HOLY MASS READINGS FOR WEDNESDAY, 21 FEBRUARY, 2024

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Wednesday - Lenten Weekday  (Purple)

LH: Office the day, Week I

Mass of the day, Preface of Lent

The optional memorial of St. Peter Damian may be celebrated as a commemoration.

FIRST READING
The Ninevites turned from their evil way.
A reading from the Book of the Prophet Jonah (Jonah 3:1-10)

The word of the Lord came to Jonah, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you.” So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days’ journey in breadth. Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s journey. And he cried, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” And the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them. Then tidings reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, removed his robe, and covered himself with sack cloth, and sat in ashes. And he made proclamation and published through Nineveh, “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything; let them not feed, or drink water, but let man and beast be covered with sack cloth, and let them cry mightily to God; yes, let every one turn from his evil way and from the violence which is in his hands. Who knows, God may yet repent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we perish not?” When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God repented of the evil which he had said he would do to them; and he did not do it.

The Word of the Lord

RESPONSORIAL PSALM 
Psalm51:3-4.12-13.18-19 (R.19b)

R/. A broken and humbled heart, O God, you will not spurn.

Have mercy on me, O God,
According to your merciful love;
According to your great compassion,
Blot out my transgressions.
Wash me completely from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin. R/.

Create a pure heart for me, O God;
renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence;
take not your holy spirit from me. R/.

For in sacrifice you take no delight;
Burnt offering from me would not please you.
My sacrifice to God, a broken spirit:
A broken and humbled heart, O God, you will not spurn. R/.

VERSE BEFORE THE GOSPEL 
Joel 2:12-13

Glory and praise to you, O Christ. 

Even now, says the Lord, return to me with all your heart, for I am gracious and merciful. 

Glory and praise to you, O Christ.

GOSPEL
“No sign shall be given to this generation except the sign of Jonah.”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Luke 11:29-32)

At that time: When the crowds were increasing, Jesus began to say, “This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of Jonah. For as Jonah became a sign to the men of Nineveh, so will the Son of man be to this generation. The queen of the South will arise at the judgement with the men of this generation and condemn them; for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the Wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. The men of Nineveh will arise at the judgement with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.”

The Gospel of the Lord.