Friday of the Fifth week of Lent

Book of Jeremiah

I hear the whisperings of many: "Terror on every side! Denounce! let us denounce him!" All those who were my friends are on the watch for any misstep of mine. "Perhaps he will be trapped; then we can prevail, and take our vengeance on him."
But the LORD is with me, like a mighty champion: my persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph. In their failure they will be put to utter shame, to lasting, unforgettable confusion.
O LORD of hosts, you who test the just, who probe mind and heart, Let me witness the vengeance you take on them, for to you I have entrusted my cause.
Sing to the LORD, praise the LORD, For he has rescued the life of the poor from the power of the wicked!

Psalms

I love you, O LORD, my strength,
O LORD, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer.
My God, my rock of refuge,
my shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold!
Praised be the LORD, I exclaim,
and I am safe from my enemies.
The breakers of death surged round about me,
the destroying floods overwhelmed me;
The cords of the nether world enmeshed me,
the snares of death overtook me.
In my distress I called upon the LORD
and cried out to my God;
From his temple he heard my voice,
and my cry to him reached his ears.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John

The Jews picked up rocks to stone Jesus.
Jesus answered them, "I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of these are you trying to stone me?"
The Jews answered him, "We are not stoning you for a good work but for blasphemy. You, a man, are making yourself God."
Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your law, 'I said, "You are gods"'?
If it calls them gods to whom the word of God came, and scripture cannot be set aside,
can you say that the one whom the Father has consecrated and sent into the world blasphemes because I said, 'I am the Son of God'?
If I do not perform my Father's works, do not believe me;
but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may realize (and understand) that the Father is in me and I am in the Father."
(Then) they tried again to arrest him; but he escaped from their power.
He went back across the Jordan to the place where John first baptized, and there he remained.
Many came to him and said, "John performed no sign, but everything John said about this man was true."
And many there began to believe in him.

St. Benjamin(Deacon and Martyr (c. 424))

SAINT BENJAMIN Deacon, Martyr (+ c. 424) Isdegerdes, Son of Sapor III, put a stop to the persecution of Christians in Persia, which started with Sapor II. The Church enjoyed twelve years of peace until 420, when Abdas, a Christian bishop, burned down the Pyræum, or Temple of Fire. King Isdegerdes then demolished all the Christian churches, killed Abdas, and raised a forty-year persecution against the Church. Isdegerdes passed away in 421, but his son and successor, Varanes, carried on the persecution. Among the innocents killed was St. Benjamin, a deacon. Civil authorities had him beaten and imprisoned. After a year in the dungeon, an ambassador from the emperor obtained his release on condition that he would not speak to any of the courtiers about religion. However, upon his release, Benjamin declared that he would take every opportunity to proclaim the Gospel. The king was informed that Dcn. Benjamin still preached the Faith and ordered the latter's arrest. After his arrest, Dcn. Benjamin was regularly tortured and beaten. He passed away from torture because he kept his faith. He was martyred in 424: receiving the beatific vision at the moment of death.

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Category: Mass by Year / Catholic Missal 2023 / Catholic Missal of march 2023