R. Your words, O Lord, are Spirit and life.
The fear of the Lord is pure,
enduring forever.
The ordinances of the Lord are true,
and righteous altogether.
R. Your words, O Lord, are Spirit and life.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your sight,
O Lord, my rock, and my redeemer.
R. Your words, O Lord, are Spirit and life.
Gospel – Matthew 25.31-46
Jesus said to his disciples,
“When the Son of Human comes in his glory,
and all the holy angels with him,
then he will sit upon the throne of his glory.
Before him shall be gathered all the Gentiles,
and he will separate them, one from another,
as a shepherd separates his sheep from the goats.
He will make the sheep stand at his right hand
and the goats at his left.
Then the King will say to those on his right hand,
‘Come, blessed of my Father,
inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
For I was an hungry, and you gave me to eat.
I was thirsty, and you gave me to drink.
I was a stranger and you brought me in.
I was naked, and you clothed me.
I was sick, and you visited me.
I was in prison, and you came to me.’
Then the righteous will answer him, saying,
‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you?
Or thirsty, and gave you drink?
When did we see you a stranger, and brought you in?
Or naked, and clothed you?
When did we see you sick, or in prison, and came to you?’
And the King shall answer and say to them,
‘Amen, I say unto you,
inasmuch as you have done it
for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine,
you have done it for me.’
Then he will say also to those at his left hand,
‘Depart from me, you cursed,
into the everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.
For I was an hungry, and you did not give me to eat.
I was thirsty, and you did not give me to drink.
I was a stranger and you did not bring me in.
I was naked, and you did not clothe me.
I was sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’
Then they will also answer him, saying,
‘Lord, when did we see you
hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison,
and did not minister to you?’
Then he will answer them, saying,
‘Amen, I say unto you,
inasmuch as you did it not for one of the least of these,
you did not do it for me.’
And they will go away to everlasting punishment,
but the righteous to life eternal.”
First Sunday of Lent (A)
Official Translation
Reading 1 - Genesis 2.7-9; 3.1-7
The Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground,
and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life,
and man became a living soul.
The Lord God planted a garden in the east, in Eden,
and there he put the man whom he had formed.
Out of the ground the Lord God made every tree to grow
that is pleasant to the sight and good for food,
including the tree of life in the middle of the garden
and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Now the serpent was more subtle than any animal of the field which the Lord God had made.
He said to the woman, “Has God really said, ‘You shall not eat of any tree of the garden?’”
The woman said to the serpent,
“Of the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat,
but of the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden,
God has said, ‘You shall not eat of it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’”
The serpent said to the woman,
“You will not surely die, for God knows that in the day you eat it,
your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
When the woman saw that the tree was good for food,
and that it was a delight to the eyes,
and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise,
she took of the fruit of it, and ate;
and she gave some to her husband with her, and he ate.
The eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked.
They sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves loincloths.
Responsorial – Psalm 51.3-4, 5-6ab, 12-13, 17 Resp. 3a
R. Have mercy, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Have mercy on me, God, according to your loving kindness.
According to the multitude of your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity.
Cleanse me from my sin.
R. Have mercy, O Lord, for we have sinned.
For I know my transgressions.
My sin is constantly before me.
Against you, and you alone, have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight;
R. Have mercy, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Renew a right spirit within me.
Do not cast me out from your presence,
and do not take your Holy Spirit from me.
R. Have mercy, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation.
Uphold me with a willing spirit.
O Lord, open my lips
My mouth will proclaim your praise
R. Have mercy, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Reading 2 - Romans 5.12-19
Brothers and sisters:
As sin entered into the world through one human,
and death through sin, and so death passed to all humans, because all sinned.
For until the law, sin was in the world; but sin is not charged when there is no law.
Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses,
over those whose sins were not like Adam's disobedience,
who is a foreshadowing of him who was to come.
But the free gift is not like the trespass.
For if by the trespass of the one the many died,
much more did the grace of God,
and the gift by the grace of the one human, Jesus Christ,
abound to the many.
The gift is not as through one who sinned,
for the judgment came by one sin to condemnation,
but the free gift came of many trespasses to justification.
For if by the trespass of the one, death reigned through the one;
so much more will those who receive
the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness
reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ.
So then as through one trespass, all humans were condemned;
so through one act of righteousness, all humans were justified to life.
For as through the one human's disobedience many were made sinners,
so through the obedience of the one, many will be made righteous.
Gospel - Matthew 4.1-11
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.
When he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry afterward.
The tempter came and said to him,
“If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”
But he answered, “It is written,
‘The human shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’”
Then the devil took him into the holy city.
He set him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him,
“If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written,
‘He will give his angels charge concerning you.’
and, ‘On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you dash your foot against a stone.’”
Jesus said to him, "Again, it is written, ‘You shall not test the Lord, your God.’”
Again, the devil took him to an exceedingly high mountain,
and showed him all the kingdoms of the world, and their glory.
He said to him, “I will give you all of these things,
if you will fall down and worship me.”
Then Jesus said to him, “Get behind me, Satan!
For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’”
Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and served him.
Reading 1 - Genesis 2.7-9; 3.1-7
The Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground,
and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life,
and man became a living soul.
The Lord God planted a garden in the east, in Eden,
and there he put the man whom he had formed.
Out of the ground the Lord God made every tree to grow
that is pleasant to the sight and good for food,
including the tree of life in the middle of the garden
and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Now the serpent was more subtle than any animal of the field which the Lord God had made.
