Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Lent
Today's Mass Readings
Today's first reading from the Book of Ezekiel is rich with meaning. The Church Fathers related this reading to the New Testament sacrament of baptism. Currently, we are in the Season of Lent, which can be, and has often been, likened to a period of wandering in the desert, just as the ancient Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 years, and as Jesus was tempted in the desert for 40 days, so we too are tried in the desert of Lent.
Today's Mass Readings
Today's first reading from the Book of Ezekiel is rich with meaning. The Church Fathers related this reading to the New Testament sacrament of baptism. Currently, we are in the Season of Lent, which can be, and has often been, likened to a period of wandering in the desert, just as the ancient Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 years, and as Jesus was tempted in the desert for 40 days, so we too are tried in the desert of Lent.
Monday of the Fourth Week of Lent
Today's Mass Readings
As we enter this fourth week of the penitential season of Lent, our eyes are drawn continually toward Jesus, whose passion, death, and resurrection will bring us salvation. In today’s gospel passage from John, Jesus almost seems to be complaining against the people who seek a sign. Jesus says as much to the royal official who is seeking his help, but the official still makes his request. He is not merely making a request in order to see a sign, but because he wants his child to live. Hence the official even leaves Jesus without actually seeing that his son has been healed. Rather, the official “believed what Jesus had said, and left” (Jn. 4:50).
Today's Mass Readings
As we enter this fourth week of the penitential season of Lent, our eyes are drawn continually toward Jesus, whose passion, death, and resurrection will bring us salvation. In today’s gospel passage from John, Jesus almost seems to be complaining against the people who seek a sign. Jesus says as much to the royal official who is seeking his help, but the official still makes his request. He is not merely making a request in order to see a sign, but because he wants his child to live. Hence the official even leaves Jesus without actually seeing that his son has been healed. Rather, the official “believed what Jesus had said, and left” (Jn. 4:50).
Fourth Sunday of Lent
Today's Mass Readings
The progression of today’s readings highlights God’s infinite love and mercy for a world that often fails to acknowledge or respond to the gifts that it has received. In the first reading, a number of horrendous acts against God are described, and we are told that God’s response is compassion. The ultimate expression of this compassion is captured in the following passage from today’s Gospel reading: “For God so loved he world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (Jn 3:16) Yet despite the physical expression of God’s love for us through Christ’s death, the Gospel reading warns us of mankind’s tendency to turn away from God and toward darkness.
Today's Mass Readings
The progression of today’s readings highlights God’s infinite love and mercy for a world that often fails to acknowledge or respond to the gifts that it has received. In the first reading, a number of horrendous acts against God are described, and we are told that God’s response is compassion. The ultimate expression of this compassion is captured in the following passage from today’s Gospel reading: “For God so loved he world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (Jn 3:16) Yet despite the physical expression of God’s love for us through Christ’s death, the Gospel reading warns us of mankind’s tendency to turn away from God and toward darkness.
Saturday of the Third Week in Lent
Today's Mass Readings
The great Catholic fiction writer, Flannery O’Connor wrote a short story entitled “Revelation” in which the main character, Mrs. Turpin, is a Southern white farmer who is social, keeps up a nice appearance, and is well-respected. Yet, by way of the narrator, we get a glimpse into Mrs. Turpin’s head and at one point we see her reflecting:
“If it’s one thing I am… it’s grateful. When I think of all I could’ve been besides myself and what all I got, a little of everything, and a good disposition besides, I just feel like shouting, ‘Thank you, Jesus, for making everything the way that it is! It could’ve been different.’”
Today's Mass Readings
The great Catholic fiction writer, Flannery O’Connor wrote a short story entitled “Revelation” in which the main character, Mrs. Turpin, is a Southern white farmer who is social, keeps up a nice appearance, and is well-respected. Yet, by way of the narrator, we get a glimpse into Mrs. Turpin’s head and at one point we see her reflecting:
“If it’s one thing I am… it’s grateful. When I think of all I could’ve been besides myself and what all I got, a little of everything, and a good disposition besides, I just feel like shouting, ‘Thank you, Jesus, for making everything the way that it is! It could’ve been different.’”
Friday of the Third Week in Lent
Today's Mass Readings
Usually by this time, the end of the third week of Lent, I’ve started to waver a bit in my resolve to abstain from certain foods, to pray for certain things, to give money generously. Particularly I have difficulty with my decision to abstain from certain foods. As with New Years’ Resolutions, I start thinking that eating just a nibble of something or other won’t really hurt, and before you know it, I’m way off the track. Or, even if I have by some chance made it this far without succumbing to temptation, I find myself tired and annoyed with Lent, saying, “Okay, I get the point now. Can we get to Easter already?” But it turns out instead that there are another three long weeks ahead.
