Friday of the Fourth week of Lent

Book of Wisdom

The wicked said among themselves, thinking not aright:
"Let us beset the just one, because he is obnoxious to us; he sets himself against our doings, Reproaches us for transgressions of the law and charges us with violations of our training.
He professes to have knowledge of God and styles himself a child of the LORD.
To us he is the censure of our thoughts; merely to see him is a hardship for us,
Because his life is not like other men's, and different are his ways.
He judges us debased; he holds aloof from our paths as from things impure. He calls blest the destiny of the just and boasts that God is his Father.
Let us see whether his words be true; let us find out what will happen to him.
For if the just one be the son of God, he will defend him and deliver him from the hand of his foes.
With revilement and torture let us put him to the test that we may have proof of his gentleness and try his patience.
Let us condemn him to a shameful death; for according to his own words, God will take care of him."
These were their thoughts, but they erred; for their wickedness blinded them,
And they knew not the hidden counsels of God; neither did they count on a recompense of holiness nor discern the innocent souls' reward.

Psalms

The LORD confronts the evildoers,
to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.
When the just cry out, the LORD hears them,
and from all their distress he rescues them.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;
and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.
Many are the troubles of the just man,
but out of them all the LORD delivers him.
He watches over all his bones;
not one of them shall be broken.
The LORD redeems the lives of his servants;
no one incurs guilt who takes refuge in him.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John

Jesus moved about within Galilee; but he did not wish to travel in Judea, because the Jews were trying to kill him.
But the Jewish feast of Tabernacles was near.
But when his brothers had gone up to the feast, he himself also went up, not openly but (as it were) in secret.
So some of the inhabitants of Jerusalem said, "Is he not the one they are trying to kill?
And look, he is speaking openly and they say nothing to him. Could the authorities have realized that he is the Messiah?
But we know where he is from. When the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from."
So Jesus cried out in the temple area as he was teaching and said, "You know me and also know where I am from. Yet I did not come on my own, but the one who sent me, whom you do not know, is true.
I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me."
So they tried to arrest him, but no one laid a hand upon him, because his hour had not yet come.

St. Zachary(Pope (+ 752))

SAINT ZACHARY Pope (+ 752) St. Zachary succeeded Pope Gregory III in 741. During the rebellion of the Dukes of Spoleto and Benevento against King Luitprand, he risked his life to save the clergy and the Roman people. Out of respect for Pope Zachary, the king restored all the Church's properties and sent back the captives without ransom. Many Lombards were converted through Pope Zachary's prayers, the Holy Mass and the sacraments. Pope Zachary also enacted wholesome regulations that settled the discipline and peace of several churches. St. Boniface, the Apostle of Germany, once appealed to Pope Zachary against a certain priest named Virgilius, who labored to sow the seeds of discord between him and Odilo, the duke of Bavaria. Pope Zachary hence ordered that Virgilius be sent to Rome in order to examine the latter's teaching and doctrine. It seems that Virgilius cleared his name because he was later consecrated bishop of Salzburg. When certain Venetian merchants brought slaves to Rome to sell to the Moors in Africa, Pope Zachary immediately forbade the trafficking. He paid the merchants their price and freed the slaves. Pope Zachary also adorned Rome with sacred buildings, foundations for the poor and pilgrims. He even gave a considerable sum every year for oil in the lamps of St. Peter's Church. Pope Zachary passed away in March 752. He was canonized because of his heroic virtues and the miracles proceeding from his intercession.

St. Louise of Marillac (1591-1660)()

Saint Louise of Marillac (1591-1660) St. Louise de Marillac was born in France on August 12, 1591. She was educated by the Dominican nuns in Poissy. She desired to become a nun, but on the advice of her confessor, married Antony LeGras, an official in the Queen's service, in 1613. After Antony's death in 1625, Louise met St. Vincent de Paul, who became her spiritual adviser. Attentive to the Holy Spirit, she devoted the rest of her life to working with him. She helped direct his Ladies of Charity in their work of caring for the sick, the poor and the neglected. In 1633, she set up a training center in her own home for candidates seeking to help in her work. This was the beginning of the Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul; though it was not formally approved until 1655. Sr. Louise took her vows in 1634 and attracted great numbers of candidates. She wrote a rule for the community; and in 1642, Vincent allowed four of the members to take vows. Formal approval placed the community under Vincent and his Congregation of the Missions, with Louise as superior. Sr. Louise traveled all over France and established her Sisters in hospitals, orphanages and other institutions. Since then, the Congregation has spread all over the world. St. Louise of Marillac wascanonized by Pope Pius XI in 1934, and was declared Patroness of Social Workers by Pope John XXIII in 1960.

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