Wednesday March 6, 2024
WEEKDAY OF LENT (3)
Office: Psalter Week 3
Mass prop., Preface of Lent
Vestment: Violet
Today’s Rosary: The Glorious Mystery
Click HERE for the Previous Catholic Daily Reading
FIRST READING
Keep the commandments, and your work will be complete
A reading from the Book of Deuteronomy (Deuteronomy 4:1.5-9)
Moses spoke to the people, saying, “And now, O Israel, give heed to the statutes and the ordinances which I teach you, and do them; that you may live, and go in and take possession of the land which the Lord, the God of your fathers, gives you. Behold, I have taught you statutes and ordinances, as the Lord my God commanded me, that you should do them in the land which you are entering to take possession of it. ‘Keep them and do them; for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. ’For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? And what great nation is there, that has statutes and ordinances so righteous as all this law which I set before you this day? “Only take heed, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things which your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life; make them known to your children and your children’s children.”
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 147: 12-13.15-16. 19-20 (R. 12a)
R/. O Jerusalem, glorify the Lord!
O Jerusalem, glorify the Lord!
O Sion, praise your God!
He has strengthened the bars of your gates;
he has blessed your children within you. R/.
He sends out his word to the earth,
and swiftly runs his command.
He showers down snow like wool;
he scatters hoarfrost like ashes. R/.
R/. O Jerusalem, glorify the Lord!
He reveals his word to Jacob;
to Israel, his decrees and judgements.
He has not dealt thus with other nations;
he has not taught them his judgements. R/.
Also Read: Daily Reading for Tuesday, March 5th, 2024
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION John 6:63c.68c
Glory and praise to you, O Christ. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life; you have the words of eternal life. Glory and praise to you, O Christ.
GOSPEL
He who does them and teaches them shall be called great
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Matthew 5:17-19)
At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfil them. For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who does them and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
TODAY’S SAINT AND QUOTE: St Colette – March 6th
-If there be a true way that leads to the Everlasting Kingdom, it is most certainly that of suffering, patiently endured.
TODAY’S REFLECTION
“A thing of beauty is a joy forever.” God gave commandments to the Israelites through Moses. Those commandments were so sound that Moses believed people of other nations would marvel at them. They would stand the test of time, and continue to be binding for all time to come. Jesus says exactly that in today’s Gospel: he did not come to abolish the old order, but to fulfill it. The spirit of man is such that it is always yearning for new things. However, in our quest for new things, we will always be well advised to bring along whatever may be of enduring value in the old. That is how the Old Testament is part of the Christian Bible, and the Ten Commandments continue to be binding not only on the Jewish people, but on all humankind. It is also the reason why the Catholic Church affirms Sacred Tradition to be an authentic source of faith and morals, alongside Sacred Scripture
PERSONAL DEVOTIONAL FOR LENT
No one intentionally chooses to face challenges and difficulties in life. However, no matter who we are, difficulties and challenges will always come our way at certain points in our lives. The choices we make could also play a part in what comes to us. Therefore, we should try to help one another to cope in times of difficulty. What you suffer may be different from what I suffer, but solidarity could be of immense help in overcoming our pain and sorrow. Do not stand aloof when you see others suffering, try to do something to help and God will be happy with you. It only takes the will and determination to help someone and you can really do something to help if you choose to.
Today, try to put your love for God into action, by doing something, no matter how small, about that need in the life of a brother or a sister and in your own time of need, God will also send you a helper.
Let us Pray,
Lord Jesus, increase my trust in you and help me to obey. Amen.
Daily Reading for Wednesday March 6, 2024
Reading 1, Deuteronomy 4:1, 5-9
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 147:12-13, 15-16, 19-20
Gospel, Matthew 5:17-19
Reading 1, Deuteronomy 4:1, 5-9
1 ‘And now, Israel, listen to the laws and customs which I am teaching you today, so that, by observing them, you may survive to enter and take possession of the country which Yahweh, God of your ancestors, is giving you.
5 Look: as Yahweh my God commanded me, I have taught you laws and customs, for you to observe in the country of which you are going to take possession.
6 Keep them, put them into practice, and other peoples will admire your wisdom and prudence. Once they know what all these laws are, they will exclaim, “No other people is as wise and prudent as this great nation!”
7 And indeed, what great nation has its gods as near as Yahweh our God is to us whenever we call to him?
8 And what great nation has laws and customs as upright as the entirety of this Law which I am laying down for you today?
9 ‘But take care, as you value your lives! Do not forget the things which you yourselves have seen, or let them slip from your heart as long as you live; teach them, rather, to your children and to your children’s children.
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 147:12-13, 15-16, 19-20
13 For he gives strength to the bars of your gates, he blesses your children within you,
14 he maintains the peace of your frontiers, gives you your fill of finest wheat.
15 He sends his word to the earth, his command runs quickly,
16 he spreads the snow like flax, strews hoarfrost like ashes,
19 He reveals his word to Jacob, his statutes and judgements to Israel.
20 For no other nation has he done this, no other has known his judgements.
Gospel, Matthew 5:17-19
17 ‘Do not imagine that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete them.
18 In truth I tell you, till heaven and earth disappear, not one dot, not one little stroke, is to disappear from the Law until all its purpose is achieved.
19 Therefore, anyone who infringes even one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be considered the least in the kingdom of Heaven; but the person who keeps them and teaches them will be considered great in the kingdom of Heaven.
