Entrance Antiphon

O God, save me by your name; by your power, defend my cause. O God, hear my prayer; give ear to the words of my mouth.

Collect

O God, who have prepared fitting helps for us in our weakness, grant, we pray, that we may receive their healing effects with joy and reflect them in a holy way of life. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Reading (Wisdom 2.1a, 12-22)

The ungodly reasoned unsoundly, saying to themselves, “Let us lie in wait for the righteous man, because he is inconvenient to us and opposes our actions; he reproaches us for sins against the law, and accuses us of sins against our training. He professes to have knowledge of God, and calls himself a child of the Lord. “He became to us a reproof of our thoughts; the very sight of him is a burden to us, because his manner of life is unlike that of others, and his ways are strange. We are considered by him as something base, and he avoids our ways as unclean; he calls the last end of the righteous happy, and boasts that God is his father. “Let us see if his words are true, and let us test what will happen at the end of his life; for if the righteous man is God’s child, he will help him, and will deliver him from the hand of his adversaries. Let us test him with insult and torture, so that we may find out how gentle he is, and make trial of his forbearance. Let us condemn him to a shameful death, for, according to what he says, he will be protected.” Thus they reasoned, but they were led astray, for their wickedness blinded them, and they did not know the secret purposes of God, nor hoped for the wages of holiness, nor discerned the prize for blameless souls.

Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 34)

The Lord is near to broken hearts.

The face of the Lord is against evildoers, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears, and rescues them from all their troubles.

The Lord is near to the broken-hearted, and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord rescues them from them all.

He keeps all their bones; not one of them will be broken. The Lord redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

Acclamation

(Matthew 4) Praise to you, Lord, king of eternal glory! No one lives on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. Praise to you, Lord, king of eternal glory!

Gospel (John 7.1-2, 10, 25-30)

Jesus went about in Galilee. He did not wish to go about in Judea because the Jewish leaders were looking for an opportunity to kill him. Now the Jewish festival of Booths was near. But after his brothers had gone to the festival, then he also went, not publicly but as it were in secret. Now some of the people of Jerusalem were saying, “Is not this the man whom the authorities trying to kill? And here he is, speaking openly, but they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Messiah? Yet we know where this man is from; but when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from.” Then Jesus cried out as he was teaching in the temple, “You know me, and you know where I am from. I have not come on my own. But the one who sent me is true, and you do not know him. I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me.” Then they tried to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him, because his hour had not yet come.

Prayers of the Faithful

Let us bring our needs, and those of our brothers and sisters in Christ, to our loving Father.
1) For missionaries, may the Lord strengthen them in their zeal to spread the Gospel, let us pray to the Lord.
2) For policymakers, may the Holy Spirit inspire them in passing laws protecting all life from conception to natural death, let us pray to the Lord.
3) For those persecuted for righteousness’ sake, may God bless them with courage and perseverance, let us pray to the Lord.
4) For our family of faith gathered here, may the Lord bless us in our Lenten efforts of prayer, fasting and almsgiving, let us pray to the Lord.
5) For the faithful departed, may they rest in paradise with all the angels and saints, let us pray to the Lord.

Heavenly Father, our very breath is a gift from you. We humbly ask you to listen kindly to our prayers, in the name of Jesus, your Son.

Closing Prayer

Look upon your servants, O Lord, and in your goodness protect with heavenly assistance those who trust in your mercy. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

FOCUS: God relents in punishing his people and instead offers them salvation and new life. 

We are reminded today that the gift of salvation in Christ is rooted in God’s deep love for his people. Despite our infidelity and our sins – our hardness of heart – God’s love and mercy are ever present, offering us another chance to live according to his Word. 

Antiphon

Let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice; turn to the Lord and his strength; constantly seek his face.

Collect

We invoke your mercy in humble prayer, O Lord, that you may cause us, your servants, corrected by penance and schooled by good works, to persevere sincerely in your commands and come safely to the paschal festivities. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

LITURGY OF THE WORD 

In the first reading, God desires to impose his wrath upon the stiff-necked people he has brought out of slavery, but Moses intervenes on their behalf and God relents. In the Gospel, Jesus points out to the Jews their lack of consistency – they keep seeking signs and never seem to be open to listen to God’s messengers. 

1) Exodus 32:7-14

2) John 5:31-47 

Prayers of the Faithful

As we continue our Lenten journey, we bring our needs to the Lord with trust and confidence.

For all the Church, during this Lenten season may the Lord increase in us hearts for sharing and self-denial, let us pray to the Lord. 

For all who serve either as elected or appointed authorities, may the God of wisdom bless them with the skills and gifts necessary for true servant leadership, let us pray to the Lord. 

For God’s protection for all of God’s children, for the health and safety of everyone during this time of the COVID-19 pandemic, we pray to the Lord.

For continuous coordinated efforts among individuals, nations and societies as we all work together to prevent further spread of the coronavirus, we pray to the Lord.

For healthcare workers and all who are on the front-lines, especially those in positions of vulnerability as they work to serve their neighbors, we pray to the Lord.

For those are sick and suffering, especially for those who are isolated and without help, for their healing, we pray to the Lord.

For all who have died, may they come to share in the fullness of Christ’s glory, let us pray to the Lord. 

Almighty God, as you once heard the prayers of your Son, Jesus Christ, hear now our prayers and petitions. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord. 

Final Prayer

O God, protector of all who hope in you, bless your people, keep them safe, defend them, prepare them, that, free from sin and safe from the enemy, they may persevere always in your love. Through Christ our Lord. Amen

Entrance Antiphon

The Lord said, as he entered the world: Behold, I come to do your will, O God.

Heb 10

Collect

O God, who willed that your Word should take on the reality of human flesh in the womb of the Virgin Mary, grant, we pray, that we, who confess our Redeemer to be God and man, may merit to become partakers even in his divine nature. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

First Reading

Isaiah 7.10-14;8.10 – “I will not put the Lord to the test”

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 40 – “Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.”

Second Reading

Hebrews 10.4-10 – “It is by God’s will that we have been santified through the offering of the body of Jesus Chris once for all”

Gospel

Luke 1.26-38 – “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you“

Closing Prayer

Confirm in our minds the mysteries of the true faith, we pray, O Lord, so that , confessing that he who was conceived of the Virgin Mary is true God and true man, we may, through the saving power of his Resurrection, merit to attain eternal joy. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Antiphon

As for me, I trust in the Lord. Let me be glad and rejoice in your mercy, for you have seen my affliction.

Collect

O God, who renew the world through the mysteries beyond all telling grant, we pray, that your Church may be guide by your eternal design and not be deprived of your help in this present age. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirt, on God, for ever and ever. Amen.

First Reading

Isaiah 65.17-21

Responsorial Psalm

I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.

I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up, and did not let my foes rejoice over me. O Lord you brought up my soul from Sheol, restored me to life from among those gone down to the Pit.

Sing praises to the Lord, O you his faithful ones, and give thanks to his holy name. For his anger is but for a moment; his favour is for a lifetime. Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning.

Hear, O lord, and be gracious to me! O Lord , be my helper! you have turned my mourning int dancing. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever.

Gospel

John 4.43-54

Closing Prayer

Renew your people within and without, O Lord, and , since it is your will that they be unhindered by bodily delights, give them we pray, perseverance in their spiritual intent. Through Christ our Lord. Amen