Daily Readings Audio | Daily Meditation | March 4, 2019 – March 10, 2019

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March 4, 2019

« March 3  |  March 5 »

DAILY MEDITATION
by Daily reading & meditation website

Memorial of Saint Casimir

Our first reading reminds us that through penitence and prayer, we always have a way back to God and his mercy. In today’s Gospel, Jesus engages a man who asks what he must do to inherit eternal life, and tells his disciples how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God.

Do we have kingdom vision?

We should imitate the eagerness of the man in today’s Gospel. As Jesus leaves town the man chases after him, wondering what he needs to do to inherit eternal life. He knows and has followed the law, but he knows something is different about Jesus. To enter the kingdom of God he needs to change his vision from the old covenant “Follows the laws,” to the new Covenant “follow Jesus.” Let us pray for our faithful departed, may they inherit eternal life and enjoy endless riches in heaven. Amen.

Monday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 347

Reading 1 Sir 17:20-24

To the penitent God provides a way back,
he encourages those who are losing hope
and has chosen for them the lot of truth.
Return to him and give up sin,
pray to the LORD and make your offenses few.
Turn again to the Most High and away from your sin,
hate intensely what he loathes,
and know the justice and judgments of God,
Stand firm in the way set before you,
in prayer to the Most High God.

Who in the nether world can glorify the Most High
in place of the living who offer their praise?
Dwell no longer in the error of the ungodly,
but offer your praise before death.
No more can the dead give praise
than those who have never lived;
You who are alive and well
shall praise and glorify God in his mercies.
How great the mercy of the LORD,
his forgiveness of those who return to him!

Responsorial Psalm Ps 32:1-2, 5, 6, 7

  1. (11a)  Let the just exult and rejoice in the Lord.
    Blessed is he whose fault is taken away,
    whose sin is covered.
    Blessed the man to whom the LORD imputes not guilt,
    in whose spirit there is no guile.
    R. Let the just exult and rejoice in the Lord.
    Then I acknowledged my sin to you,
    my guilt I covered not.
    I said, “I confess my faults to the LORD,”
    and you took away the guilt of my sin.
    R. Let the just exult and rejoice in the Lord.
    For this shall every faithful man pray to you
    in time of stress.
    Though deep waters overflow,
    they shall not reach him.
    R. Let the just exult and rejoice in the Lord.
    You are my shelter; from distress you will preserve me;
    with glad cries of freedom you will ring me round.
    R. Let the just exult and rejoice in the Lord.

Alleluia 2 Cor 8:9

  1. Alleluia, alleluia.
    Jesus Christ became poor although he was rich,
    so that by his poverty you might become rich.
    R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Mk 10:17-27

As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up,
knelt down before him, and asked him,
“Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus answered him, “Why do you call me good?
No one is good but God alone.
You know the commandments: You shall not kill;
you shall not commit adultery;
you shall not steal;
you shall not bear false witness;
you shall not defraud;
honor your father and your mother.”

He replied and said to him,
“Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth.”
Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him,
“You are lacking in one thing.
Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor
and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”
At that statement, his face fell,
and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

Jesus looked around and said to his disciples,
“How hard it is for those who have wealth
to enter the Kingdom of God!”
The disciples were amazed at his words.
So Jesus again said to them in reply,
“Children, how hard it is to enter the Kingdom of God!
It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle.
than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God.”
They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves,
“Then who can be saved?”
Jesus looked at them and said,
“For men it is impossible, but not for God.
All things are possible for God.”

For the readings of the Optional Memorial of Saint Casimir, please go here.

 

March 5, 2019

« March 4  |  March 6 »

DAILY MEDITATION
by Daily reading & meditation website

In today’s first reading, we hear that we are to give cheerfully and generously to God and to others in imitation of how God gives to us. In the Gospel, Jesus promises that those who sacrifice family or material wealth for the sake of the Gospel will be rewarded greatly, but may also suffer persecution.

Salvation comes from God and is gift freely given

Jesus told us those who sacrifice for the sake of the Gospel will be greatly rewarded, So let us rely on his promises, and live our lives for the sake of the Gospel. It will not always be easy, but this is the task we have been given. Let us pray for those grieving the loss of a loved one, may the Holy Spirit bring them comfort and peace. Amen.

