Fourth Sunday of Lent – readings

1st Reading – Josiah 5:9A, 10-12

9 The LORD said to Joshua, “Today I have removed the reproach of Egypt from you.”
10 While the Israelites were encamped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho,
they celebrated the Passover on the evening of the fourteenth of the month.
11 On the day after the Passover, they ate of the produce of the land in the form of unleavened cakes and parched grain. On that same day
12 after the Passover, on which they ate of the produce of the land, the manna ceased. No longer was there manna for the Israelites, who that year ate of the yield of the land of Canaan.

Responsorial Psalm – Psalms 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7.

R. (9a) Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
2 I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
3 Let my soul glory in the LORD;
the lowly will hear me and be glad.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
4 Glorify the LORD with me,
let us together extol his name.
5 I sought the LORD, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
6 Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,
and your faces may not blush with shame.
7 When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,
and from all his distress he saved him.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

2nd Reading – 2 Corinthians 5:17-21

17 Brothers and sisters: Whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come.
18 And all this is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ
and given us the ministry of reconciliation,
19 namely, God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting their trespasses against them and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
20 So we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us.
We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
21 For our sake he made him be sin who did not know sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.
Verse Before The Gospel – Luke 15:18
18 I will get up and go to my Father and shall say to him:
Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.

Gospel – Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

1 Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus,
2 but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
3 So to them, Jesus addressed this parable:
11 “A man had two sons,
12 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.
13 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.
14 When he had freely spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he found himself in dire need.
15 So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend the swine.
16 And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed, but nobody gave him any.
17 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.
18 I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
19 I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.”’
20 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.
21 His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.’
22 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.
23 Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast,
24 because this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.’ Then the celebration began.
25 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.
26 He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean.
27 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.’
28 He became angry, and when he refused to enter the house, his father came out and pleaded with him.
29 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.
30 But when your son returns who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him, you slaughter the fattened calf.’
31 He said to him, ‘My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours.
32 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.’”

3rd Reading – Deuteronomy 26:4-10

Moses spoke to the people, saying:
4 “The priest shall receive the basket from you and shall set it in front of the altar of the LORD, your God.
5 Then you shall declare before the Lord, your God, ‘My father was a wandering Aramean who went down to Egypt with a small household and lived there as an alien. But there he became a nation great, strong, and numerous.
6 When the Egyptians maltreated and oppressed us, imposing hard labor upon us,
7 we cried to the LORD, the God of our fathers, and he heard our cry and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression.
8 He brought us out of Egypt with his strong hand and outstretched arm, with terrifying power, with signs and wonders;
9 and bringing us into this country, he gave us this land flowing with milk and honey.
10 Therefore, I have now brought you the firstfruits of the products of the soil which you, O LORD, have given me.’ And having set them before the Lord, your God, you shall bow down in his presence.”

Responsorial Psalm – Psalms 91:1-2, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15.

R. (cf. 15b) Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble.
1 You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High,
who abide in the shadow of the Almighty,
2 say to the LORD, “My refuge and fortress,
my God in whom I trust.”
R. Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble.
10 No evil shall befall you,
nor shall affliction come near your tent,
11 For to his angels he has given command about you,
that they guard you in all your ways.
R. Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble.
12 Upon their hands they shall bear you up,
lest you dash your foot against a stone.
13 You shall tread upon the asp and the viper;
you shall trample down the lion and the dragon.
R. Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble.
14 Because he clings to me, I will deliver him;
I will set him on high because he acknowledges my name.
15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in distress;
I will deliver him and glorify him.
R. Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble.

4th Reading – Romans 10:8-13

Brothers and sisters:
8 What does Scripture say? The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart – that is, the word of faith that we preach -,
9 for, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
10 For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.
11 For the Scripture says, No one who believes in him will be put to shame.
12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all, enriching all who call upon him.
13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Verse Before The Gospel – Matthew 4:4B

4B One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.

Gospel – Luke 4:1-13

1 Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the desert
2 for forty days, to be tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days and when they were over he was hungry.
3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.”
4 Jesus answered him, “It is written, One does not live on bread alone.”
5 Then he took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a single instant.
6 The devil said to him, “I shall give to you all this power and glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I may give it to whomever I wish.
7 All this will be yours, if you worship me.”
8 Jesus said to him in reply, “It is written: You shall worship the Lord, your God, and him alone shall you serve.”
9 Then he led him to Jerusalem, made him stand on the parapet of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here,
10 for it is written: He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,
11 and: With their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.”
12 Jesus said to him in reply, “It also says, You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.”
13 When the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from him for a time.