Saturday of the First Week of Lent.

Send us Fan MailSaturday, 15 March 2025Saturday of the First Week of Lent. Antiphons and Readings on p. 217 of the Daily Missal.First Reading: Deuteronomy 26:16-19Moses spoke to the people, saying:  “This day the Lord your God  commands you to do these statutes and ordinances;  you shall therefore be careful to do them  with all your heart and with all your soul.  You have declared this day  concerning the Lord that he is your God  and that you will walk in his ways,  and keep his statutes and his commandments  and his ordinances, and will obey his voice;  and the Lord has declared this day concerning you  that you are a people for his own possession,  as he has promised you,  and that you are to keep all his commandments,  that he will set you high above all nations that he has made,  in praise and in fame and in honour,  and that you shall be a people holy to the Lord your God,  as he has spoken.”The Word of the Lord.Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 119:1-2.4-5.7-8 (R. 1b)R/. Blessed are those who walk in the law of the Lord!Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord! Blessed are those who keep his decrees! With all their hearts they seek him.You have laid down your precepts to be carefully kept. May my ways be firm in keeping your statutes.I will thank you with an upright heart, as I learn your just judgments. I will keep your statutes; do not ever forsake me.R/. Blessed are those who walk in the law of the Lord!Glory and praise to you, O Christ. Behold, now is the acceptable time, behold now is the day of salvation. Glory and praise to you, O Christ.Gospel: Matthew 5:43-48At that time:  Jesus said to his disciples,  “You have heard that it was said,  ‘You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’  But I say to you,  Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,  so that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven;  for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good,  and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.  For if you love those who love you, what reward have you?  Do not even the tax collectors do the same?  And if you salute only your brothers and sisters,  what more are you doing than others?  Do not even the Gentiles do the same?  You, therefore, must be perfect,  as your heavenly Father is perfect.