He said to the woman, “Has God really said, ‘You shall not eat of any tree of the garden?’”
The woman said to the serpent,
“Of the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat,
but of the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden,
God has said, ‘You shall not eat of it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’”
The serpent said to the woman,
“You will not surely die, for God knows that in the day you eat it,
your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
When the woman saw that the tree was good for food,
and that it was a delight to the eyes,
and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise,
she took of the fruit of it, and ate;
and she gave some to her husband with her, and he ate.
The eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked.
They sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves loincloths.
Responsorial – Psalm 51.3-4, 5-6ab, 12-13, 17 Resp. 3a
R. Have mercy, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Have mercy on me, God, according to your loving kindness.
According to the multitude of your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity.
Cleanse me from my sin.
R. Have mercy, O Lord, for we have sinned.
For I know my transgressions.
My sin is constantly before me.
Against you, and you alone, have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight;
R. Have mercy, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Renew a right spirit within me.
Do not cast me out from your presence,
and do not take your Holy Spirit from me.
R. Have mercy, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation.
Uphold me with a willing spirit.
O Lord, open my lips
My mouth will proclaim your praise
R. Have mercy, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Reading 2 - Romans 5.12-19
Brothers and sisters:
As sin entered into the world through one human,
and death through sin, and so death passed to all humans, because all sinned.
For until the law, sin was in the world; but sin is not charged when there is no law.
Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses,
over those whose sins were not like Adam's disobedience,
who is a foreshadowing of him who was to come.
But the free gift is not like the trespass.
For if by the trespass of the one the many died,
much more did the grace of God,
and the gift by the grace of the one human, Jesus Christ,
abound to the many.
The gift is not as through one who sinned,
for the judgment came by one sin to condemnation,
but the free gift came of many trespasses to justification.
For if by the trespass of the one, death reigned through the one;
so much more will those who receive
the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness
reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ.
So then as through one trespass, all humans were condemned;
so through one act of righteousness, all humans were justified to life.
For as through the one human's disobedience many were made sinners,
so through the obedience of the one, many will be made righteous.
Gospel - Matthew 4.1-11
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.
When he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry afterward.
The tempter came and said to him,
“If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”
But he answered, “It is written,
‘The human shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’”
Then the devil took him into the holy city.
He set him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him,
“If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written,
‘He will give his angels charge concerning you.’
and, ‘On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you dash your foot against a stone.’”
Jesus said to him, "Again, it is written, ‘You shall not test the Lord, your God.’”
Again, the devil took him to an exceedingly high mountain,
and showed him all the kingdoms of the world, and their glory.
He said to him, “I will give you all of these things,
if you will fall down and worship me.”
Then Jesus said to him, “Get behind me, Satan!
For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’”
Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and served him.
Saturday after Ash Wednesday
Official Translation
Reading 1 – Isaiah 58.9b-14
Thus says the LORD:
“If you take away from your midst the yoke,
the finger-pointing and wicked speech,
and if you pour out your soul to the hungry,
and satisfy the afflicted soul:
then your light shall rise in darkness,
and your gloom be as the noonday;
and the Lord will guide you continually,
and satisfy your soul in dry places,
and make strong your bones;
and you shall be like a watered garden,
and like a spring of water,
whose waters do not fail.
Those ruins of yours shall be rebuilt.
You shall raise up the foundations
of many generations;
and you shall be called
The Repairer of the Breach,
The Restorer of Paths to Dwell In.
“If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath,
from doing your business on my holy day;
and call the Sabbath a delight,
and the holy day of the Lord honorable;
if you honor it, not going your own ways,
nor pursuing your own business,
nor speaking your own words:
then you shall be delighted in the Lord;
and I will make you to ride
on the high places of the earth;
and I will feed you with the heritage
of Jacob your father:
for the mouth of the Lord has spoken it.”
Responsorial – Psalm 86.1-2, 3-4, 5-6 Resp. 11ab
R. Instruct me in your ways, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.
Hear, Lord, and answer me,
for I am poor and needy.
Preserve my soul, for I am godly.
Save your servant who trusts in you.
You are my God.
R. Instruct me in your ways, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.
Be merciful to me, Lord,
for I call to you all day long.
Bring joy to the soul of your servant,
for to you, Lord, I lift up my soul.
R. Instruct me in your ways, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.
For you, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive;
abundant in loving kindness to all those who call on you.
Hear, O Lord, my prayer.
Listen to the voice of my petition.
R. Instruct me in your ways, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.
Gospel – Luke 5.27-32
After these things Jesus went out
and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting upon the tax chair,
and said to him, “Follow me!”
He left everything, and rose up and followed him.
Levi made a great feast for him in his house.
There was a great crowd of tax collectors
and others who were reclining with them.
And the Pharisees and their scribes
murmured to his disciples, saying,
“Why, with tax collectors and sinners,
do you eat and drink?”
And answering, Jesus said to them,
“Those who are healthy have no need for a healer,
but those carrying evil do.
I have not come to call the righteous,
but sinners to reconsider.”
Reading 1 – Isaiah 58.9b-14
Thus says the LORD:
“If you take away from your midst the yoke,
the finger-pointing and wicked speech,
and if you pour out your soul to the hungry,
and satisfy the afflicted soul:
then your light shall rise in darkness,
and your gloom be as the noonday;
and the Lord will guide you continually,
and satisfy your soul in dry places,
and make strong your bones;
and you shall be like a watered garden,
and like a spring of water,
whose waters do not fail.
