| Readings for the 4th wk of Lent |
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| List of Readings |
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| 4th Sunday of Lent
First Reading: Second Chronicles 36:14-17, 19-23 14Furthermore, all the officials of the priests and the people were very unfaithful following all the abominations of the nations; and they defiled the house of the LORD which He had sanctified in Jerusalem. 15The LORD, the God of their fathers, (Q)sent word to them again and again by His messengers, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place; 16but they continually (R)mocked the messengers of God, (S)despised His words and scoffed at His prophets, (T)until the wrath of the LORD arose against His people, until there was no remedy. 17(U)Therefore He brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion on young man or virgin, old man or infirm; He gave them all into his hand. 19Then (W)they burned the house of God and broke down the wall of Jerusalem, and burned all its fortified buildings with fire and destroyed all its valuable articles. 20Those who had escaped from the sword he (X)carried away to Babylon; and (Y)they were servants to him and to his sons until the rule of the kingdom of Persia, 21(Z)to fulfill the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until (AA)the land had enjoyed its sabbaths (AB)All the days of its desolation it kept sabbath (AC)until seventy years were complete. Cyrus Permits Return 22(AD)Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia--in order to fulfill the word of the LORD (AE)by the mouth of Jeremiah--the LORD (AF)stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he sent a proclamation throughout his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying, 23"Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, 'The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and He has appointed me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever there is among you of all His people, may the LORD his God be with him, and let him go up!'" Second Reading: Ephesians 2:4-10 4But God, being (K)rich in mercy, because of (L)His great love with which He loved us, 5even when we were (M)dead in our transgressions, made us alive together [a]with Christ ((N)by grace you have been saved), 6and (O)raised us up with Him, and (P)seated us with Him in (Q)the heavenly places in (R)Christ Jesus, 7so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing (S)riches of His grace in (T)kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8For (U)by grace you have been saved (V)through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is (W)the gift of God; 9(X)not as a result of works, so that (Y)no one may boast. 10For we are His workmanship, (Z)created in (AA)Christ Jesus for (AB)good works, which God (AC)prepared beforehand so that we would (AD)walk in them. Gospel: John 3:14-21 14"As (A)Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must (B)the Son of Man (C)be lifted up; 15so that whoever [a]believes will (D)in Him have eternal life. 16"For God so (E)loved the world, that He (F)gave His (G)only begotten Son, that whoever (H)believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17"For God (I)did not send the Son into the world (J)to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 18"(K)He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of (L)the only begotten Son of God. 19"This is the judgment, that (M)the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for (N)their deeds were evil. 20"(O)For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21"But he who (P)practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God." Monday First Reading: Isaiah 65:17-21 17"For behold, I create (A)new heavens and a new earth; And the (B)former things will not be remembered or come to mind. 18"But be (C)glad and rejoice forever in what I create; For behold, I create Jerusalem for rejoicing And her people for gladness. 19"I will also (D)rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in My people; And there will no longer be heard in her The voice of (E)weeping and the sound of crying. 20"No longer will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, Or an old man who does (F)not live out his days; For the youth will die at the age of one hundred And the (G)one who does not reach the age of one hundred Will be thought accursed. 21"They will (H)build houses and inhabit them; They will also (I)plant vineyards and eat their fruit. Gospel: John 4:43-54 43After (A)the two days He went forth from there into Galilee. 44For Jesus Himself testified that (B)a prophet has no honor in his own country. 45So when He came to Galilee, the Galileans received Him, (C)having seen all the things that He did in Jerusalem at the feast; for they themselves also went to the feast. Healing a Nobleman's Son 46Therefore He came again to (D)Cana of Galilee (E)where He had made the water wine And there was a royal official whose son was sick at (F)Capernaum. 47When he heard that Jesus had come (G)out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and was imploring Him to come down and heal his son; for he was at the point of death. 48So Jesus said to him, "Unless you people see (H)signs and (I)wonders, you simply will not believe." 49The royal official said to Him, "Sir, come down before my child dies." 50Jesus said to him, "(J)Go; your son lives." The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started off. 51As he was now going down, his slaves met him, saying that his son was living. 52So he inquired of them the hour when he began to get better. Then they said to him, "Yesterday at the [a]seventh hour the fever left him." 53So the father knew that it was at that hour in which Jesus said to him, "Your son lives"; and he himself believed and (K)his whole household. 54This is again a (L)second sign that Jesus performed when He had (M)come out of Judea into Galilee. Tuesday First Reading: Ezekiel 47:1-9, 12 1Then he brought me back to the (A)door of the house; and behold, (B)water was flowing from under the threshold of the house toward the east, for the house faced east. And the water was flowing down from under, from the right side of the house, from south of the altar. 