Entrance Antiphon:  Cf. Ps 16: 6, 8

To you I call, for you will surely heed me, O God; turn your ear to me; hear my words. Guard me as the apple of your eye; in the shadow of your wings protect me.

Collect

May your grace not forsake us, O Lord, we pray, but make us dedicated to your holy service and at all times obtain for us your help. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

First reading: Daniel 3:25,34-43

Azariah stood in the heart of the fire, and he began to pray: Oh! Do not abandon us for ever, for the sake of your name; do not repudiate your covenant, do not withdraw your favour from us, for the sake of Abraham, your friend, of Isaac your servant, and of Israel your holy one, to whom you promised descendants as countless as the stars of heaven and as the grains of sand on the seashore. Lord, now we are the least of all the nations, now we are despised throughout the world, today, because of our sins. We have at this time no leader, no prophet, no prince, no holocaust, no sacrifice, no oblation, no incense, no place where we can offer you the first-fruits and win your favour. But may the contrite soul, the humbled spirit be as acceptable to you as holocausts of rams and bullocks, as thousands of fattened lambs: such let our sacrifice be to you today, and may it be your will that we follow you wholeheartedly, since those who put their trust in you will not be disappointed. And now we put our whole heart into following you, into fearing you and seeking your face once more. Do not disappoint us; treat us gently, as you yourself are gentle and very merciful. Grant us deliverance worthy of your wonderful deeds, let your name win glory, Lord.

Psalm 24 (25):4-6, 7a-9

R/     Remember your mercy, Lord.

1.      Lord, make me know your ways. Lord, teach me your paths. Make me walk in your truth, and teach me: for you are God my saviour.

2.      In you I hope all day long because of your goodness, O Lord. Remember your mercy, Lord, and the love you have shown from of old. Do not remember the sins of my youth. In your love remember me.

3.      The Lord is good and upright. He shows the path to those who stray, He guides the humble in the right path, He teaches his way to the poor.

Gospel Acclamation cf. Lk 8:15

Glory and praise to you, O Christ! Blessed are those who,  with a noble and generous heart, take the word of God to themselves and yield a harvest through their perseverance. Glory and praise to you, O Christ!

Gospel: Matthew 18:21-35

Peter went up to Jesus and said, ‘Lord, how often must I forgive my brother if he wrongs me? As often as seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘Not seven, I tell you, but seventy-seven times. And so the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who decided to settle his accounts with his servants. When the reckoning began, they brought him a man who owed ten thousand talents; but he had no means of paying, so his master gave orders that he should be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, to meet the debt. At this, the servant threw himself down at his master’s feet. “Give me time,” he said, “and I will pay the whole sum.” And the servant’s master felt so sorry for him that he let him go and cancelled the debt. Now as this servant went out, he happened to meet a fellow servant who owed him one hundred denarii; and he seized him by the throat and began to throttle him. “Pay what you owe me,” he said. His fellow servant fell at his feet and implored him, saying, “Give me time and I will pay you.” But the other would not agree; on the contrary, he had him thrown into prison till he should pay the debt. His fellow servants were deeply distressed when they saw what had happened, and they went to their master and reported the whole affair to him. Then the master sent for him. “You wicked servant,” he said. “I cancelled all that debt of yours when you appealed to me. Were you not bound, then, to have pity on your fellow servant just as I had pity on you?” And in his anger the master handed him over to the torturers till he should pay all his debt. And that is how my heavenly Father will deal with you unless you each forgive your brother from your heart.’

Prayer over the Offerings

Grant us, O Lord, we pray, that this saving sacrifice may cleanse us of our faults and become an oblation pleasing to your almighty power. Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon: Cf. Ps 14: 1-2

Lord, who may abide in your tent, and dwell on your holy mountain? Whoever walks without fault and does what is just.

Prayer after Communion

May the holy partaking of this mystery give us life, O Lord, we pray, and grant us both pardon and protection. Through Christ our Lord.

Prayer over the people

O God, founder and ruler of your people, drive away the sins that assail them, that they may always be pleasing to you and ever safe under your protection. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Meditation

Appreciation is a mark of love. The servant who was forgiven and had his debts cancelled abused the love and freedom that was given him. Instead of showing and extending the same love and mercy to another, he decided to throttle his debtor. At various moments, God grants us the opportunity to reciprocate the love he has for us to others. Hence, the Lord’s Prayer says, ‘…and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us…’ Love must be continuous and shown to others Let us, therefore look kindly by always sharing love to all.

