Saturday, March 16, 2024
Office: Psalter Week 4
Mass prop., Preface of Lent
Vestment: White
Today’s Rosary: The Sorrowful Mystery
Vespers I of the 5th Sunday of Lent
Click HERE for the Previous Catholic Daily Reading
According to Church’s Liturgical tradition, on Saturday of the Fourth Week of Lent the Practice of Covering Crosses and images is observed. These images remain covered from the Fifth Sunday of Lent until the end of the celebration of the Lord’s Passion on Good Friday. However, other sacred images except the Cross may remain covered until the beginning of the Easter Vigil.
ENTRANCE ANTIPHON
The waves of death rose about me; the pains of the netherworld surrounded me. In my anguish I called to the Lord and from his holy temple he heard my voice.
COLLECT
May the working of your mercy, O Lord, we pray, direct our hearts aright, for without your grace, we cannot find favour in your sight. Through our Lord. .
FIRST READING
“I was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter.”
A reading from the Book of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 11:18-20)
The Lord made it known to me and I knew; then you did show me their evil deeds. But I was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter. I did not know it was against me they devised schemes, saying, “Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name be remembered no more.” But, O Lord of hosts, who judge righteously, who test the heart and the mind, let me see your vengeance upon them, for to you have I committed my cause.
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 7:2-3, 9bc-10, 11-12 (R. 2a)
R/. O Lord, my God, I take refuge in you.
O Lord, my God, I take refuge in you.
Save and rescue me from all my pursuers,
lest they tear me apart like a lion,
and drag me off with no one to rescue me. R/.
Give judgement for me, O Lord,
for I am just and blameless of heart.
Put an end to the evil of the wicked!
Make the just man stand firm;
it is you who test mind and heart,
O God of justice! R/.
R/. O Lord, my God, I take refuge in you.
God is a shield before me,
who saves the upright of heart.
God is a judge, just and powerful and patient,
not exercising anger every day. R/.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION Luke 8: 15
Glory and praise to you, O Christ: Blessed are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bring forth fruit with patience. Glory and praise to you, O Christ.
Also Read: Daily Reading for Friday, March 15th, 2024
GOSPEL
“Is the Christ to come from Galilee?”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John (John 7:40-53)
At that time: When they heard the words of Jesus, some of the people said, “This is really the prophet.” Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Is the Christ to come from Galilee? Has not the Scripture said that the Christ is descended from David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was? So there was a division among the people over him. Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him. The officers then went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why did you not bring him?” The officers answered, “No man ever spoke like this man!” The Pharisees answered them, “Are you led astray, you also? Have any of the authorities or of thy Pharisees believed in him? But this crowd, who do not know the law, are accursed.” Nicodemus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them, “Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?” They replied, “Are you from Galilee too? Search and you will see that no prophet is to rise from Galilee.” They went each to his own house.
The Gospel of the Lord.
TODAY’S REFLECTION
Jesus’ words brought division among the people. There were those who believed he is the Messiah, and there were others who did not. Those who did not believe he is the Christ had their minds fixated wrongly on the Scriptures. The scriptures ought to bring understanding and enlightenment to them, but they seemed to have misunderstood it totally. The Word of God was right before them, yet they could not see him. The story has not really changed today as God’s Word is being misinterpreted daily and used to justify every action that is carried out whether good or bad. We should ask for the grace of understanding the Word of God so as not to cause havoc to ourselves and to others.
PERSONAL DEVOTIONAL FOR LENT
Prayer is what we are encouraged to do in season and out of season and it really works if we apply faith to it. However, to make our prayer life consistent without any break in transmission is a challenge we face on a daily basis. Sometimes you pray in the morning and the night prayer is forgone or vice versa. It will be pleasing to the Lord that we connect to Him every day in prayer and through it we let Him know our heart desires and He in turn reveals Himself to us. Do you think you have prayed well for today? If not, you still have a beautiful opportunity to end your day well by saying your night prayer.
God is ready to hear and answer us if we are willing and ready to pray well. Pray as never before and teach others to do the same, because it is the master key that can make the impossible become possible. No matter how tired you may be at the moment make sure you say a little prayer before you go to bed.
Daily Reading for Saturday March 16, 2024
Reading 1, Jeremiah 11:18-20
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 7:2-3, 9-10, 11-12
Gospel, John 7:40-53
Reading 1, Jeremiah 11:18-20
18 Yahweh informed me and I knew it; you then revealed their scheming to me.
19 I for my part was like a trustful lamb being led to the slaughterhouse, not knowing the schemes they were plotting against me, ‘Let us destroy the tree in its strength, let us cut him off from the land of the living, so that his name may no longer be remebered!’
20 Yahweh Sabaoth, whose judgement is upright, tester of motives and thoughts, I shall see your vengeance on them, for I have revealed my cause to you.
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 7:2-3, 9-10, 11-12
2 or he will savage me like a lion, carry me off with no one to rescue me.
3 Yahweh my God, if I have done this: if injustice has stained my hands,
9 Put an end to the malice of the wicked, make the upright stand firm, you who discern hearts and minds, God the upright.
10 God is a shield that protects me, saving the honest of heart.
11 God is an upright judge, slow to anger, but a God at all times threatening
12 for those who will not repent. Let the enemy whet his sword, draw his bow and make ready;
Gospel, John 7:40-53
40 Some of the crowd who had been listening said, ‘He is indeed the prophet,’
41 and some said, ‘He is the Christ,’ but others said, ‘Would the Christ come from Galilee?
42 Does not scripture say that the Christ must be descended from David and come from Bethlehem, the village where David was?’
43 So the people could not agree about him.
44 Some wanted to arrest him, but no one actually laid a hand on him.
45 The guards went back to the chief priests and Pharisees who said to them, ‘Why haven’t you brought him?’
46 The guards replied, ‘No one has ever spoken like this man.’
47 ‘So,’ the Pharisees answered, ‘you, too, have been led astray?
48 Have any of the authorities come to believe in him? Any of the Pharisees?
49 This rabble knows nothing about the Law — they are damned.’
50 One of them, Nicodemus — the same man who had come to Jesus earlier — said to them,
51 ‘But surely our Law does not allow us to pass judgement on anyone without first giving him a hearing and discovering what he is doing?’
52 To this they answered, ‘Are you a Galilean too? Go into the matter, and see for yourself: prophets do not arise in Galilee.’
53 They all went home,