Those ruins of yours shall be rebuilt.
You shall raise up the foundations
of many generations;
and you shall be called
The Repairer of the Breach,
The Restorer of Paths to Dwell In.
“If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath,
from doing your business on my holy day;
and call the Sabbath a delight,
and the holy day of the Lord honorable;
if you honor it, not going your own ways,
nor pursuing your own business,
nor speaking your own words:
then you shall be delighted in the Lord;
and I will make you to ride
on the high places of the earth;
and I will feed you with the heritage
of Jacob your father:
for the mouth of the Lord has spoken it.”
Responsorial – Psalm 86.1-2, 3-4, 5-6 Resp. 11ab
R. Instruct me in your ways, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.
Hear, Lord, and answer me,
for I am poor and needy.
Preserve my soul, for I am godly.
Save your servant who trusts in you.
You are my God.
R. Instruct me in your ways, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.
Be merciful to me, Lord,
for I call to you all day long.
Bring joy to the soul of your servant,
for to you, Lord, I lift up my soul.
R. Instruct me in your ways, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.
For you, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive;
abundant in loving kindness to all those who call on you.
Hear, O Lord, my prayer.
Listen to the voice of my petition.
R. Instruct me in your ways, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.
Gospel – Luke 5.27-32
After these things Jesus went out
and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting upon the tax chair,
and said to him, “Follow me!”
He left everything, and rose up and followed him.
Levi made a great feast for him in his house.
There was a great crowd of tax collectors
and others who were reclining with them.
And the Pharisees and their scribes
murmured to his disciples, saying,
“Why, with tax collectors and sinners,
do you eat and drink?”
And answering, Jesus said to them,
“Those who are healthy have no need for a healer,
but those carrying evil do.
I have not come to call the righteous,
but sinners to reconsider.”
Friday after Ash Wednesday
Official Translation
Reading 1 - Isaiah 58.1-9a
Thus says the Lord GOD:
“Cry aloud and do not hold back,
lift up your voice like a trumpet,
and declare to my people their disobedience,
and to the house of Jacob their sins.
They seek me daily,
and desire to know my ways:
as a nation that did righteousness,
and did not forsake the ordinance of their God.
They ask of me righteous judgments;
they delight to draw near to God.
‘Why have we fasted,’ they say,
‘and you do not see it?
Why have we afflicted our soul,
and you take no notice of it?’
“Behold, in the day of your fast
you carry out your own pursuits,
and work all your laborers.
Behold, you fast for strife and contention,
and to strike with the fist of wickedness:
O that you would fast this day
so as to make your voice to be heard on high.
Is such the fast that I have chosen?
Is this a day for a man to afflict his soul?
Is it to bow down his head as a reed,
and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him?
Will you call this a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord?
This is the fast that I have chosen:
to release the bonds of wickedness,
to undo the bands of the yoke,
and to let the oppressed go free,
and break every yoke,
to distribute your bread to the hungry,
and bring the poor who are cast out
into your house.
When you see the naked, cover them;
and do not hide yourself from your own flesh?
Then your light shall break out as the dawn,
and your healing shall spring out speedily;
and your righteousness shall go before you;
the Lord’s glory shall be your rear guard.
Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’
Responsorial – Psalm 51.3-4, 5-6ab, 18-19 Resp. 19b
R. A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
Have mercy on me, God, according to your loving kindness.
According to the multitude of your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity.
Cleanse me from my sin.
R. A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
For I know my transgressions.
My sin is constantly before me.
Against you, and you alone, have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight;
R. A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
For you do not delight in sacrifice.
I would give a burnt offering, but you have no pleasure in it.
My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit.
A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
R. A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
Gospel – Matthew 9.14-15
Then John’s disciples came to Jesus, saying,
“Why do we and the Pharisees fast often,
but your disciples do not fast?”
Jesus said to them,
“Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn,
as long as the bridegroom is with them?
But the days will come
when the bridegroom will be taken away from them,
and then they will fast.
Reading 1 - Isaiah 58.1-9a
Thus says the Lord GOD:
“Cry aloud and do not hold back,
lift up your voice like a trumpet,
and declare to my people their disobedience,
and to the house of Jacob their sins.
They seek me daily,
and desire to know my ways:
as a nation that did righteousness,
and did not forsake the ordinance of their God.
They ask of me righteous judgments;
they delight to draw near to God.
‘Why have we fasted,’ they say,
‘and you do not see it?
Why have we afflicted our soul,
and you take no notice of it?’
“Behold, in the day of your fast
you carry out your own pursuits,
and work all your laborers.
Behold, you fast for strife and contention,
and to strike with the fist of wickedness:
O that you would fast this day
so as to make your voice to be heard on high.
Is such the fast that I have chosen?
Is this a day for a man to afflict his soul?
Is it to bow down his head as a reed,
and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him?
Will you call this a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord?
This is the fast that I have chosen:
to release the bonds of wickedness,
to undo the bands of the yoke,
and to let the oppressed go free,
and break every yoke,
to distribute your bread to the hungry,
and bring the poor who are cast out
into your house.
When you see the naked, cover them;
and do not hide yourself from your own flesh?
Then your light shall break out as the dawn,
and your healing shall spring out speedily;
and your righteousness shall go before you;
the Lord’s glory shall be your rear guard.
Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’
Responsorial – Psalm 51.3-4, 5-6ab, 18-19 Resp. 19b
R. A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
Have mercy on me, God, according to your loving kindness.
According to the multitude of your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity.
Cleanse me from my sin.
R. A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
For I know my transgressions.
My sin is constantly before me.
Against you, and you alone, have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight;
R. A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
For you do not delight in sacrifice.
I would give a burnt offering, but you have no pleasure in it.
My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit.
A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
R. A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
Gospel – Matthew 9.14-15
Then John’s disciples came to Jesus, saying,
“Why do we and the Pharisees fast often,
but your disciples do not fast?”
Jesus said to them,
“Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn,
as long as the bridegroom is with them?
But the days will come
when the bridegroom will be taken away from them,
and then they will fast.
Thursday after Ash Wednesday
Official Translation
Reading 1 - Deuteronomy 30.15-20
Moses said to the people:
Behold, I have set before you this day
life and prosperity, death and doom.
For I command you this day
to love the Lord your God, to walk in his ways,
and to keep his commandments, his statutes, and his ordinances,
that you may live and multiply,
and that the Lord your God may bless you in the land you go to possess.
But if your hearts turn away, and you will not hear,
but are drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them;
I denounce to you this day, that you will surely perish.
You will not prolong your days
in the land where you pass over the Jordan to go to possess.
I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day,
that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse.
Therefore choose life, that you may live,
you and your descendants;
to love the Lord your God, to obey his voice, and to cling to him;
for he is your life, and the length of your days;
that you may dwell in the land
which the Lord swore to give your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Responsorial – Psalm 1.1-2, 3, 4+6 Resp. 40.5a
R. Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord.
Blessed is the man who does not walk
in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stand on the sinners’ path,
nor sit in the scoffers’ seat,
but whose delight is in the Lord’s law.
On his law he meditates day and night.
R. Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord.
He will be like a tree
planted by the streams of water,
that produces its fruit in its season,
whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does shall prosper.
R. Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord.
The wicked are not so,
but are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
For the Lord watches the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked shall perish.
R. Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord.
Gospel – Luke 9.22-25
Jesus said to his disciples:
“The Son of Human must suffer many things,
and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes,
and be killed, and on the third day be raised up.”
He said to all,
“If anyone desires to come after me,
let them deny themself, take up their cross, and follow me.
For whoever desires to save their life will lose it,
but whoever will lose their life for my sake, they will save it.
For what does it profit a human if they gain the whole world,
yet lose or forfeit themself?
Reading 1 - Deuteronomy 30.15-20
Moses said to the people:
Behold, I have set before you this day
life and prosperity, death and doom.
For I command you this day
to love the Lord your God, to walk in his ways,
and to keep his commandments, his statutes, and his ordinances,
that you may live and multiply,
and that the Lord your God may bless you in the land you go to possess.
But if your hearts turn away, and you will not hear,
but are drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them;
I denounce to you this day, that you will surely perish.
You will not prolong your days
in the land where you pass over the Jordan to go to possess.
I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day,
that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse.
Therefore choose life, that you may live,
you and your descendants;
to love the Lord your God, to obey his voice, and to cling to him;
for he is your life, and the length of your days;
that you may dwell in the land
which the Lord swore to give your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Responsorial – Psalm 1.1-2, 3, 4+6 Resp. 40.5a
R. Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord.
Blessed is the man who does not walk
in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stand on the sinners’ path,
nor sit in the scoffers’ seat,
but whose delight is in the Lord’s law.
On his law he meditates day and night.
R. Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord.
He will be like a tree
planted by the streams of water,
that produces its fruit in its season,
whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does shall prosper.
R. Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord.
The wicked are not so,
but are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
For the Lord watches the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked shall perish.
R. Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord.
Gospel – Luke 9.22-25
Jesus said to his disciples:
“The Son of Human must suffer many things,
and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes,
and be killed, and on the third day be raised up.”
He said to all,
“If anyone desires to come after me,
let them deny themself, take up their cross, and follow me.
For whoever desires to save their life will lose it,
but whoever will lose their life for my sake, they will save it.
For what does it profit a human if they gain the whole world,
yet lose or forfeit themself?
Ash Wednesday
Official Translation
Reading 1 - Joel 2.12-18
“Yet even now,” says the Lord,
“turn to me with all your heart,
and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning.”
Tear your heart, and not your garments,
and return to the Lord, your God;
for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness,
and relents from sending calamity.
Who knows? He may turn and relent,
and leave a blessing behind him,
even a meal offering and a drink offering
for the Lord, your God.
Blow the trumpet in Zion!
Sanctify a fast.
Call a solemn assembly.
Gather the people.
Sanctify the assembly.
Assemble the elders.
Gather the children,
and those who nurse from breasts.
Let the bridegroom go out of his room,
and the bride out of her room.
Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord,
weep between the entrance and the altar,
and let them say, “Spare your people, O Lord,
and do not make your heritage a reproach,
a byword among the nations.
Why should they say among the nations,
‘Where is their God?’”
Then the Lord was jealous for his land,
and had pity on his people.
Responsorial – Psalm 51.3-4, 5-6ab, 12-13, 14+17 Resp. 3a
R. Have mercy, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Have mercy on me, God, according to your loving kindness.
According to the multitude of your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity.
Cleanse me from my sin.
R. Have mercy, O Lord, for we have sinned.
For I know my transgressions.
