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Readings for the 3rd wk of Lent

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List of Readings

3rd Sunday of Lent

First Reading: Exodus 20:1-17 or 20:1-3, 7-8, 12-17
1Then God spoke all these words, saying,
2"(A)I am the LORD your God, (B)who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
3"(C)You shall have no other (D)gods [a]before Me.
4"(E)You shall not make for yourself [b]an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth.
5"(F)You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a (G)jealous God, (H)visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me,
6but showing lovingkindness to (I)thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
7"(J)You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.
8"Remember (K)the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9"(L)Six days you shall labor and do all your work,
10but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God; in it (M)you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you.
11"(N)For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.
12"(O)Honor your father and your mother, that your (P)days may be prolonged in the land which the LORD your God gives you.
13"(Q)You shall not murder.
14"(R)You shall not commit adultery.
15"(S)You shall not steal.
16"(T)You shall not bear false witness against your (U)neighbor.
17"(V)You shall not covet your neighbor's house; (W)you shall not covet your neighbor's wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor."

Second Reading: First Corinthians 1:22-25
22For indeed (A)Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom;
23but we preach [a](B)Christ crucified, (C)to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles (D)foolishness,
24but to those who are (E)the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ (F)the power of God and (G)the wisdom of God.
25Because the (H)foolishness of God is wiser than men, and (I)the weakness of God is stronger than men.

Gospel: John 2:13-25
13(A)The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus (B)went up to Jerusalem.
14(C)And He found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables.
15And He made a scourge of cords, and drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables;
16and to those who were selling (D)the doves He said, "Take these things away; stop making (E)My Father's house a place of business."
17His (F)disciples remembered that it was written, "(G)ZEAL FOR YOUR HOUSE WILL CONSUME ME."
18(H)The Jews then said to Him, "(I)What sign do You show us as your authority for doing these things?"
19Jesus answered them, "(J)Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."
20(K)The Jews then said, "It took (L)forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?"
21But He was speaking of (M)the temple of His body.
22So when He was raised from the dead, His (N)disciples (O)remembered that He said this; and they believed (P)the Scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken.
23Now when He was in Jerusalem at (Q)the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, (R)observing His signs which He was doing.
24But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for (S)He knew all men,
25and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, (T)for He Himself knew what was in man.

Monday

First Reading: Second Kings 5:1-15
1Now (A)Naaman, captain of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man with his master, and highly respected, because by him the LORD had given victory to Aram. The man was also a valiant warrior, but he was a leper.
2Now the Arameans had gone out (B)in bands and had taken captive a little girl from the land of Israel; and she waited on Naaman's wife.
3She said to her mistress, "I wish that my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! Then he would cure him of his leprosy."
4Naaman went in and told his master, saying, "Thus and thus spoke the girl who is from the land of Israel."
5Then the king of Aram said, "Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel." He departed and (C)took with him ten talents of silver and six thousand shekels of gold and ten (D)changes of clothes.
6He brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, "And now as this letter comes to you, behold, I have sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may cure him of his leprosy."
7When the king of Israel read the letter, (E)he tore his clothes and said, "(F)Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man is sending word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? But (G)consider now, and see how he is seeking a quarrel against me."
8It happened when Elisha (H)the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, that he sent word to the king, saying, "Why have you torn your clothes? Now let him come to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel."
9So Naaman came with his horses and his chariots and stood at the doorway of the house of Elisha.
10Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, "(I)Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh will be restored to you and you will be clean."
11But Naaman was furious and went away and said, "Behold, I thought, 'He will surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper.'
12"Are not Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?" So he turned and (J)went away in a rage.
13(K)Then his servants came near and spoke to him and said, "(L)My father, had the prophet told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, 'Wash, and be clean'?"
14So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; and (M)his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child and (N)he was clean.
Gehazi's Greed
15When he returned to the man of God with all his company, and came and stood before him, he said, "Behold now, (O)I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel; so please (P)take a present from your servant now."

Gospel: Luke 4:24-30
24And He said, "Truly I say to you, (A)no prophet is welcome in his hometown.
25"But I say to you in truth, there were many widows in Israel (B)in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up for three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land;
26and yet Elijah was sent to none of them, but (C)only to Zarephath, in the land of (D)Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.
27"And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, but (E)only Naaman the Syrian."
28And all the people in the synagogue were filled with rage as they heard these things;
29and they got up and (F)drove Him out of the city, and led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city had been built, in order to throw Him down the cliff.
30But (G)passing through their midst, He went His way.