Today's Mass Readings
Usually by this time, the end of the third week of Lent, I’ve started to waver a bit in my resolve to abstain from certain foods, to pray for certain things, to give money generously. Particularly I have difficulty with my decision to abstain from certain foods. As with New Years’ Resolutions, I start thinking that eating just a nibble of something or other won’t really hurt, and before you know it, I’m way off the track. Or, even if I have by some chance made it this far without succumbing to temptation, I find myself tired and annoyed with Lent, saying, “Okay, I get the point now. Can we get to Easter already?” But it turns out instead that there are another three long weeks ahead.
Solemnity of Saint Joseph, husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Today's Mass Readings
Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of St. Joseph, the husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This rank of “solemnity” is the highest celebration of the Church. So why is Joseph so important? Our readings for the day provide some explanation.
Wednesday of the Third Week in Lent
Today's Mass Readings
Today we celebrate the feast of St. Cyril, whose life is model of staying true to the Lord in adverse times. The readings for the day affirm St. Cyril’s life and are a challenge to us during this Lenten season to return to what our faith teaches us. The first reading from Deuteronomy (which loosely means the book of the Law) is a prologue from Moses to the people of Israel before he promulgates the law. Moses told the people to observe carefully “statues and decrees” of the Lord. (Dt 4:5) He does this in part to remind the people of Israel what happened to those who had built and worshiped the golden calf. Moses wanted to send God’s chosen ones into the promise land knowing that they would be exposed to people, cultures, and gods that would be foreign to them. He knew they would be tested. The reading closes with him admonishing the people to be on guard, remember and teach their children that which they had been taught.
Today's Mass Readings
Today we celebrate the feast of St. Cyril, whose life is model of staying true to the Lord in adverse times. The readings for the day affirm St. Cyril’s life and are a challenge to us during this Lenten season to return to what our faith teaches us. The first reading from Deuteronomy (which loosely means the book of the Law) is a prologue from Moses to the people of Israel before he promulgates the law. Moses told the people to observe carefully “statues and decrees” of the Lord. (Dt 4:5) He does this in part to remind the people of Israel what happened to those who had built and worshiped the golden calf. Moses wanted to send God’s chosen ones into the promise land knowing that they would be exposed to people, cultures, and gods that would be foreign to them. He knew they would be tested. The reading closes with him admonishing the people to be on guard, remember and teach their children that which they had been taught.
Tuesday of the Third Week in Lent
Today's Mass Readings
Lent is a great season of forgiveness. It reminds us of the trials and hardships Jesus underwent in order to win our forgiveness. Our readings for today provide us with a strong message of forgiveness. In these readings, however, it is not the comfort of our own forgiveness that is emphasized. Rather, it is the responsibility that we have to forgive others. Indeed, in today's reading from the Gospel of Matthew, our own forgiveness is made contingent on our forgiving others. This is consistent with what we pray at every Mass, and every day, in the Our Father: "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us."
Today's Mass Readings
Lent is a great season of forgiveness. It reminds us of the trials and hardships Jesus underwent in order to win our forgiveness. Our readings for today provide us with a strong message of forgiveness. In these readings, however, it is not the comfort of our own forgiveness that is emphasized. Rather, it is the responsibility that we have to forgive others. Indeed, in today's reading from the Gospel of Matthew, our own forgiveness is made contingent on our forgiving others. This is consistent with what we pray at every Mass, and every day, in the Our Father: "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us."
Monday of the Third Week in Lent
Today's Mass Readings
“Athirst is my soul for the living God. When shall I go and behold the face of God?” (42:3) is our psalm response for today. Indeed, this ought to be a theme of our entire Lenten season. It is a time when we are constantly reminded of our longing for God. Each of our Lenten sacrifices – whether fasting, almsgiving or prayer – should lead us to a deeper desire for God.
Today's Mass Readings
“Athirst is my soul for the living God. When shall I go and behold the face of God?” (42:3) is our psalm response for today. Indeed, this ought to be a theme of our entire Lenten season. It is a time when we are constantly reminded of our longing for God. Each of our Lenten sacrifices – whether fasting, almsgiving or prayer – should lead us to a deeper desire for God.
Saturday of the Second Week of Lent
Today's Mass Readings
Today’s gospel might initially wash over us as the story we’ve heard many, many times of the “Prodigal Son” who lavishly spends his inheritance on pleasures and is left tending the swine and desiring their food. He then returns to his father to beg for mercy.
Today's Mass Readings
Today’s gospel might initially wash over us as the story we’ve heard many, many times of the “Prodigal Son” who lavishly spends his inheritance on pleasures and is left tending the swine and desiring their food. He then returns to his father to beg for mercy.
