Thursday, February 15, 2024
Thursday after Ash Wednesday
Office – Psalter Week 4
Ordinary for Lent
Preface of Lent IV
Vestment: Violet
Today’s Rosary: Luminous Mystery
Click HERE for the Previous Catholic Daily Reading
ENTRANCE
When I cried to the Lord, he heard my voice; he rescued me from those who attack me. Entrust your cares to the Lord, and he will support you.
COLLECT
Prompt our actions with your inspiration we pray, O Lord, and further them with your constant help, that all we do may always begin from you and by you be brought to completion. Through our Lord..
FIRST READING
“I set before you blessing and curse.”
A reading from the Book of Deuteronomy 30:15-20
Moses spoke to the people, saying, “See, I have set before you this day life and good, death and evil. If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you this day, by loving the Lord your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his ordinances, then you shall live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you are entering to take possession of it. But if your heart tums away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve them, I declare to you this day, that you shall perish; you shall not live long in the land which you are going over the Jordan to enter and possess. I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse; therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice, and clinging to him; for that means life to you and length of days, that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.”
The word of the Lord.
Also Read: Daily Reading for Wednesday, February 14th, 2024
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 1:1-2.3.4 and6 (R.40:5ab)
R/. Blessed the man who has placed his trust in the Lord.
Blessed indeed is the man
Who follows not the counsel of the wicked,
Nor stands in the path with sinners,
Nor abides in the company of scorners,
But whose delight is the law of the Lord,
And who ponders his law day and night. R/.
He is like a tree that is planted
Beside the flowing waters,
That yields its fruit in due season,
And whose leaves shall never fade;
and all that he does shall prosper. R/.
Not so are the wicked, not so!
For they, like winnowed chaff,
Shall be driven away by the wind.
For the Lord knows the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked will perish. R/.
VERSE BEFORE THE GOSPEL Matthew 4: 17
Glory and praise to you, O Christ.
Repent, says the Lord, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Glory and praise to you, O Christ.
GOSPEL
“Whoever loses his life for my sake, he will save it.”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Luke 9:22-25)
At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” And he said to all, “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake, he will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?”
The Gospel of the Lord.
TODAY’S REFLECTION
The greatest victory a man can have is to conquer himself. Often times we look to the external battles while the real ones lie within. The struggle with pride, lust, greed, slothfulness, envy and jealousy; all these demand some measure of decisiveness from us to choose life or death, prosperity or disaster. If we are courageous enough to live in the light of God’s ways by keeping his commandment does not add to God’s glory, instead, it helps us to live liberated from the clutches of sin and enter into the glory of God’s children, but first, deny yourself! Are you ready to do that? Chose life and you will live and increase.
PERSONAL DEVOTIONAL FOR LENT
Joy or sadness, serenity or rancor in life depends on the choice you make. If you intend to be happy and enjoy tranquility, then you must be ready to share joy to those around you. What are you waiting for, take a bold step and resolve the matter that is causing the bitterness between you and the one you bear grudges for and your heart will be at peace.
-If you are not ready to suffer something for peace to reign, then you will have no reason to complain when the fire burns and destroys.
Let us Pray:
Lord Jesus, teach me to follow the narrow way, to obey your commands, to discipline my flesh that I may gain life in the end. Amen.
PRAYERS BEFORE COMMUNION
– O my God, help me to make a good Communion.
Mary, my dearest mother, pray to Jesus for me.
My dear Angel Guardian, lead me to the altar of God.
-Act of Sorrow
O my God,
I am sorry for all my sins
because they offend you who are so good.
With your help I will not sin again.
– Jesus I love you,
all I have is thine,
do with me whatever you will.
– I believe, O Lord, and I
confess that Thou art truly the Christ,
the Son of the Living God, Who comest
into the world to save sinners, of whom
I am first. I believe also that this is truly
Thine own pure Body, and that this is
truly Thine own precious Blood
-ACT OF FAITH
O God,
because you said it,
I believe that I shall receive the Body of Jesus to eat,
and the Blood of Jesus to drink.
I believe this with all my heart.
PRAYERS AFTER COMMUNION
O Sacrament most holy!
O Sacrament divine!
all praise and all thanksgiving
be every moment thine (3x)
Jesus I love you all I have is yours
yours I am and Yours I want to be
do with me whatever you wish (3x)
ANIMA CHRISTI
Soul of Christ, sanctify me.
Body of Christ, save me.
Blood of Christ, fill me.
Water from the side of Christ, wash me.
Passion of Christ, strengthen me.
O good Jesus, hear me.
Hide me within your wounds.
Do not allow me to be separated from you.
From the malicious enemy defend me.
In the hour of death call me
and bid me come to you that
I may praise you for ever and ever.
Amen.
ACT OF FAITH
O Jesus,
I believe that you have come to me
in Holy Communion
because you have said it and your word is true.
