Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Lent

Send us Fan MailTuesday, 2 April 2025Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Lent Antiphons and Readings on p 283 of the Daily MissalFirst Reading: Ezekiel 47:1-9.12In those days: [The angel] brought me back to the door of the temple; and behold, water was issuing from below the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east); and the water was flowing down from below the right end of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar towards the east.. Then he brought me out by way of the north gate and led me round on the outside to the outer gate, that faces towards the east; and the water was coming out on the south side.Going on eastward with a line in his hand, the man measured a thousand cubits, and then led me through the water;| and it was ankle-deep. Again he measured a thousand and led me through the water; and it was knee-deep. Again he measured a thousand and led me through the water; and it was up to the loins. Again he measured a thousand, and it was a river that I could not pass through, for the water had risen; it was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be passed through. And he said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?”Then he led me back along the bank of the river. As I went back, I saw upon the bank of the river very many trees on the one side and on the other. And he said to me, “This water flows towards the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah; and when it enters the stagnant waters of the sea, the water will become fresh. And wherever the river goes every living creature which swarms will live, and there will be very many fish; for this water goes there, that the waters of the sea may become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes.And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing.”Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 46:2-3.5-6.8-9 (R. 8)R/. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.God is for us a refuge and strength, an ever-present help in time of distress: so we shall not fear though the earth should rock, though the mountains quake to the heart of the sea.The waters of a river give joy to God’s city, the holy place, the dwelling of the Most High. God is within, it cannot be shaken; God will help it at the dawning of the day.The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold. Come and behold the works of the Lord, the awesome deeds he has done on the earth.R/.Gospel: John 5:1-16There was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.  Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Hebrew called Bethzatha, which has five porticoes. In these lay a multitude of invalids, blind, lame, paralyzed. One man was there, who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him and knew that he had been lying there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is troubled, and while I am going another steps down before me.” Jesu