HOLY MASS READINGS FOR MARCH 13,2024

Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Lent  (Purple)

LH: Office the day, Week IV

Mass of the day, Preface of Lent

 Anniversary of the Election of  Pope Francis

 FIRST READING

“I have given you as a covenant to the people, to establish the land.”
A reading from the Book of Isaiah (Isaiah 49:8-15)

Thus says the Lord: “In a time of favour I have answered you, in a day of salvation I have helped you; I have kept you and given you as a covenant to the people, to establish the land, to apportion the desolate heritages; saying to the prisoners, ‘Come forth,’ to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.’ They shall feed along the ways, on all bare heights shall be their pasture; they shall not hunger or thirst, neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them, for he who has pity on them will lead them, and by springs of water will guide them. And I will make all my mountains away, and my highways shall be raised up. Behold, these shall come from afar, and behold, these from the north and from the west, and these from the land of Syene.” Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth; break forth, O mountains, into singing! For the LORD has comforted his people, and will have compassion on his afflicted. But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me, my Lord has forgotten me.” “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?” Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you.

The word of the Lord.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM 

Psalm 145:8-9.13d-14.17-18 (R. 8a)

R/. The Lord is kind and full of compassion.

The Lord is kind and full of compassion,
slow to anger, abounding in mercy.
How good is the Lord to all,
compassionate to all his creatures. R/.

The Lord is faithful in all his words,
And holy in all his deeds.
The Lord supports all who fall,
and raises up all who are bowed down. R/.

The Lord is just in all his ways,
And holy in all his deeds.
The Lord is close to all who call him,
Who call on him in truth. R/.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION 

John 11:25a.26

Glory and praise to you, O Christ. 

I am the resurrection and the life, says the Lord; he who believes in me shall never die. 

Glory and praise to you, O Christ.

GOSPEL
“As the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will.”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John (John 5:17-30)

At that time: Jesus answered the Jews, “My Father is working still, and I am working.” This was why the Jews sought all the more to kill him, because he not only broke the sabbath but also called God his Father, making himself equal with God. Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing; for whatever he does, that the Son does likewise. For the Father loves the Son, and shows him all that he himself is doing; and greater works than these will he show him, that you may marvel. For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will. The Father judges no one, but has given all judgement to the Son, that all may honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He who does not honour the Son does not honour the Father who sent him. Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me, has eternal life; he does not come into judgement, but has passed from death to life. “Truly, truly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself, and has given him authority to execute judgement, because he is the Son of man. Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come forth, those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgement. “I can do nothing on my own authority; as I hear, I judge; and my judgement is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.”

The Gospel of the Lord.