The Season of Lent
The Season of Lent
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Introduction Lent is sacred and spiritual for every Christian. This is the season that reminds us of the great sacrifice of Christ for each one of us. Centuries ago Jesus Christ went through an agony, a scourging, a crowning and a crucifixion. The tragedy of Good Friday led to the triumph of Easter Sunday. The acts of self denial, the acts of sacrifice we make during this season helps us identify with the sacrifices of Christ. Uniting our sacrifice with that of Christ, uniting our pain with his, Lent is set aside just to remind us of these factors. The whole thrust of the season of Lent is to increase one's spirituality. To make one more aware of the great events that took place centuries ago. Just think of this. The Eucharist that has nourished hundreds of million, the body and blood of Christ that is the core of our Christian belief, is recalled and represented for us during the season of Lent. The death of Christ on Good Friday, the worlds greatest act of Love, is represented to us during this Lent. The victory of Christ over death, the words of Christ reminding us that he is the resurrection and the life and that we will share in His victory and life, these are the lessons and teachings of Lent.
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Readings during Lent Ash Wednesday In the final verse of today's responsorial psalm the psalmist asks God to give me back the joy of your salvation." Joy is something we don't usually associate with the season of Lent. The first preface for Lent (the prayer that begins the Eucharistic Prayer) includes the phrase, "Each year you (Father) give us this joyful season." Perhaps a question for us for Lent 2006 might go something like this: What does it mean to be given back the joy of God's salvation? A major temptation for the contemporary Catholic is to seek salvation anywhere other than in God. We are bombarded constantly with messages from advertising, music, television, and movies, enticing us into what is falsely represented as salvation. We discover that when we hope for salvation in the things of this world, we are soon left disappointed. Following the way of salvation is no easy task, for it means walking with Christ on the road to Calvary. The true joy of salvation comes only when we configure ourselves to Christ on the cross and ultimately share with him in the joy of the Resurrection. As Lent begins, let us make the words of the psalmist our own and pray that God will give us back the joy of God's salvation.
First Reading A reading from the book of the prophet Joel Joel 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, 0 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. The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Second Reading A reading from the second letter of Paul to the Corinthians2 Corinthians 5:20 - 6:2 We are ambassadors for Christ, God as it were appealing through us. We implore you, in Christ's name: be reconciled to God! For our sakes God made him who did not know sin, to be sin, so that in him we might become the very holiness of God. As your fellow workers we beg you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For he says, "In an acceptable time I have heard you; on a day of salvation I have helped you." Now is the acceptable time! Now is the day of salvation! The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Gospel
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18 Glory to you, Lord. Jesus said to his disciples: "Be on guard against performing religious acts for people to see. Otherwise expect no recompense from your heavenly Father. When you give alms, for example, do not blow a horn before you in synagogues and streets like hypocrites looking for applause. You can be sure of this much, they are already repaid. In giving alms you are not to let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Keep your deeds of mercy secret, and your Father who sees in secret will repay you. "When you' are praying, do not behave like the hypocrites who love to stand and pray in synagogues or on street comers in order to be noticed. I give you my word, they are already repaid. Whenever you pray, go to your room, close your door, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees what no man sees, will repay you. 'When you fast, you are not to look glum as the hypocrites do. They change the appearance of their faces so that others may see they are fasting. I assure you, they are already repaid. When you fast, see to it that you groom your hair and wash your face. In that way no one can see you are fasting but your Father who is hidden; and your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you." The gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