Tuesday

First Reading: Daniel 3:25, 34-43
25He said, "Look! I see four men loosed and (A)walking about in the midst of the fire without harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the (B)gods!"
34 For your name's sake, do not deliver us up forever, or make void your covenant.
35 Do not take away your mercy from us, for the sake of Abraham, your beloved, Isaac your servant, and Israel your holy one,
36 To whom you promised to multiply their offspring like the stars of heaven, or the sand on the shore of the sea.
37 For we are reduced, O Lord, beyond any other nation, brought low everywhere in the world this day because of our sins.
38 We have in our day no prince, prophet, or leader, no holocaust, sacrifice, oblation, or incense, no place to offer first fruits, to find favor with you.
39 But with contrite heart and humble spirit let us be received;
40 As though it were holocausts of rams and bullocks, or thousands of fat lambs, So let our sacrifice be in your presence today as we follow you unreservedly; for those who trust in you cannot be put to shame.
41 And now we follow you with our whole heart, we fear you and we pray to you.
42 Do not let us be put to shame, but deal with us in your kindness and great mercy.
43 Deliver us by your wonders, and bring glory to your name, O Lord:

Gospel: Matthew 18:21-35
21Then Peter came and said to Him, "Lord, (A)how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to (B)seven times?"
22Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to (C)seventy times seven.
23"For this reason (D)the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to (E)settle accounts with his slaves.
24"When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him [a]ten thousand talents was brought to him.
25"But since he (F)did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him (G)to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made.
26"So the slave fell to the ground and (H)prostrated himself before him, saying, 'Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.'
27"And the lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and (I)forgave him the debt.
28"But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred [b]denarii; and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, 'Pay back what you owe.'
29"So his fellow slave fell to the ground and began to plead with him, saying, 'Have patience with me and I will repay you.'
30"But he was unwilling and went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed.
31"So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their lord all that had happened.
32"Then summoning him, his lord said to him, 'You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me.
33'(J)Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?'
34"And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him.
35"(K)My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart."

Wednesday

First Reading: Deuteronomy 4:1, 5-9
1"Now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the judgments which (A)I am teaching you to perform, so that (B)you may live and go in and take possession of the land which the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you.
5"See, I have taught you statutes and judgments (F)just as the LORD my God commanded me, that you should do thus in the land where you are entering to possess it.
6"So keep and do them, (G)for that is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes and say, 'Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.'
7"For (H)what great nation is there that has a god (I)so near to it as is the LORD our God (J)whenever we call on Him?
8"Or what great nation is there that has (K)statutes and judgments as righteous as this whole law which I am setting before you today?
9"Only (L)give heed to yourself and keep your soul diligently, so that you do not forget the things which your eyes have seen and they do not depart from your heart (M)all the days of your life; but (N)make them known to your sons and your grandsons.

Gospel: Matthew 5:17-19
17"Do not think that I came to abolish the (A)Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.
18"For truly I say to you, (B)until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.
19"Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least (C)in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Thursday
Saint Joseph, Husband of Mary - Solemnity

First Reading: Second Samuel 7:4-5, 12-14, 16
4But in the same night the word of the LORD came to Nathan, saying,
5"Go and say to My servant David, 'Thus says the LORD, "(F)Are you the one who should build Me a house to dwell in?
12"(T)When your days are complete and you (U)lie down with your fathers, (V)I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom.
13"(W)He shall build a house for My name, and (X)I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
14"(Y)I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me; (Z)when he commits iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men and the strokes of the sons of men,
16"(AB)Your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever; your throne shall be established forever."'"