Friday of the Second Week in Lent
Today's Mass Readings
Jesus is often compared to Old Testament characters. Two of the best-known are the comparison St. Paul makes between Jesus and Adam (Jesus is the second Adam), and the comparison made between Jesus and King David. Today’s readings set up a parallel between Joseph and Jesus. This may seem a bit odd, especially if a person is a bit unfamiliar with the Joseph story. Adam was the first human, David was the great Israelite king, but what does Joseph have to do with Jesus?
Today's Mass Readings
Jesus is often compared to Old Testament characters. Two of the best-known are the comparison St. Paul makes between Jesus and Adam (Jesus is the second Adam), and the comparison made between Jesus and King David. Today’s readings set up a parallel between Joseph and Jesus. This may seem a bit odd, especially if a person is a bit unfamiliar with the Joseph story. Adam was the first human, David was the great Israelite king, but what does Joseph have to do with Jesus?
Thursday of the Second Week in Lent
Today's Mass Readings
“Blessed are they who hope in the Lord” (Ps. 40:5a) is today’s psalm response. The first reading from Jeremiah picks up on this theme of hope in a dramatic comparison between a barren desert bush and a tree planted beside waters. While the former never changes in its barrenness, the latter never changes in its fruitfulness. Those who hope in God are “always green,” always full of life, regardless of the circumstances.
Today's Mass Readings
“Blessed are they who hope in the Lord” (Ps. 40:5a) is today’s psalm response. The first reading from Jeremiah picks up on this theme of hope in a dramatic comparison between a barren desert bush and a tree planted beside waters. While the former never changes in its barrenness, the latter never changes in its fruitfulness. Those who hope in God are “always green,” always full of life, regardless of the circumstances.
Wednesday of the Second Week in Lent
Today's Mass Readings
The Lenten readings open our minds not merely to the need for conversion, but also to the need for God in general. Today’s readings particularly is a prayerfull call on God for protection and for extraordinary help. We are reminded of our requests for shelter from the storms of life and for blessings beyond what we deserve.
Today's Mass Readings
The Lenten readings open our minds not merely to the need for conversion, but also to the need for God in general. Today’s readings particularly is a prayerfull call on God for protection and for extraordinary help. We are reminded of our requests for shelter from the storms of life and for blessings beyond what we deserve.
Tuesday of the Second Week in Lent
Today's Mass Readings
In today's first reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, we find a theme that echoes throughout the prophetic literature of the Old Testament, namely, that the point of penance and ritual sacrifices was to help createan interior repentance. This is a theme picked up as well by today's responsorial Psalm and by the gospel reading from Matthew's Gospel.
Today's Mass Readings
In today's first reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, we find a theme that echoes throughout the prophetic literature of the Old Testament, namely, that the point of penance and ritual sacrifices was to help createan interior repentance. This is a theme picked up as well by today's responsorial Psalm and by the gospel reading from Matthew's Gospel.
Monday of the Second Week in Lent
Today's Mass Readings
The first reading and responsorial psalm for today bring out an important theme of the season of Lent: human sinfulness. The passage from Daniel even numbers some of these sins, including ignoring the prophets and not following God’s commands. The word “rebelled” even appears twice in this passage; it indicates that to sin is deliberately to go against God. Sinning is hence not just a choice for something, but also a choice against something, namely, God. Recognizing this, the psalmist cries out “Lord, do not deal with us according to our sin” (103:10a). The rest of this psalm consists of pleading to God.
Today's Mass Readings
The first reading and responsorial psalm for today bring out an important theme of the season of Lent: human sinfulness. The passage from Daniel even numbers some of these sins, including ignoring the prophets and not following God’s commands. The word “rebelled” even appears twice in this passage; it indicates that to sin is deliberately to go against God. Sinning is hence not just a choice for something, but also a choice against something, namely, God. Recognizing this, the psalmist cries out “Lord, do not deal with us according to our sin” (103:10a). The rest of this psalm consists of pleading to God.
