Monday March 25, 2024
Monday of Holy Week
Office: Psalter Week 2
Mass prop., Preface of the Passion II
Vestment: Violet
Today’s Rosary: The Joyful Mysteries
Click HERE for the Previous Catholic Daily Reading
ENTRANCE ANTIPHON Cf. Ps 35:1-2; 140:5
Contend, O Lord, with my contenders; fight those who fight me. Take up your buckler and shield; arise in my defence, Lord, my mighty help.
COLLECT
Grant, we pray, almighty God, that though in our weakness we fail, we may be revived through the Passion of your Only Begotten Son. Who lives and reigns with you…
FIRST READIING
“He will not cry or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street.” (First song of the servant of the Lord)
A reading from the Book of Isaiah (Isaiah 42: 1-7)
Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him, he will bring forth justice to the nations. He will not cry or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not fail or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and the islands wait for his law. Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread forth the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people upon it and spirit to those who walk in it: “I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness, I have taken you by the hand and kept you; I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM (Psalm 27: 1.2.3.13-14 (R. la)
R/. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
The Lord is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
whom should I dread? R/.
When those who do evil draw near
to devour my flesh,
it is they, my enemies and foes,
who stumble and fall. R/.
R/. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Though an army encamp against me,
my heart would not fear.
Though war break out against me,
even then would I trust. R/.
I believe I shall see the Lord’s goodness
in the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord; be strong;
be stouthearted, and wait for the Lord! R/.
Also Read: Daily Reading for Saturday, March 24th, 2024
VERSE BEFORE THE GOSPEL
Glory and praise to you, O Christ. Hail, our King: you alone have had mercy on our failings! Glory and praise to you, O Christ.
GOSPEL
“Let her keep it for the day of my burial.”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John (John 12.1-11)
Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. There they made him a supper; Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at table with him. Mary took a pound of costly ointment of pure nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was to betray him), said, “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” This he said, not that he cared for the poor but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box he used to take what was put into it. Jesus said, “Let her alone, let her keep it for the day of my burial. The poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.” When the great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, they came, not only on account of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests planned to put Lazarus also to death, because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus.
The Gospel of the Lord.
TODAY’S REFLECTION
The mission of prophet Isaiah would be to bring justice for the poor and the marginalized. Somehow, that was in line with the complaint of Judas about the ointment that Mary “wasted” on Jesus, when it could have been sold and the proceeds given to the poor. The response of Jesus implies that the poor could still be taken care of even after the ointment had been poured on him. Pouring the ointment on him did not stop anyone from caring for the poor if they wanted to. People should not use the excuse of doing one good to avoid doing another equally important good.
PERSONAL DEVOTIONAL FOR LENT
There is never a time the Lord rejoices at the death of a sinner or a wicked person. Instead, He wills that a sinner should repent and return back to Him. If the Lord should mark our iniquity the Psalmist says, none of us will stand before Him. However, He gives us opportunity to turn away from our evil ways and live. True repentance and reconciliation begins with honest and sincere acknowledgement of the sins we have committed and be truly sorry for them, then we make a resolve to leave our old life behind and become a new person in Christ.
True repentance comes with the desire to love like Jesus and be willing to make sacrifices for the good of the other. If this is not our goal, then, it will be very difficult for us to do what will be acceptable and pleasing to the Lord.
Let Us Pray,
Lord make us like Mary, respond to the unconditional love of God always, above all things.
Daily Reading for Monday March 25, 2024
Reading 1, Isaiah 42:1-7
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 27:1, 2, 3, 13-14
Gospel, John 12:1-11
Reading 1, Isaiah 42:1-7
1 Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom my soul delights. I have sent my spirit upon him, he will bring fair judgement to the nations.
2 He does not cry out or raise his voice, his voice is not heard in the street;
3 he does not break the crushed reed or snuff the faltering wick. Faithfully he presents fair judgement;
4 he will not grow faint, he will not be crushed until he has established fair judgement on earth, and the coasts and islands are waiting for his instruction.
5 Thus says God, Yahweh, who created the heavens and spread them out, who hammered into shape the earth and what comes from it, who gave breath to the people on it, and spirit to those who walk on it:
6 I, Yahweh, have called you in saving justice, I have grasped you by the hand and shaped you; I have made you a covenant of the people and light to the nations,
7 to open the eyes of the blind, to free captives from prison, and those who live in darkness from the dungeon.
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 27:1, 2, 3, 13-14
1 [Of David] Yahweh is my light and my salvation, whom should I fear? Yahweh is the fortress of my life, whom should I dread?
2 When the wicked advance against me to eat me up, they, my opponents, my enemies, are the ones who stumble and fall.
3 Though an army pitch camp against me, my heart will not fear, though war break out against me, my trust will never be shaken.
13 This I believe: I shall see the goodness of Yahweh, in the land of the living.
14 Put your hope in Yahweh, be strong, let your heart be bold, put your hope in Yahweh.
Gospel, John 12:1-11
1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus went to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom he had raised from the dead.
2 They gave a dinner for him there; Martha waited on them and Lazarus was among those at table.
3 Mary brought in a pound of very costly ointment, pure nard, and with it anointed the feet of Jesus, wiping them with her hair; the house was filled with the scent of the ointment.
4 Then Judas Iscariot — one of his disciples, the man who was to betray him-said,
5 ‘Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?’
6 He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he was in charge of the common fund and used to help himself to the contents.
7 So Jesus said, ‘Leave her alone; let her keep it for the day of my burial.
8 You have the poor with you always, you will not always have me.’
9 Meanwhile a large number of Jews heard that he was there and came not only on account of Jesus but also to see Lazarus whom he had raised from the dead.
10 Then the chief priests decided to kill Lazarus as well,
11 since it was on his account that many of the Jews were leaving them and believing in Jesus.
