DAILY READINGS & REFLECTION
MARCH 13, 2025
THURSDAY OF THE FIRST WEEK OF LENT
FIRST READING
ESTHER C:12, 14-16, 23-25
And Esther the queen, seized with deathly anxiety, fled to the Lord; And she prayed to the Lord God of Israel, and said: "O my Lord, thou only art our King; help me, who am alone and have no helper but thee, for my danger is in my hand. Ever since I was born I have heard in the tribe of my family that thou, O Lord, didst take Israel out of all the nations, and our fathers from among all their ancestors, for an everlasting inheritance, and that thou didst do for them all that thou didst promise. Remember, O Lord; make thyself known in this time of our affliction, and give me courage, O King of the gods and Master of all dominion! Put eloquent speech in my mouth before the lion, and turn his heart to hate the man who is fighting against us, so that there may be an end of him and those who agree with him. But save us by thy hand, and help me, who am alone and have no helper but thee, O Lord.
The Word of the Lord
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RESPONSORIAL PSALM
PSALMS 137(138):1-3, 7-8
Response: Lord, on the day I called for help, thou answered me.
I give thee thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart;
before the gods I sing thy praise.
I bow down toward thy holy temple
and give thanks to thy name.
R. Lord, on the day I called for help, thou answered me.
For thy steadfast love and thy faithfulness;
for thou hast exalted above everything
thy name and thy word.
On the day I called, thou didst answer me,
my strength of soul thou didst increase.
R. Lord, on the day I called for help, thou answered me.
Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
thou dost preserve my life;
thou dost stretch out thy hand against the wrath of my enemies,
and thy right hand delivers me.
The LORD will fulfil his purpose for me;
thy steadfast love, O LORD, endures for ever.
Do not forsake the work of thy hands.
R. Lord, on the day I called for help, thou answered me.
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GOSPEL
Ask and you will receive from your Father in heaven
MATTHEW 7:7-12
7 "Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or what man of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! 12 So whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them; for this is the law and the prophets."
The Gospel of the Lord
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REFLECTION
DAILY QUOTE FROM THE EARLY CHURCH FATHERS
The gift of being good, by Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"He who has given us the gift of being gives us also the gift of being good. He gives to those who have turned back to Him. He even sought them out before they were converted and when they were far from his ways!"
(Commentary on Psalm 103, 2)
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Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)
The Revised Standard Version of the Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1965, 1966 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.