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First Sunday of Lent Today we hear the story of the first "giving in" to temptation. We also hear the Gospel story of Jesus' refusal to give in to the temptations offered by the devil. Between these two readings is the marvelous section from Saint Paul's letter to the Romans. This is a passage worth reading before Mass today. These long, seemingly obscure passages from Saint Paul often leave us bewildered. This is due in large part to the fact that for most Sundays of the year, the first reading is chosen for its connection to the Gospel. Very often, the second reading has little thematic material related to the other readings. Today the second reading puts the entire Liturgy of the Word into perspective. Pay particular attention to the final sentence. It hints at the struggle of conversion for the modem believer. We are sinners who often give into temptation. Yet, as baptized believers who have "put on Christ," we are also given the strength to avoid sin. This Lenten season highlights the fact that the life of the Christian is a life of "in-between-ness." We want to become more and more like Christ, yet we always seem to fall into temptation and sin. As we listen to the three readings today, let us pray that we will be strengthened in our attempts at not giving in to temptation. First Reading A reading from the Book of Genesis Genesis 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.The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans Romans 5:12-19 or 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 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. The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew Glory to you, Lord. Matthew 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. The gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
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Second Sunday of Lent It's never too late. Notice Abram's age in today's first reading. He was seventy-five years old when the Lord told him to leave all the comforts of home and homeland and travel to an unknown land. Abram and Sarai's positive response to the Lord's request is astounding to us today. After all, isn't retirement the time when we finally become settled in surroundings that allow us to enjoy life comfortably? With God, everything we come to expect as 'usual" and "normal" is simply turned upside down. It's never too late to become a victim of one of God's great surprises, surprises that have the potential to change life very drastically. The second reading and Gospel cue us to the kinds of changes we can expect when we follow Christ. Just like last week, the final sentence of the second reading brings it all together: Christ Jesus destroyed death and brought life and immortality through the Gospel. This is sometimes difficult to grasp, especially for those who experience the life-robbing power of the death of a loved one. Yet it is in the promise of transfiguration and resurrection that we face the deaths of those we love. It is never too late to pray that God will instill in us deeper faith so that we might more fully grasp the promise of eternal life. First Reading A reading from the Book of Genesis Genesis 12:1-4a The LORD said to Abram: "Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk and from your father's house to a land that I will show you."I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. All the communities of the earth shall find blessing in you."Abram went as the LORD directed him.The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Second Reading A reading from the second Letter of Saint Paul to Timothy 2 Timothy 1:8b-10 Beloved: Bear your share of hardship for the gospel with the strength that comes from God. He saved us and called us to a holy life, not according to our works but according to his own design and the grace bestowed on us in Christ Jesus before time began, but now made manifest through the appearance of our savior Christ Jesus, who destroyed death and brought life and immortality to through the gospel. The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew Matthew 17:1-9Glory to you, Lord. Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, conversing with him. Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, "Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud cast a shadow over them, then from the cloud came a voice that said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him." When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate and were very much afraid. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, "Rise, and do not be afraid." And when the disciples raised their eyes, they saw no one else but Jesus alone. As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus charged them "Do not tell the vision to anyone until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead." The gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
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Third Sunday of Lent The Christian journey is marked by all sorts of ups and downs. This is the kind of journey the ancient Israelites experienced in the desert, as described in today's first reading. These are people who wandered in the desert searching for the Promised Land. They were tired, hungry, and thirsty. In their thirst, they grumbled against Moses. How often do we feel like these Israelites on our own journeys of faith? How often do we grumble? Sometimes, when we feel we are earnestly following God's way for us, we experience longing for instant fulfillment-an immediate quenching of our deep thirsts. What the modern believer likes least to hear is "It takes time." In a world of quick communication, fast food, instant messaging, and programming at the click of a mouse, to be told that something will "take time" is most difficult. Today we are invited into a personal encounter with Christ, as was the woman he met at the well. just as Jesus saw into her heart, so today he sees into our hearts. The Lord knows our frustrations, our deepest desires and longings. At the well of today's Scriptures, let us be unafraid to share our deep thirsts with the Lord and pray for patience as we await the land promised to us-our heavenly home.