Entrance Antiphon:  Ps 144: 8-9

The Lord is kind and full of compassion, slow to anger, abounding in mercy. How good is the Lord to all, compassionate to all his creatures.

Collect

O God, who grant us by glorious healing remedies while still on earth to be partakers of the things of heaven, guide us, we pray, through this present life and bring us to that light in which you dwell. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

First reading: Micah 7:14-15, 18-20

With shepherd’s crook, O Lord, lead your people to pasture, the flock that is your heritage, living confined in a forest with meadow land all around. Let them pasture in Bashan and Gilead as in the days of old. As in the days when you came out of Egypt grant us to see wonders. What god can compare with you: taking fault away, pardoning crime, not cherishing anger for ever but delighting in showing mercy? Once more have pity on us, tread down our faults, to the bottom of the sea throw all our sins. Grant Jacob your faithfulness, and Abraham your mercy, as you swore to our fathers from the days of long ago.

Psalm 102 (103):1-4, 9-12

R/ The Lord is compassion and love.

1.      My soul, give thanks to the Lord all my being, bless his holy name. My soul, give thanks to the Lord and never forget all his blessings.

2. It is he who forgives all your guilt, who heals every one of your ills, who redeems your life from the grave, who crowns you with love and compassion.

3.      His wrath will come to an end; he will not be angry for ever. He does not treat us according to our sins nor repay us according to our faults.

4. For as the heavens are high above the earth so strong is his love for those who fear him. As far as the east is from the west so far does he remove our sins.

Gospel Acclamation: Lk15:18

Glory and praise to you, O Christ! I will leave this place and go to my father and say: ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.’ Glory and praise to you, O Christ!

Gospel: Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

The tax collectors and the sinners were all seeking the company of Jesus to hear what he had to say, and the Pharisees and the scribes complained. ‘This man,’ they said ‘welcomes sinners and eats with them.’ So he spoke this parable to them: ‘A man had two sons. The younger said to his father, “Father, let me have the share of the estate that would come to me.” So the father divided the property between them. A few days later, the younger son got together everything he had and left for a distant country where he squandered his money on a life of debauchery. When he had spent it all, that country experienced a severe famine, and now he began to feel the pinch, so he hired himself out to one of the local inhabitants who put him on his farm to feed the pigs. And he would willingly have filled his belly with the husks the pigs were eating but no one offered him anything. Then he came to his senses and said, “How many of my father’s paid servants have more food than they want, and here am I dying of hunger! I will leave this place and go to my father and say: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as one of your paid servants.” So he left the place and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with pity. He ran to the boy, clasped him in his arms and kissed him tenderly. Then his son said, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son.” But the father said to his servants, “Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the calf we have been fattening, and kill it; we are going to have a feast, a celebration, because this son of mine was dead and has come back to life; he was lost and is found.” And they began to celebrate. Now the elder son was out in the fields, and on his way back, as he drew near the house, he could hear music and dancing. Calling one of the servants he asked what it was all about. “Your brother has come,” replied the servant, “and your father has killed the calf we had fattened because he has got him back safe and sound.” He was angry then and refused to go in, and his father came out to plead with him; but he answered his father, “Look, all these years I have slaved for you and never once disobeyed your orders, yet you never offered me so much as a kid for me to celebrate with my friends. But, for this son of yours, when he comes back after swallowing up your property – he and his women – you kill the calf we had been fattening.” The father said, “My son, you are with me always and all I have is yours. But it was only right we should celebrate and rejoice, because your brother here was dead and has come to life; he was lost and is found.”’

Praye over the Offerings

Through these sacred gifts, we pray, O Lord, may our redemption yield its fruits, restraining us from unruly desires and leading us onward to the gifts of salvation. Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon: Lk. 15: 32

You must rejoice, my son, for your brother was dead and has come to life; he was lost and is found.

Prayer after Communion

May your divine Sacrament, O Lord, which we have received, fill the inner depths of our heart and, by its working mightily within us, make us partakers of its grace. Through Christ our Lord.

