Readings for the 5th wk of Lent
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List of Readings
Sunday of the 5th wk of Lent

First Reading:  Isaiah 43:16-21
16 Thus says the LORD, who opens a way in the sea and a path in the mighty waters,
17 Who leads out chariots and horsemen, a powerful army, Till they lie prostrate together, never to rise, snuffed out and quenched like a wick.
18 1 Remember not the events of the past, the things of long ago consider not;
19 See, I am doing something new! Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? In the desert I make a way, in the wasteland, rivers.
20 Wild beasts honor me, jackals and ostriches, For I put water in the desert and rivers in the wasteland for my chosen people to drink,
21 The people whom I formed for myself, that they might announce my praise.

Second Reading: Philippians 3:8-14
8 More than that, I even consider everything as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have accepted the loss of all things and I consider them so much rubbish, that I may gain Christ
9 and be found in him, not having any righteousness of my own based on the law but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God, depending on faith
10 to know him and the power of his resurrection and (the) sharing of his sufferings by being conformed to his death,
11 if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
12 1 It is not that I have already taken hold of it or have already attained perfect maturity, 2 but I continue my pursuit in hope that I may possess it, since I have indeed been taken possession of by Christ (Jesus).
13 Brothers, I for my part do not consider myself to have taken possession. Just one thing: forgetting what lies behind but straining forward to what lies ahead,
14 I continue my pursuit toward the goal, the prize of God's upward calling, in Christ Jesus

Gospel: John 8: 1-11
1 while Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 1
2 But early in the morning he arrived again in the temple area, and all the people started coming to him, and he sat down and taught them.
3 Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery and made her stand in the middle.
4 They said to him, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery.
5 Now in the law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. 2 So what do you say?"
6 They said this to test him, so that they could have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with his finger. 3
7 4 But when they continued asking him, he straightened up and said to them, "Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her."
8 Again he bent down and wrote on the ground.
9 And in response, they went away one by one, beginning with the elders. So he was left alone with the woman before him.
10 Then Jesus straightened up and said to her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"
11 She replied, "No one, sir." Then Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you. Go, (and) from now on do not sin any more."

Monday

First Reading: Daniel 13:1-9, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62 or 13:41-62
33 All her relatives and the onlookers were weeping.
34 In the midst of the people the two elders rose up and laid their hands on her head.
35 Through her tears she looked up to heaven, for she trusted in the Lord wholeheartedly.
36 The elders made this accusation: "As we were walking in the garden alone, this woman entered with two girls and shut the doors of the garden, dismissing the girls.
37 A young man, who was hidden there, came and lay with her.
38 When we, in a corner of the garden, saw this crime, we ran toward them.
39 We saw them lying together, but the man we could not hold, because he was stronger than we; he opened the doors and ran off.
40 Then we seized this one and asked who the young man was,
41 but she refused to tell us. We testify to this." The assembly believed them, since they were elders and judges of the people, and they condemned her to death.
42 But Susanna cried aloud: "O eternal God, you know what is hidden and are aware of all things before they come to be:
43 you know that they have testified falsely against me. Here I am about to die, though I have done none of the things with which these wicked men have charged me."
44 The Lord heard her prayer.
45 As she was being led to execution, God stirred up the holy spirit of a young boy named Daniel,
46 and he cried aloud: "I will have no part in the death of this woman."
47 All the people turned and asked him, "What is this you are saying?"
48 He stood in their midst and continued, "Are you such fools, O Israelites! To condemn a woman of Israel without examination and without clear evidence?
49 Return to court, for they have testified falsely against her."
50 Then all the people returned in haste. To Daniel the elders said, "Come, sit with us and inform us, since God has given you the prestige of old age."
51 But he replied, "Separate these two far from one another that I may examine them."
52 After they were separated one from the other, he called one of them and said: "How you have grown evil with age! Now have your past sins come to term:
53 passing unjust sentences, condemning the innocent, and freeing the guilty, although the Lord says, "The innocent and the just you shall not put to death.'
54 Now, then, if you were a witness, tell me under what tree you saw them together."
55 2 "Under a mastic tree," he answered. "Your fine lie has cost you your head," said Daniel; "for the angel of God shall receive the sentence from him and split you in two."
56 Putting him to one side, he ordered the other one to be brought. "Offspring of Canaan, not of Judah," Daniel said to him, "beauty has seduced you, lust has subverted your conscience.
57 3 This is how you acted with the daughters of Israel, and in their fear they yielded to you; but a daughter of Judah did not tolerate your wickedness.
58 Now, then, tell me under what tree you surprised them together."
59 "Under an oak," he said. "Your fine lie has cost you also your head," said Daniel; "for the angel of God waits with a sword to cut you in two so as to make an end of you both."
60 The whole assembly cried aloud, blessing God who saves those that hope in him.
61 They rose up against the two elders, for by their own words Daniel had convicted them of perjury. According to the law of Moses, they inflicted on them the penalty they had plotted to impose on their neighbor:
62 they put them to death. Thus was innocent blood spared that day.

