3rd Sunday of Lent

Date: March 27, 2011

First Reading (Exodus 17: 3–7)
A reading from the book of Exodus.
The people thirsted for water there and grumbled against Moses, "Why did you make us leave Egypt to have us die of thirst with our children and our cattle?" So Moses stated to the Lord, "What shall I do with the people? They are almost ready to stone me!" The Lord stated to Moses, "Go ahead of the people and take with you the elders of Israel. Take with you the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. I will stand there before you on the rock of Horeb. You will strike the rock and water will flow from it and the people will drink." Moses did this in the presence of the elders of Israel. The place was called Massah and Meribah because of the complaints of the Israelites, who tested the Lord stating, "Is the Lord with us or not?"

Second Reading (Romans 5: 1–2 and 5–8)
A reading from the letter of Saint Paul to the Romans.
Brothers and sisters: By faith we have received true righteousness, and we are at peace with God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Through him we obtain this favor in which we remain and we even boast to expect the Glory of God. Hope does not disappoint us because the Holy Spirit has been given to us, pouring into our hearts the love of God. Consider, moreover, the time that Christ died for us: when we were still sinners and unable to do anything. Few would accept to die for an upright person, perhaps someone would dare to die. But see how God manifested his love for us: while we were still sinners, Christ has died for us.

Gospel (John 4: 5–42)
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John.
Jesus came to a Samaritan town called Sychar, near the land that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob's well is there. Tired from his journey, Jesus sat down by the well; it was about noon. Now a Samaritan woman came to draw water and Jesus stated to her, "Give me a drink." His disciples had just gone into town to buy some food. The Samaritan woman stated to him, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan and a woman, for a drink?" (For Jews, in fact, have no dealings with Samaritans.) Jesus replied, "If you only knew the Gift of God! If you knew who it is that asks you for a drink, you yourself would have asked me and I would have given you living water." The woman answered, "Sir, you have no bucket and this well is deep; where is your living water? Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well after he drank from it himself, together with his sons and his cattle?" Jesus stated to her, "Those who drink of this water will be thirsty again; but those who drink of the water that I shall give will never be thirsty; for the water that I shall give will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life." The woman stated to him, "Give me this water, that I may never be thirsty and never have to come here to draw water." Jesus stated, "Go, call your husband and come back here." The woman answered, "I have no husband." And Jesus replied, "You are right to say: 'I have no husband': for you have had five husbands and the one you have now is not your husband. What you stated is true." The woman then stated to him, "I see you are a prophet; tell me this: Our fathers used to come to this mountain to worship God; but you Jews, do you not claim that Jerusalem is the only place to worship God?" Jesus stated to her, "Believe me, woman, the hour is coming when you shall worship the Father, but that will not be on this mountain or in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship without knowledge, while we Jews worship with knowledge, for salvation comes from the Jews. But the hour is coming and is even now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for that is the kind of worshipers the Father wants. God is spirit and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." The woman stated to him, "I know that the Messiah, that is the Christ, is coming; when he comes, he will tell us everything." And Jesus stated, "I am he who is talking to you." At this point the disciples returned and were surprised that Jesus was speaking with a woman; however, no one stated, "What do you want?" or: "Why are you talking with her?" So the woman left her water jar and ran to the town. There she stated to the people, "Come and see a man who told me everything I did! Could he not be the Christ?" So they left the town and went to meet him. In the meantime the disciples urged Jesus, "Master, eat." But he stated to them, "I have food to eat that you do not know about." And the disciples wondered, "Has anyone brought him food?" Jesus stated to them, "My food is to do the will of the One who sent me and to carry out his work. You say that in four more months it will be the harvest; now, I say to you, look up and see the fields white and ready for harvesting. People who reap the harvest are paid for their work, and the fruit is gathered for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. Indeed the saying holds true: 'One sows and another reaps.' I sent you reap where you did not work or suffer: others have worked and you are now sharing in their labors." In that town many Samaritans believed in him when they heard the woman who declared, "He told me everything I did." So, when they came to him, they asked him to stay with them and Jesus stayed there for two days. After that many more believed because of his own words and they stated to the woman, "We no longer believe because of what you told us; for we have heard for ourselves and we know that this is the Savior of the world."

2nd Sunday of Lent

Date: March 20, 2011

First Reading (Genesis 12: 1–4a)
A reading from the book of Genesis.
The Lord stated to Abram, "Leave your country, your family and your father's house, for the land I will show you. I will make you a great nation. I will bless you and make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you, I will curse, and in you all peoples of the earth will be blessed." So Abram went as the Lord had told him.