2He brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around on the outside to the outer gate by way of the gate that faces east. And behold, water was trickling from the south side. 3When the man went out toward the east with a line in his hand, he measured a thousand cubits, and he led me through the water, water reaching the ankles. 4Again he measured a thousand and led me through the water, water reaching the knees. Again he measured a thousand and led me through the water, water reaching the loins. 5Again he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not ford, for the water had risen, enough water to swim in, a (C)river that could not be forded. 6He said to me, "Son of man, have you (D)seen this?" Then he brought me back to the bank of the river. 7Now when I had returned, behold, on the bank of the river there were very many (E)trees on the one side and on the other. 8Then he said to me, "These waters go out toward the eastern region and go down into the (F)Arabah; then they go toward the sea, being made to flow into the (G)sea, and the waters of the sea become fresh. 9"It will come about that every living creature which swarms in every place where the river goes, will live. And there will be very many fish, for these waters go there and the others become fresh; so (H)everything will live where the river goes. 12"(O)By the river on its bank, on one side and on the other, will grow all kinds of (P)trees for food Their (Q)leaves will not wither and their fruit will not fail They will bear every month because their water flows from the sanctuary, and their fruit will be for food and their (R)leaves for healing." Gospel: John 5:1-3, 5-16 1After these things there was (A)a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2Now there is in Jerusalem by (B)the sheep gate a pool, which is called (C)in Hebrew Bethesda, having five porticoes. 3In these lay a multitude of those who were sick, blind, lame, and withered, [[a]waiting for the moving of the waters; 5A man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. 6When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had already been a long time in that condition, He said to him, "Do you wish to get well?" 7The sick man answered Him, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when (D)the water is stirred up, but while I am coming, another steps down before me." 8Jesus said to him, "(E)Get up, pick up your pallet and walk." 9Immediately the man became well, and picked up his pallet and began to walk. (F)Now it was the Sabbath on that day. 10So (G)the Jews were saying to the man who was cured, "It is the Sabbath, and (H)it is not permissible for you to carry your pallet." 11But he answered them, "He who made me well was the one who said to me, 'Pick up your pallet and walk.'" 12They asked him, "Who is the man who said to you, 'Pick up your pallet and walk'?" 13But the man who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had slipped away while there was a crowd in that place. 14Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, "Behold, you have become well; do not (I)sin anymore, (J)so that nothing worse happens to you." 15The man went away, and told (K)the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. 16For this reason (L)the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because He was doing these things on the Sabbath. Wednesday Annunciation of the Lord - Solemnity First Reading: Isaiah 7:10-14 10Then the LORD spoke again to Ahaz, saying, 11"Ask a (A)sign for yourself from the LORD your God; make it deep as Sheol or high as heaven." 12But Ahaz said, "I will not ask, nor will I test the LORD!" 13Then he said, "Listen now, O (B)house of David! Is it too slight a thing for you to try the patience of men, that you will (C)try the patience of (D)my God as well? 14"Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, (E)a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name [a](F)Immanuel. Second Reading: Hebrews 10:4-10 4For it is (A)impossible for the (B)blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 5Therefore, (C)when He comes into the world, He says, "(D)SACRIFICE AND OFFERING YOU HAVE NOT DESIRED, BUT (E)A BODY YOU HAVE PREPARED FOR ME; 6(F)IN WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND sacrifices FOR SIN YOU HAVE TAKEN NO PLEASURE. 7"(G)THEN I SAID, 'BEHOLD, I HAVE COME (IN (H)THE SCROLL OF THE BOOK IT IS WRITTEN OF ME) TO DO YOUR WILL, O GOD.'" 8After saying above, "(I)SACRIFICES AND OFFERINGS AND (J)WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND sacrifices (K)FOR SIN YOU HAVE NOT DESIRED, NOR HAVE YOU TAKEN PLEASURE in them" (which are offered according to the Law), 9then He said, "(L)BEHOLD, I HAVE COME TO DO YOUR WILL." He takes away the first in order to establish the second. 10By this will we have been (M)sanctified through (N)the offering of (O)the body of Jesus Christ (P)once for all. Gospel: Luke 1:26-38 26Now in the sixth month the angel (A)Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called (B)Nazareth, 27to (C)a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, (D)of the descendants of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. 28And coming in, he said to her, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you." 29But she (E)was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was. 30The angel said to her, "(F)Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. 31"And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you (G)shall name Him Jesus. 32"He will be great and will be called the Son of (H)the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him (I)the throne of His father David; 33(J)and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, (K)and His kingdom will have no end." 34Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?" 35The angel answered and said to her, "(L)The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of (M)the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason (N)the holy Child shall be called (O)the Son of God. 36"And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. 37"For (P)nothing will be impossible with God." 38And Mary said, "Behold, the [a]bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her. Thursday First Reading: Exodus 32:7-14 7Then the LORD spoke to Moses, "Go down at once, for your people, whom (A)you brought up from the land of Egypt, have (B)corrupted themselves. 