Wednesday of the Second Week of Lent
Featured Saints
St. Cunegundes, empress († 1040). Wife of Saint Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor, she founded monasteries, built churches and patronized evangelization. After her husband’s death, she entered one of the monasteries she had founded where she died a holy death.
St. Anselm of Nonantola, abbot (†803). He renounced the Duchy of Friuli to enter a monastery. He founded a hospital for pilgrims and a monastery in Nonantola, Italy, of which he later became abbot.
St. Marinus and St. Asterius, martyrs (†c. 260). Roman citizens
killed at Caesarea in Palestine during the persecution of Emperor Gallienus for professing the Christian Faith.
St. Teresa Eustochio Verzeri, virgin (†1852). Foundress of the
Congregation of the Daughters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Bergamo, Italy.
St. Katharine Drexel, virgin (†1955). Foundress of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament in Philadelphia. She was an
educator of black and native Americans, generously employing her inheritance for this objective.
Blessed Peter di Jeremia, priest (†1452). Dominican religious, formed as a preacher by St. Vincent Ferrer; he dedicated himself entirely to the salvation of souls. He died in Palermo, Italy.
Blesseds Liberatus Weiss, Samuel Marzorati and Michael Pius Fasoli of Zerbo, priests and martyrs (†1716). Franciscan religious missionaries stoned to death in Gondar, Ethiopia.
Blessed Peter René Rogue, priest and martyr (†1796). Lazarist priest, martyred during the French Revolution for rejecting the Civil Constitution of the Clergy.
Blessed Frederick of Friesland, abbot (†1175). He was a parish priest in Hallum, Holland, and later abbot of the Premonstratensian monastery of Mariengaarde.
Blessed Jacopino de’Canepacci, religious (†1508). Carmelite lay brother from the monastery of Vercelli, Italy.
Mass Readings
First Reading – Jer 18:18-20
The people of Judah and the citizens of Jerusalem said, “Come, let us contrive a plot against Jeremiah. It will not mean the loss of instruction from the priests, nor of counsel from the wise, nor of messages from the prophets. And so, let us destroy him by his own tongue; let us carefully note his every word.”
Heed me, O LORD, and listen to what my adversaries say. Must good be repaid with evil that they should dig a pit to take my life? Remember that I stood before You to speak in their behalf, to turn away your wrath from them.
Responsorial Psalm – Ps 31:5-6, 14, 15-16 (R. 17b)
R. Save me, O Lord, in your kindness.
You will free me from the snare they set for me,
for You are my refuge.
Into your hands I commend my spirit;
You will redeem me, O LORD, O faithful God. R.
I hear the whispers of the crowd, that frighten me from every side,
as they consult together against me, plotting to take my life. R.
But my trust is in You, O LORD;
I say, “You are my God.”
In your hands is my destiny; rescue me
from the clutches of my enemies and my persecutors. R.
Gospel – Mt 20:17-28
As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem,
He took the Twelve disciples aside by themselves,
and said to them on the way,
“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem,
and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests
and the scribes,
and they will condemn him to death,
and hand him over to the Gentiles
to be mocked and scourged and crucified,
and He will be raised on the third day.”
Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Jesus with her sons
and did Him homage, wishing to ask Him for something.
He said to her, “What do you wish?”
She answered Him,
“Command that these two sons of mine sit,
one at your right and the other at your left, in your kingdom.”
Jesus said in reply,
“You do not know what you are asking.
Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?”
They said to Him, “We can.”
He replied,
“My chalice you will indeed drink,
but to sit at my right and at my left,
this is not mine to give
but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”
When the ten heard this,
they became indignant at the two brothers.
But Jesus summoned them and said,
“You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them,
and the great ones make their authority over them felt.
But it shall not be so among you.
Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.
Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve
and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