First Reading A reading from the Book of Exodus Exodus 17:3-'7 In those days, in their thirst for water, the people grumbled against Moses, saying, "Why did you ever make us leave Egypt? Was it just to have us die here of thirst with our children and our livestock?" So Moses cried out to the LORD, 'What shall I do with this people? a little more and they will stone me!" The LORD answered Moses, "Go over there in front of the people, along with some of the elders of Israel, holding in your hand, as.you go, the staff with which you struck the river. I will be standing there in front of you on the rock in Horeb. Strike the rock, and the water will flow from it for the people to drink." This Moses did, in the presence of the elders of Israel. The place was called Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites quarreled there and tested the LORD, saying, "Is the LORD in our midst or not?" The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans Romans 5:1-2, 5-8 Brothers and sisters: Since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith to this grace in which we stand, and we boast in hope of the glory of God. And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. For Christ, while we were still helpless, died at the appointed time for the ungodly. Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person, though perhaps for a good person one might even find courage to die. But God proves his love for us, in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John Glory to you, Lord. john 4:5-42 or 4:5-15, 19b-26, 39a, 40-42 Jesus came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of land that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob's well was there. Jesus, tired from his journey, sat down there at the well. It was about noon.A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink." His disciples had gone into the town to buy food. The Samaritan woman said to him, "How can you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?" - For Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans. Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God and who is saying to you, 'Give me a drink, 'you would have asked him and he would have given you living water." The woman said to him, "Sir, you do not even have a bucket and the cistern is deep; where then can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us this cistern and drank from it himself with his children and his flocks?" Jesus answered and said to her, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again; but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life. " The woman said to him, 'Sir, give me this water, so that I may not be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water." Jesus said to her, "Go call your husband and come back." The woman answered and said to him "I do not have a husband." Jesus answered her, "You are right in saying, 'I do not have a husband. For you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true." The woman said to him, "Sir, I can see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain; but you people say that the place to worship is in Jerusalem." Jesus said to her, "Believe me, woman, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You people worship what you do not understand, we worship what we understand, because salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth; and indeed the Father seeks such people to worship him. God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and truth." The woman said to him, "I know that the Messiah is coming, the one called the Christ; when he comes, he win tell us everything."Jesus said to her, "I am he, the one speaking with you." [ At that moment his disciples returned, and were amazed that he was talking with a woman, but still no one said, "What are you looking for?" or "Why are you talking with her?" The woman left her water jar and went into the town and said to the people, "Come see a man who told me everything I have done. Could he possibly be the Christ?" They went out of the town and came to him. Meanwhile, the disciples urged him, "Rabbi, eat." But he said to them, "I have food to eat of which you do not know." So the disciples said to one another, "Could someone have brought him something to eat?" Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of the one who sent me and to finish his work. Do you not say, 'In four months the harvest will be here'? I tell you, look up and see the fields ripe for the harvest. The reaper is already receiving payment and gathering crops for eternal life, so that the sower and reaper can rejoice together. For here the saying is verified that 'One sows and another reaps.' I sent you to reap what you have not worked for; others have done the work, and you are sharing the fruits of their work." Many of the Samaritans of that town began to believe in him because of the word of the woman who testified, "He told me everything I have done." When the Samaritans came to him, they invited him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days. Many more began to believe in him because of his word, and they said to the woman, "We no longer believe because of your word; for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the savior of the world." The gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
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Fourth Sunday of Lent "Awake, 0 sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light." To those of us who may have been lumbering our way through this Lenten season comes this exhortation from Saint Paul's letter to the Ephesians. Even when we have stopped to rest, or even fallen asleep, on our journey of faith, God is always there to shake us and wake us up. And the promise, once we are alert again, is astounding-Christ will be our light. The miracle cure of the man born blind in today's Gospel is a story rich with all kinds of human interaction. There are at least two ways that Christ the light makes a difference in this Gospel story. The first has to do with the actual healing of the blind man. Imagine, this is a man who has never seen anything. Since he had never had sight, he didn't even have a memory of what the world looked like. Jesus gives him this gift for the first time. Unfortunately the world that is opened before him is not such a friendly and wonderful place. The Pharisees create all kinds of turmoil for this newly sighted man. This is the second way in which Christ the light makes a difference. Through this healing, Jesus exposes the blindness of the religious leaders of the day. Instead of rejoicing over this great miracle, they get all bogged down in the ,details and in their own unbelief. They can physically see, but their hard heartedness, their real blindness, only increases. Let us pray that the word of God today will shake us from any hard heartedness and blindness we might experience and bring us into a true encounter with Christ our light.
First Reading A reading from the first Book of Samuel Samuel 16:1B, 6-7, 10-13a The LORD said to Samuel: "Fill your horn with oil, and be on your way. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have chosen my king from among his sons." As Jesse and his sons came to the sacrifice, Samuel looked at Eliab and thought, "Surely the Lord's anointed is here before him." But the LORD said to Samuel: "Do not judge from his appearance or from his lofty stature, because I have rejected him. Not as man sees does God see because man sees the appearance but the LORD looks into the heart. " In the same way Jesse presented seven sons before Samuel, but Samuel said to Jesse, "The LORD has not chosen any one of these." Then Samuel asked Jesse, "Are these all the sons you have?" Jesse replied, "There is still the youngest, who is tending the sheep.! Samuel said to Jesse, "Send for him; we will not begin the sacrificial banquet until he arrives here." Jesse sent and had the young man brought to them. He was ruddy, a youth handsome to behold and making a splendid appearance. The LORD said, "There - anoint him, for this is the one!" Then Samuel, with the horn of oil in hand, anointed David in the presence of his brothers; and from that day on, the spirit of the LORD rushed upon David. The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Ephesians Ephesians 5:8-14 Brothers and sisters: You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light, for light produces every kind of goodness and righteousness and truth. Try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the fruitless works of darkness; rather expose them, for it is shameful even to mention the things done by them in secret; but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore, it says: "Awake, 0 sleeper,and arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light." The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John John 9:1-41 or 9:1, 6-9, 13-17, 34-38 Glory to you, Lord. As Jesus passed by he saw a man blind from birth. [ His disciples asked him, ",Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus answered, "Neither he nor his parents sinned; it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him. We have to do the works of the one who sent me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world." When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva, and smeared the clay on his eyes, and said to him, "Go wash in the Pool of Siloam" - which means Sent -. So he went and washed, and came back able to see. His neighbors and those who had seen him earlier as a beggar said, "Isn't this the one who used to sit and beg?" Some said, "It is, " but others said, "No, he just looks like him." He said, "I am." [ So they said to him, "How were your eyes opened?" He replied, "The man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and told me, 'Go to Siloam and wash.' So I went there and washed and was able to see." And they said to him, "Where is he?" He said, "I don't know." They brought the one who was once blind to the Pharisees. Now Jesus had made clay and opened his eyes on a sabbath. So then the Pharisees also asked him how he was able to see. He said to them, "He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and now I can see." So some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, because he does not keep the sabbath." But others said, "How can a sinful man do such signs?" And there was a division among them. So they said to the blind man again, "What do you have to say about him, since he opened your eyes?" He said, "He is a prophet." Now the Jews did not believe that he had been blind and gained his sight until they summoned the parents of the one who had gained his sight. They asked them, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How does he now see?" His parents answered and said, "We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. We do not know how he sees now, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him, he is of age; he can speak for himself ' " His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone acknowledged him as the Christ, he would be expelled from the synagogue. For this reason his parents said, "He is of age; question him." So a second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, "Give God the praise! We know that this man is a sinner." He replied, "If he is a sinner, I do not know. One thing I do know is that I was blind and now I see." So they said to him, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?" He answered them, "I told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?" They ridiculed him and said, "You are that man's disciple; we are disciples of Moses! We know that God spoke to Moses, but we do not know where this one is from. " The man answered and said to them, "This is what is so amazing, that you do not know where he is from, yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if one is devout and does his will, he listens to him. It is unheard of that anyone ever opened the eyes of a person born blind. If this man were not from God, he would not be able to do anything." They answered and said to him, "You were born totally in sin, and are you trying to teach us?" Then they threw him out. When Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, he found him and said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" He answered and said, "Who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?" Jesus said to him, "You have seen him, the one speaking with you is he." He said, "I do believe, Lord, " and he worshiped him. [ Then Jesus said, "I came into this world for judgment, so that those who do not see might see, and those who do see might become blind." Some of the Pharisees who were with him heard this and said to him, "Surely we are not also blind, are we?" Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you are saying, 'We see,' so your sin remains." The gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
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Fifth Sunday of Lent The Scriptures seem to cover every possible range of emotions. Today is no exception. Try to place yourself in the shoes of Martha or Mary. They knew, deep in their hearts, that if Jesus had been with them during Lazarus' serious illness, their brother would not have died, Rather than shrinking from this truth when Jesus arrives at Bethany, they confront the Lord with their deep lament. Sometimes we, too, feel just like these two faithful sisters. In the midst of serious illness, family crisis, or the death of a loved one, we feel like crying out, "Lord, if you had only been here!" Martha and Mary's honest lament was balanced with a confession of their faith in Jesus' life-giving power. Since the days of the psalmists, believers have voiced their outcries and laments to God, at the same time praising God for the good that has been showered upon them. The story of the raising of Lazarus shows us that even in the midst of death and decay, God still has the power to bring life and renewal. Let us listen to the Scriptures today, ready to join our voices with Martha and Mary in lament and ready to confess the Lord Jesus as the Resurrection and the Life.First Reading A reading from the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel Ezekiel 37:12-14 Thus says the Lord GOD: 0 my people, I will open your graves and have you rise from them, and bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and have you rise from them, 0 my people! I will put my spirit in you that you may live, and I will settle you upon your land; thus you shall know that I am the LORD. I have promised, and I will do it, says the LORD.The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans Romans 8:8-11 Brothers and sisters: Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh; on the contrary, you are in the spirit, if only the Spirit of God dwells in you. Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the spirit is alive because of righteousness. If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also, through his Spirit dwelling in you.The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John John 11:1-45 or 11:3-7, 17, 20-27, 33b-45Glory to you, Lord. Now a man was ill, Lazarus from"Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. Mary was the one who had anointed the Lord with perfumed oil and dried his feet with her hair; it was her brother Lazarus who was ill. So the sisters sent word to him saying, "Master, the one you love is ill." When Jesus heard this he said, "This illness is not to end in death, but is for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it." Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that he was ill, he remained for two days in the place where he was. Then after this he said to his disciples, "Let us go back to Judea." The disciples said to him, "Rabbi, the Jews were just trying to stone you, and you want to go back there?" Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in a day? If one walks during the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if one walks at night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him." He said this, and then told them, "Our friend Lazarus is asleep, but I am going to awaken him." So the disciples said to him, "Master, if he is asleep, he will be saved." But Jesus was talking about his death, while they thought that he meant ordinary sleep. So then Jesus said to them clearly, "Lazarus has died. And I am glad for you that I was not there, that you may believe. Let us go to him." So Thomas, called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go to die with him." When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, only about two miles away. And many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them about their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him; but Mary sat at home. Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise." Martha said to him, "I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day." Jesus told her, "I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" She said to him, "Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the CHRIST, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world."When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary secretly, saying , "The teacher is here and is asking for you." As soon as she heard this, she rose quickly and went to him. For Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still where Martha had met him. So when the Jews who were with her in the house comforting her saw Mary get up quickly and go out, they followed her, presuming that she was going to the tomb to weep there. When mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said to him, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who had come with her weeping, he became perturbed and deeply troubled, and said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to him, "Sir, come and see." And Jesus wept. So the Jews said, "See how he loved him." But some of them said, "Could not the one who opened the eyes of the blind man have done something so that this man would not have died?" So Jesus, perturbed again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay across it. Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the dead man's sister, said to him, "Lord, by now there will be a stench; he has been dead for four days." Jesus said to her, "Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?" So they took away the stone. And Jesus raised his eyes and said, "Father, I thank you for hearing me. I know that you always hear me; but because of the crowd here I have said this, that they may believe that you sent me." And when he had said this, He cried out in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" The dead man came out, tied hand and foot with burial bands, and his face was wrapped in a cloth. So Jesus said to them, "Untie him and let him go." Now many of the Jews who had come to Mary and seen what he had done began to believe in him. The gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
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| Palm Sunday Our Lenten journey of conversion today reaches the holy city of Jerusalem. We have traveled with the Lord into the desert of temptation, seen him in transfigured glory, listened in on his conversation with the woman at the well, watched in amazement as he cured the man who had been born blind, and were awestruck when he raised Lazarus from the dead. Now we travel with him through the gates of the city in which he will be betrayed, arrested, tried, tortured, and suffer capital punishment. The liturgies of Holy Week, beginning with today's celebration of Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion, are the richest, most profound celebrations in the liturgical year. Catholic churches are packed on Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday, yet the days that fall in between, the days when we focus on the absolute basics of our faith, find our churches only partially filled. Why not consider this the year when you will take full advantage of all that the church's liturgy has to offer and celebrate the Easter Triduum fully? Begin with entering the city of Jerusalem with the Lord and his disciples on this sacred day. Return on Thursday evening to celebrate the Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper, with its foot washing service and transfer of the Holy Eucharist. Friday will see us proclaiming the Passion according to Saint John, followed by the powerful veneration of the cross. The Easter Vigil, on Saturday night, while perhaps the longest liturgy of the year, is really the "Mass of all Masses." During that holy night we light a fire in the darkness, proclaim Christ our Light, and listen to the great stories of salvation. It is only when we have fully celebrated the passion, death and resurrection of Christ in these three sacred days that we then initiate new members into the family of God. Catechumens are plunged into the waters of baptism, dying and rising with Christ. Candidates for full initiation may then join them in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the sacrament of Confirmation. Then, joined together as one body, we gather at the table of the Eucharist to eat and drink of the body and blood of the one who came to save us and set us free. Consider making this the year that you take full advantage of all the parish has to offer in service to you during this holiest of weeks. Let us pray that this celebration of Palm Sunday will touch our hearts and draw us into the mystery of God's abiding love as that love unfolds for us in the great liturgy of Easter. Dear friends in Christ, for five weeks of Lent we have been preparing, by works of charity and self-sacrifice, for the celebration of our Lord's paschal mystery. Today we come together to begin this solemn celebration in union with the whole Church throughout the world. Christ entered in triumph into his own city, to complete his work as our Messiah: to suffer, to die, and to rise again. Let us remember with devotion this entry which began his saving work and follow him with a lively faith. United with him in his suffering on the cross, may we share his resurrection and new life.
Blessing of Branches Almighty God, we pray you bless + these branches and make them holy. Today we joyfully acclaim Jesus our Messiah and King. May we reach one day the happiness of the new and everlasting Jerusalem by faithfully following him who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. Lord, Increase the faith of your people and listen to our prayers. Today we honor Christ our triumphant King by carrying these branches. May we honor you every day by living always in him, for he is Lord forever and ever. Amen.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew Glory to you, Lord. Matthew 21:1-11When Jesus and the disciples drew near jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find an ass tethered, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them here to me. And if anyone should say anything to you, reply,'The master has need of them.'Then he will send them at once." This happened so that what had been spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled:
The disciples went and did as Jesus had ordered them. They brought the ass and the colt and laid their cloaks over them, and he sat upon them. The very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and strewed them on the road. The crowds preceding him and those following kept crying out and saying: "Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is the he who comes in the name of the Lord; hosanna in the highest." And when he entered Jerusalem the whole city was shaken and asked, "Who is this?" And the crowds replied, "This is Jesus the prophet, from Nazareth in Galilee." The gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
A reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah Isaiah 50:4-7 The Lord GOD has given me a well-trained tongue, that I might know how to speak to the weary a word that will rouse them. Morning after morning he opens my ear that I may hear; and I have not rebelled, have not turned back. I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard; my face I did not shield from buffets and spitting. The Lord GOD is my help, therefore I am not disgraced; I have set my face like flint, knowing that I shall not be put to shame.The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Philippians Philippians 2:6-11Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Gospel Matthew 26:14- 27:66 or 27:11-54 |
| Narrator: | The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew. One of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, |
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"What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?" |
| Narrator: | They paid him thirty pieces of silver, and from that time on he looked for an opportunity to hand him over. On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples approached Jesus and said, |
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"Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?" |
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He said, |
| Jesus: | "Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, 'The teacher says, "My appointed time draws near; in your house I shall celebrate the Passover with my disciples...... |
| Narrator: | The disciples then did as Jesus had ordered, and prepared the Passover. When it was evening, he reclined at table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, he said , |
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"Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me." |
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Deeply distressed at this, they began to say to him one after another, |
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"Surely it is not
1, Lord?" He said in reply, |
| Jesus: | "He who has dipped his hand into the dish with me is the one who will betray me. The Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born." |
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Then Judas, his betrayer, said in reply, "Surely it is not 1, Rabbi?" He answered, "You have said so." While they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said, "Take and eat; this is my body." Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying,
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"Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, from now on I shall not drink this fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it with you new in the kingdom of my Father." |
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Then, after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus said to them, "This night all of you will have your faith in me shaken, for it is written: I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be dispersed'; but after I have been raised up, I shall go before you to Galilee." |
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Peter said to him in reply, "Though all may have their faith in you shaken, mine will never be." Jesus said to him, "Amen, I say to you, this very night before the cock crows, you will deny me three times." Peter said to him, "Even though I should have to die with you, I will not deny you. And all the disciples spoke likewise. Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, |
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"Sit here while I go over there and pray." He took along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to feel sorrow and distress. Then he said to them, "My soul is sorrowful even to death. Remain here and keep watch with me." He advanced a little and fell prostrate in prayer, saying, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will." When he returned to his disciples he found them asleep. He said to Peter, "So you could not keep watch with me for one hour? Watch and pray. that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."