Gospel: John 8:1-11
1But Jesus went to (A)the Mount of Olives.
2Early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people were coming to Him; and (B)He sat down and began to teach them.
3The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the center of the court,
4they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act.
5"Now in the Law (C)Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?"
6They were saying this, (D)testing Him, (E)so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground.
7But when they persisted in asking Him, (F)He straightened up, and said to them, "(G)He who is without sin among you, let him be the (H)first to throw a stone at her."
8Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.
9When they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the center of the court.
10(I)Straightening up, Jesus said to her, "Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?"
11She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said, "(J)I do not condemn you, either Go From now on (K)sin no more."]
Tuesday

First Reading: Numbers 21:4-9
4Then they set out from Mount Hor by the way of the Red Sea, to (D)go around the land of Edom; and the people became impatient because of the journey.
5The people spoke against God and Moses, "(E)Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and (F)we loathe this miserable food."
The Bronze Serpent
6(G)The LORD sent fiery serpents among the people and (H)they bit the people, so that (I)many people of Israel died.
7(J)So the people came to Moses and said, "We have sinned, because we have spoken against the LORD and you; (K)intercede with the LORD, that He may remove the serpents from us." And Moses interceded for the people.
8Then the LORD said to Moses, "Make a (L)fiery serpent, and set it on a standard; and it shall come about, that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, he will live."
9And Moses made a (M)bronze serpent and set it on the standard; and it came about, that if a serpent bit any man, when he looked to the bronze serpent, he lived.

Gospel: John 8:21-30
21Then He said again to them, "I go away, and (A)you will seek Me, and (B)will die in your sin; where I am going, you cannot come."
22So (C)the Jews were saying, "Surely He will not kill Himself, will He, since He says, '(D)Where I am going, you cannot come'?"
23And He was saying to them, "(E)You are from below, I am from above; (F)you are of this world, (G)I am not of this world.
24"Therefore I said to you that you (H)will die in your sins; for unless you believe that (I)I am He, (J)you will die in your sins."
25So they were saying to Him, "Who are You?" Jesus said to them, "What have I been saying to you from the beginning?
26"I have many things to speak and to judge concerning you, but (K)He who sent Me is true; and (L)the things which I heard from Him, these I speak to the world."
27They did not realize that He had been speaking to them about the Father.
28So Jesus said, "When you (M)lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that (N)I am He, and (O)I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me.
29"And He who sent Me is with Me; (P)He has not left Me alone, for (Q)I always do the things that are pleasing to Him."
30As He spoke these things, (R)many came to believe in Him.