Prayer over the People

May the ears of your mercy be open, O Lord, to the prayers of those who call upon you; and that you may grant what they desire, have them ask what is pleasing to you. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Meditation

The problem the younger son had is that he did not know how to manage his property.  This is probably because he did not know how it came about and that is why it took him no time to waste it. It is difficult to build love as human beings, and when we are at the receiving end, we do not know how others struggle to give us what we need, want, and probably do not even deserve. While God continues to call us to his limitless love, we pray not to waste it but to instead extend it to others.

Entrance Antiphon :  Cf. Ps 30: 2, 5

In you, O Lord, I put my trust, let me never be put to shame; release me from the snare they have hidden for me, for you indeed are my refuge.

Collect

Grant, we pray, almighty God, that, purifying us by the sacred practice of penance, you may lead us in sincerity of heart  to attain the holy things to come. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

First reading : Genesis 37:3-4, 12-13, 17-28

Israel loved Joseph more than all his other sons, for he was the son of his old age, and he had a coat with long sleeves made for him. But his brothers, seeing how his father loved him more than all his other sons, came to hate him so much that they could not say a civil word to him. His brothers went to pasture their father’s flock at Shechem. Then Israel said to Joseph, ‘Are not your brothers with the flock at Shechem? Come, I am going to send you to them.’ So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan. They saw him in the distance, and before he reached them they made a plot among themselves to put him to death. ‘Here comes the man of dreams,’ they said to one another. ‘Come on, let us kill him and throw him into some well; we can say that a wild beast devoured him. Then we shall see what becomes of his dreams.’ But Reuben heard, and he saved him from their violence. ‘We must not take his life’ he said. ‘Shed no blood,’ said Reuben to them; ‘throw him into this well in the wilderness, but do not lay violent hands on him’ – intending to save him from them and to restore him to his father. So, when Joseph reached his brothers, they pulled off his coat, the coat with long sleeves that he was wearing, and catching hold of him they threw him into the well, an empty well with no water in it. They then sat down to eat. Looking up they saw a group of Ishmaelites who were coming from Gilead, their camels laden with gum, tragacanth, balsam and resin, which they were taking down into Egypt. Then Judah said to his brothers, ‘What do we gain by killing our brother and covering up his blood? Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, but let us not do any harm to him. After all, he is our brother, and our own flesh.’ His brothers agreed. Now some Midianite merchants were passing, and they drew Joseph up out of the well. They sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty silver pieces, and these men took Joseph to Egypt.

Psalm 104 (105):16-21

R/     Remember the wonders the Lord has done.

1.      The Lord called down a famine on the land; he broke the staff that supported them. He had sent a man before them, Joseph, sold as a slave.

2.      His feet were put in chains, his neck was bound with iron, until what he said came to pass and the word of the Lord proved him true.

3.      Then the king sent and released him the ruler of the people set him free, making him master of his house and ruler of all he possessed.

Gospel Acclamation: John 3:16

Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus! God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son: everyone who believes in him has eternal life. Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus!

Gospel: Matthew 21:33-43,45-46

Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people, ‘Listen to another parable. There was a man, a landowner, who planted a vineyard; he fenced it round, dug a winepress in it and built a tower; then he leased it to tenants and went abroad. When vintage time drew near he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his produce. But the tenants seized his servants, thrashed one, killed another and stoned a third. Next he sent some more servants, this time a larger number, and they dealt with them in the same way. Finally he sent his son to them. “They will respect my son,” he said. But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, “This is the heir. Come on, let us kill him and take over his inheritance.” So they seized him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?’ They answered, ‘He will bring those wretches to a wretched end and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will deliver the produce to him when the season arrives.’ Jesus said to them, ‘Have you never read in the scriptures: It was the stone rejected by the builders that became the keystone. This was the Lord’s doing and it is wonderful to see ‘I tell you, then, that the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.’ When they heard his parables, the chief priests and the scribes realised he was speaking about them, but though they would have liked to arrest him they were afraid of the crowds, who looked on him as a prophet.

Prayer over the Offerings

May your merciful grace prepare your servants, O God, for the worthy celebration of these mysteries, and lead them to it by a devout way of life. Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon: 1 Jn. 4: 10

God loved us, and sent his Son  as expiation for our sins.

Prayer after Communion

Having received this pledge of eternal salvation, we pray, O Lord, that we may set our course so well as to attain the redemption you promise. Through Christ our Lord.