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Withdrawing a second time,
he prayed again, "My Father, if it is not possible that this cup pass without my drinking it, your will be done!" Then he returned once more and found them asleep, for they could not keep their eyes open. He left them and withdrew again and prayed a third time, saying the same thing again. Then he returned to his disciples and said to them,
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| Jesus: | "Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Behold, the hour is at hand when the Son of Man is to be handed over to sinners. Get up, let us go. Look, my betrayer is at hand." |
| Narrator: | While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived, accompanied by a large crowd, with swords and clubs, who had come from the chief priests and the elders of the people..His betrayer had arranged a sign with them, saying, |
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"The man I shall kiss is the one; arrest him." Immediately he went over to Jesus and said, "Hail, Rabbi!" and he kissed him. Jesus answered him, "Friend, do what you have come for." |
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Then stepping forward they laid hands on Jesus and arrested him. And behold, one of those who accompanied Jesus put his hand to his sword, drew it, and struck the high priest's servant, cutting off his ear. Then Jesus said to him. "Put your sword back into its sheath, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot call upon my Father and he will not provide me at this moment with more than twelve legions of angels? But then how would the Scriptures be fulfilled which say that it must come to pass in this way?" |
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At that hour Jesus said to the crowds. "Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to seize me? Day after day I sat teaching in the temple area, yet you did not arrest me. But all this has come to pass that the writings of the prophets may be fulfilled." |
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Then all the disciples left him and fled. Those who had arrested Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. Peter was following him at a distance as far as the high priest's courtyard, and going inside he sat down with the servants to see the outcome. The chief priests and the entire Sanhedrin kept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesus in order to put him to death, but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally two came forward who stated, |
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"This man said,' I can destroy the temple of God and within three days rebuild it."' The high priest rose and addressed him, "Have you no answer? What are these men testifying against you?" But Jesus was silent. Then the high priest said to him, "I order you to tell us under oath before the living God whether you are the Christ, the Son of God." Jesus said to him in reply, "You have said so. But I tell you: From now on you will see 'the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power' and /coming on the clouds of heaven."' |
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Then the high priest tore his robes and said, "He has blasphemed What further need have we of witnesses? You have now heard the blasphemy; what is your opinion?" |
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They said in reply, "He deserves to die!" Then they spat in his face and struck him, while some slapped him, saying, "Prophesy for us, Christ: who is it that struck you?" Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. One of the maids came over to him and said, "You too were with Jesus the Galilean." But he denied it in front of everyone, saying, "I do not know what you are talking about!" As he went out to the gate, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, "This man was with Jesus the Nazorean." Again he denied it with an oath, "I do not know the man!" A little later the bystanders came over and said to Peter, "Surely you too are one of them; even your speech gives you away." At that he began to curse and to swear, "I do not know the man." And immediately a cock crowed. Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had spoken: "Before the cock crows you will deny me three times." He went out and began to weep bitterly. When it was morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. They bound him, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate, the governor. Then Judas, his betrayer, seeing that Jesus had been condemned, deeply regretted what he had done. He returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying,
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"I have sinned in
betraying innocent blood." They said, "What is that to us? Look to it yourself." Flinging the money into the temple, he departed and went off and hanged himself. The chief priests gathered up the money, but said,
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"It is not lawful
to deposit this in the temple treasury, for it is the price of blood." After consultation, they used it to buy the potter's field as a burial place for foreigners. That is why that field even today is called the Field of Blood. Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah the prophet: "And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the value of a man with a price on his head, a price set by some of the Israelites, and they paid it out for the potter's field just as the Lord had commanded me." |
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*Now Jesus stood before the
governor, and he questioned him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" Jesus said, "You say So. " And when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he made no answer. Then Pilate said to him, "Do you not hear how many things they are testifying against you?" But he did not answer him one word, so that the governor was greatly amazed. Now on the occasion of the feast the governor was accustomed to release to the crowd one prisoner whom they wished. And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. So when they had assembled, Pilate said to them, "Which one do you want me to release to you, Barabbas, or Jesus called Christ?" |
| Narrator: | For he knew that it was out of envy that they had handed him over. While he was still seated on the bench, his wife sent him a message, "Have nothing to do with that righteous man. I suffered much in a dream today because of him." The chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas but to destroy Jesus. The governor said to them in reply, |
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"Which of the two do you want me to release to you?" They answered, "Barabbas!" Pilate said to them, 'Then what shall I do with Jesus called Christ?" They all said, "Let him be crucified!" But he said, "Why? What evil has he done?" They only shouted the louder, "Let him be crucified!" When Pilate saw that he was not succeeding at all, but that a riot was breaking out instead, he took water and washed his hands in the sight of the crowd, saying,
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"I am innocent of this man's
blood. Look to it yourselves." And the whole people said in reply, "His blood be upon us and upon our children." Then he released Barabbas to them, but after he had Jesus scourged, he handed him over to be crucified. Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus inside the praetorium and gathered the whole cohort around him. They stripped off his clothes and threw a scarlet military cloak about him. Weaving a crown out of thorns, they placed it on his head, and a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews! " They spat upon him and took the reed and kept striking him on the head. And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the cloak, dressed him in his own clothes, and led him off to crucify him. As they were going out, they met a Cyrenian named Simon; this man they pressed into service to carry his cross. And when they came to a place called Golgotha - which means Place of the Skull -, they gave Jesus wine to drink mixed with gall. But when he had tasted it, he refused to drink. After they had crucified him, they divided his garments by casting lots; then they sat down and kept watch over him there. And they placed over his head the written charge against him: This is Jesus, the King of the Jews. Two revolutionaries were crucified with him, one on his right and the other on his left. Those passing by reviled him, shaking their heads and saying,
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| Chorus: | You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself, if you are the Son of God, and come down from the cross!" |
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Likewise the chief priests with the scribes and elders mocked him and said, "He saved others; he cannot save himself. So he is the king of Israel! Let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now if he wants him. For he said, I am the Son of God.'" The revolutionaries who were crucified with him also kept abusing him in the same way. From noon onward, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon' And about three o'clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice,
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Eli, Eli, lema
sabachthani?" Which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Some of the bystanders who heard it said, This one is calling for Elijah." Immediately one of them ran to get a sponge; he soaked it in wine, and putting it on a reed, gave it to him to drink. But the rest said, "Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to save him."
