Readings for the 4th wk of Lent
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List of Readings
4th Sunday of Lent

First Reading: Joshua 5: 9=12
9 Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Today I have removed the reproach of Egypt from you." Therefore the place is called Gilgal to the present day.
10  While the Israelites were encamped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, they celebrated the Passover on the evening of the fourteenth of the month.
11 On the day after the Passover they ate of the produce of the land in the form of unleavened cakes and parched grain. On that same day
12 after the Passover on which they ate of the produce of the land, the manna ceased. No longer was there manna for the Israelites, who that year ate of the yield of the land of Canaan.

Second Reading: 2 Corinthaians 5:17=21
17 So whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come.
18 And all this is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and given us the ministry of reconciliation,
19 namely, God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting their trespasses against them and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
20 So we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
21 For our sake he made him to be sin who did not know sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.

Gospel: Luke 15: 1-3 11-32
1 The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to him,
2 but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."
3 So to them he addressed this parable.
11 Then he said, "A man had two sons,
12 and the younger son said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of your estate that should come to me.' So the father divided the property between them.
13 After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings and set off to a distant country where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation.
14 When he had freely spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he found himself in dire need.
15 So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend the swine.
16 And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed, but nobody gave him any.
17 Coming to his senses he thought, 'How many of my father's hired workers have more than enough food to eat, but here am I, dying from hunger.
18 I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
19 I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers."'
20 So he got up and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him.
21 His son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.'
22 But his father ordered his servants, 'Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
23 Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast,
24 because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.' Then the celebration began.
25 Now the older son had been out in the field and, on his way back, as he neared the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing.
26 He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean.
27 The servant said to him, 'Your brother has returned and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.'
28 He became angry, and when he refused to enter the house, his father came out and pleaded with him.
29 He said to his father in reply, 'Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends.
30 But when your son returns who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him you slaughter the fattened calf.'
31 He said to him, 'My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours.
32 But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.'"

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
First Reading: Isaiah 49: 8-15
8 Thus says the LORD: In a time of favor I answer you, on the day of salvation I help you, To restore the land and allot the desolate heritages,
9 Saying to the prisoners: Come out! To those in darkness: Show yourselves! Along the ways they shall find pasture, on every bare height shall their pastures be.
10 They shall not hunger or thirst, nor shall the scorching wind or the sun strike them; For he who pities them leads them and guides them beside springs of water.
11 I will cut a road through all my mountains, and make my highways level.
12 1 See, some shall come from afar, others from the north and the west, and some from the land of Syene.
13 Sing out, O heavens, and rejoice, O earth, break forth into song, you mountains. For the LORD comforts his people and shows mercy to his afflicted. 14  But Zion said, "The LORD has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me."
15 Can a mother forget her infant, be without tenderness for the child of her womb? Even should she forget, I will never forget you..



Gospel: John 5:17-30
17 But Jesus answered them, "My Father is at work until now, so I am at work."
18 For this reason the Jews tried all the more to kill him, because he not only broke the sabbath but he also called God his own father, making himself equal to God.
19 2 Jesus answered and said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, a son cannot do anything on his own, but only what he sees his father doing; for what he does, his son will do also.
20 For the Father loves his Son and shows him everything that he himself does, and he will show him greater works than these, so that you may be amazed.
21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives life, 3 so also does the Son give life to whomever he wishes.
22 Nor does the Father judge anyone, but he has given all judgment 4 to his Son,
23 so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.
24 Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes in the one who sent me has eternal life and will not come to condemnation, but has passed from death to life.
25 Amen, amen, I say to you, the hour is coming and is now here when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.
26 For just as the Father has life in himself, so also he gave to his Son the possession of life in himself.
27 And he gave him power to exercise judgment, because he is the Son of Man.
28 5 Do not be amazed at this, because the hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs will hear his voice
29 and will come out, those who have done good deeds to the resurrection of life, but those who have done wicked deeds to the resurrection of condemnation.
30 "I cannot do anything on my own; I judge as I hear, and my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will but the will of the one who sent me.
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
Joseph husband of Mary
First Reading: 2 Samuel 7:4-5 12-14 16
4 But that night the LORD spoke to Nathan and said:
5 "Go, tell my servant David, 'Thus says the LORD: Should you build me a house to dwell in?
12 And when your time comes and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins, and I will make his kingdom firm.
13 It is he who shall build a house for my name. And I will make his royal throne firm forever.
14 I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. And if he does wrong, I will correct him with the rod of men and with human chastisements;
16 Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me; your throne shall stand firm forever.'"

2 Reading: Romans 4:13-16-18  22
13 It was not through the law that the promise was made to Abraham and his descendants that he would inherit the world, but through the righteousness that comes from faith.
16 For this reason, it depends on faith, so that it may be a gift, and the promise may be guaranteed to all his descendants, not to those who only adhere to the law but to those who follow the faith of Abraham, who is the father of all of us,
17 as it is written, "I have made you father of many nations." He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not exist.
18 He believed, hoping against hope, that he would become "the father of many nations," according to what was said, "Thus shall your descendants be."
22 That is why "it was credited to him as righteousness."

Gospel: Matthew 1:16 18-21 24
16 Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Messiah.
18 1 Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, 2 but before they lived together, she was found with child through the holy Spirit.
19 Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, 3 yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly.
20 Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord 4 appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her.
21 She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, 5 because he will save his people from their sins."
24 When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.
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.