Tuesday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 348

Reading 1 Sir 35:1-12

To keep the law is a great oblation,
and he who observes the
commandments sacrifices a peace offering.
In works of charity one offers fine flour,
and when he gives alms he presents his sacrifice of praise.
To refrain from evil pleases the LORD,
and to avoid injustice is an atonement.
Appear not before the LORD empty-handed,
for all that you offer is in fulfillment of the precepts.
The just one’s offering enriches the altar
and rises as a sweet odor before the Most High.
The just one’s sacrifice is most pleasing,
nor will it ever be forgotten.
In a generous spirit pay homage to the LORD,
be not sparing of freewill gifts.
With each contribution show a cheerful countenance,
and pay your tithes in a spirit of joy.
Give to the Most High as he has given to you,
generously, according to your means.

For the LORD is one who always repays,
and he will give back to you sevenfold.
But offer no bribes, these he does not accept!
Trust not in sacrifice of the fruits of extortion.
For he is a God of justice,
who knows no favorites.

Responsorial Psalm 50:5-6, 7-8, 14 and 23

  1. (23b) To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
    “Gather my faithful ones before me,
    those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.”
    And the heavens proclaim his justice;
    for God himself is the judge.
    R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
    “Hear, my people, and I will speak;
    Israel, I will testify against you;
    God, your God, am I.
    Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you,
    for your burnt offerings are before me always.”
    R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
    “Offer to God praise as your sacrifice
    and fulfill your vows to the Most High.
    He that offers praise as a sacrifice glorifies me;
    and to him that goes the right way I will show the salvation of God.”
    R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.

Alleluia See Mt 11:25

  1. Alleluia, alleluia.
    Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;
    you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.
    R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Mk 10:28-31

Peter began to say to Jesus,
‘We have given up everything and followed you.”
Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you,
there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters
or mother or father or children or lands
for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel
who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age:
houses and brothers and sisters
and mothers and children and lands,
with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come.
But many that are first will be last, and the last will be first.”

 

March 6, 2019

« March 5  |  March 7 »

DAILY MEDITATION
by Daily reading & meditation website

on February 17, 2010 in Washington, DC.

In the first reading the Lord, through the prophet Joel, calls us to return with our whole hearts. In the second reading, Saint Paul writes to the Corinthians and implores them to be reconciled to God. In the Gospel, Jesus teaches us to give alms, pray and fast without notice, building a relationship with the Father that he will bless and reward.

We begin the season of Lent by repenting and turning back to the Lord with our whole heart.

As Jesus went into the desert, so we too, go into the desert for Lent as we repent of our sinfulness and turn back to God’s ways. Prayer, fasting and almsgiving allow God to form us as disciples of Jesus Christ. Let us pray for all members of the Church, through the intercession of the saints, may we always have heart of repentance and conversion. Amen.

Ash Wednesday
Lectionary: 219

Reading 1 Jl 2:12-18

Even now, says the LORD,
return to me with your whole heart,
with fasting, and weeping, and mourning;
Rend your hearts, not your garments,
and return to the LORD, your God.
For gracious and merciful is he,
slow to anger, rich in kindness,
and relenting in punishment.
Perhaps he will again relent
and leave behind him a blessing,
Offerings and libations
for the LORD, your God.

Blow the trumpet in Zion!
proclaim a fast,
call an assembly;
Gather the people,
notify the congregation;
Assemble the elders,
gather the children
and the infants at the breast;
Let the bridegroom quit his room
and the bride her chamber.
Between the porch and the altar
let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep,
And say, “Spare, O LORD, your people,
and make not your heritage a reproach,
with the nations ruling over them!
Why should they say among the peoples,
‘Where is their God?'”

Then the LORD was stirred to concern for his land
and took pity on his people.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 51:3-4, 5-6ab, 12-13, 14 and 17

  1. (see 3a)  Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
    Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
    in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
    Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
    and of my sin cleanse me.
    R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
    For I acknowledge my offense,
    and my sin is before me always:
    “Against you only have I sinned,
    and done what is evil in your sight.”
    R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
    A clean heart create for me, O God,
    and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
    Cast me not out from your presence,
    and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
    R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
    Give me back the joy of your salvation,
    and a willing spirit sustain in me.
    O Lord, open my lips,
    and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.
    R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

Reading 2 2 Cor 5:20—6:2

Brothers and sisters:
We are ambassadors for Christ,
as if God were appealing through us.
We implore you on behalf of Christ,
be reconciled to God.
For our sake he made him to be sin who did not know sin,
so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.

Working together, then,
we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain.
For he says:

In an acceptable time I heard you,
and on the day of salvation I helped you.

Behold, now is a very acceptable time;
behold, now is the day of salvation.

Verse Before the Gospel See Ps 95:8

If today you hear his voice,
harden not your hearts.

