Tuesday, February 27, 2024
Weekday of Lent 2
Mass prop. Preface of Lent II
Office- Psalter Week 2
Vestment: Violet
Today’s Rosary: The Sorrowful Mystery
Click HERE for the Previous Catholic Daily Reading
FIRST READING
“Learn to do good, seek justice.”
A reading from the Book of Isaiah 1:10.16-20
Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom! Give ear to the teaching of our God, you people of Gomorrah! Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; defend the fatherless, plead for the widow. “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 50:8-9.16bc-17.21 and 23 (R. 23bc)
R/. To one whose way is blameless, I will show the salvation of God.
“I do not rebuke you for your sacrifices;
your offerings are always before me.
I do not take more bullocks from your farms,
nor goats from among your herds.” R/.
“How can you recite my commandments,
and take my covenant on your lips,
you who despise correction,
and cast my words behind you.” R/.
R/. To one whose way is blameless, I will show the salvation of God.
“You do this, and should I keep silence?
Do you think that I am like you?
I accuse you, lay the charge before you.
A sacrifice of praise gives me honour,
and to one whose way is blameless,
I will show the salvation of God.” R/.
Also Read: Daily Reading for Monday, February 26th, 2024
VERSE BEFORE THE GOSPEL Ezekiel18:31
Glory and praise to you, O Christ. Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, says the Lord, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Glory and praise to you, O Christ.
GOSPEL
“They preach, but do not practice.”
A reading from the ho y Gospel according to Matthew 23:1-12
At that time: Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat; so practice and observe whatever they tell you, but not what they do; for they preach, but do not practice. They bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by men; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, and they love the place of honour at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues, and salutations in the market places, and being called rabbi by men. But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brethren. And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Neither be called masters, for you have one master, the Christ. He who is greatest among you shall be your servant; whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
TODAY’S REFLECTION
Today, Jesus goes straight against the teachers of the Law and Pharisees who parade themselves as models, and demand public recognition. They love teaching others but do not practice what they teach. He does not condemn their teaching, because he knows they are true, but he does condemn their conduct because it is false, erroneous. True piety or religion is conforming our actions to our faith perception. We cannot believe in one thing and do exactly the opposite. For instance, one cannot say one believe in one God and then make use of fetish charms. Some Christians do precisely that. Being proficient by their training, they can explain the faith very well, but are largely found lacking in practice. Jesus condemns this attitude.
TODAY’S SAINT AND QUOTE: St Gabriel Possenti – February 27th
– Do not bestow your love on the world.
– I will attempt day by day to break my will into pieces. I want to do God’s Holy Will, not my own!
PERSONAL DEVOTIONAL FOR LENT
Our definition of greatness is not the same with that of God. We define greatness by what people have in terms of material possession and the positions they occupy. However, in God’s sight, true greatness lies in our ability to use and place whatever gift and good we possess at the service of others without focusing on the gains we will make from it.
Today, aim to use all you have to serve others around you and in serving them you will be the greatest and the first in God’s sight. No need for jealousy or greediness, for whoever God chooses to use, He will use. Be a team player always.
Let us pray,
Lord Jesus, may your earthly father, Joseph intercede for me. Amen.
Daily Reading for Tuesday February 27, 2024
Reading 1, Isaiah 1:10, 16-20
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 50:8-9, 16-17, 21, 23
Gospel, Matthew 23:1-12
Reading 1, Isaiah 1:10, 16-20
10 Hear what Yahweh says, you rulers of Sodom; listen to what our God teaches, you people of Gomorrah.
16 wash, make yourselves clean. Take your wrong-doing out of my sight. Cease doing evil.
17 Learn to do good, search for justice, discipline the violent, be just to the orphan, plead for the widow.
18 ‘Come, let us talk this over,’ says Yahweh. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.
19 If you are willing to obey, you shall eat the good things of the earth.
20 But if you refuse and rebel, the sword shall eat you instead — for Yahweh’s mouth has spoken.’
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 50:8-9, 16-17, 21, 23
8 ‘It is not with your sacrifices that I find fault, those burnt offerings constantly before me;
9 I will not accept any bull from your homes, nor a single goat from your folds.
16 But to the wicked, God says: ‘What right have you to recite my statutes, to take my covenant on your lips,
17 when you detest my teaching, and thrust my words behind you?
21 You do this, and am I to say nothing? Do you think that I am really like you? I charge you, indict you to your face.
23 Honour to me is a sacrifice of thanksgiving; to the upright I will show God’s salvation.’
Gospel, Matthew 23:1-12
1 Then addressing the crowds and his disciples Jesus said,
2 ‘The scribes and the Pharisees occupy the chair of Moses.
3 You must therefore do and observe what they tell you; but do not be guided by what they do, since they do not practise what they preach.
4 They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on people’s shoulders, but will they lift a finger to move them? Not they!
5 Everything they do is done to attract attention, like wearing broader headbands and longer tassels,
6 like wanting to take the place of honour at banquets and the front seats in the synagogues,
7 being greeted respectfully in the market squares and having people call them Rabbi.
8 ‘You, however, must not allow yourselves to be called Rabbi, since you have only one Master, and you are all brothers.
9 You must call no one on earth your father, since you have only one Father, and he is in heaven.
10 Nor must you allow yourselves to be called teachers, for you have only one Teacher, the Christ.
11 The greatest among you must be your servant.
12 Anyone who raises himself up will be humbled, and anyone who humbles himself will be raised up.