My sin is constantly before me.
Against you, and you alone, have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight;
R. Have mercy, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Renew a right spirit within me.
Do not cast me out from your presence,
and do not take your Holy Spirit from me.
R. Have mercy, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation.
Uphold me with a willing spirit.
O Lord, open my lips
My mouth will proclaim your praise
R. Have mercy, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Reading 2 – 2 Corinthians 5.20-6.2
Brothers and sisters:
We are therefore ambassadors on behalf of Christ,
as though God were imploring through us:
we beg you on behalf of Christ,
be reconciled to God.
For, on our behalf,
he made him to be sin who knew no sin,
so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.
Working together, we implore also
that you do not receive the grace of God in vain,
for he says, “At an acceptable time I listened to you,
in a day of salvation I helped you.”
Behold, now is the ever-so-acceptable time.
Behold, now is the day of salvation.
Gospel – Matthew 6.1-6, 16-18
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Be careful lest you do you righteous deeds in front of humans,
in order to be seen by them.
If you do not at least do this, you will have no pay from your Father in heaven.
Therefore when you do merciful deeds,
do not sound a trumpet before yourself,
as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets,
that they may get glory from humans.
Amen I say to you, they have received their pay.
But when you do merciful deeds,
do not let your left hand know what your right hand does,
so that your merciful deeds may be in secret,
and your Father who sees into the secret will pay you.
And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites,
that love to stand praying in the synagogues and on the streetcorners,
that they may be on display for humans.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their pay.
But you, when you pray,
go into your closet, and shut your door;
pray to your Father who is in secret,
and your Father who sees into the secret will pay you.
And when you fast,
Do not be like the gloomy hypocrites,
For they disfigure their faces, so that they may be fasting on display for humans.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their pay.
But you, when you fast, anoint your head, and wash your face;
so that you are not fasting on display for humans,
but for your Father who is in secret,
and your Father, who sees into the secret, will pay you.
Reading 1 - Joel 2.12-18
“Yet even now,” says the Lord,
“turn to me with all your heart,
and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning.”
Tear your heart, and not your garments,
and return to the Lord, your God;
for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness,
and relents from sending calamity.
Who knows? He may turn and relent,
and leave a blessing behind him,
even a meal offering and a drink offering
for the Lord, your God.
Blow the trumpet in Zion!
Sanctify a fast.
Call a solemn assembly.
Gather the people.
Sanctify the assembly.
Assemble the elders.
Gather the children,
and those who nurse from breasts.
Let the bridegroom go out of his room,
and the bride out of her room.
Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord,
weep between the entrance and the altar,
and let them say, “Spare your people, O Lord,
and do not make your heritage a reproach,
a byword among the nations.
Why should they say among the nations,
‘Where is their God?’”
Then the Lord was jealous for his land,
and had pity on his people.
Responsorial – Psalm 51.3-4, 5-6ab, 12-13, 14+17 Resp. 3a
R. Have mercy, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Have mercy on me, God, according to your loving kindness.
According to the multitude of your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity.
Cleanse me from my sin.
R. Have mercy, O Lord, for we have sinned.
For I know my transgressions.
My sin is constantly before me.
Against you, and you alone, have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight;
R. Have mercy, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Renew a right spirit within me.
Do not cast me out from your presence,
and do not take your Holy Spirit from me.
R. Have mercy, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation.
Uphold me with a willing spirit.
O Lord, open my lips
My mouth will proclaim your praise
R. Have mercy, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Reading 2 – 2 Corinthians 5.20-6.2
Brothers and sisters:
We are therefore ambassadors on behalf of Christ,
as though God were imploring through us:
we beg you on behalf of Christ,
be reconciled to God.
For, on our behalf,
he made him to be sin who knew no sin,
so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.
Working together, we implore also
that you do not receive the grace of God in vain,
for he says, “At an acceptable time I listened to you,
in a day of salvation I helped you.”
Behold, now is the ever-so-acceptable time.
Behold, now is the day of salvation.
Gospel – Matthew 6.1-6, 16-18
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Be careful lest you do you righteous deeds in front of humans,
in order to be seen by them.
If you do not at least do this, you will have no pay from your Father in heaven.
Therefore when you do merciful deeds,
do not sound a trumpet before yourself,
as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets,
that they may get glory from humans.
Amen I say to you, they have received their pay.
But when you do merciful deeds,
do not let your left hand know what your right hand does,
so that your merciful deeds may be in secret,
and your Father who sees into the secret will pay you.
And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites,
that love to stand praying in the synagogues and on the streetcorners,
that they may be on display for humans.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their pay.
But you, when you pray,
go into your closet, and shut your door;
pray to your Father who is in secret,
and your Father who sees into the secret will pay you.
And when you fast,
Do not be like the gloomy hypocrites,
For they disfigure their faces, so that they may be fasting on display for humans.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their pay.
But you, when you fast, anoint your head, and wash your face;
so that you are not fasting on display for humans,
but for your Father who is in secret,
and your Father, who sees into the secret, will pay you.
Tuesday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time (II)
Official Translation
Reading 1 – 1 Peter 1.10-16
Beloved:
Concerning this salvation,
the prophets sought and searched diligently,
those who prophesied
of the grace that would come to you,
searching for who or what kind of time
the Spirit of Christ in them pointed to,
when it predicted the sufferings of Christ,
and the glories that would follow them.
To them it was revealed,
that not to themselves, but to you,
they ministered these things,
which now have been announced to you
through those who preached the Gospel to you
by the Holy Spirit sent out from heaven;
which things angels desire to look into.
Therefore gird the loins of your mind,
be sober and set your hope
fully on the grace that will be brought to you
at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
As children of obedience,
not conforming yourselves
to your former lusts as in your ignorance,
but as he who called you is holy,
you yourselves also be holy in all of your behavior;
for it is written, “Be holy; for I am holy.”
Responsorial – Psalm 98.1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4 Resp. 2a
R. The Lord has made known his salvation.
Sing to the Lord a new song,
because he has done wonderful things.
His right hand has saved,
and his holy arm.
R. The Lord has made known his salvation.
The Lord has made known his salvation.
he has revealed his justice in the sight of the nations.
He has remembered his mercy and his fidelity
toward the house of Israel.
R. The Lord has made known his salvation.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to God, all the earth;
make melody, rejoice and sing.
R. The Lord has made known his salvation.
Gospel – Mark 10.28-31
Peter began to tell Jesus “Behold, we have left all, and have followed you.”
Jesus said, “Amen I tell you, there is no one
who has left house, or brothers, or sisters,
or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or land,
for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel,
but they will receive one hundred times more now in this time:
houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and land, with persecutions;
and in the age to come eternal life.
But many who are first will be last; and the last first.”
Reading 1 – 1 Peter 1.10-16
Beloved:
Concerning this salvation,
the prophets sought and searched diligently,
those who prophesied
of the grace that would come to you,
searching for who or what kind of time
the Spirit of Christ in them pointed to,
when it predicted the sufferings of Christ,
and the glories that would follow them.
To them it was revealed,
that not to themselves, but to you,
they ministered these things,
which now have been announced to you
through those who preached the Gospel to you
by the Holy Spirit sent out from heaven;
which things angels desire to look into.
Therefore gird the loins of your mind,
be sober and set your hope
fully on the grace that will be brought to you
at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
As children of obedience,
not conforming yourselves
to your former lusts as in your ignorance,
but as he who called you is holy,
you yourselves also be holy in all of your behavior;
for it is written, “Be holy; for I am holy.”
Responsorial – Psalm 98.1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4 Resp. 2a
R. The Lord has made known his salvation.
Sing to the Lord a new song,
because he has done wonderful things.
His right hand has saved,
and his holy arm.
R. The Lord has made known his salvation.
The Lord has made known his salvation.
he has revealed his justice in the sight of the nations.
He has remembered his mercy and his fidelity
toward the house of Israel.
R. The Lord has made known his salvation.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to God, all the earth;
make melody, rejoice and sing.
R. The Lord has made known his salvation.
Gospel – Mark 10.28-31
Peter began to tell Jesus “Behold, we have left all, and have followed you.”
Jesus said, “Amen I tell you, there is no one
who has left house, or brothers, or sisters,
or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or land,
for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel,
but they will receive one hundred times more now in this time:
houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and land, with persecutions;
and in the age to come eternal life.
But many who are first will be last; and the last first.”
Monday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time (II)
Official Translation
Reading 1 - 1 Peter 1.3-9
Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who according to his great mercy
rebegot us to a living hope
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ
from the dead
to an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance
that does not fade away,
reserved in Heaven for you,
who by the power of God
are guarded through faith
for a salvation ready to be revealed
in the last time.
In this you greatly rejoice,
though now for a little while,
if necessary,
you have been put to grief in various trials,
that the proof of your faith,
which is more precious than gold
(which perishes even though it is tested by fire)
may be found to result in
praise, glory, and honor
at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Not having known him, you love;
though now you do not see him,
yet believing, you rejoice greatly
with joy unspeakable and full of glory
receiving the result of your faith,
the salvation of your souls.
Responsorial – Psalm 111.1-2, 5-6, 9+10c Resp. 5
R. The Lord always remembers his covenant. or R. Alleluia!
I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,
in the council of the upright, and in the congregation.
The Lord’s works are great,
pondered by all who delight in them.
R. The Lord always remembers his covenant. or R. Alleluia!
He has given food to those who fear him.
He always remembers his covenant.
He has shown his people the power of his works,
in giving them the heritage of the nations.
R. The Lord always remembers his covenant. or R. Alleluia!
He has sent redemption to his people.
He has ordained his covenant forever.
His name is holy and awesome!
His praise endures forever!
R. The Lord always remembers his covenant. or R. Alleluia!
Gospel – Mark 10.17-27
As Jesus was going out on the way, someone ran to him and knelt before him,
and asked him, “Good Teacher,what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?”
Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good if not one: God.
You know the commandments:
‘Do not murder,’
‘Do not commit adultery,’
‘Do not steal,’
‘Do not give false testimony,’
‘Do not defraud,’
‘Honor your father and mother.’”
He said to him, “Teacher, I have observed all these things from my youth.”
Jesus looking at him loved him, and said to him,
“One thing you lack. Go, sell whatever you have and give to the poor,
and you will have treasure in heaven; and come follow me.”
But his face darkened at that saying, and he went away sorrowful,
for he was one who had great possessions.
Jesus looked around, and said to his disciples,
“How difficult it is for those who have riches to enter into the Kingdom of God!”
The disciples were amazed at his words.
But Jesus answered again,
“Children, how hard it is to enter into the Kingdom of God!
It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of the needle
than for someone rich to enter into the Kingdom of God.”