Second Reading (2 Timothy 1: 8b–10)
A reading from the second letter of Saint Paul to Timothy.
Beloved: Do your share in laboring for the Gospel with the strength of God. He saved us and called us — a calling which proceeds from his holiness. This did not depend on our merits, but on his generosity and his own initiative. This calling given to us from all time in Christ Jesus has just been manifested with the glorious appearance of Christ Jesus, our Lord, who destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light in his Gospel.

Gospel (Matthew 17: 1–9)
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew.
Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain where they were alone. Jesus' appearance was changed before them: his face shone like the sun and his clothes become bright as light. Just then Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Jesus. Peter spoke and stated to Jesus, "Master, it is good that we are here. If you so wish, I will make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." Peter was still speaking when a bright cloud covered them in its shadow, and a voice from the cloud stated, "This is my Son, the Beloved, my Chosen One. Listen to him." On hearing the voice, the disciples fell to the ground, full of fear. But Jesus came, touched them and stated, "Stand up, do not be afraid." When they raised their eyes, they no longer saw anyone except Jesus. And as they came down the mountain, Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone what they had just seen, until the Son of Man be raised from the dead.

1st Sunday of Lent

Date: March 13, 2011

First Reading (Genesis 2: 7–9 and 3: 1–7)
A reading from the book of Genesis.
The Lord God formed Man, dust drawn from the clay, and breathed into his nostrils a breath of life and Man became alive with breath. God planted a garden in Eden in the east and there he placed Man whom he had created. The Lord God caused to grow from the ground every kind of tree that is pleasing to see and good to eat, also the tree of Life in the middle of the garden and the tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Now the serpent was the most crafty of all the wild creatures that the Lord God had made. He stated to the woman, "Did God really say: You must not eat from any tree in the garden?" The woman stated to the serpent, "We may eat the fruit of the trees in the garden, but of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden God stated: You must not eat, and you must not touch it or you will die." The serpent stated to the woman, "You will not die, but God knows that the day you eat it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods, knowing good and evil." The woman saw that the fruit was good to eat, and pleasant to the eyes, and ideal for gaining knowledge. She took its fruit and ate it and gave some to her husband who was with her. He ate it. Then their eyes were opened and both of them knew they were naked. So they sewed leaves of a fig tree together and made themselves loincloths.

Second Reading (Romans 5: 12–19)
A reading from the letter of Saint Paul to the Romans.
Brothers and sisters: Now, sin entered the world through one man and through sin, death, and later on death spread to all humankind, because all sinned. As long as there was no law, they could not speak of disobedience, but sin was already in the world. This is why from Adam to Moses death reigned among them, although their sin was not disobedience as in Adam's case – this was not the true Adam, but foretold the other who was to come. Such has been the fall, but God's gift goes far beyond. Multitudes die because of the fault of one man, but how much more does the grace of God spread when the gift he granted reaches the multitudes, from this unique man Jesus Christ. The gift of God more than compensated for sin. The disobedience that brought condemnation was of one sinner, whereas the grace of God brings forgiveness to a world of sinners. If death reigned through the disobedience of one and only one person, how much more will there be the grace and the gift of true righteousness through the one person, Jesus Christ. Just as one transgression brought sentence of death to all, so, too, one rehabilitation brought pardon and life to all; and as the disobedience of only one made many sinners, so the obedience of one person allowed a multitude to be made just and holy.

Gospel (Matthew 4: 1–11)
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew.
The Spirit led Jesus into the desert that he be put to the test by the devil. After spending forty days and nights without food, Jesus was hungry. Then the devil came to him and stated, "If you are the Son of God, order these stones to transform into bread." But Jesus answered, "Scripture states: One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." Then the devil took Jesus to the holy city, set him on the highest wall of the temple, and stated to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for scripture states, God has given orders to his angels about you. Their hands will hold you up lest you hurt your foot against a stone." Jesus answered, "But Scripture also states: You shall not put to the test the Lord your God." Then the devil took Jesus to a very high mountain and showed him all the nations of the world in all their greatness and splendor. And he stated, "All this I will give you, if you kneel and worship me." Then Jesus answered, "Be off, Satan! Scripture states: Worship the Lord your God and serve him alone." Then the devil left him, and angels came to serve him.