Second Reading: Romans 4:13, 16-18, 22
13For (P)the promise to Abraham or to his descendants (Q)that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith.
16For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with (U)grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to (V)all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to (W)those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is (X)the father of us all,
17(as it is written, "(Y)A FATHER OF MANY NATIONS HAVE I MADE YOU") in the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, (Z)who gives life to the dead and (AA)calls into being (AB)that which does not exist.
18In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become (AC)a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, "(AD)SO SHALL YOUR DESCENDANTS BE."
22Therefore (AK)IT WAS ALSO CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Gospel: Matthew 1:16, 18-21, 24, or Luke 2:41-51
41Now His parents went to Jerusalem every year at (A)the Feast of the Passover.
42And when He became twelve, they went up there according to the custom of the Feast;
43and as they were returning, after spending the (B)full number of days, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. But His parents were unaware of it,
44but supposed Him to be in the caravan, and went a day's journey; and they began looking for Him among their relatives and acquaintances.
45When they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem looking for Him.
46Then, after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions.
47And all who heard Him (C)were amazed at His understanding and His answers.
48When they saw Him, they were astonished; and (D)His mother said to Him, "Son, why have You treated us this way? Behold, (E)Your father and I have been anxiously looking for You."
49And He said to them, "Why is it that you were looking for Me? Did you not know that (F)I had to be in My Father's house?"
50But (G)they did not understand the statement which He had made to them.
51And He went down with them and came to (H)Nazareth, and He continued in subjection to them; and (I)His mother (J)treasured all these things in her heart

Friday

First Reading: Hosea 14:2-10
2Take words with you and return to the LORD.
         Say to Him, "(A)Take away all iniquity
         And receive us graciously,
         That we may (B)present the fruit of our lips.
    3"Assyria will not save us,
         We will (C)not ride on horses;
         Nor will we say again, '(D)Our god,'
         To the (E)work of our hands;
         For in (F)You the orphan finds mercy."
    4I will (G)heal their apostasy,
         I will (H)love them freely,
         For My anger has (I)turned away from them.
    5I will be like the (J)dew to Israel;
         He will blossom like the (K)lily,
         And he will take root like the cedars of (L)Lebanon.
    6His shoots will sprout,
         And his beauty will be like the (M)olive tree
         And his fragrance like the cedars of (N)Lebanon.
    7Those who (O)live in his shadow
         Will again raise (P)grain,
         And they will blossom like the vine.
         His renown will be like the wine of Lebanon.
    8O Ephraim, what more have I to do with (Q)idols?
         It is I who answer and look after you
         I am like a luxuriant (R)cypress;
         From (S)Me comes your fruit.
    9(T)Whoever is wise, let him understand these things;
         Whoever is discerning, let him know them
         For the (U)ways of the LORD are right,
         And the (V)righteous will walk in them,
         But (W)transgressors will stumble in them.

Gospel: Mark 12:28-34
28(A)One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and (B)recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, "What commandment is the foremost of all?"
29Jesus answered, "The foremost is, '(C)HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD;
30(D)AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.'
31"The second is this, '(E)YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' There is no other commandment greater than these."
32The scribe said to Him, "Right, Teacher; You have truly stated that (F)HE IS ONE, AND THERE IS NO ONE ELSE BESIDES HIM;
33(G)AND TO LOVE HIM WITH ALL THE HEART AND WITH ALL THE UNDERSTANDING AND WITH ALL THE STRENGTH, AND TO LOVE ONE'S NEIGHBOR AS HIMSELF, (H)is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."
34When Jesus saw that he had answered intelligently, He said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." (I)After that, no one would venture to ask Him any more questions.

Saturday

First Reading: Hosea 6:1-6
1"(A)Come, let us return to the LORD
         For (B)He has torn us, but (C)He will heal us;
         He has wounded us, but He will (D)bandage us.
    2"He will (E)revive us after two days;
         He will (F)raise us up on the third day,
         That we may live before Him.
    3"So let us (G)know, let us press on to know the LORD
         His (H)going forth is as certain as the dawn;
         And He will come to us like the (I)rain,
         Like the spring rain watering the earth."
    4What shall I do with you, O (J)Ephraim?
         What shall I do with you, O Judah?
         For your loyalty is like a (K)morning cloud
         And like the dew which goes away early.
    5Therefore I have (L)hewn them in pieces by the prophets;
         I have slain them by the (M)words of My mouth;
         And the judgments on you are like the light that goes forth.
    6For (N)I delight in loyalty (O)rather than sacrifice,
         And in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings

Gospel: Luke 18:9-14
9And He also told this parable to some people who (A)trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and (B)viewed others with contempt:
10"Two men (C)went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
11"The Pharisee (D)stood and was praying this to himself: 'God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
12'I (E)fast twice a week; I (F)pay tithes of all that I get.'
13"But the tax collector, (G)standing some distance away, (H)was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but (I)was beating his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, the sinner!'
14"I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; (J)for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted."