The Lord's Prayer

FEBRUARY 28, 2023 TUESDAY

Tuesday of the First Week of Lent (Violet)

CYCLE A - YEAR I

Lectionary: 225

Reading 1

Is 55:10-11

Thus says the LORD:

Just as from the heavens

the rain and snow come down

And do not return there

till they have watered the earth,

making it fertile and fruitful,

Giving seed to the one who sows

and bread to the one who eats,

So shall my word be

that goes forth from my mouth;

It shall not return to me void,

but shall do my will,

achieving the end for which I sent it.

Responsorial Psalm

PS 34:4-5, 6-7, 16-17, 18-19

R. (18b)  From all their distress God rescues the just.

Glorify the LORD with me,

let us together extol his name.

I sought the LORD, and he answered me

and delivered me from all my fears.

R. From all their distress God rescues the just.

Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,

and your faces may not blush with shame.

When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,

and from all his distress he saved him.

R. From all their distress God rescues the just.

The LORD has eyes for the just,

and ears for their cry.

The LORD confronts the evildoers,

to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.

R. From all their distress God rescues the just.

When the just cry out, the LORD hears them,

and from all their distress he rescues them.

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;

and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.

R. From all their distress God rescues the just.

Verse Before the Gospel

Mt 4:4b

One does not live on bread alone,

but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.

Gospel

Mt 6:7-15

Jesus said to his disciples:

"In praying, do not babble like the pagans,

who think that they will be heard because of their many words.

Do not be like them.

Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

"This is how you are to pray:

Our Father who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name,

thy Kingdom come,

thy will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread;

and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us;

and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

"If you forgive men their transgressions,

your heavenly Father will forgive you.

But if you do not forgive men,

neither will your Father forgive your transgressions."

GOSPEL REFLECTION:

Prayer engages us in praise of God, in desiring God's will to be done and God's kingdom to come on earth; in prayer we ask for what we need for the day, and for the grace of forgiveness for self and others, and to stay on the path of our love and convictions. This is a main part of Jesus' prayer; daily prayer engages us in one or more of these as we grow in the likeness of the heart of Jesus.

I pray that I may receive from God what I need and that I may be generous and free in my giving to others. I see that everything I give comes from God.

PRAYER:

Father, as I turn to you in prayer, you already know what I need. I do not change you by asking; I change myself. I love to reflect on Jesus’ words: that I may call God my father and work to make his name known and revered. I shall be forgiven as I forgive others. I beg for nourishment enough for the day, and for deliverance from evil.

The Sheep And The Goats

FEBRUARY 27, 2023 MONDAY

Monday of the First Week of Lent (Violet)

Optional Memorial of Saint Gregory of Narek, Abbot and Doctor of the Church

CYCLE A - YEAR I

Lectionary: 224

Reading 1

Lv 19:1-2, 11-18

The LORD said to Moses,

"Speak to the whole assembly of the children of Israel and tell them:

Be holy, for I, the LORD, your God, am holy.

"You shall not steal.

You shall not lie or speak falsely to one another.

You shall not swear falsely by my name,

thus profaning the name of your God.

I am the LORD.

"You shall not defraud or rob your neighbor.

You shall not withhold overnight the wages of your day laborer.

You shall not curse the deaf,

or put a stumbling block in front of the blind,

but you shall fear your God.

I am the LORD.

"You shall not act dishonestly in rendering judgment.

Show neither partiality to the weak nor deference to the mighty,

but judge your fellow men justly.

You shall not go about spreading slander among your kin;

nor shall you stand by idly when your neighbor's life is at stake.

I am the LORD.

"You shall not bear hatred for your brother in your heart.

Though you may have to reprove him,

do not incur sin because of him.

Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against your fellow countrymen.

You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

I am the LORD."

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 15

R. (John 6:63b) Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

The law of the LORD is perfect,

refreshing the soul.

The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,

giving wisdom to the simple.

R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

The precepts of the LORD are right,

rejoicing the heart.

The command of the LORD is clear,

enlightening the eye.

R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

The fear of the LORD is pure,

enduring forever;

The ordinances of the LORD are true,

all of them just.

R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

Let the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart

find favor before you,

O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

Verse Before the Gospel

2 Cor 6:2b

Behold, now is a very acceptable time;

behold, now is the day of salvation.

Gospel

Mt 25:31-46

Jesus said to his disciples:

"When the Son of Man comes in his glory,

and all the angels with him,

he will sit upon his glorious throne,

and all the nations will be assembled before him.

And he will separate them one from another,

as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

Then the king will say to those on his right,

'Come, you who are blessed by my Father.

Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

For I was hungry and you gave me food,

I was thirsty and you gave me drink,

a stranger and you welcomed me,

naked and you clothed me,

ill and you cared for me,

in prison and you visited me.'

Then the righteous will answer him and say,

'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you,

or thirsty and give you drink?

When did we see you a stranger and welcome you,

or naked and clothe you?

When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?'

And the king will say to them in reply,

'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did

for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.'

Then he will say to those on his left,

'Depart from me, you accursed,

into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels.

For I was hungry and you gave me no food,

I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,

a stranger and you gave me no welcome,

naked and you gave me no clothing,

ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.'

Then they will answer and say,

'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty

or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison,

and not minister to your needs?'

He will answer them, 'Amen, I say to you,

what you did not do for one of these least ones,

you did not do for me.'

And these will go off to eternal punishment,

but the righteous to eternal life."

GOSPEL REFLECTION:

Each group goes to the place it has chosen. Those whose lives were oriented to love and mercy come to the love and mercy of God. Those who excluded people in need from their lives have excluded themselves from God’s kingdom where there is only acceptance and love. The king mentions conditions that occur in all places and times: hungry and thirsty people, immigrants and people without clothing, sick and prisoners. The story does not use fancy words about justice and solidarity, but speaks of food, clothing, something to drink, protection from elements. It doesn’t recommend “love”, but specific actions like giving, welcoming, visiting, taking care of. What matter is not a theoretical love but compassion that helps the person in need.

Where are the hungry, the naked, the homeless who would call on me if they could reach me? Or have I so organised my life that the needy never impinge on me? Lord, you have made this the sole criterion of judgment. How will I measure up?

PRAYER:

This message is simple, Lord. You will judge me on my love and service of others. You are there in the poor, the sick, the prisoners, the strangers. May I recognize Your face.

The Temptation Of Jesus (FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT - A)

FEBRUARY 26, 2023 SUNDAY

FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT (Violet)

CYCLE A - YEAR I

Lectionary: 22

Reading 1

Gn 2:7-9; 3:1-7

The LORD God formed man out of the clay of the ground

and blew into his nostrils the breath of life,

and so man became a living being.

Then the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east,

and placed there the man whom he had formed.

Out of the ground the LORD God made various trees grow

that were delightful to look at and good for food,

with the tree of life in the middle of the garden

and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the animals

that the LORD God had made.

The serpent asked the woman,

"Did God really tell you not to eat

from any of the trees in the garden?"

The woman answered the serpent:

"We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden;

it is only about the fruit of the tree

in the middle of the garden that God said,

'You shall not eat it or even touch it, lest you die.'"

But the serpent said to the woman:

"You certainly will not die!

No, God knows well that the moment you eat of it

your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods

who know what is good and what is evil."

The woman saw that the tree was good for food,

pleasing to the eyes, and desirable for gaining wisdom.

So she took some of its fruit and ate it;

and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her,

and he ate it.

Then the eyes of both of them were opened,

and they realized that they were naked;

so they sewed fig leaves together

and made loincloths for themselves.

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 51:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14 and 17

R. (cf. 3a) Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;

in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.

Thoroughly wash me from my guilt

and of my sin cleanse me.

R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

For I acknowledge my offense,

and my sin is before me always:

"Against you only have I sinned,

and done what is evil in your sight."

R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

A clean heart create for me, O God,

and a steadfast spirit renew within me.

Cast me not out from your presence,

and your Holy Spirit take not from me.

R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

Give me back the joy of your salvation,

and a willing spirit sustain in me.

O Lord, open my lips,

and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.

R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

Reading 2

Rom 5:12-19

Brothers and sisters:

Through one man sin entered the world,

and through sin, death,

and thus death came to all men, inasmuch as all sinned—

for up to the time of the law, sin was in the world,

though sin is not accounted when there is no law.

But death reigned from Adam to Moses,

even over those who did not sin

after the pattern of the trespass of Adam,

who is the type of the one who was to come.

But the gift is not like the transgression.

For if by the transgression of the one, the many died,

how much more did the grace of God

and the gracious gift of the one man Jesus Christ

overflow for the many.

And the gift is not like the result of the one who sinned.

For after one sin there was the judgment that brought condemnation;

but the gift, after many transgressions, brought acquittal.

For if, by the transgression of the one,

death came to reign through that one,

how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace

and of the gift of justification

come to reign in life through the one Jesus Christ.

In conclusion, just as through one transgression

condemnation came upon all,

so, through one righteous act,

acquittal and life came to all.

For just as through the disobedience of the one man

the many were made sinners,

so, through the obedience of the one,

the many will be made righteous.

Or

Rom 5:12, 17-19

Brothers and sisters:

Through one man sin entered the world,

and through sin, death,

and thus death came to all men, inasmuch as all sinned.

For if, by the transgression of the one,

death came to reign through that one,

how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace

and of the gift of justification

come to reign in life through the one Jesus Christ.

In conclusion, just as through one transgression

condemnation came upon all,

so, through one righteous act,

acquittal and life came to all.

For just as through the disobedience of the one man

the many were made sinners,

so, through the obedience of the one,

the many will be made righteous.

Verse Before the Gospel

Mt 4:4b

One does not live on bread alone,

but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.

Gospel

Mt 4:1-11

At that time Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert

to be tempted by the devil.

He fasted for forty days and forty nights,

and afterwards he was hungry.

The tempter approached and said to him,

"If you are the Son of God,

command that these stones become loaves of bread."

He said in reply,

"It is written:

One does not live on bread alone,

but on every word that comes forth

from the mouth of God."

Then the devil took him to the holy city,

and made him stand on the parapet of the temple,

and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down.

For it is written:

He will command his angels concerning you

and with their hands they will support you,

lest you dash your foot against a stone."

Jesus answered him,

"Again it is written,

You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test."

Then the devil took him up to a very high mountain,

and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence,

and he said to him, "All these I shall give to you,

if you will prostrate yourself and worship me."

At this, Jesus said to him,

"Get away, Satan!

It is written:

The Lord, your God, shall you worship

and him alone shall you serve."

Then the devil left him and, behold,

angels came and ministered to him.

GOSPEL REFLECTION:

What is the spirit trying to tell me in this story? Am I aware of my own particular ‘temptations’ that make trouble for me in my life. Do find wisdom and guidance in Scripture to help me cope with difficulties in my life? Let us consider where Jesus found inspiration and guidance throughout his life.

PRAYER:

Lord, come with me into my wilderness. Speak to my preoccupied heart. Reveal to me where addiction to power, possession and gratification choke my path. Only when I am free from these can I be good news to others. Only then do I become part of the solution to the world’s problems.

Jesus Calls Levi And Eats With Sinners

FEBRUARY 25, 2023 SATURDAY
Saturday after Ash Wednesday (Violet)
CYCLE A - YEAR I
Lectionary: 222

Reading 1
Is 58:9b-14

Thus says the LORD:
If you remove from your midst oppression,
false accusation and malicious speech;
If you bestow your bread on the hungry
and satisfy the afflicted;
Then light shall rise for you in the darkness,
and the gloom shall become for you like midday;
Then the LORD will guide you always
and give you plenty even on the parched land.
He will renew your strength,
and you shall be like a watered garden,
like a spring whose water never fails.
The ancient ruins shall be rebuilt for your sake,
and the foundations from ages past you shall raise up;
""Repairer of the breach,"" they shall call you,
""Restorer of ruined homesteads.""
If you hold back your foot on the sabbath
from following your own pursuits on my holy day;
If you call the sabbath a delight,
and the LORD's holy day honorable;
If you honor it by not following your ways,
seeking your own interests, or speaking with malice--
Then you shall delight in the LORD,
and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth;
I will nourish you with the heritage of Jacob, your father,
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 86:1-2, 3-4, 5-6

R. (11ab)  Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.

Incline your ear, O LORD; answer me,
for I am afflicted and poor.
Keep my life, for I am devoted to you;
save your servant who trusts in you.
You are my God.

R. Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.

Have mercy on me, O Lord,
for to you I call all the day.
Gladden the soul of your servant,
for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.

R. Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.

For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
abounding in kindness to all who call upon you.
Hearken, O LORD, to my prayer
and attend to the sound of my pleading.

R. Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.

Verse Before the Gospel
Ez 33:11

I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked man, says the Lord,
but rather in his conversion, that he may live.

Gospel
Lk 5:27-32

Jesus saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the customs post.
He said to him, "Follow me."
And leaving everything behind, he got up and followed him.
Then Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house,
and a large crowd of tax collectors
and others were at table with them.
The Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples, saying,
"Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?"
Jesus said to them in reply,
"Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do.
I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners."

GOSPEL REFLECTION:

Tax-collectors were the most despised of people. But Jesus challenges the prejudices of his day. He calls Levi (St Matthew) and awakens him to his human potential and dignity. Matthew leaves the money-table to sit with Jesus at the banqueting table of forgiveness. Mercy is at the heart of Jesus’ mission.

Where are the Levis in my world? The drug-pushers, paedophiles, wife-batterers, rapists, those who cheat on tax or social welfare, those who are headlined for hatred in the tabloid press. Lord, these are the sick who need you as physician. Can I help you to reach out to them?

In prayer we know our place before God. We know we are needy, all of us in different ways. We need the physician for the weakness and ills of the spirit, as well as needing the doctor for the ills of the body. Jesus can enter our lives only if we know that we deep down really need him - otherwise he would not have come. He looks out always for the space in our personalities which need strength, healing, forgiveness. In prayer let your eyes meet his - and receive the light of strength, healing and forgiveness.

PRAYER:

Lord, your outreach towards sinners consoles me. Forgive me for the times when I am swayed by prejudice, when I judge, despise or exclude others. I want to be at your table no matter who else is there! Grant me the grace to respond to your call – to follow you wherever you lead.

