Catholic Missal of the day: Wednesday, February 25 2026

Wednesday of the First week of Lent

Book of Jonah

The word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time:
"Set out for the great city of Nineveh, and announce to it the message that I will tell you."
So Jonah made ready and went to Nineveh, according to the LORD'S bidding. Now Nineveh was an enormously large city; it took three days to go through it.
Jonah began his journey through the city, and had gone but a single day's walk announcing, "Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed,"
when the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth.
When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in the ashes.
Then he had this proclaimed throughout Nineveh, by decree of the king and his nobles: "Neither man nor beast, neither cattle nor sheep, shall taste anything; they shall not eat, nor shall they drink water.
Man and beast shall be covered with sackcloth and call loudly to God; every man shall turn from his evil way and from the violence he has in hand.
Who knows, God may relent and forgive, and withhold his blazing wrath, so that we shall not perish."
When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way, he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them; he did not carry it out.

Psalms

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.
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.
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.  

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke

While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them, "This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah.
Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation.
At the judgment the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation and she will condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and there is something greater than Solomon here.
At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because at the preaching of Jonah they repented, and there is something greater than Jonah here."

St. Tarasius(Patriarch of Constantinople (+ 806))

SAINT TARASIUSPatriarch of Constantinople (+ 806) St. Tarasius was born in Constantinople. He cultivated supernatural virtues thanks to his mother, Eucratia. He gained prestige as a state official and was later promoted to consul. He was then appointed secretary of state to Emperor Constantine and Empress Irene. In the midst of the court and its highest honors, he lived a contemplative life. Paul, Constantinople's patriarch, conformed to the reigning heresy in some respects, but had several good qualities. He was beloved for his charity to the poor and esteemed by the court for his prudence. Touched with remorse, Paul abdicated the patriarchal see and put on a religious habit at the monastery of Florus. Tarasius was his successor, but refused to minister since the see was cut off from Catholic communion. Thus, Tarasius obtained a general council to resolve the dispute on holy images. He became Constantinople's patriarch on Christmas Day. The general council was opened on August 1, 786, at the Church of the Apostles in Constantinople, but was adjourned because of iconoclasts' rioting. The council met again the following year at the Church of St. Sophia in Nice. The council declared the sensibility of allowing holy pictures and images a relative honor and closed with acclamations and prayers for the emperor and empress. Afterward, synodal letters were sent to all the churches and to the pope, who approved the council. Patr. Tarasius was never immune to intrigue and was pulled into conflict. Emperor Constantine VI was infatuated with Empress Mary's maid of honor, Theodota, and settled on divorcing Mary to legitimize his affair. Emperor Constantine made every effort to gain Tarasius' approval, but the latter refused. The life of Patr. Tarasius was a model to the clergy and the people. His table contained only the necessities of life. He spent his leisure time reading and praying. He gave up his soul to God on February 25, 806, after serving for twenty-one years and two months.

St. Ethelbert of Kent()

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Category: Mass by Year / Catholic Missal 2026 / Catholic Missal of february 2026