Daily Readings

March 19, 2023

First Samuel 16: 1, 6- 7, 10- 13

16:1 And the Lord said to Samuel: “How long will you mourn for Saul, though I have rejected him, so that he would not reign over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and approach, so that I may send you to Jesse of Bethlehem. For I have provided a king from among his sons for myself.”
16:6 And when they had entered, he saw Eliab, and he said, “Could he be the Christ in the sight of the Lord?”
16:7 And the Lord said to Samuel: “You should not look with favor on his face, nor on the height of his stature. For I have rejected him. Neither do I judge by the appearance of a man. For man sees those things that are apparent, but the Lord beholds the heart.”
16:10 And so Jesse brought his seven sons before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen any of these.”
16:11 And Samuel said to Jesse, “Could the sons now be completed?” But he responded, “There still remains a little one, and he pastures the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse: “Send and bring him. For we shall not recline to eat, until he arrives here.”
16:12 Therefore, he sent and brought him. Now he was ruddy, and beautiful to behold, and with a stately face. And the Lord said, “Rise up, anoint him! For it is he.”
16:13 Therefore, Samuel took the horn of oil, and he anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord was guiding David from that day and thereafter. And Samuel rose up, and he went away to Ramah.

Ephesians 5: 8- 14

5:8 For you were darkness, in times past, but now you are light, in the Lord. So then, walk as sons of the light.
5:9 For the fruit of the light is in all goodness and justice and truth,
5:10 affirming what is well-pleasing to God.
5:11 And so, have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead, refute them.
5:12 For the things that are done by them in secret are shameful, even to mention.
5:13 But all things that are disputed are made manifest by the light. For all that is made manifest is light.
5:14 Because of this, it is said: “You who are sleeping: awaken, and rise up from the dead, and so shall the Christ enlighten you.”

John 9: 1- 41

9:1 And Jesus, while passing by, saw a man blind from birth.
9:2 And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?”
9:3 Jesus responded: “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but it was so that the works of God would be made manifest in him.
9:4 I must work the works of him who sent me, while it is day: the night is coming, when no one is able to work.
9:5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
9:6 When he had said these things, he spat on the ground, and he made clay from the spittle, and he smeared the clay over his eyes.
9:7 And he said to him: “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated as: one who has been sent). Therefore, he went away and washed, and he returned, seeing.
9:8 And so the bystanders and those who had seen him before, when he was a beggar, said, “Is this not the one who was sitting and begging?” Some said, “This is he.”
9:9 But others said, “Certainly not, but he is similar to him.” Yet truly, he himself said, “I am he.”
9:10 Therefore, they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?”
9:11 He responded: “That man who is called Jesus made clay, and he anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.’ And I went, and I washed, and I see.”
9:12 And they said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know.”
9:13 They brought the one who had been blind to the Pharisees.
9:14 Now it was the Sabbath, when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes.
9:15 Therefore, again the Pharisees questioned him as to how he had seen. And he said to them, “He placed clay over my eyes, and I washed, and I see.”
9:16 And so certain Pharisees said: “This man, who does not keep the Sabbath, is not from God.” But others said, “How could a sinful man accomplish these signs?” And there was a schism among them.
9:17 Therefore, they spoke again to the blind man, “What do you say about him who opened your eyes?” Then he said, “He is a Prophet.”
9:18 Therefore, the Jews did not believe, about him, that he had been blind and had seen, until they called the parents of him who had seen.
9:19 And they questioned them, saying: “Is this your son, whom you say was born blind? Then how is it that he now sees?”
9:20 His parents responded to them and said: “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind.
9:21 But how it is that he now sees, we do not know. And who opened his eyes, we do not know. Ask him. He is old enough. Let him speak for himself.”
9:22 His parents said these things because they were afraid of the Jews. For the Jews had already conspired, so that if anyone were to confess him to be the Christ, he would be expelled from the synagogue.
9:23 It was for this reason that his parents said: “He is old enough. Ask him.”
9:24 Therefore, they again called the man who had been blind, and they said to him: “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.”
9:25 And so he said to them: “If he is a sinner, I do not know it. One thing I do know, that although I was blind, now I see.”
9:26 Then they said to him: “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?”
9:27 He answered them: “I have already told you, and you heard it. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?”
9:28 Therefore, they cursed him and said: “You be his disciple. But we are disciples of Moses.
9:29 We know that God spoke to Moses. But this man, we do not know where he is from.”
9:30 The man responded and said to them: “Now in this is a wonder: that you do not know where he is from, and yet he has opened my eyes.
9:31 And we know that God does not hear sinners. But if anyone is a worshipper of God and does his will, then he heeds him.
9:32 From ancient times, it has not been heard that anyone has opened the eyes of someone born blind.
9:33 Unless this man were of God, he would not be able to do any such thing.”
9:34 They responded and said to him, “You were born entirely in sins, and you would teach us?” And they cast him out.
9:35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out. And when he had found him, he said to him, “Do you believe in the Son of God?”
9:36 He responded and said, “Who is he, Lord, so that I may believe in him?”
9:37 And Jesus said to him, “You have both seen him, and he is the one who is speaking with you.”
9:38 And he said, “I believe, Lord.” And falling prostrate, he worshipped him.
9:39 And Jesus said, “I came into this world in judgment, so that those who do not see, may see; and so that those who see, may become blind.”
9:40 And certain Pharisees, who were with him, heard this, and they said to him, “Are we also blind?”
9:41 Jesus said to them: “If you were blind, you would not have sin. Yet now you say, ‘We see.’ So your sin persists.”