8"They have quickly turned aside from the way which I commanded them. (C)They have made for themselves a molten calf, and have worshiped it and (D)have sacrificed to it and said, '(E)This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt!'" 9(F)The LORD said to Moses, "I have seen this people, and behold, they are (G)an obstinate people. 10"Now then (H)let Me alone, that My anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them; and (I)I will make of you a great nation." Moses' Entreaty 11Then (J)Moses entreated the LORD his God, and said, "O LORD, why does Your anger burn against Your people whom You have brought out from the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 12"Why should (K)the Egyptians speak, saying, 'With evil intent He brought them out to kill them in the mountains and to destroy them from the face of the earth'? Turn from Your burning anger and change Your mind about doing harm to Your people. 13"Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants to whom You (L)swore by Yourself, and said to them, 'I will (M)multiply your descendants as the stars of the heavens, and (N)all this land of which I have spoken I will give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.'" 14(O)So the LORD changed His mind about the harm which He said He would do to His people. Gospel: John 5:31-47 31"(A)If I alone testify about Myself, My testimony is not true. 32"There is (B)another who testifies of Me, and I know that the testimony which He gives about Me is true. Witness of John 33"You have sent to John, and he (C)has testified to the truth. 34"But (D)the testimony which I receive is not from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. 35"He was (E)the lamp that was burning and was shining and you (F)were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. Witness of Works 36"But the testimony which I have is greater than the testimony of John; for (G)the works which the Father has given Me (H)to accomplish--the very works that I do--testify about Me, that the Father (I)has sent Me. Witness of the Father 37"And the Father who sent Me, (J)He has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time nor seen His form. 38"You do not have (K)His word abiding in you, for you do not believe Him whom He (L)sent. Witness of the Scripture 39"[a](M)You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is (N)these that testify about Me; 40and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life. 41"(O)I do not receive glory from men; 42but I know you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves. 43"I have come in My Father's name, and you do not receive Me; (P)if another comes in his own name, you will receive him. 44"How can you believe, when you (Q)receive glory from one another and you do not seek (R)the glory that is from (S)the one and only God? 45"Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; the one who accuses you is (T)Moses, in whom you have set your hope. 46"For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for (U)he wrote about Me. 47"But (V)if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?" Friday First Reading: Wisdom 2:1, 12-22 1 For they have said, reasoning with themselves, but not right: The time of our life is short and tedious, and in the end of a man there is no remedy, and no man hath been known to have returned from hell: 21 These things they thought, and were deceived: for their own malice blinded them. 22 And they knew not the secrets of God, nor hoped for the wages of justice, nor esteemed the honour of holy souls. Gospel: John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30 1After these things Jesus (A)was walking in Galilee, for He was unwilling to walk in Judea because (B)the Jews (C)were seeking to kill Him. 2Now the feast of the Jews, (D)the Feast of Booths, was near. 10But when His (L)brothers had gone up to the feast, then He Himself also went up, not publicly, but as if, in secret 25So some of the people of Jerusalem were saying, "Is this not the man whom they are seeking to kill? 26"Look, He is speaking publicly, and they are saying nothing to Him. (AE)The rulers do not really know that this is the Christ, do they? 27"However, (AF)we know where this man is from; but whenever the Christ may come, no one knows where He is from." 28Then Jesus cried out in the temple, (AG)teaching and saying, "(AH)You both know Me and know where I am from; and (AI)I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know. 29"(AJ)I know Him, because (AK)I am from Him, and (AL)He sent Me." 30So they (AM)were seeking to seize Him; and no man laid his hand on Him, because His (AN)hour had not yet come Saturday First Reading: Jeremiah 11:18-20 18Moreover, the LORD (A)made it known to me and I knew it; Then You showed me their deeds. 19But I was like a gentle (B)lamb led to the slaughter; And I did not know that they had (C)devised plots against me, saying, "Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, And (D)let us cut him off from the (E)land of the living, That his (F)name be remembered no more." 20But, O LORD of hosts, who (G)judges righteously, Who (H)tries the feelings and the heart, Let me see Your vengeance on them, For to You have I committed my cause. Gospel: John 7:40-53 40Some of the people therefore, when they heard these words, were saying, "This certainly is (A)the Prophet." 41Others were saying, "This is the Christ." Still others were saying, "(B)Surely the Christ is not going to come from Galilee, is He? 42"Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from (C)the descendants of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?" 43So (D)a division occurred in the crowd because of Him. 44(E)Some of them wanted to seize Him, but no one laid hands on Him. 45The (F)officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, and they said to them, "Why did you not bring Him?" 46The (G)officers answered, "(H)Never has a man spoken the way this man speaks." 47The Pharisees then answered them, "(I)You have not also been led astray, have you? 48"(J)No one of (K)the rulers or Pharisees has believed in Him, has he? 49"But this crowd which does not know the Law is accursed." 50(L)Nicodemus (he who came to Him before, being one of them) said to them, 51"(M)Our Law does not judge a man unless it first hears from him and knows what he is doing, does it?" 52They answered him, "(N)You are not also from Galilee, are you? Search, and see that no prophet arises out of Galilee." 53[[a]Everyone went to his home. |