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But Jesus cried out again in a
loud voice, and gave up his spirit. Here all kneel and pause for a short time. And behold, the veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth quaked, rocks were split, tombs were opened, and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised. And coming forth from their tombs after his resurrection, they entered the holy city and appeared to many. The centurion and the men with him who were keeping watch over Jesus feared greatly when they saw the earthquake and all that was happening, and they said, "Truly, this was the Son of God!" There were many women there, looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him. Among them were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother Of the sons of Zebedee. When it was evening' there came a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph, who was himself a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus; then Pilate ordered it to be handed over. Taking the body, Joseph wrapped it in clean linen and laid it in his new tomb that he had hewn in the rock. Then he rolled a large stone across the entrance to the tomb and departed Magdalene and the other Mary remained sitting by the tomb. The next day, the one following the day of preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees- gathered before Pilate and said, "Sir, we remember that this impostor while still alive said, After three days I will be raised up. Give orders, then, that the grave be secured until the third day, lest his disciples come and steal him and say to the people, 'He has been raised from the dead.' This last imposture would be worse than the first." Pilate said to them, "The guard is yours; go, secure it as best you can." So they went and secured the tomb by fixing a seal to the, stone and setting the guard.
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The gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
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Holy Thursday As the sun sets on this holy night, our Lenten journey of conversion draws to a close and Easter opens before us. The Easter Triduum, the three-day celebration of the passion, death, and resurrection of our Lord, begins. There are so many wonderful words proclaimed on this holy night. There are ritual gestures, processions, and music that express profound mystery and fill us with awe. Listen carefully this night to the reading from Saint Paul to the Corinthians. This may hold the key for the entire Triduum, especially in its last line: 'For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes." This Easter Triduum reminds us that each and every Sunday celebration of the Eucharist "proclaims the death of the Lord until he comes." That may sound strange-why would we come together to proclaim someone's death week in and week out? This is at the core of our belief as Catholics. We remember and proclaim Christ's death as a reminder that his death broke the chains of death once and for all. Yes, we will physically die and our earthly lives some day will be ended. But the promise, inaugurated by the saving death of Christ, is that it doesn't end with our earthly deaths. Eternal life with God awaits us and, on the last day, our earthly bodies will be resurrected in Christ. Let us pray that as the liturgy of the Easter Triduum unfolds, the power of the music, words, and ritual will draw us deeply into the proclamation of the death of the Lord. Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper First ReadingA reading from the Book of Exodus Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, "This month shall stand at the head of your calendar; you shall reckon it the first month of the year. Tell the whole community of Israel: On the tenth of this month every one of your families must procure for itself a lamb, one apiece for each household. If a family is too small for a whole lamb, it shall join the nearest household in procuring one and shall share in the lamb in proportion to the number of persons who partake of it. The lamb must be a year-old male and without blemish. You may take it from either the sheep or the goats. You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, and then, with the whole assembly of Israel present, it shall be slaughtered during the evening twilight. They shall take some of its blood and apply it to the two door posts and the lintel of every house in which they partake of the lamb. That same night they shall eat its roasted flesh with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.
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