March 18, 2023

Reading

Hosea:   6:1-6

6:1 In their tribulation, they will arise early to me. Come, let us return to the Lord.
6:2 For he has seized us, and he will heal us. He will strike, and he will cure us.
6:3 He will revive us after two days; on the third day he will raise us up, and we will live in his sight. We will understand, and we will continue on, so that we may know the Lord. His landing place has been prepared like the first light of morning, and he will come to us like the early and the late rains of the land.
6:4 What am I to do with you, Ephraim? What am I to do with you, Judah? Your mercy is like the morning mist, and like the dew passing away in the morning.
6:5 Because of this, I have cut them with the prophets, I have slain them with the words of my mouth; and your opinions will depart like the light.
6:6 For I desired mercy and not sacrifice, and knowledge of God more than holocausts.

Gospel

The Holy Gospel According to Luke    18: 9-14

18:9 Now about certain persons who consider themselves to be just, while disdaining others, he told also this parable:
18:10 “Two men ascended to the temple, in order to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector.
18:11 Standing, the Pharisee prayed within himself in this way: ‘O God, I give thanks to you that I am not like the rest of men: robbers, unjust, adulterers, even as this tax collector chooses to be.
18:12 I fast twice between Sabbaths. I give tithes from all that I possess.’
18:13 And the tax collector, standing at a distance, was not willing to even lift up his eyes to heaven. But he struck his chest, saying: ‘O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.’
18:14 I say to you, this one descended to his house justified, but not the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled; and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

March 17, 2023

Hosea 14: 2- 10

14:2 Israel, convert to the Lord your God. For you have been ruined by your own iniquity.
14:3 Take these words with you and return to the Lord. And say to him, “Remove all iniquity and accept the good. And we will repay the calves of our lips.
14:4 Assur will not save us; we will not ride on horses. Neither will we say any more, ‘The works of our hands are our gods,’ for those that are in you will have mercy on the orphan.”
14:5 I will heal their contrition; I will love them spontaneously. For my wrath has been turned away from them.
14:6 I will be like the dew; Israel will spring forth like the lily, and his root will spread out like that of the cedars of Lebanon.
14:7 His branches will advance, and his glory will be like the olive tree, and his fragrance will be like that of the cedars of Lebanon.
14:8 They will be converted, sitting in his shadow. They will live on wheat, and they will grow like a vine. His memorial will be like the wine of the cedars of Lebanon.
14:9 Ephraim will say, “What are idols to me any more?” I will listen to him, and I will set him straight like a healthy spruce tree. Your fruit has been found by me.
14:10 Who is wise and will understand this? Who has understanding and will know these things? For the ways of the Lord are straight, and the just will walk in them, but truly, the traitors will fall in them.