Wednesday

First Reading: Daniel 3:14-20, 91-92, 95
14 King Nebuchadnezzar questioned them: "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you will not serve my god, or worship the golden statue that I set up?
15 Be ready now to fall down and worship the statue I had made, whenever you hear the sound of the trumpet, flute, lyre, harp, psaltery, bagpipe, and all the other musical instruments; otherwise, you shall be instantly cast into the white-hot furnace; and who is the God that can deliver you out of my hands?"
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar, "There is no need for us to defend ourselves before you in this matter.
17 1 If our God, whom we serve, can save us from the white-hot furnace and from your hands, O king, may he save us!
18 But even if he will not, know, O king, that we will not serve your god or worship the golden statue which you set up."
19 Nebuchadnezzar's face became livid with utter rage against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace to be heated seven times more than usual
20 and had some of the strongest men in his army bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and cast them into the white-hot furnace.
91 King Nebuchadnezzar rose in haste and asked his nobles, "Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?" "Assuredly, O king," they answered.
92 2 "But," he replied, "I see four men unfettered and unhurt, walking in the fire, and the fourth looks like a son of God."
95 Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who sent his angel to deliver the servants that trusted in him; they disobeyed the royal command and yielded their bodies rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.

Gospel: John 8:31-42
31So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "(A)If you continue in My word, then you are truly (B)disciples of Mine;
32and (C)you will know the truth, and (D)the truth will make you free."
33They answered Him, "(E)We are Abraham's descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, 'You will become free'?"
34Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, (F)everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.
35"(G)The slave does not remain in the house forever; (H)the son does remain forever.
36"So if the Son (I)makes you free, you will be free indeed.
37"I know that you are (J)Abraham's descendants; yet (K)you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you.
38"I speak the things which I have seen with My Father; therefore you also do the things which you heard from (L)your father."
39They answered and said to Him, "Abraham is (M)our father " Jesus said to them, "(N)If you are Abraham's children, do the deeds of Abraham.
40"But as it is, (O)you are seeking to kill Me, a man who has (P)told you the truth, which I heard from God; this Abraham did not do.
41"You are doing the deeds of (Q)your father " They said to Him, "We were not born of fornication; (R)we have one Father: God."
42Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, (S)you would love Me, (T)for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have (U)not even come on My own initiative, but (V)He sent Me.

Thursday
Annunciation of the Lord
First Reading: Isaiah 7:10-14 8:10
10 Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz:
11 1 Ask for a sign from the LORD, your God; let it be deep as the nether world, or high as the sky!
12 2 But Ahaz answered, "I will not ask! I will not tempt the LORD!"
13 Then he said: Listen, O house of David! Is it not enough for you to weary men, must you also weary my God?
14 3 Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.

Second Reading: Hebrews 10: 4-10
4 for it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats take away sins.
5 For this reason, when he came into the world, he said: 1 "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me;
6 holocausts and sin offerings you took no delight in.
7 Then I said, 'As is written of me in the scroll, Behold, I come to do your will, O God.'"
8 First he says, "Sacrifices and offerings, holocausts and sin offerings, 2 you neither desired nor delighted in." These are offered according to the law.
9 Then he says, "Behold, I come to do your will." He takes away the first to establish the second.
10 By this "will," we have been consecrated through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Gospel: Luke 1:26-38

26 1 In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,
27 to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary.
28 And coming to her, he said, "Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you."
29 But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
30 Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
31 Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus.
32 He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, 2 and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,
33 and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end."
34 But Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?" 3
35 And the angel said to her in reply, "The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.
36 And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived 4 a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;
37 for nothing will be impossible for God."
38 Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word." Then the angel departed from her.
Friday

First Reading: Jeremiah 20:10-13
10For (A)I have heard the whispering of many,
         "(B)Terror on every side!
         (C)Denounce him; yes, let us denounce him!"
         All my (D)trusted friends,
         Watching for my fall, say:
         "Perhaps he will be deceived, so that we may (E)prevail against him
         And take our revenge on him."
    11But the (F)LORD is with me like a dread champion;
         Therefore my (G)persecutors will stumble and not prevail
         They will be utterly ashamed, because they have failed,
         With an (H)everlasting disgrace that will not be forgotten.
    12Yet, O LORD of hosts, You who (I)test the righteous,
         Who see the mind and the heart;
         Let me (J)see Your vengeance on them;
         For (K)to You I have set forth my cause.
    13(L)Sing to the LORD, praise the LORD!
         For He has (M)delivered the soul of the needy one
         From the hand of evildoers.

