Saturday of the 2nd Week of Lent
Mass Readings
First Reading – Mic 7:14-15, 18-20
Shepherd your people with your staff, the flock of your inheritance, That dwells apart in a woodland, in the midst of Carmel. Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old; As in the days when you came from the land of Egypt, show us wonderful signs. Who is there like you, the God who removes guilt and pardons sin for the remnant of his inheritance; Who does not persist in anger forever, but delights rather in clemency, And will again have compassion on us, treading underfoot our guilt? You will cast into the depths of the sea all our sins; You will show faithfulness to Jacob, and grace to Abraham, As you have sworn to our fathers from days of old.
Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 103:1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12 (R. 8a)
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits. R.
He pardons all your iniquities,
he heals all your ills.
He redeems your life from destruction,
he crowns you with kindness and compassion. R.
He will not always chide,
nor does he keep his wrath forever.
Not according to our sins does he deal with us,
nor does he requite us according to our crimes. R.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he put our transgressions from us. R.
Gospel – Lk 15:1-3, 11-32
Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus, but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” So to them Jesus addressed this parable. “A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of your estate that should come to me.’ So the father divided the property between them. After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings and set off to a distant country where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation. When he had freely spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he found himself in dire need. So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend the swine. And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed, but nobody gave him any. Coming to his senses he thought, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food to eat, but here am I, dying from hunger. I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.”‘ So he got up and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him. His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.’ But his father ordered his servants, ‘Quickly, bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.’ Then the celebration began. Now the older son had been out in the field and, on his way back, as he neared the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing. He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean. The servant said to him, ‘Your brother has returned and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ He became angry, and when he refused to enter the house, his father came out and pleaded with him. He said to his father in reply, ‘Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends. But when your son returns who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him you slaughter the fattened calf.’ He said to him, ‘My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours. But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.'”
Featured Saints
Blessed Clemens August Graf von Galen, bishop (†1946). As Bishop of Münster, Germany, he was a reflection of the Gospel figure of the Good Shepherd to the people. He openly fought against the errors of national-socialism and the violation of human and Church rights. His courage earned him the name “the Lion of Münster.”
St. Benvenuto Scotivoli, Bishop (†1282). Franciscan, contemporary of St. Bonaventure, he was appointed Bishop of Osimo, Italy by Pope Urban IV. He fostered peace in the city and chose to die on the bare ground, in keeping with the spirit of the Friars Minor.
St. Basil of Ancyra, priest and martyr (†362). He vigorously fought against Arianism. He was tortured to death in present-day Ankara, Turkey, during the reign of Julian the Apostate, for exhorting Christians to persevere in the Faith.
St. Nicholas Owen, martyr (†1606). A Jesuit lay brother and skilled carpenter, he spent a good part of his life building hiding places for priests during the persecutions in England under Elizabeth I and James I. He was imprisoned and died under torture, without providing any information on the locations of his numerous “priest holes”.
St. Lea, widow (†circa 383). Roman lady whose virtues were eulogized by St. Jerome.
Blessed Francis Chartier, priest and martyr (†1794). He was beheaded in Angers, during the French Revolution.
St. Epaphroditus, “Fellow worker and fellow soldier” of St. Paul the Apostle, who referred to him as such in the Epistle to the Philippians.
Blesseds Marianus Górecki and Bronislaw Komorowski, priests and martyrs (†1940). During the occupation of Poland by Nazi troops, they were killed on Good Friday by a firing squad in a field outside of the Stutthof Concentration Camp.
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