Mark 12: 28- 34

12:28 And one of the scribes, who had heard them arguing, drew near to him. And seeing that he had answered them well, he questioned him as to which was the first commandment of all.
12:29 And Jesus answered him: “For the first commandment of all is this: ‘Listen, O Israel. The Lord your God is one God.
12:30 And you shall love the Lord your God from your whole heart, and from your whole soul, and from your whole mind, and from your whole strength. This is the first commandment.’
12:31 But the second is similar to it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
12:32 And the scribe said to him: Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth that there is one God, and there is no other beside him;
12:33 and that he should be loved from the whole heart, and from the whole understanding, and from the whole soul, and from the whole strength. And to love one’s neighbor as one’s self is greater than all holocausts and sacrifices.”
12:34 And Jesus, seeing that he had responded wisely, said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that, no one dared to question him.

March 16, 2023

Jeremiah 7: 23- 28

7:23 But on this matter I did instruct them, saying: Listen to my voice, and I will be your God, and you will be my people. And walk in the entire way that I have commanded you, so that it may be well with you.
7:24 But they did not listen, nor did they incline their ear. Instead, they walked by their own will and in the depravity of their own wicked heart. And so, they went backward, and not forward,
7:25 from the day when their fathers went forth from the land of Egypt, even to this day. And I have sent all my servants, the prophets, to you, throughout the day, rising at first light and sending them.
7:26 But they have not listened to me, nor have they inclined their ear. Instead, they have stiffened their neck, and they have behaved worse than their fathers did.
7:27 And so, you will speak to them all these words, but they will not listen to you. And you will call to them, but they will not respond to you.
7:28 And you will say to them: This is the nation that has not listened to the voice of the Lord their God, nor accepted discipline. Faith has perished and been taken away from their mouth.

Luke 11: 14- 23

11:14 And he was casting out a demon, and the man was mute. But when he had cast out the demon, the mute man spoke, and so the crowds were amazed.
11:15 But some of them said, “It is by Beelzebub, the leader of demons, that he casts out demons.”
11:16 And others, testing him, required a sign from heaven of him.
11:17 But when he perceived their thoughts, he said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself will become desolate, and house will fall upon house.
11:18 So then, if Satan is also divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that it is by Beelzebub that I cast out demons.
11:19 But if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your own sons cast them out? Therefore, they shall be your judges.
11:20 Moreover, if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then certainly the kingdom of God has overtaken you.
11:21 When a strong armed man guards his entrance, the things that he possesses are at peace.
11:22 But if a stronger one, overwhelming him, has defeated him, he will take away all his weapons, in which he trusted, and he will distribute his spoils.
11:23 Whoever is not with me, is against me. And whoever does not gather with me, scatters.

March 15, 2023

Deuteronomy 4: 1, 5- 9

4:1 “And now, O Israel, listen to the precepts and judgments which I am teaching to you, so that, by doing these, you may live, and you may enter and possess the land, which the Lord, the God of your fathers, will give to you.
4:5 You know that I have taught you precepts as well as justices, just as the Lord my God has commanded me. And so shall you do in the land that you will possess.
4:6 And you shall observe and fulfill these in practice. For this is your wisdom and understanding in the sight of the peoples, so that, upon hearing all these precepts, they may say: ‘Lo, a wise and understanding people, a great nation.’
4:7 Neither is there any other nation so great, which has its gods so near to them, as our God is present to all our petitions.
4:8 For what other nation is there so renowned as to have ceremonies, and just judgments, and the entire law that I will set forth today before your eyes?
4:9 And so, guard yourself and your soul carefully. You should not forget the words that your eyes have seen, and do not let them be cut away from your heart, throughout all the days of your life. You shall teach them to your sons and to your grandsons,

Matthew 5: 17- 19

5:17 Do not think that I have come to loosen the law or the prophets. I have not come to loosen, but to fulfill.
5:18 Amen I say to you, certainly, until heaven and earth pass away, not one iota, not one dot shall pass away from the law, until all is done.
5:19 Therefore, whoever will have loosened one of the least of these commandments, and have taught men so, shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever will have done and taught these, such a one shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

