Wednesday of the Third Week of Lent (March 2, 2016)

Reading 1 and//usccb.org/bible/deuteronomy/4and1 DT 4and1, 5-9 Moses spoke to the people and saidand Now, Israel, hear the statutes and decreeswhich I am teaching you to observe,that you may live, and may enter in and take possession of the landwhich the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you.Therefore, I teach you the statutes and decreesas the LORD, my God, has commanded me,that you may observe them in the land you are entering to occupy.Observe them carefully,for thus will you give evidenceof your wisdom and intelligence to the nations,who will hear of all these statutes and say,‘This great nation is truly a wise and intelligent people.’For what great nation is therethat has gods so close to it as the LORD, our God, is to uswhenever we call upon him?Or what great nation has statutes and decreesthat are as just as this whole lawwhich I am setting before you today? However, take care and be earnestly on your guardnot to forget the things which your own eyes have seen,nor let them slip from your memory as long as you live,but teach them to your children and to your children’s children.” Responsorial Psalm and//usccb.org/bible/psalms/147:12 PS 147:12-13, 15-16, 19-20 R. (12a)Praise the Lord, Jerusalem. Glorify the LORD, O Jerusalempraise your God, O Zion.For he has strengthened the bars of your gateshe has blessed your children within you. R.Praise the Lord, Jerusalem. He sends forth his command to the earthswiftly runs his word!He spreads snow like woolfrost he strews like ashes. R.Praise the Lord, Jerusalem. He has proclaimed his word to Jacob,his statutes and his ordinances to Israel.He has not done thus for any other nationhis ordinances he has not made known to them. R.Praise the Lord, Jerusalem. Verse Before The Gospel and//usccb.org/bible/john/6and63 SEE JN 6and63C, 68C Your words, Lord, are Spirit and lifeyou have the words of everlasting life. Gospel and//usccb.org/bible/matthew/5:17 MT 5:17-19 Jesus said to his disciplesand Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away,not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letterwill pass from the law,until all things have taken place.Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandmentsand teaches others to do sowill be called least in the Kingdom of heaven.But whoever obeys and teaches these commandmentswill be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.”