Jesus Questioned About Fasting

FEBRUARY 24, 2023 FRIDAY
Friday after Ash Wednesday (Violet)
CYCLE A - YEAR I
Lectionary: 221

Reading 1
Is 58:1-9a

Thus says the Lord GOD:
Cry out full-throated and unsparingly,
lift up your voice like a trumpet blast;
Tell my people their wickedness,
and the house of Jacob their sins.
They seek me day after day,
and desire to know my ways,
Like a nation that has done what is just
and not abandoned the law of their God;
They ask me to declare what is due them,
pleased to gain access to God.
""Why do we fast, and you do not see it?
afflict ourselves, and you take no note of it?""
Lo, on your fast day you carry out your own pursuits,
and drive all your laborers.
Yes, your fast ends in quarreling and fighting,
striking with wicked claw.
Would that today you might fast
so as to make your voice heard on high!
Is this the manner of fasting I wish,
of keeping a day of penance:
That a man bow his head like a reed
and lie in sackcloth and ashes?
Do you call this a fast,
a day acceptable to the LORD?
This, rather, is the fasting that I wish:
releasing those bound unjustly,
untying the thongs of the yoke;
Setting free the oppressed,
breaking every yoke;
Sharing your bread with the hungry,
sheltering the oppressed and the homeless;
Clothing the naked when you see them,
and not turning your back on your own.
Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
and your wound shall quickly be healed;
Your vindication shall go before you,
and the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer,
you shall cry for help, and he will say: Here I am!

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 51:3-4, 5-6ab, 18-19

R. (19b) A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.

Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.

R. A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.

For I acknowledge my offense,
and my sin is before me always:
"Against you only have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight."

R. A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.

For you are not pleased with sacrifices;
should I offer a burnt offering, you would not accept it.
My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit;
a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.

R. A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.

Verse Before the Gospel
See Am 5:14

Seek good and not evil so that you may live,
and the Lord will be with you.

Gospel
Mt 9:14-15

The disciples of John approached Jesus and said,
"Why do we and the Pharisees fast much,
but your disciples do not fast?"
Jesus answered them, "Can the wedding guests mourn
as long as the bridegroom is with them?
The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them,
and then they will fast."

GOSPEL REFLECTION:

The Pharisees and the disciples of John fasted several times a week. Fasting shows self-control, it is a symbol of mourning, and it purifies the heart. Most of all it expresses an inner hunger for God. Here Jesus uses the notion of fasting to reveal that the God whom the Jews hunger for has arrived. Rejoicing not mourning is the appropriate response to the presence of divine mercy revealed in Jesus.

Spend some time each day allowing the joy of God fill the heart. Spend some time mourning with him, as joy is lost for so many. Any fasting is to remind us that the Lord of all joy suffers in his people, perhaps in people who are near to us. Prayer brings us near to others and near to God.

PRAYER:

Lord, this Lent let me feast with gratitude for your merciful love, and let me fast from oppressive behavior towards those around me. May my prayer and my fasting reveal my inner hunger for you.

Take Up His Cross And Follow Me

FEBRUARY 23, 2023 THURSDAY
Thursday after Ash Wednesday (Violet)
CYCLE A - YEAR I
Lectionary: 220

Reading 1
Dt 30:15-20

Moses said to the people:
"Today I have set before you
life and prosperity, death and doom.
If you obey the commandments of the LORD, your God,
which I enjoin on you today,
loving him, and walking in his ways,
and keeping his commandments, statutes and decrees,
you will live and grow numerous,
and the LORD, your God,
will bless you in the land you are entering to occupy.
If, however, you turn away your hearts and will not listen,
but are led astray and adore and serve other gods,
I tell you now that you will certainly perish;
you will not have a long life
on the land that you are crossing the Jordan to enter and occupy.
I call heaven and earth today to witness against you:
I have set before you life and death,
the blessing and the curse.
Choose life, then,
that you and your descendants may live, by loving the LORD, your God,
heeding his voice, and holding fast to him.
For that will mean life for you,
a long life for you to live on the land that the LORD swore
he would give to your fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob."

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6

R. (40:5a)  Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.

Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked
Nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
But delights in the law of the LORD
and meditates on his law day and night.

R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.

He is like a tree
planted near running water,
That yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.

R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.

Not so the wicked, not so;
they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
For the LORD watches over the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked vanishes.

R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.

Verse Before the Gospel
Mt 4:17

Repent, says the Lord;
the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Gospel
Lk 9:22-25

Jesus said to his disciples:
"The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected
by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed and on the third day be raised."
Then he said to all,
"If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself
and take up his cross daily and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.
What profit is there for one to gain the whole world
yet lose or forfeit himself?"

GOSPEL REFLECTION:

Life holds so many challenges - the losses and daily disappointments that come my way. Do I just despair, fall apart, give up, or do I rise to them, shoulder my crosses with courage, knowing that Jesus shares the load, thereby filling me with deep contentment, even joy?

True fulfillment is not to be found in possessions or celebrity, but in hospitality, generosity, sharing, goodness of life.

PRAYER:

Deny yourself and take up your cross daily. Lord, I used to think this meant looking for mortifications. You have taught me that my cross is myself, my ego, the pains in my body, my awkwardness, my mistakes. To follow you is to move beyond ego-trips. It means coping with the business of life without trampling on others or making them suffer. There is a world here to be explored this Lent.

Pray, Fast, Give (ASH WEDNESDAY - YEAR A)

FEBRUARY 22, 2023 WEDNESDAY
ASH WEDNESDAY (Violet)
CYCLE A - YEAR I
Lectionary: 219

Reading 1
Jl 2:12-18

Even now, says the LORD,
return to me with your whole heart,
with fasting, and weeping, and mourning;
Rend your hearts, not your garments,
and return to the LORD, your God.
For gracious and merciful is he,
slow to anger, rich in kindness,
and relenting in punishment.
Perhaps he will again relent
and leave behind him a blessing,
Offerings and libations
for the LORD, your God.
Blow the trumpet in Zion!
proclaim a fast,
call an assembly;
Gather the people,
notify the congregation;
Assemble the elders,
gather the children
and the infants at the breast;
Let the bridegroom quit his room
and the bride her chamber.
Between the porch and the altar
let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep,
And say, "Spare, O LORD, your people,
and make not your heritage a reproach,
with the nations ruling over them!
Why should they say among the peoples,
'Where is their God?'"
Then the LORD was stirred to concern for his land
and took pity on his people.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 51:3-4, 5-6ab, 12-13, 14 and 17

R. (see 3a)  Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.

R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

For I acknowledge my offense,
and my sin is before me always:
"Against you only have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight."

R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.

R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

Give me back the joy of your salvation,
and a willing spirit sustain in me.
O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.

R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

Reading 2
2 Cor 5:20—6:2

Brothers and sisters:
We are ambassadors for Christ,
as if God were appealing through us.
We implore you on behalf of Christ,
be reconciled to God.
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.
Working together, then,
we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain.
For he says:
In an acceptable time I heard you,
and on the day of salvation I helped you.
Behold, now is a very acceptable time;
behold, now is the day of salvation.

Verse Before the Gospel
See Ps 95:8

If today you hear his voice,
harden not your hearts.

Gospel
Mt 6:1-6, 16-18

Jesus said to his disciples:
"Take care not to perform righteous deeds
in order that people may see them;
otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.
When you give alms,
do not blow a trumpet before you,
as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets
to win the praise of others.
Amen, I say to you,
they have received their reward.
But when you give alms,
do not let your left hand know what your right is doing,
so that your almsgiving may be secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
"When you pray,
do not be like the hypocrites,
who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners
so that others may see them.
Amen, I say to you,
they have received their reward.
But when you pray, go to your inner room,
close the door, and pray to your Father in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
"When you fast,
do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.
They neglect their appearance,
so that they may appear to others to be fasting.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast,
anoint your head and wash your face,
so that you may not appear to be fasting,
except to your Father who is hidden.
And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you."

GOSPEL REFLECTION:

The beginning of Lent is good news: that God is near and nothing can keep us from God. Jesus will find that himself later on. Anything we do for Lent is to bring us to God and believe the good news. Fasting, prayers and almsgiving are ways to God, not to misery. Even more, whatever we do for these weeks is to enrich the lives of others. The instructions on prayer, fasting and almsgiving recall the reasons for our faith and religious practice.

Praying, almsgiving and fasting were the three actions expected of the pious Jew of Jesus' time. As he had already said, Jesus did not come to destroy the law, but to bring it to perfection, to raise it to a higher level. So he insists on performing these good actions not to be seen and praised by others, but 'in secret', for the Father who sees the heart will reward us. Whatever we do in Lent should bring us ever closer to Jesus, and prepare us to celebrate his resurrection at Easter.

PRAYER:

I ask the Father to give me the spirit of Jesus, the readiness to walk the extra mile and turn the other cheek.

Whoever Receives One Child

FEBRUARY 21, 2023 TUESDAY
Tuesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time (Green)
Memorial of Saint Peter Damian, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (White)
FEAST OF THE HOLY FACE OF JESUS
CYCLE A - YEAR I
Lectionary: 342

Reading 1
Sir 2:1-11

My son, when you come to serve the LORD,
stand in justice and fear,
prepare yourself for trials.
Be sincere of heart and steadfast,
incline your ear and receive the word of understanding,
undisturbed in time of adversity.
Wait on God, with patience, cling to him, forsake him not;
thus will you be wise in all your ways.
Accept whatever befalls you,
when sorrowful, be steadfast,
and in crushing misfortune be patient;
For in fire gold and silver are tested,
and worthy people in the crucible of humiliation.
Trust God and God will help you;
trust in him, and he will direct your way;
keep his fear and grow old therein.
You who fear the LORD, wait for his mercy,
turn not away lest you fall.
You who fear the LORD, trust him,
and your reward will not be lost.
You who fear the LORD, hope for good things,
for lasting joy and mercy.
You who fear the LORD, love him,
and your hearts will be enlightened.
Study the generations long past and understand;
has anyone hoped in the LORD and been disappointed?
Has anyone persevered in his commandments and been forsaken?  
has anyone called upon him and been rebuffed?
Compassionate and merciful is the LORD;
he forgives sins, he saves in time of trouble
and he is a protector to all who seek him in truth.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 37:3-4, 18-19, 27-28, 39-40

R. (see 5)  Commit your life to the Lord, and he will help you.

Trust in the LORD and do good,
that you may dwell in the land and be fed in security.
Take delight in the LORD,
and he will grant you your heart's requests.

R. Commit your life to the Lord, and he will help you.

The LORD watches over the lives of the wholehearted;
their inheritance lasts forever.
They are not put to shame in an evil time;
in days of famine they have plenty.

R. Commit your life to the Lord, and he will help you.

Turn from evil and do good,
that you may abide forever;
For the LORD loves what is right,
and forsakes not his faithful ones.

R. Commit your life to the Lord, and he will help you.

The salvation of the just is from the LORD;
he is their refuge in time of distress.
And the LORD helps them and delivers them;
he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
because they take refuge in him.

R. Commit your life to the Lord, and he will help you.

Alleluia
Gal 6:14

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

May I never boast except in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,
through which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Mk 9:30-37

Jesus and his disciples left from there and began a journey through Galilee,
but he did not wish anyone to know about it.
He was teaching his disciples and telling them,
"The Son of Man is to be handed over to men
and they will kill him,
and three days after his death the Son of Man will rise."
But they did not understand the saying,
and they were afraid to question him.
They came to Capernaum and, once inside the house,
he began to ask them,
"What were you arguing about on the way?"
But they remained silent.
For they had been discussing among themselves on the way
who was the greatest.
Then he sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them,
"If anyone wishes to be first,   
he shall be the last of all and the servant of all."
Taking a child, he placed it in their midst,   
and putting his arms around it, he said to them,
"Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me;
and whoever receives me,
receives not me but the One who sent me."

GOSPEL REFLECTION:

The tenderness of Jesus’ love for children is immense. In every adult, there is an inner child, vulnerable, sensitive, playful, open. Before the world cast its film of familiarity, boredom and cynicism, the child in us was full of wonder. It is only through wonder that that we can experience the glory and the greatness of God.

PRAYER:

Lord, your message is clear. Ambition that pleases God is shown by humble service of others. Greatness is found not in lording it over other people, but in being the servant of the most insignificant people in society - the poor, the weak, the forgotten, the despised.

Jesus Heals A Boy Possessed By An Impure Spirit

FEBRUARY 20, 2023 MONDAY
Monday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time (Green)
CYCLE A - YEAR I
Lectionary: 341

Reading 1
Sir 1:1-10

All wisdom comes from the LORD
and with him it remains forever, and is before all time
The sand of the seashore, the drops of rain,
the days of eternity: who can number these?
Heaven's height, earth's breadth,
the depths of the abyss: who can explore these?
Before all things else wisdom was created;
and prudent understanding, from eternity.
The word of God on high is the fountain of wisdom
and her ways are everlasting.
To whom has wisdom's root been revealed?
Who knows her subtleties?
To whom has the discipline of wisdom been revealed?
And who has understood the multiplicity of her ways?
There is but one, wise and truly awe-inspiring,
seated upon his throne:
There is but one, Most High
all-powerful creator-king and truly awe-inspiring one,
seated upon his throne and he is the God of dominion.
It is the LORD; he created her through the Holy Spirit,
has seen her and taken note of her.
He has poured her forth upon all his works,
upon every living thing according to his bounty;
he has lavished her upon his friends.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 93:1ab, 1cd-2, 5

R.(1a)  The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.

The LORD is king, in splendor robed;
robed is the LORD and girt about with strength.

R.The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.

And he has made the world firm,
not to be moved.
Your throne stands firm from of old;
from everlasting you are, O LORD.

R.The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.

Your decrees are worthy of trust indeed:
holiness befits your house,
O LORD, for length of days.

R.The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.

Alleluia
See 2 Tm 1:10

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Our Savior Jesus Christ has destroyed death
and brought life to light through the Gospel.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Mk 9:14-29

As Jesus came down from the mountain with Peter, James, John
and approached the other disciples,
they saw a large crowd around them and scribes arguing with them.
Immediately on seeing him,
the whole crowd was utterly amazed.
They ran up to him and greeted him.
He asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?”
Someone from the crowd answered him,
“Teacher, I have brought to you my son possessed by a mute spirit.
Wherever it seizes him, it throws him down;
he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes rigid.
I asked your disciples to drive it out, but they were unable to do so.”
He said to them in reply,
“O faithless generation, how long will I be with you?
How long will I endure you? Bring him to me.”
They brought the boy to him.
And when he saw him,
the spirit immediately threw the boy into convulsions.
As he fell to the ground, he began to roll around   
and foam at the mouth.
Then he questioned his father,
“How long has this been happening to him?”
He replied, “Since childhood.
It has often thrown him into fire and into water to kill him.
But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”
Jesus said to him,
“‘If you can!’ Everything is possible to one who has faith.”
Then the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe, help my unbelief!”
Jesus, on seeing a crowd rapidly gathering,
rebuked the unclean spirit and said to it,
“Mute and deaf spirit, I command you:
come out of him and never enter him again!”
Shouting and throwing the boy into convulsions, it came out.
He became like a corpse, which caused many to say, “He is dead!”
But Jesus took him by the hand, raised him, and he stood up.
When he entered the house, his disciples asked him in private,
“Why could we not drive the spirit out?”
He said to them, “This kind can only come out through prayer.”

GOSPEL REFLECTION:

The poor father’s cry, ‘I believe, help my unbelief’ is one of the best-loved human statements in the gospels. Does it express the reality of your own struggle to believe? It has been said humorously that most of us are atheists before breakfast, but perhaps we are half-atheists for most of the day? It is also said that most people live lives of quiet desperation. When you experience things getting beyond you, do as the father did and bring your problems to Jesus. Be honest with him; beg his help. You will, he promises, find rest for your aching heart.

PRAYER:

Jesus listens to the deep desires of those who come to him in their need. He recognizes faith and encourages it. I take time to express myself to Jesus and ask him to strengthen my faith. 

Love Your Enemies (SEVENTH SUNDAY ORDINARY TIME - A)

FEBRUARY 19, 2023 SUNDAY

Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time (Green)

CYCLE A - YEAR I

Lectionary: 79

Reading 1

Lv 19:1-2, 17-18

The LORD said to Moses,

"Speak to the whole Israelite community and tell them:

Be holy, for I, the LORD, your God, am holy.

"You shall not bear hatred for your brother or sister in your heart.

Though you may have to reprove your fellow citizen,

do not incur sin because of him.

Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against any of your people.

You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

I am the LORD."

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 8, 10, 12-13

R. (8a) The Lord is kind and merciful.

Bless the LORD, O my soul;

and all my being, bless his holy name.

Bless the LORD, O my soul,

and forget not all his benefits.

R. The Lord is kind and merciful.

He pardons all your iniquities,

heals all your ills.

He redeems your life from destruction,

crowns you with kindness and compassion.

R. The Lord is kind and merciful.

Merciful and gracious is the LORD,

slow to anger and abounding in kindness.

Not according to our sins does he deal with us,

nor does he requite us according to our crimes.

R. The Lord is kind and merciful.

As far as the east is from the west,

so far has he put our transgressions from us.

As a father has compassion on his children,

so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.

R. The Lord is kind and merciful.

Reading 2

1 Cor 3:16-23

Brothers and sisters:

Do you not know that you are the temple of God,

and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy that person;

for the temple of God, which you are, is holy.

Let no one deceive himself.

If any one among you considers himself wise in this age,

let him become a fool, so as to become wise.

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the eyes of God,

for it is written:

God catches the wise in their own ruses,

and again:

The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise,

that they are vain.

So let no one boast about human beings, for everything belongs to you,

Paul or Apollos or Cephas,

or the world or life or death,

or the present or the future:

all belong to you, and you to Christ, and Christ to God.

Alleluia

1 Jn 2:5

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Whoever keeps the word of Christ,

the love of God is truly perfected in him.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Mt 5:38-48

Jesus said to his disciples:

"You have heard that it was said,

An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.

But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil.

When someone strikes you on your right cheek,

turn the other one as well.

If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic,

hand over your cloak as well.

Should anyone press you into service for one mile,

go for two miles.

Give to the one who asks of you,

and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.

"You have heard that it was said,

You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.

But I say to you, love your enemies

and pray for those who persecute you,

that you may be children of your heavenly Father,

for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good,

and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.

For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have?

Do not the tax collectors do the same?

And if you greet your brothers only,

what is unusual about that?

Do not the pagans do the same?

So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect."

GOSPEL REFLECTION:

Jesus teaches his followers about a new criterion of love which is to be the standard for the early Christian community and for us. It is not enough just to ‘love those who love you’. To truly live as disciple of Jesus demands that we reach out to others with an all-embracing love, including those who make life difficult for us.

"If we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us."

(1 John 4:12)

PRAYER:

Lord, you warn us against tribal or racial exclusiveness: that is where we love only our kith and kin, and reject outsiders. For you there are no outsiders. Your sun shines and your rain falls on all alike. We are to open our hearts even to those who hate us.

Transfiguration Of Jesus

FEBRUARY 18, 2023 SATURDAY

Saturday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time (Green)

CYCLE A - YEAR I

Lectionary: 340

Reading 1

Heb 11:1-7

Brothers and sisters:

Faith is the realization of what is hoped for

and evidence of things not seen.

Because of it the ancients were well attested.

By faith we understand that the universe was ordered by the word of God,

so that what is visible came into being through the invisible.

By faith Abel offered to God a sacrifice greater than Cain's.

Through this, he was attested to be righteous,

God bearing witness to his gifts,

and through this, though dead, he still speaks.

By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death,

and he was found no more because God had taken him.

Before he was taken up, he was attested to have pleased God.

But without faith it is impossible to please him,

for anyone who approaches God must believe that he exists

and that he rewards those who seek him.

By faith Noah, warned about what was not yet seen,

with reverence built an ark for the salvation of his household.

Through this, he condemned the world

and inherited the righteousness that comes through faith.

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 145:2-3, 4-5, 10-11

R. (see 1) I will praise your name for ever, Lord.

Every day will I bless you,

and I will praise your name forever and ever.