Second Sunday of Lent
Today's Mass Readings
There are many themes we can pick up for today’s reflection. But let me concentrate on the theme “Listen to Him” (Mk 9:7). In the context of the sacrifice that God demanded of Abraham, and in the context of Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his only son, God says to Abraham:
I swear by myself, declared the Lord,
That because you acted as you did (as I said),
In not with holding from me your beloved son
I will bless you abundantly
And will make your descendants as countless
As the stars of the sky and the sands of the seashore;
Your descendants shall take possession of the gates of their enemies
And in your descendants all the nations f the earth shall find blessing—
All this because you obeyed my command. (Gen 22:15-18)
Today's Mass Readings
There are many themes we can pick up for today’s reflection. But let me concentrate on the theme “Listen to Him” (Mk 9:7). In the context of the sacrifice that God demanded of Abraham, and in the context of Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his only son, God says to Abraham:
I swear by myself, declared the Lord,
That because you acted as you did (as I said),
In not with holding from me your beloved son
I will bless you abundantly
And will make your descendants as countless
As the stars of the sky and the sands of the seashore;
Your descendants shall take possession of the gates of their enemies
And in your descendants all the nations f the earth shall find blessing—
All this because you obeyed my command. (Gen 22:15-18)
Saturday of the First Week in Lent
Today's Mass Readings
In today’s first reading we have the narrative of the establishment of the covenant between God and the Hebrews through the prophet Moses. This ends the section of Deuteronomy (or “Second Law”) which expounds on the law. Both parties of the covenant – God and the Hebrews – are to keep up their ends of the agreement. The Hebrews “are to walk in [God’s] ways and observe his statutes, commandments and decrees” (Dt 26:17) and God will make them His chosen people.
Today's Mass Readings
In today’s first reading we have the narrative of the establishment of the covenant between God and the Hebrews through the prophet Moses. This ends the section of Deuteronomy (or “Second Law”) which expounds on the law. Both parties of the covenant – God and the Hebrews – are to keep up their ends of the agreement. The Hebrews “are to walk in [God’s] ways and observe his statutes, commandments and decrees” (Dt 26:17) and God will make them His chosen people.
Friday of the First Week in Lent
Today's Mass Readings
In graduate school, I taught catechesis classes for six-to-nine year olds every Wednesday afternoon. I quickly discovered that children that age have a very deep-seated sense of what is “fair” and what is not “fair”. In fact, where adults might see shades of grey in a situation, the children had a precise sense of when justice was being done and when it wasn’t, and each week I usually heard at least one refrain of, “That’s not fair!” Adults tell their children, “Life is not fair. Adults have to learn to deal with that.”
Today's Mass Readings
In graduate school, I taught catechesis classes for six-to-nine year olds every Wednesday afternoon. I quickly discovered that children that age have a very deep-seated sense of what is “fair” and what is not “fair”. In fact, where adults might see shades of grey in a situation, the children had a precise sense of when justice was being done and when it wasn’t, and each week I usually heard at least one refrain of, “That’s not fair!” Adults tell their children, “Life is not fair. Adults have to learn to deal with that.”
Thursday of the First Week in Lent
Today's Mass Readings
In the dramatic first reading for today, Esther along with her handmaids pray, even plead, to the LORD. Her situation, and all of Israel’s in exile is desperate. They are living under a foreign king, and one of the members of the king’s royal court has asked for their deaths. Esther and her companions hence do that which is in keeping with their formation as Jews: they fast, they don sackcloth and ashes (signs of repentance), and they beseech the LORD to rescue them. Esther’s actions here are a beautiful testimony to her loyal faith in the God of Israel. Certainly, what Esther asks of God is a big request; she asks to be saved, to have her mourning turned into gladness, her sorrow into wholeness.
Today's Mass Readings
In the dramatic first reading for today, Esther along with her handmaids pray, even plead, to the LORD. Her situation, and all of Israel’s in exile is desperate. They are living under a foreign king, and one of the members of the king’s royal court has asked for their deaths. Esther and her companions hence do that which is in keeping with their formation as Jews: they fast, they don sackcloth and ashes (signs of repentance), and they beseech the LORD to rescue them. Esther’s actions here are a beautiful testimony to her loyal faith in the God of Israel. Certainly, what Esther asks of God is a big request; she asks to be saved, to have her mourning turned into gladness, her sorrow into wholeness.
Wednesday of the First Week in Lent
Today's Mass Readings
The Lenten readings for today are a terrific reminder of the purpose of Lent. We called into a time of purification so that we might be transformed to live the Lord’s will for us more fully. In the first reading, Jonah decides to listen to the call of the Lord and to deliver the message from God to the people of Nineveh. Jonah proclaimed God’s warning to this pagan people. The prophecy declared, “Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed.” (Jonah 3:4b) Upon hearing this, the king of Nineveh declared a fast, that man and beast alike would put on sackcloth and ashes and that everyone would turn from their evil. Here we recall the ashes we ourselves displayed last Wednesday.
Today's Mass Readings
The Lenten readings for today are a terrific reminder of the purpose of Lent. We called into a time of purification so that we might be transformed to live the Lord’s will for us more fully. In the first reading, Jonah decides to listen to the call of the Lord and to deliver the message from God to the people of Nineveh. Jonah proclaimed God’s warning to this pagan people. The prophecy declared, “Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed.” (Jonah 3:4b) Upon hearing this, the king of Nineveh declared a fast, that man and beast alike would put on sackcloth and ashes and that everyone would turn from their evil. Here we recall the ashes we ourselves displayed last Wednesday.