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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 3 1-8 13-15
1 Meanwhile Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian. Leading the flock across the desert, he came to Horeb, the mountain of God.
2 There an angel of the LORD appeared to him in fire flaming out of a bush. As he looked on, he was surprised to see that the bush, though on fire, was not consumed.
3 So Moses decided, "I must go over to look at this remarkable sight, and see why the bush is not burned."
4 When the LORD saw him coming over to look at it more closely, God called out to him from the bush, "Moses! Moses!" He answered, "Here I am."
5 God said, "Come no nearer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.
6 I am the God of your father," he continued, "the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob." Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.
7 But the LORD said, "I have witnessed the affliction of my people in Egypt and have heard their cry of complaint against their slave drivers, so I know well what they are suffering.
8 4 Therefore I have come down to rescue them from the hands of the Egyptians and lead them out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey, the country of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.
13 "But," said Moses to God, "when I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' if they ask me, 'What is his name?' what am I to tell them?"
14 God replied, "I am who am." Then he added, "This is what you shall tell the Israelites: I AM sent me to you."
15 God spoke further to Moses, "Thus shall you say to the Israelites: The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. "This is my name forever; this is my title for all generations.

Second Reading: First Corinthians 10:1-6 10-12
1 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea,
2 and all of them were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.
3 All ate the same spiritual food,
4 and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they drank from a spiritual rock that followed them, 2 and the rock was the Christ.
5 Yet God was not pleased with most of them, for they were struck down in the desert.
6 These things happened as examples for us, so that we might not desire evil things, as they did.
10 Do not grumble as some of them did, and suffered death by the destroyer.
11 These things happened to them as an example, and they have been written down as a warning to us, upon whom the end of the ages has come. 4
12 Therefore, whoever thinks he is standing secure should take care not to fall. 5

Gospel: Luke 13:1-9
1 At that time some people who were present there told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices.
2 He said to them in reply, "Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were greater sinners than all other Galileans?
3 By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!
4 Or those eighteen people who were killed when the tower at Siloam fell on them 3 --do you think they were more guilty than everyone else who lived in Jerusalem?
5 By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!"
6 And he told them this parable: "There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard, and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none,
7 he said to the gardener, 'For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree but have found none. (So) cut it down. Why should it exhaust the soil?'
8 He said to him in reply, 'Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it;
9 it may bear fruit in the future. If not you can cut it down.'"

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

First Reading: Jeremiah 7:23-28
23 This rather is what I commanded them: Listen to my voice; then I will be your God and you shall be my people. Walk in all the ways that I command you, so that you may prosper.
24 But they obeyed not, nor did they pay heed. They walked in the hardness of their evil hearts and turned their backs, not their faces, to me.
25 From the day that your fathers left the land of Egypt even to this day, I have sent you untiringly all my servants the prophets.
26 Yet they have not obeyed me nor paid heed; they have stiffened their necks and done worse than their fathers.
27 When you speak all these words to them, they will not listen to you either; when you call to them, they will not answer you.
28 Say to them: This is the nation which does not listen to the voice of the LORD, its God, or take correction. Faithfulness has disappeared; the word itself is banished from their speech

Gospel: Luke 11: 14-23
14 He was driving out a demon (that was) mute, and when the demon had gone out, the mute person spoke and the crowds were amazed.
15 Some of them said, "By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he drives out demons."
16 Others, to test him, asked him for a sign from heaven.
17 But he knew their thoughts and said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste and house will fall against house.
18 And if Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that it is by Beelzebul that I drive out demons.
19 If I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own people 1 drive them out? Therefore they will be your judges.
20 But if it is by the finger of God that (I) drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
21 When a strong man fully armed guards his palace, his possessions are safe.
22 But when one stronger 2 than he attacks and overcomes him, he takes away the armor on which he relied and distributes the spoils.
23 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters

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."