Prayer over the Peoplet

Grant your people, O Lord, we pray, health of mind and body, that by constancy in good deeds they may always merit the defence of your protection. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Meditation

The parable of the landowner, his messengers, and his workers tell us something about God. God is very patient with our failures and wayward attitudes. He gave us prophets and preachers; and today priests, bishops, religious men and women. But what do we do? We talk against them, we kidnap some, insult others and bear grudges against them. Remember, they are serving in the name of Christ. If you touch them, you have also inflicted pain on Christ.

Entrance Antiphon : Cf. Ps 138: 23-24

Test me, O God, and know my thoughts. See that my path is not wicked, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Collect

O God, who delight in innocence and restore it, direct the hearts of your servants to yourself, that, caught up in the fire of your Spirit, we may be found steadfast in faith and effective in works. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

First reading : Jeremiah 17:5-10

The Lord says this: ‘A curse on the man who puts his trust in man, who relies on things of flesh, whose heart turns from the Lord. He is like dry scrub in the wastelands: if good comes, he has no eyes for it, he settles in the parched places of the wilderness, a salt land, uninhabited. A blessing on the man who puts his trust in the Lord, with the Lord for his hope. He is like a tree by the waterside that thrusts its roots to the stream: when the heat comes it feels no alarm, its foliage stays green; it has no worries in a year of drought, and never ceases to bear fruit. The heart is more devious than any other thing, perverse too: who can pierce its secrets? I, the Lord, search to the heart, I probe the loins, to give each man what his conduct and his actions deserve.’

Psalm 1:1-4, 6

R/     Happy the man who has placed his trust in the Lord.

1. Happy indeed is the man who follows not the counsel of the wicked; nor lingers in the way of sinners nor sits in the company of scorners, but whose delight is the law of the Lord and who ponders his law day and night.

2. He is like a tree that is planted beside the flowing waters, that yields its fruit in due season and whose leaves shall never fade; and all that he does shall prosper.

3. Not so are the wicked, not so! For they like winnowed chaff shall be driven away by the wind. for the Lord guards the way of the just but the way of the wicked leads to doom.

Gospel Acclamation: Lk15:18

Praise to you, O Christ, king of eternal glory! I will leave this place and go to my father and say: ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. Praise to you, O Christ, king of eternal glory!

Gospel : Luke 16:19-31

Jesus said to the Pharisees: ‘There was a rich man who used to dress in purple and fine linen and feast magnificently every day. And at his gate there lay a poor man called Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to fill himself with the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table. Dogs even came and licked his sores. Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. In his torment in Hades he looked up and saw Abraham a long way off with Lazarus in his bosom. So he cried out, “Father Abraham, pity me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in agony in these flames.” “My son,” Abraham replied, “remember that during your life good things came your way, just as bad things came the way of Lazarus. Now he is being comforted here while you are in agony. But that is not all: between us and you a great gulf has been fixed, to stop anyone, if he wanted to, crossing from our side to yours, and to stop any crossing from your side to ours.” The rich man replied, “Father, I beg you then to send Lazarus to my father’s house, since I have five brothers, to give them warning so that they do not come to this place of torment too.” “They have Moses and the prophets,” said Abraham, “let them listen to them.” “Ah no, father Abraham,” said the rich man, “but if someone comes to them from the dead, they will repent.” Then Abraham said to him, “If they will not listen either to Moses or to the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone should rise from the dead.”’

Prayer over the Offerings

By this present sacrifice, we pray, O Lord, sanctify our observance, that what Lenten discipline outwardly declares it may inwardly bring about. Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon :  Ps 118:1

Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord.

Prayer after Communion

May this sacrifice, O God, remain active in its effects and work ever more strongly within us. Through Christ our Lord.

Prayer over the People

Abide with your servants, O Lord, who implore the help of your grace, that they may receive from you the support and guidance of your protection. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Meditation

Situations of suffering actually call for pity and compassion for the victim, but this is not what we see in today’s Gospel between the rich man and Lazarus. While on earth, he never had compassion for Lazarus or offer him as much as a meal. When he died and was in pain, he cried to Abraham to have compassion on him and help with just a drop of water to cool his tongue. Dear friends, show compassion. Suffer with and assist those who suffer. Remember, when we help them, we are helping Christ and sharing his suffering.