March 15, 2019
I hope you have a nice day today too.
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Friday of the First Week of Lent
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Gospel : Matthew 5:20-26
20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, there is no way you will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.
21 "You have heard that it was said to the ancient ones, 'You shall not murder;'☆ and 'Whoever murders will be in danger of the judgement.'
22 But I tell you, that everyone who is angry with his brother without a cause § will be in danger of the judgement; and whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' ** will be in danger of the council; and whoever says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of Gehenna. ††
23 "If therefore you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has anything against you,
24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
25 Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are with him on the way; lest perhaps the prosecutor deliver you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and you be cast into prison.
26 Most certainly I tell you, you shall by no means get out of there, until you have paid the last penny.‡‡
☆5:21: Exodus 20:13
§5:22: NU omits "without a cause".
**5:22: "Raca" is an Aramaic insult, related to the word for "empty" and conveying the idea of empty-headedness.
††5:22: or, Hell
‡‡5:26: literally, kodrantes. A kodrantes was a small copper coin worth about 2 lepta (widow's mites)-- not enough to buy very much of anything.
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Ezekiel 18:21-28
21 But if the wicked turn from all his sins that he has committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
22 None of his transgressions that he has committed shall be remembered against him: in his righteousness that he has done he shall live.
23 Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked? says the Lord GOD; and not rather that he should return from his way, and live?
24 But when the righteous turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? None of his righteous deeds that he has done shall be remembered: in his trespass that he has trespassed, and in his sin that he has sinned, in them shall he die.
25 Yet you say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, house of Israel: Is my way not equal? Aren't your ways unequal?
26 When the righteous man turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and dies therein; in his iniquity that he has done shall he die.
27 Again, when the wicked man turns away from his wickedness that he has committed, and does that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.
28 Because he considers, and turns away from all his transgressions that he has committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
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* The World English Bible
http://ebible.org/web/
◇ March 15, 2019 Daily Mass Reading
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/2019/19_03_15.mp3
◇ Daily Readings March 15, 2019
http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/031519.cfm
◇ Liturgical Calendar
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/calendarday.php?date=2019-03-15
◇ Zondervan King James Audio Bible
http://www.biblegateway.com/audio/dramatized/kjv/Matt.5
◇ King James Version Bible Online
http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/book.php?book=Matthew&chapter=5&verse=
◇ The New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE)
http://www.usccb.org/bible/books-of-the-bible/index.cfm
◇ Douay-Rheims Bible
http://www.drbo.org/
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