Gospel Mt 6:1-6, 16-18

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Take care not to perform righteous deeds
in order that people may see them;
otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.
When you give alms,
do not blow a trumpet before you,
as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets
to win the praise of others.
Amen, I say to you,
they have received their reward.
But when you give alms,
do not let your left hand know what your right is doing,
so that your almsgiving may be secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

“When you pray,
do not be like the hypocrites,
who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners
so that others may see them.
Amen, I say to you,
they have received their reward.
But when you pray, go to your inner room,
close the door, and pray to your Father in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

“When you fast,
do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.
They neglect their appearance,
so that they may appear to others to be fasting.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast,
anoint your head and wash your face,
so that you may not appear to be fasting,
except to your Father who is hidden.
And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”

 

March 7, 2019

« March 6  |  March 8 »

DAILY MEDITATION
by Daily reading & meditation website

Memorial of saints Perpetua and Felicity, Martyrs

In the first reading, Moses lays a challenge before the Hebrews and us: to choose life by obeying God’s commandments, listening to him and holding fast to him. In the Gospel, Jesus tells us that he, the Son of Man, must suffer greatly and be rejected, to the point of death. He says that all who wish to follow him must take up their own crosses daily.

Our Lenten journey challenges us to pick up our cross daily and follow Jesus.

Yesterday, we received ashes on our foreheads. Today, we are called to pick up our proverbial crosses – the sufferings, challenges, prayers and acts of charity of our daily lives, and consciously follow Jesus. At the end of Lent, may we be able to say that we chose life, took up our cross daily, put to death our own wishes and saved our lives. Let us pray for all who have died, may they bask in the eternal light of God’s love in heaven. Amen.

Thursday after Ash Wednesday
Lectionary: 220

Reading 1 Dt 30:15-20

Moses said to the people:
“Today I have set before you
life and prosperity, death and doom.
If you obey the commandments of the LORD, your God,
which I enjoin on you today,
loving him, and walking in his ways,
and keeping his commandments, statutes and decrees,
you will live and grow numerous,
and the LORD, your God,
will bless you in the land you are entering to occupy.
If, however, you turn away your hearts and will not listen,
but are led astray and adore and serve other gods,
I tell you now that you will certainly perish;
you will not have a long life
on the land that you are crossing the Jordan to enter and occupy.
I call heaven and earth today to witness against you:
I have set before you life and death,
the blessing and the curse.
Choose life, then,
that you and your descendants may live, by loving the LORD, your God,
heeding his voice, and holding fast to him.
For that will mean life for you,
a long life for you to live on the land that the LORD swore
he would give to your fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”

Responsorial Psalm Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6

  1. (40:5a)  Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
    Blessed the man who follows not
    the counsel of the wicked
    Nor walks in the way of sinners,
    nor sits in the company of the insolent,
    But delights in the law of the LORD
    and meditates on his law day and night.
    R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
    He is like a tree
    planted near running water,
    That yields its fruit in due season,
    and whose leaves never fade.
    Whatever he does, prospers.
    R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
    Not so the wicked, not so;
    they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
    For the LORD watches over the way of the just,
    but the way of the wicked vanishes.
    R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.

Verse Before the Gospel Mt 4:17

Repent, says the Lord;
the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Gospel Lk 9:22-25

Jesus said to his disciples:
“The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected
by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed and on the third day be raised.”

Then he said to all,
“If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself
and take up his cross daily and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.
What profit is there for one to gain the whole world
yet lose or forfeit himself?”

For the readings of the Optional Memorial of Saints Perpetua and Felicity, please go here.

 

March 8, 2019

« March 7  |  March 9 »

DAILY MEDITATION
by Daily reading & meditation website

Memorial of saint John of God, religious

In the first reading, Isaiah tells the Israelites what God has said about fasting and what is acceptable to him. In the Gospel, John the Baptist’s followers are confused about why Jesus and his followers do not fast as they do.

Lent is an opportunity to grow deeper in our relationship with Jesus.

Fasting in a way that is pleasing and acceptable to the Lord will lead to strong faith and deeper bonds with God and those around us. For each of us, the object of our fast may be different, but for all of us, choosing to renew our spirit prepares us for the great feast of Easter. Let us pray for all of us, may the Lord develop within us hearts of love and service. Amen.

