Friday of the First week of Lent

Book of Ezekiel

18,21-28.

Thus says the Lord GOD: If the wicked man turns away from all the sins he committed, if he keeps all my statutes and does what is right and just, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
None of the crimes he committed shall be remembered against him; he shall live because of the virtue he has practiced.
Do I indeed derive any pleasure from the death of the wicked? says the Lord GOD. Do I not rather rejoice when he turns from his evil way that he may live?
And if the virtuous man turns from the path of virtue to do evil, the same kind of abominable things that the wicked man does, can he do this and still live? None of his virtuous deeds shall be remembered, because he has broken faith and committed sin; because of this, he shall die.
You say, "The LORD'S way is not fair!" Hear now, house of Israel: Is it my way that is unfair, or rather, are not your ways unfair?
When a virtuous man turns away from virtue to commit iniquity, and dies, it is because of the iniquity he committed that he must die.
But if a wicked man, turning from the wickedness he has committed, does what is right and just, he shall preserve his life;
since he has turned away from all the sins which he committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.

Psalms

130(129),1-2.3-4.5-7a.7bc-8.

Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD
LORD, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to my voice in supplication.
If you, O LORD, mark iniquities,
LORD, who can stand?
But with you is forgiveness,
that you may be revered.
I trust in the LORD;
my soul trusts in his word.
My soul waits for the Lord
more than sentinels for dawn.
Let Israel wait for the LORD.
For with the LORD is kindness
and with him is plenteous redemption;
and he will redeem Israel
from all their iniquities.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew

5,20-26.

Jesus said to his disciples: "I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.
You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, 'You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.'
But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, 'Raqa,' will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, 'You fool,' will be liable to fiery Gehenna.
Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you,
leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison.
Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny."

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St. Polycarp(Bishop and Martyr (+ 167))

SAINT POLYCARP Bishop, Martyr(+ 167) St. Polycarp, the bishop of Smyrna, was a disciple of St. John. He exhorted the Philippians to practice fraternal love and refute heresy. After meeting the apostate Marcion in Rome, he linked heresy to Satan. In 167 A.D., a persecution erupted in Smyrna. When Bp. Polycarp heard his pursuers at the door, he resigned himself to the will of God saying, "Not my will, but your will be done" (Lk. 22:42). When offered freedom in exchange for cursing Jesus, he replied: "Eighty-six years I have served Him and He never did me wrong. How can I blaspheme my King and Savior?" When threatened with fire, Bp. Polycarp told the proconsul, "Your fire lasts only a little, but the fire prepared for the wicked lasts forever." During his immolation, Bp. Polycarp was unharmed by the fire. He was then stabbed in the heart and his dead body burned. His biographers wrote, "We took up the bones, more precious than the richest jewels or gold, and deposited them in a fitting place, at which may God grant us to assemble with joy to celebrate the birthday of the martyr to his life in heaven!"

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St. Serenus(Martyr (+ 307))

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SAINT SERENUS Martyr(+ 307) St. Serenus was a Grecian. He quitted estate, friends and country to serve God in celibacy, penance and prayer. With this design, he bought a garden in Sirmium, Pannonia, modern Serbia. He cultivated it with his own hands and lived on its fruits and herbs. One day, a woman approached with her two daughters, and Serenus asked them to withdraw out of consideration. The woman was stung at the charitable remonstrance and resolved to take revenge. She wrote to her husband that Serenus had insulted her, whereupon the husband demanded justice from the emperor. A letter was then sent to the province's governor enabling the husband to obtain satisfaction. When Serenus appeared in court, he testified that the women came into his garden uninvited and at an unusual hour; and he asked them to withdraw for privacy's sake. The officer then dropped his prosecution; but the governor suspected Serenus was Christian and asked, "Who are you, and what is your religion?" Serenus answered that he was Christian - prompted by the Holy Spirit. The governor then sentenced him to death for eluding the emperor's edicts and refusing to sacrifice to Roman gods. The sentence was no sooner pronounced than Serenus was carried off and beheaded. He was martyred on February 23, 307, gained the beatific vision and sees God forever.

misalcatolico.com

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Category: Mass by Year / Catholic Missal 2024 / Catholic Missal of february 2024