Gospel: John 10:31-42
31The Jews (A)picked up stones again to stone Him.
32Jesus answered them, "I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?"
33The Jews answered Him, "For a good work we do not stone You, but for (B)blasphemy; and because You, being a man, (C)make Yourself out to be God."
34Jesus answered them, "Has it not been written in (D)your (E)Law, '(F)I SAID, YOU ARE GODS'?
35"If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken),
36do you say of Him, whom the Father (G)sanctified and (H)sent into the world, 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, '(I)I am the Son of God'?
37"(J)If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me;
38but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe (K)the works, so that you may know and understand that (L)the Father is in Me, and I in the Father."
39Therefore (M)they were seeking again to seize Him, and (N)He eluded their grasp.
40And He went away (O)again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was first baptizing, and He was staying there.
41Many came to Him and were saying, "While John performed no (P)sign, yet (Q)everything John said about this man was true."
42(R)Many believed in Him there.
Saturday

First Reading: Ezekiel 37:21-28
21"Say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Behold, I will (A)take the sons of Israel from among the nations where they have gone, and I will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land;
22and I will make them (B)one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and (C)one king will be king for all of them; and they will no longer be two nations and no longer be divided into two kingdoms.
23"They will (D)no longer defile themselves with their idols, or with their detestable things, or with any of their transgressions; but (E)I will deliver them from all their [a]dwelling places in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them. And they will be My people, and I will be their God.
The Davidic Kingdom
24"My servant (F)David will be king over them, and they will all have (G)one shepherd; and they will walk in My ordinances and keep My statutes and observe them.
25"They will live on the land that I gave to Jacob My servant, in which your fathers lived; and they will live on it, they, and their sons and their sons' sons, forever; and (H)David My servant will be their prince forever.
26"I will make a (I)covenant of peace with them; it will be an (J)everlasting covenant with them And I will place them and (K)multiply them, and will set My (L)sanctuary in their midst forever.
27"My (M)dwelling place also will be with them; and (N)I will be their God, and they will be My people.
28"And the nations will know that I am the LORD (O)who sanctifies Israel, when My sanctuary is in their midst forever

Gospel: John 11:45-57
45(A)Therefore many of the Jews (B)who came to Mary, and (C)saw what He had done, believed in Him.
46But some of them went to the (D)Pharisees and told them the things which Jesus had done.
Conspiracy to Kill Jesus
47Therefore (E)the chief priests and the Pharisees (F)convened a (G)council, and were saying, "What are we doing? For this man is performing many (H)signs.
48"If we let Him go on like this, all men will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our (I)place and our nation."
49But one of them, (J)Caiaphas, (K)who was high priest that year, said to them, "You know nothing at all,
50nor do you take into account that (L)it is expedient for you that one man die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish."
51Now he did not say this on his own initiative, but (M)being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation,
52and not for the nation only, but in order that He might also (N)gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.
53So from that day on they (O)planned together to kill Him.
54Therefore Jesus (P)no longer continued to walk publicly among the Jews, but went away from there to the country near the wilderness, into a city called (Q)Ephraim; and there He stayed with the disciples.
55Now (R)the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up to Jerusalem out of the country before the Passover (S)to purify themselves.
56So they (T)were seeking for Jesus, and were saying to one another as they stood in the temple, "What do you think; that He will not come to the feast at all?"
57Now (U)the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where He was, he was to report it, so that they might seize Him.