Friday after Ash Wednesday
Lectionary: 221

Reading 1 Is 58:1-9a

Thus says the Lord GOD:
Cry out full-throated and unsparingly,
lift up your voice like a trumpet blast;
Tell my people their wickedness,
and the house of Jacob their sins.
They seek me day after day,
and desire to know my ways,
Like a nation that has done what is just
and not abandoned the law of their God;
They ask me to declare what is due them,
pleased to gain access to God.
“Why do we fast, and you do not see it?
afflict ourselves, and you take no note of it?”

Lo, on your fast day you carry out your own pursuits,
and drive all your laborers.
Yes, your fast ends in quarreling and fighting,
striking with wicked claw.
Would that today you might fast
so as to make your voice heard on high!
Is this the manner of fasting I wish,
of keeping a day of penance:
That a man bow his head like a reed
and lie in sackcloth and ashes?
Do you call this a fast,
a day acceptable to the LORD?
This, rather, is the fasting that I wish:
releasing those bound unjustly,
untying the thongs of the yoke;
Setting free the oppressed,
breaking every yoke;
Sharing your bread with the hungry,
sheltering the oppressed and the homeless;
Clothing the naked when you see them,
and not turning your back on your own.
Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
and your wound shall quickly be healed;
Your vindication shall go before you,
and the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer,
you shall cry for help, and he will say: Here I am!

Responsorial Psalm Ps 51:3-4, 5-6ab, 18-19

  1. (19b) A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
    Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
    in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
    Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
    and of my sin cleanse me.
    R. A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
    For I acknowledge my offense,
    and my sin is before me always:
    “Against you only have I sinned,
    and done what is evil in your sight.”
    R. A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
    For you are not pleased with sacrifices;
    should I offer a burnt offering, you would not accept it.
    My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit;
    a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
    R. A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.

Verse Before the Gospel See Am 5:14

Seek good and not evil so that you may live,
and the Lord will be with you.

Gospel Mt 9:14-15

The disciples of John approached Jesus and said,
“Why do we and the Pharisees fast much,
but your disciples do not fast?”
Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests mourn
as long as the bridegroom is with them?
The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them,
and then they will fast.”

For the readings of the Optional Memorial of Saint John of God, please go here.

 

March 9, 2019

« March 8  |  March 10 »

DAILY MEDITATION
by Daily reading & meditation website

Memorial of nces of Rome, Religious

Through the prophet Isaiah, the sounds of the call of hopefulness can be heard as the promises of all that the Lord will give to the faithful are identified. In the gospel, Levi responds to the call of Christ, and the Pharisees and Scribes rebuke Jesus for eating with tax collectors and sinners.

Jesus pours out his love and goodness on those who need it most. No one is outside his great mercy.

Today’s Gospel is a great reminder to us to follow the way of Jesus. He reminds us in his call of Levi, and in his eating with tax collectors and sinners, that all are invited to the banquet of eternal life. His salvation is meant for all especially those who are in greatest need of his love and mercy. Let us pray for church leaders who serve faithfully in parishes around the world, may they be sustained by the power of the Holy Spirit in the challenges of their daily ministry. Amen.

Saturday after Ash Wednesday
Lectionary: 222

Reading 1 Is 58:9b-14

Thus says the LORD:
If you remove from your midst oppression,
false accusation and malicious speech;
If you bestow your bread on the hungry
and satisfy the afflicted;
Then light shall rise for you in the darkness,
and the gloom shall become for you like midday;
Then the LORD will guide you always
and give you plenty even on the parched land.
He will renew your strength,
and you shall be like a watered garden,
like a spring whose water never fails.
The ancient ruins shall be rebuilt for your sake,
and the foundations from ages past you shall raise up;
“Repairer of the breach,” they shall call you,
“Restorer of ruined homesteads.”

If you hold back your foot on the sabbath
from following your own pursuits on my holy day;
If you call the sabbath a delight,
and the LORD’s holy day honorable;
If you honor it by not following your ways,
seeking your own interests, or speaking with maliceB
Then you shall delight in the LORD,
and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth;
I will nourish you with the heritage of Jacob, your father,
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 86:1-2, 3-4, 5-6

  1. (11ab)  Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.
    Incline your ear, O LORD; answer me,
    for I am afflicted and poor.
    Keep my life, for I am devoted to you;
    save your servant who trusts in you.
    You are my God.
    R. Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.
    Have mercy on me, O Lord,
    for to you I call all the day.
    Gladden the soul of your servant,
    for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
    R. Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.
    For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
    abounding in kindness to all who call upon you.
    Hearken, O LORD, to my prayer
    and attend to the sound of my pleading.
    R. Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.

Verse Before the Gospel Ez 33:11

I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked man, says the Lord,
but rather in his conversion, that he may live.

Gospel Lk 5:27-32

Jesus saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the customs post.
He said to him, “Follow me.”
And leaving everything behind, he got up and followed him.
Then Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house,
and a large crowd of tax collectors
and others were at table with them.
The Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples, saying,
“Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”
Jesus said to them in reply,
“Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do.
I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.”

For the readings of the Optional Memorial of Saint Frances of Rome, please go here.

 

March 10, 2019

« March 9  |  March 11 »

DAILY MEDITATION
by Daily reading & meditation website

In the book of Deutoronomy, Moses instructs the people to offer gifts to the Lord for their freedom from slavery in Egypt, and for God’s never-ending care. In his Letter to the Romans, Paul reminds his readers that without any distinction of nationality, all who call on the name of the Lord will be saved. Luke’s Gospel tells how Jesus withstood the temptations of the devil.

Jesus Christ freed us from the slavery of sin.

As we begin Lent, our penance and fasts seem rather small in comparison with how Jesus suffered for our salvation. Our forty days do not quite compare to his forty days in the desert. We need only to call on Jesus, and he will deliver us from our sins. Each Lent presents a new opportunity to repents and grow in our relationship with the One who gave his all so we would be his. Let us pray for all those suffering the effects of war or violence may find healing and peace in Jesus. Amen.

First Sunday of Lent
Lectionary: 24

Reading 1 Dt 26:4-10

Moses spoke to the people, saying:
“The priest shall receive the basket from you
and shall set it in front of the altar of the LORD, your God.
Then you shall declare before the Lord, your God,
‘My father was a wandering Aramean
who went down to Egypt with a small household
and lived there as an alien.
But there he became a nation
great, strong, and numerous.
When the Egyptians maltreated and oppressed us,
imposing hard labor upon us,
we cried to the LORD, the God of our fathers,
and he heard our cry
and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression.
He brought us out of Egypt
with his strong hand and outstretched arm,
with terrifying power, with signs and wonders;
and bringing us into this country,
he gave us this land flowing with milk and honey.
Therefore, I have now brought you the firstfruits
of the products of the soil
which you, O LORD, have given me.’
And having set them before the Lord, your God,
you shall bow down in his presence.”

Responsorial Psalm Ps 91:1-2, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15.

  1. (cf. 15b)  Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble.
    You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High,
    who abide in the shadow of the Almighty,
    say to the LORD, “My refuge and fortress,
    my God in whom I trust.”
    R. Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble.
    No evil shall befall you,
    nor shall affliction come near your tent,
    For to his angels he has given command about you,
    that they guard you in all your ways.
    R. Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble.
    Upon their hands they shall bear you up,
    lest you dash your foot against a stone.
    You shall tread upon the asp and the viper;
    you shall trample down the lion and the dragon.
    R. Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble.
    Because he clings to me, I will deliver him;
    I will set him on high because he acknowledges my name.
    He shall call upon me, and I will answer him;
    I will be with him in distress;
    I will deliver him and glorify him.
    R. Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble.

Reading 2 Rom 10:8-13

Brothers and sisters:
What does Scripture say?
The word is near you,
in your mouth and in your heart

—that is, the word of faith that we preach—,
for, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord
and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead,
you will be saved.
For one believes with the heart and so is justified,
and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.
For the Scripture says,
No one who believes in him will be put to shame.
For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek;
the same Lord is Lord of all,
enriching all who call upon him.
For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Verse Before the Gospel Mt 4:4b

One does not live on bread alone,
but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.

Gospel Lk 4:1-13

Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan
and was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days,
to be tempted by the devil.
He ate nothing during those days,
and when they were over he was hungry.
The devil said to him,
“If you are the Son of God,
command this stone to become bread.”
Jesus answered him,
“It is written, One does not live on bread alone.”
Then he took him up and showed him
all the kingdoms of the world in a single instant.
The devil said to him,
“I shall give to you all this power and glory;
for it has been handed over to me,
and I may give it to whomever I wish.
All this will be yours, if you worship me.”
Jesus said to him in reply,
“It is written:
You shall worship the Lord, your God,
and him alone shall you serve.”

Then he led him to Jerusalem,
made him stand on the parapet of the temple, and said to him,
“If you are the Son of God,
throw yourself down from here, for it is written:
He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,
and:
With their hands they will support you,
lest you dash your foot against a stone.”

Jesus said to him in reply,
“It also says,
You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.”
When the devil had finished every temptation,
he departed from him for a time.