They were exceedingly astonished, saying to him, “Then who can be saved?”
Jesus, looking at them, said,
“With humans it is impossible, but not with God, for all things are possible with God.”
Reading 1 - 1 Peter 1.3-9
Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who according to his great mercy
rebegot us to a living hope
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ
from the dead
to an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance
that does not fade away,
reserved in Heaven for you,
who by the power of God
are guarded through faith
for a salvation ready to be revealed
in the last time.
In this you greatly rejoice,
though now for a little while,
if necessary,
you have been put to grief in various trials,
that the proof of your faith,
which is more precious than gold
(which perishes even though it is tested by fire)
may be found to result in
praise, glory, and honor
at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Not having known him, you love;
though now you do not see him,
yet believing, you rejoice greatly
with joy unspeakable and full of glory
receiving the result of your faith,
the salvation of your souls.
Responsorial – Psalm 111.1-2, 5-6, 9+10c Resp. 5
R. The Lord always remembers his covenant. or R. Alleluia!
I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,
in the council of the upright, and in the congregation.
The Lord’s works are great,
pondered by all who delight in them.
R. The Lord always remembers his covenant. or R. Alleluia!
He has given food to those who fear him.
He always remembers his covenant.
He has shown his people the power of his works,
in giving them the heritage of the nations.
R. The Lord always remembers his covenant. or R. Alleluia!
He has sent redemption to his people.
He has ordained his covenant forever.
His name is holy and awesome!
His praise endures forever!
R. The Lord always remembers his covenant. or R. Alleluia!
Gospel – Mark 10.17-27
As Jesus was going out on the way, someone ran to him and knelt before him,
and asked him, “Good Teacher,what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?”
Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good if not one: God.
You know the commandments:
‘Do not murder,’
‘Do not commit adultery,’
‘Do not steal,’
‘Do not give false testimony,’
‘Do not defraud,’
‘Honor your father and mother.’”
He said to him, “Teacher, I have observed all these things from my youth.”
Jesus looking at him loved him, and said to him,
“One thing you lack. Go, sell whatever you have and give to the poor,
and you will have treasure in heaven; and come follow me.”
But his face darkened at that saying, and he went away sorrowful,
for he was one who had great possessions.
Jesus looked around, and said to his disciples,
“How difficult it is for those who have riches to enter into the Kingdom of God!”
The disciples were amazed at his words.
But Jesus answered again,
“Children, how hard it is to enter into the Kingdom of God!
It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of the needle
than for someone rich to enter into the Kingdom of God.”
They were exceedingly astonished, saying to him, “Then who can be saved?”
Jesus, looking at them, said,
“With humans it is impossible, but not with God, for all things are possible with God.”
Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)
Official Translation
Reading 1 - Isaiah 49.14-15
Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me,
and the Lord has forgotten me.”
“Can a woman forget her nursing child,
that she should not have
compassion on the son of her womb?
Yes, these may forget, yet I will not forget you!”
Responsorial – Psalm 62.2-3, 6-7, 8-9 Resp. 6a
R. My soul, wait in silence for God alone.
My soul rests in God alone.
My salvation is from him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress--I will never be greatly shaken.
R. My soul, wait in silence for God alone.
My soul, wait in silence for God alone,
for my expectation is from him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress. I will not be shaken.
R. My soul, wait in silence for God alone.
With God is my salvation and my honor.
The rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.
Trust in him at all times, you people.
Pour out your hearts before him.
R. My soul, wait in silence for God alone.
Reading 2 – 1 Corinthians 4.1-5
Brothers and sisters:
So let a human think of us as Christ’s servants
and stewards of the mysteries of God.
Moreover, it is required of stewards to be found faithful.
But with me it is a very small thing
that I should be judged by you or by human judgment.
I do not even judge myself, though I know nothing against myself.
Yet I am not justified by this, but he who judges me is the Lord.
Therefore judge nothing before the time when the Lord comes.
He will bring to light the hidden things of darkness
and reveal the intentions of hearts.
Then each will receive their praise from God.
Gospel – Matthew 6.24-34
Jesus said to his disciples:
“No one can serve two masters,
for either he will hate the one and love the other;
or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other.
You cannot serve both God and Mammon.
Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious for your life:
what you will eat, or what you will drink;
nor yet for your body, what you will wear.
Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
See the birds of the sky.
They do not sow nor reap nor gather into barns.
Your heavenly Father feeds them.
Are you not of much more value than they?
“Which of you, by being anxious, can add one moment to his lifespan?
Why are you anxious about clothing?
Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow.
They do not toil nor do they spin,
yet I tell you that even Solomon in all his glory
was not dressed like one of these.
But if God so clothes the grass of the field,
which today exists, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven,
will he not much more clothe you, you of little faith?
“Therefore do not be anxious, saying,
‘What will we eat?’, ‘What will we drink?’ or, ‘With what will we be clothed?’
For the Gentiles seek after all these things;
but your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
But seek first the Kingdom of God, and his righteousness;
and all these things will be given to you as well.
Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow,
for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.
Each day’s own evil is enough.
Reading 1 - Isaiah 49.14-15
Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me,
and the Lord has forgotten me.”
“Can a woman forget her nursing child,
that she should not have
compassion on the son of her womb?
Yes, these may forget, yet I will not forget you!”
Responsorial – Psalm 62.2-3, 6-7, 8-9 Resp. 6a
R. My soul, wait in silence for God alone.
My soul rests in God alone.