March 14, 2023

Daniel 3: 25, 34- 43

3:25 Then Azariah, while standing, prayed in this manner, and opening his mouth in the midst of the fire, he said:
3:34 Do not hand us over forever, we ask you, because of your name, and do not abolish your covenant.
3:35 And do not withdraw your mercy from us, because of Abraham, your beloved, and Isaac, your servant, and Israel, your holy one.
3:36 You have spoken with them, promising that you would multiply their offspring like the stars of heaven and like the sand on the seashore.
3:37 For we, O Lord, are diminished more than all other peoples, and we are brought low throughout all the earth, this day, because of our sins.
3:38 Neither is there, at this time, a leader, or a ruler, or a prophet, nor any holocaust, or sacrifice, or oblation, or incense, or place of first fruits, in your eyes,
3:39 so that we may be able to find your mercy. Nevertheless, with a contrite soul and humble spirit, let us be accepted.
3:40 Just as in the holocausts of rams and bullocks, and as in thousands of fat lambs, so let our sacrifice be in your sight this day, in order to please you. For there is no shame for those who trust in you.
3:41 And now we follow you wholeheartedly, and we fear you, and we seek your face.
3:42 Do not put us to shame, but deal with us in agreement with your clemency and according to the multitude of your mercies.
3:43 And rescue us by your wonders and give glory to your name, O Lord.

Matthew 18: 21- 35

18:21 Then Peter, drawing near to him, said: “Lord, how many times shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Even seven times?”
18:22 Jesus said to him: “I do not say to you, even seven times, but even seventy times seven times.
18:23 Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is compared to a man who was king, who wanted to take account of his servants.
18:24 And when he had begun taking account, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.
18:25 But since he did not have any way to repay it, his lord ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children, and all that he had, in order to repay it.
18:26 But that servant, falling prostrate, begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will repay it all to you.’
18:27 Then the lord of that servant, being moved with pity, released him, and he forgave his debt.
18:28 But when that servant departed, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him one hundred denarius. And taking hold of him, he choked him, saying: ‘Repay what you owe.’
18:29 And his fellow servant, falling prostrate, petitioned him, saying: ‘Have patience with me, and I will repay it all to you.’
18:30 But he was not willing. Instead, he went out and had him sent to prison, until he would repay the debt.
18:31 Now his fellow servants, seeing what was done, were greatly saddened, and they went and reported to their lord all that was done.
18:32 Then his lord called him, and he said to him: ‘You wicked servant, I forgave you all your debt, because you pleaded with me.
18:33 Therefore, should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I also had compassion on you?’
18:34 And his lord, being angry, handed him over to the torturers, until he repaid the entire debt.
18:35 So, too, shall my heavenly Father do to you, if each one of you will not forgive his brother from your hearts.”

March 13, 2023

Second Book of Kings 5: 1- 15

5:1 Naaman, the leader of the military of the king of Syria, was a great and honorable man with his lord. For through him the Lord gave salvation to Syria. And he was a strong and rich man, but a leper.
5:2 Now robbers had gone out from Syria, and they had led away captive, from the land of Israel, a little girl. And she was in the service of the wife of Naaman.
5:3 And she said to her lady: “I wish that my lord had been with the prophet who is in Samaria. Certainly, he would have cured him of the leprosy that he has.”
5:4 And so, Naaman entered to his lord, and he reported to him, saying: “The girl from the land of Israel spoke in such a manner.”
5:5 And the king of Syria said to him, “Go, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” And when he had set out, he had taken with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand gold coins, and ten changes of fine clothing.
5:6 And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, in these words: “When you will receive this letter, know that I have sent to you my servant, Naaman, so that you may heal him of his leprosy.”
5:7 And when the king of Israel had read the letter, he tore his garments, and he said: “Am I God, so that I could take or give life, or so that this man would send to me to cure a man from his leprosy? Take notice and see that he is seeking occasions against me.”
5:8 And when Elisha, the man of God, had heard this, specifically, that the king of Israel had torn his garments, he sent to him, saying: “Why have you torn your garments? Let him come to me, and let him know that there is a prophet in Israel.”
5:9 Therefore, Naaman arrived with his horses and chariots, and he stood at the door of the house of Elisha.
5:10 And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go, and wash seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will receive health, and you will be clean.”
5:11 And becoming angry, Naaman went away, saying: “I thought that he would have come out to me, and, standing, would have invoked the name of the Lord, his God, and that he would have touched the place of the leprosy with his hand, and so have healed me.
5:12 Are not the Abana and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel, so that I might wash in them and be cleansed?” But then, after he had turned himself away and was leaving with indignation,
5:13 his servants approached him, and they said to him: “If the prophet had told you, father, to do something great, certainly you ought to have done it. How much more so, now that he has said to you: ‘Wash, and you will be clean?’ ”
5:14 So he descended and washed in the Jordan seven times, in accord with the word of the man of God. And his flesh was restored, like the flesh of a little child. And he was made clean.
5:15 And returning to the man of God, with his entire retinue, he arrived, and stood before him, and he said: “Truly, I know there is no other God, in all the earth, except in Israel. And so I beg you to accept a blessing from your servant.”

