ENTRANCE ANTIPHON

When he calls to me, I will answer; I will rescue him and give him honour. Long life and contentment will be his.

 

OPENING PRAYER

Father, through our observance of Lent, help us to understand the meaning of your Son’s death and resurrection, and teach us to reflect it in our lives.

 

FIRST READING

A reading from the book of Genesis 2, 7-9, 3, 1-7

Theme: The creation and fall of our first parents.

The Lord God fashioned man of dust from the soil. Then he breathed into his nostrils a breath of life, and thus man became a living being. The Lord God planted a garden in Eden which is in the east, and there he put the man he had fashioned. The Lord God cause to spring up from the soil every kind of tree, enticing to look at and good to eat, with the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the middle of the garden. The serpent was the most subtle of all the wild beasts that the Lord God had made. It asked the woman, “Did God really say you were not to eat from any of the trees in the garden?” Then woman answered the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees in the garden. But of the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden God said, “You must not eat it, nor touch it, under pain of death.” Then the serpent said to the woman: “No! You will not die! God knows in fact that on the day you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods, knowing good and evil.”

The woman saw that the trees was good to eat and pleasing to the eye, and that it was desirable for the knowledge that it could give. So she took some of its fruit and ate it. She gave some also to her husband who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened and they realized that they were naked. So they sewed fig-leaves together to make themselves loin-cloths.

This is the word of the Lord.

 

RESPONSORIAL PSALM Ps. 50, 3-6. 12-14. 17. R.v. 3

R. Have mercy on us, O Lord, for we have sinned.

1. Have mercy on me, God, in your kindness. In your compassion blot out my offence. O wash me more and more from my guilt and cleanse me from my sin. (R.)

2. My offences truly I know them; my sin is always before me. Against you, you alone, have I sinned; what is evil in your sight I have done. (R.)

3. A pure heart create for me, O God, put a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from your presence, nor deprive me of your holy Spirit. (R.)

4. Give me again the joy of your help; with a spirit of fervor sustain me, O Lord, open my lips and my mouth shall declare your praise. (R.)

 

SECOND READING

A reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Romans 5:12-19

Theme: The results of the gift outweigh the results of one man’s sin.

Sin entered the world through one man, and through sin death, and thus death has spread through the whole human race because everyone has sinned. Sin existed in the world long before the Law was given. There was no law and so no one could be accused of the sin of “law-breaking”, yet death reigned over all from Adam to Moses, even though their sin, unlike that of Adam, was not a matter of breaking a law.

Adam prefigured the One to come, but the gift itself considerably outweighed the fall. If it is certain that through one man’s fall so many died, it is even more certain that divine grace, coming through the one man, Jesus Christ, came to so many as an abundant free gift. The results of the gift also outweigh the results of one man’s sin: for after one single fall came judgement with a verdict of condemnation, now after many falls comes grace with its verdict of acquittal. If it is certain that death reigned over everyone as the consequence of one man’s fall, it is even more certain that one man, Jesus Christ, will cause everyone to reign in life who receives the free gift that he does not deserve, of being made righteous. Again, as one man’s fall brought condemnation on everyone, so the good act of one man brings everyone life and makes them justified. As by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by one man’s obedience many will be made righteous.

This is the word of the Lord

 

ACCLAMATION Matthew 4, 4

Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. Alleluia!

 

GOSPEL

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew 4:1-11

Theme: Jesus fasted for forty days and the tempter came

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit out into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, after which he was very hungry, and the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to turn into loaves.” But he replied, “Scriptures says: Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” The devil then took him to the holy city and made him stand on the parapet of the Temple. “If you are the Son of God” he said “throw yourself down; for scripture says: He will put you in his angel’s charge, and they will support you on their hands in case you hurt your foot against a stone.” Jesus said to him, “Scripture also says: You must not put the Lord your God to the test.” Next, taking him to a very high mountain, the devil showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “I will give you all these” he said, “if you fall at my feet and worship me.” Then Jesus replied, “Be off, Satan! For scripture says: ‘You must worship the Lord your God, and serve him alone.” Then the devil left him, and angels appeared and looked after him.

This is the Gospel of the Lord.

 

PRAYER OVER THE GIFTS

Lord, make us worthy to bring you these gifts. May this sacrifice help to change our lives.

COMMUNION ANTIPHON

Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.

 

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

Father, you increase our faith and hope, you deepen our love in this communion. Help us to live by your words and to seek Christ, our bread of life, who is Lord for ever and ever.

 

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