Thursday, February 26
Thursday of the First Week of Lent – Year A
First Reading – Esther C:12, 14-16, 23-25
And Esther the queen, seized with deathly anxiety, fled to the Lord; And she lay on the earth together with all her maidservants, from morning until evening, and said: “God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob, blessed are you; help me, who am alone and have no helper but you, for my danger is in my hand. Ever since I was born I have heard in the tribe of my family that you, O Lord, took Israel out of all the nations, and our fathers from among all their ancestors, for an everlasting inheritance, and that you did for them all that you promised. Remember, O Lord; make yourself 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 from the hand of our enemies; turn our mourning into gladness and our affliction into well being.
Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 138:1-2, 2-3, 7-8
℟ Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart; before the angels I sing your praise;
I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your mercy and your faithfulness.
℟ Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
You have exalted above everything your name and your word.
On the day I called, you answered me, my strength of soul you increased.
℟ Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me.
The Lord will fulfil his purpose for me; your mercy, O Lord, endures for ever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.
℟ Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
Verse Before the Gospel – Psalm 51:12, 14
Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.
Deliver me from bloodguilt, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your deliverance.
Gospel – Matthew 7:7-12
“Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 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! So whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them; for this is the law and the prophets.
Revised Standard Version, Second Catholic Edition, Ignatius Press, Copyright ⓒ 2006.