My salvation is from him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress--I will never be greatly shaken.
R. My soul, wait in silence for God alone.
My soul, wait in silence for God alone,
for my expectation is from him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress. I will not be shaken.
R. My soul, wait in silence for God alone.
With God is my salvation and my honor.
The rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.
Trust in him at all times, you people.
Pour out your hearts before him.
R. My soul, wait in silence for God alone.
Reading 2 – 1 Corinthians 4.1-5
Brothers and sisters:
So let a human think of us as Christ’s servants
and stewards of the mysteries of God.
Moreover, it is required of stewards to be found faithful.
But with me it is a very small thing
that I should be judged by you or by human judgment.
I do not even judge myself, though I know nothing against myself.
Yet I am not justified by this, but he who judges me is the Lord.
Therefore judge nothing before the time when the Lord comes.
He will bring to light the hidden things of darkness
and reveal the intentions of hearts.
Then each will receive their praise from God.
Gospel – Matthew 6.24-34
Jesus said to his disciples:
“No one can serve two masters,
for either he will hate the one and love the other;
or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other.
You cannot serve both God and Mammon.
Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious for your life:
what you will eat, or what you will drink;
nor yet for your body, what you will wear.
Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
See the birds of the sky.
They do not sow nor reap nor gather into barns.
Your heavenly Father feeds them.
Are you not of much more value than they?
“Which of you, by being anxious, can add one moment to his lifespan?
Why are you anxious about clothing?
Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow.
They do not toil nor do they spin,
yet I tell you that even Solomon in all his glory
was not dressed like one of these.
But if God so clothes the grass of the field,
which today exists, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven,
will he not much more clothe you, you of little faith?
“Therefore do not be anxious, saying,
‘What will we eat?’, ‘What will we drink?’ or, ‘With what will we be clothed?’
For the Gentiles seek after all these things;
but your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
But seek first the Kingdom of God, and his righteousness;
and all these things will be given to you as well.
Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow,
for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.
Each day’s own evil is enough.
Saturday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time (II)
Official Translation
Reading 1 – James 5.13-20
Beloved:
Is any among you suffering? Let them pray.
Is any cheerful? Let them sing praises.
Is any among you sick? Let them call for the elders of the assembly,
and let them pray over them,
anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord,
and the prayer of faith will heal the one who is sick,
and the Lord will raise them up.
If they have committed sins, they will be forgiven.
Confess your offenses to one another, and pray for one another,
that you may be healed.
The insistent prayer of a righteous person is powerfully effective.
Elijah was a human with a nature like ours,
and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain,
and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months.
He prayed again, and the sky gave rain,
and the earth brought forth its fruit.
Brothers, if any among you wanders from the truth,
and someone turns them back,
let them know that they who turn a sinner from the error of their way
will save a soul from death, and will cover a multitude of sins.
Responsorial – Psalm 141.1-2, 3+8 Resp. 2a
R. Let my prayer rise as incense in your sight.
I have cried to you O Lord, hear me,
hearken to my voice, when I cry to you.
Let my prayer rise as incense in your sight;
the lifting up of my hands, as the evening sacrifice.
R. Let my prayer rise as incense in your sight.
Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth:
and a door round about my lips.
For turned toward you, O Lord, are my eyes,
in you have I put my trust, take not my soul away.
R. Let my prayer rise as incense in your sight.
Gospel – Mark 10.13-16
They were bringing little children to him, that he should touch them,
but the disciples rebuked those who were bringing them.
But when Jesus saw it, he was moved with indignation, and said to them,
“Allow the little children to come to me! Do not forbid them!
For the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
Amen I say to you, whoever will not receive the Kingdom of God like a little child,
will in no way enter into it.”
He took them in his arms, and blessed them, laying his hands on them.
Reading 1 – James 5.13-20
Beloved:
Is any among you suffering? Let them pray.
Is any cheerful? Let them sing praises.
Is any among you sick? Let them call for the elders of the assembly,
and let them pray over them,
anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord,
and the prayer of faith will heal the one who is sick,
and the Lord will raise them up.
If they have committed sins, they will be forgiven.
Confess your offenses to one another, and pray for one another,
that you may be healed.
The insistent prayer of a righteous person is powerfully effective.
Elijah was a human with a nature like ours,
and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain,
and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months.
He prayed again, and the sky gave rain,
and the earth brought forth its fruit.
Brothers, if any among you wanders from the truth,
and someone turns them back,
let them know that they who turn a sinner from the error of their way
will save a soul from death, and will cover a multitude of sins.
Responsorial – Psalm 141.1-2, 3+8 Resp. 2a
R. Let my prayer rise as incense in your sight.
I have cried to you O Lord, hear me,
hearken to my voice, when I cry to you.
Let my prayer rise as incense in your sight;
the lifting up of my hands, as the evening sacrifice.
R. Let my prayer rise as incense in your sight.
Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth:
and a door round about my lips.
For turned toward you, O Lord, are my eyes,
in you have I put my trust, take not my soul away.
R. Let my prayer rise as incense in your sight.
Gospel – Mark 10.13-16
They were bringing little children to him, that he should touch them,
but the disciples rebuked those who were bringing them.
But when Jesus saw it, he was moved with indignation, and said to them,
“Allow the little children to come to me! Do not forbid them!
For the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
Amen I say to you, whoever will not receive the Kingdom of God like a little child,
will in no way enter into it.”
He took them in his arms, and blessed them, laying his hands on them.
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