Ash Wednesday

Date: March 9, 2011

First Reading (Joel 2: 12–18)
A reading from the book of Joel.
The Lord says, "Yet even now, return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, weeping and mourning. Rend your heart, not your garment. Return to the Lord, your God — gracious and compassionate." The Lord is slow to anger, full of kindness and he repents of having punished. Who knows? Probably he will relent once more and spare some part of the harvest from which we may bring sacred offerings to the Lord, your God. Blow the trumpet in Zion, proclaim a sacred fast, call a solemn assembly. Gather the people, sanctify the community, bring together the elders, even the children and infants at the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his bed, and the bride her room. Between the vestibule and the altar, let the priests, the Lord's ministers, weep and say: Spare your people, O Lord. Do not humble them or make them an object of scorn among the nations. Why should it be stated among the peoples: Where is their God? Yahweh has become jealous for his land; he has had pity on his people.

Second Reading (2 Corinthians 5:20 – 6:2)
A reading from the second letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians.
Brothers and sisters: So we present ourselves as ambassadors in the name of Christ, as if God himself makes an appeal to you; through us. Let God reconcile you, this we ask you in the name of Christ. He had no sin, but God made him bear our sin, so that in him we might share the holiness of God. Being God's helpers we implore you, let it not be in vain that you received this grace of God. For the Scripture says: At the favorable time I listened to you, on the day of salvation I helped you. This is the favorable time and this is the day of salvation.

Gospel (Matthew 6: 1–6 and 16–18)
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew.
Jesus states this by teaching his disciples up on the mountain: "Be careful not to make a show of your righteousness before people. If you do so, you will not gain anything from your Father in heaven. When you give something to the poor, do not have it trumpeted before you, as do those who want to be seen in the synagogues and in the streets in order to be praised by the people. I assure you, they have been already paid in full. If you give something to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your gift remains really secret. Your Father who sees what is kept confidential, shall reward you. When you pray, do not be like those who want to be seen. They love to stand and pray in the synagogues or on street corners to be seen by everyone. I assure you, they have already been paid in full. When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father who is with you in secret; and your Father who sees what is kept confidential, shall reward you. When you fast, do not put on a miserable face as what the hypocrites do. They put on a gloomy face, so people can see that they are fasting. I tell you this: they have been paid in full already. When you fast, wash your face and make yourself look cheerful, because you are not fasting for appearances or for people, but for your Father who sees beyond appearances. And your Father, who sees what is kept confidential, shall reward you."

9th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Date: March 6, 2011

First Reading (Deuteronomy 11: 18, 26-28, and 32)
A reading from the book of Deuteronomy.
Moses stated this to the people of Israel: "Engrave these words of mine on your heart and in your soul, brand them on your hand as a sign, and keep them always before your eyes. See that on this day, I set before you a blessing and a curse. A blessing if you obey the commandments of the Lord that I command you today; a curse if you disobey these commandments and turn aside from the way that I show you now, to follow strange gods which are not yours. Be careful to carry out all the laws and precepts which I now set before you.

Second Reading (Romans 3: 21-25a and 28)
A reading from the letter of Saint Paul to the Romans.
Brothers and sisters: Now we are told how God makes us just as he wants us to be without the Law. This was already foretold in the Law and the Prophets: God makes us righteous by means of faith in Jesus Christ, and this is applied to all who believe, without distinction of persons. Because all have sinned and all fall short of the Glory of God; and all are graciously forgiven and made righteous through the redemption effected in Christ Jesus. For God has given him to be the victim whose blood obtains us forgiveness through faith. For we hold that people are in God's grace by faith and not because of all the things ordered by the Law.

Gospel (Matthew 7: 21-27)
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew.
Jesus continued to teach the crowd on the mountain while his disciples gathered him. Jesus stated: "Not everyone who says to me: Lord! Lord! will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my heavenly Father. Many will say to me on that day, "Lord, Lord, did we not speak in your name?" Then I will tell them openly: I have never known you; away from me, you evil people! So, then, anyone who hears these words of mine and acts accordingly is like a wise man, who built his house on rock. The rain poured, the rivers flooded, and the wind blew and struck that house, but it did not collapse because it was built on rock. But anyone who hears these words of mine and does not act accordingly, is like a fool who built his house on sand. The rain poured, the rivers flooded, and the wind blew and struck that house; it collapsed, and what a terrible fall that was!"