Great is the LORD and highly to be praised;

his greatness is unsearchable.

R. I will praise your name for ever, Lord.

Generation after generation praises your works

and proclaims your might.

They speak of the splendor of your glorious majesty

and tell of your wondrous works.

R. I will praise your name for ever, Lord.

Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,

and let your faithful ones bless you.

Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom

and speak of your might.

R. I will praise your name for ever, Lord.

Alleluia

Mk 9:6

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

The heavens were opened and the voice of the Father thundered:

This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Mk 9:2-13

Jesus took Peter, James, and John

and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves.

And he was transfigured before them,

and his clothes became dazzling white,

such as no fuller on earth could bleach them.

Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses,

and they were conversing with Jesus.

Then Peter said to Jesus in reply,

"Rabbi, it is good that we are here!

Let us make three tents:

one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."

He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified.

Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them;

then from the cloud came a voice,

"This is my beloved Son. Listen to him."

Suddenly, looking around, the disciples no longer saw anyone

but Jesus alone with them.

As they were coming down from the mountain,

he charged them not to relate what they had seen to anyone,

except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

So they kept the matter to themselves,

questioning what rising from the dead meant.

Then they asked him,

"Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"

He told them, "Elijah will indeed come first and restore all things,

yet how is it written regarding the Son of Man

that he must suffer greatly and be treated with contempt?

But I tell you that Elijah has come

and they did to him whatever they pleased,

as it is written of him."

GOSPEL REFLECTION:

This mountain-top experience brings Jesus into a deep encounter with God’s world. Consolation, courage, strength come to him. He is confirmed in his mission. I am glad for him. For the three disciples there is a spiritual awakening. A veil is lifted for a moment and they feel the touch of the divine. The impact of God is dazzling. They naturally want this to last forever.

Jesus' presence with Moses and Elijah reminds us that Jesus held law and vision in mind. I allow Jesus to draw me into a broader view of the church than that into which I may have settled.

PRAYER:

Lord, as Peter says, it is good for us to be close to you, and life-giving to listen to you, even when you speak of the inevitability of suffering. The focus of my life is meant to be on you, not on myself and my affairs.

Take Up Their Cross And Follow Me

FEBRUARY 17, 2023 FRIDAY

Friday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time (Green)

Optional Memorial of the Seven Founders of the Order of Servites, Religious

CYCLE A - YEAR I

Lectionary: 339

Reading 1

Gn 11:1-9

The whole world spoke the same language, using the same words.

While the people were migrating in the east,

they came upon a valley in the land of Shinar and settled there.

They said to one another,

"Come, let us mold bricks and harden them with fire."

They used bricks for stone, and bitumen for mortar.

Then they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city

and a tower with its top in the sky,

and so make a name for ourselves;

otherwise we shall be scattered all over the earth."

The LORD came down to see the city and the tower

that they had built.

Then the LORD said: "If now, while they are one people,

all speaking the same language,

they have started to do this,

nothing will later stop them from doing whatever they presume to do.

Let us then go down and there confuse their language,

so that one will not understand what another says."

Thus the LORD scattered them from there all over the earth,

and they stopped building the city.

That is why it was called Babel,

because there the LORD confused the speech of all the world.

It was from that place that he scattered them all over the earth.

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 33:10-11, 12-13, 14-15

R. (12) Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

The LORD brings to nought the plans of nations;

he foils the designs of peoples.

But the plan of the LORD stands forever;

the design of his heart, through all generations.

R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

Blessed the nation whose God is the LORD,

the people he has chosen for his own inheritance.

From heaven the LORD looks down;

he sees all mankind.

R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

From his fixed throne he beholds

all who dwell on the earth,

He who fashioned the heart of each,

he who knows all their works.

R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

Alleluia

Jn 15:15b

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

I call you my friends, says the Lord,

for I have made known to you all that the Father has told me.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Mk 8:34—9:1

Jesus summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them,

"Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself,

take up his cross, and follow me.

For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,

but whoever loses his life for my sake

and that of the Gospel will save it.

What profit is there for one to gain the whole world

and forfeit his life?

What could one give in exchange for his life?

Whoever is ashamed of me and of my words

in this faithless and sinful generation,

the Son of Man will be ashamed of

when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels."

He also said to them,

"Amen, I say to you,

there are some standing here who will not taste death

until they see that the Kingdom of God has come in power."

GOSPEL REFLECTION:

Two crosses await each of us in this life: the cross of the world and the cross of Christ. We have to choose. The cross of the world has an insidious appeal. It appears as a short-cut to happiness and at the start, easily carried. But it becomes heavy and more disappointing as time passes. The cross of Christ appears difficult and challenging at the start. But it gets easier, if carried faithfully, over the years. Eventually, it will bring us to a happiness without end.

PRAYER:

I note that ‘the multitude’, all of us, are called to be faithful to the values of Jesus - self-denial, justice, compassionate goodness to others, rather than to the values of the world - greed, self-indulgence, celebrity. This is how I am to attain true life.