Luke 4: 24- 30

4:24 Then he said: “Amen I say to you, that no prophet is accepted in his own country.
4:25 In truth, I say to you, there were many widows in the days of Elijah in Israel, when the heavens were closed for three years and six months, when a great famine had occurred throughout the entire land.
4:26 And to none of these was Elijah sent, except to Zarephath of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.
4:27 And there were many lepers in Israel under the prophet Elisha. And none of these was cleansed, except Naaman the Syrian.”
4:28 And all those in the synagogue, upon hearing these things, were filled with anger.
4:29 And they rose up and drove him beyond the city. And they brought him all the way to the edge of the mount, upon which their city had been built, so that they might thrown him down violently.
4:30 But passing through their midst, he went away.

March 12, 2023

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First Reading

Exodus 17:3-7

17:3 And so the people were thirsty in that place, due to the scarcity of water, and they murmured against Moses, saying: “Why did you cause us to go out of Egypt, so as to kill us and our children, as well as our cattle, with thirst?”
17:4 Then Moses cried out to the Lord, saying: “What shall I do with this people? A little while more and they will stone me.”
17:5 And the Lord said to Moses: “Go before the people, and take with you some of the elders of Israel. And take in your hand the staff, with which you struck the river, and advance.
17:6 Lo, I will stand in that place before you, on the rock of Horeb. And you shall strike the rock, and water will go forth from it, so that the people may drink.” Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.
17:7 And he called the name of that place ‘Temptation,’ because of the arguing of the sons of Israel, and because they tempted the Lord, saying: “Is the Lord with us, or not?”

Second Reading

The Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans 5:1-2, 5-8

5:1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, let us be at peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ.
5:2 For through him we also have access by faith to this grace, in which we stand firm, and to glory, in the hope of the glory of the sons of God.
5:3 And not only that, but we also find glory in tribulation, knowing that tribulation exercises patience,
5:4 and patience leads to proving, yet truly proving leads to hope,
5:5 but hope is not unfounded, because the love of God is poured forth in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
5:6 Yet why did Christ, while we were still infirm, at the proper time, suffer death for the impious?
5:7 Now someone might barely be willing to die for the sake of justice, for example, perhaps someone might dare to die for the sake of a good man.
5:8 But God demonstrates his love for us in that, while we were yet sinners, at the proper time,

Gospel

John 4:5-42

4:1 And so, when Jesus realized that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made more disciples and baptized more than John,
4:2 (though Jesus himself was not baptizing, but only his disciples)
4:3 he left behind Judea, and he traveled again to Galilee.
4:4 Now he needed to cross through Samaria.
4:5 Therefore, he went into a city of Samaria which is called Sychar, near the estate which Jacob gave to his son Joseph.
4:6 And Jacob’s well was there. And so Jesus, being tired from the journey, was sitting in a certain way on the well. It was about the sixth hour.
4:7 A woman of Samaria arrived to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me to drink.”
4:8 For his disciples had gone into the city in order to buy food.
4:9 And so, that Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, being a Jew, are requesting a drink from me, though I am a Samaritan woman?” For the Jews do not associate with the Samaritans.
4:10 Jesus responded and said to her: “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who is saying to you, ‘Give me to drink,’ perhaps you would have made a request of him, and he would have given you living water.”
4:11 The woman said to him: “Lord, you do not have anything with which to draw water, and the well is deep. From where, then, do you have living water?
4:12 Surely, you are not greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and who drank from it, with his sons and his cattle?”
4:13 Jesus responded and said to her: “All who drink from this water will thirst again. But whoever shall drink from the water that I will give to him will not thirst for eternity.
4:14 Instead, the water that I will give to him will become in him a fountain of water, springing up into eternal life.”
4:15 The woman said to him, “Lord, give me this water, so that I may not thirst and may not come here to draw water.”
4:16 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and return here.”
4:17 The woman responded and said, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her: “You have spoken well, in saying, ‘I have no husband.’
4:18 For you have had five husbands, but he whom you have now is not your husband. You have spoken this in truth.”
4:19 The woman said to him: “Lord, I see that you are a Prophet.
4:20 Our fathers worshipped on this mountain, but you say that Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.”
4:21 Jesus said to her: “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you shall worship the Father, neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem.
4:22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know. For salvation is from the Jews.
4:23 But the hour is coming, and it is now, when true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth. For the Father also seeks such persons who may worship him.
4:24 God is Spirit. And so, those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”
4:25 The woman said to him: “I know that the Messiah is coming (who is called the Christ). And then, when he will have arrived, he will announce everything to us.”
4:26 Jesus said to her: “I am he, the one who is speaking with you.”
4:27 And then his disciples arrived. And they wondered that he was speaking with the woman. Yet no one said: “What are you seeking?” or, “Why are you talking with her?”
4:28 And so the woman left behind her water jar and went into the city. And she said to the men there:
4:29 “Come and see a man who has told me all the things that I have done. Is he not the Christ?”
4:30 Therefore, they went out of the city and came to him.
4:31 Meanwhile, the disciples petitioned him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.”
4:32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat which you do not know.”
4:33 Therefore, the disciples said to one another, “Could someone have brought him something to eat?”
4:34 Jesus said to them: “My food is to do the will of the One who sent me, so that I may perfect his work.
4:35 Do you not say, ‘There are still four months, and then the harvest arrives?’ Behold, I say to you: Lift up your eyes and look at the countryside; for it is already ripe for the harvest.
4:36 For he who reaps, receives wages and gathers fruit unto eternal life, so that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.
4:37 For in this the word is true: that it is one who sows, and it is another who reaps.
4:38 I have sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labors.”
4:39 Now many of the Samaritans from that city believed in him, because of the word of the woman who was offering testimony: “For he told me all the things that I have done.”
4:40 Therefore, when the Samaritans had come to him, they petitioned him to lodge there. And he lodged there for two days.
4:41 And many more believed in him, because of his own word.
4:42 And they said to the woman: “Now we believe, not because of your speech, but because we ourselves have heard him, and so we know that he is truly the Savior of the world.”

March 11, 2023

15:11 And he said: “A certain man had two sons.
15:12 And the younger of them said to the father, ‘Father, give me the portion of your estate which would go to me.’ And he divided the estate between them.
15:13 And after not many days, the younger son, gathering it all together, set out on a long journey to a distant region. And there, he dissipated his substance, living in luxury.
15:14 And after he had consumed it all, a great famine occurred in that region, and he began to be in need.
15:15 And he went and attached himself to one of the citizens of that region. And he sent him to his farm, in order to feed the swine.
15:16 And he wanted to fill his belly with the scraps that the swine ate. But no one would give it to him.
15:17 And returning to his senses, he said: ‘How many hired hands in my father’s house have abundant bread, while I perish here in famine!
15:18 I shall rise up and go to my father, and I will say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.
15:19 I am not worthy to be called your son. Make me one of your hired hands.’
15:20 And rising up, he went to his father. But while he was still at a distance, his father saw him, and he was moved with compassion, and running to him, he fell upon his neck and kissed him.
15:21 And the son said to him: ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. Now I am not worthy to be called your son.’
15:22 But the father said to his servants: ‘Quickly! Bring out the best robe, and clothe him with it. And put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet.
15:23 And bring the fatted calf here, and kill it. And let us eat and hold a feast.
15:24 For this son of mine was dead, and has revived; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to feast.
15:25 But his elder son was in the field. And when he returned and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.
15:26 And he called one of the servants, and he questioned him as to what these things meant.
15:27 And he said to him: ‘Your brother has returned, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has received him safely.’
15:28 Then he became indignant, and he was unwilling to enter. Therefore, his father, going out, began to plead with him.
15:29 And in response, he said to his father: ‘Behold, I have been serving you for so many years. And I have never transgressed your commandment. And yet, you have never given me even a young goat, so that I might feast with my friends.
15:30 Yet after this son of yours returned, who has devoured his substance with loose women, you have killed the fatted calf for him.’
15:31 But he said to him: ‘Son, you are with me always, and all that I have is yours.
15:32 But it was necessary to feast and to rejoice. For this brother of yours was dead, and has revived; he was lost, and is found.’ ”

March 10, 2023

37:17 And the man said to him: “They have withdrawn from this place. But I heard them saying, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’ ” Therefore, Joseph continued on after his brothers, and he found them at Dothan.
37:18 And, when they had seen him from afar, before he approached them, they decided to kill him.
37:19 And they said one to another: “Behold, the dreamer approaches.
37:20 Come, let us kill him and cast him into the old cistern. And let us say: ‘an evil wild beast has devoured him.’ And then it will become apparent what his dreams will do for him.”
37:21 But Reuben, on hearing this, strove to free him from their hands, and he said:
37:22 “Do not take away his life, nor shed blood. But throw him into this cistern, which is in the wilderness, and so keep your hands harmless.” But he said this, wanting to rescue him from their hands, so as to return him to his father.
37:23 And so, as soon as he came to his brothers, they very quickly stripped him of his tunic, which was ankle-length and woven of many colors,
37:24 and they cast him into an old cistern, which held no water.
37:25 And sitting down to eat bread, they saw some Ishmaelites, travelers coming from Gilead, with their camels, carrying spices, and resin, and oil of myrrh into Egypt.
37:26 Therefore, Judah said to his brothers: “What will it profit us, if we kill our brother and conceal his blood?
37:27 It is better that he be sold to the Ishmaelites, and then our hands will not be defiled. For he is our brother and our flesh.” His brothers agreed to his words.
37:28 And when the Midianite merchants were passing by, they drew him from the cistern, and they sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. And these led him into Egypt.

Matthew 21: 33- 43, 45- 46

21:33 Listen to another parable. There was a man, the father of a family, who planted a vineyard, and surrounded it with a hedge, and dug a press in it, and built a tower. And he loaned it out to farmers, and he set out to sojourn abroad.
21:34 Then, when the time of the fruits drew near, he sent his servants to the farmers, so that they might receive its fruits.
21:35 And the farmers apprehended his servants; they struck one, and killed another, and stoned yet another.
21:36 Again, he sent other servants, more than
before; and they treated them similarly.
21:37 Then, at the very end, he sent his son to them, saying: ‘They will revere my son.’
21:38 But the farmers, seeing the son, said among themselves: ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and then we will have his inheritance.’
21:39 And apprehending him, they cast him outside the vineyard, and they killed him.
21:40 Therefore, when the lord of the vineyard arrives, what will he do to those farmers?”
21:41 They said to him, “He will bring those evil men to an evil end, and he will loan out his vineyard to other farmers, who shall repay to him the fruit in its time.”
21:42 Jesus said to them: “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone that the builders have rejected has become the cornerstone. By the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes?’
21:43 Therefore, I say to you, that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you, and it shall be given to a people who shall produce its fruits.
21:45 And when the leaders of the priests, and the Pharisees had heard his parables, they knew that he was speaking about them.
21:46 And though they sought to take hold of him, they feared the crowds, because they held him to be a prophet.