February 2024: Mass Readings and Resources

In the gospel for Thursday of the 4th week in Ordinary Time, we see Jesus empowering his disciples and sending them out to spread his message of repentance and healing. He instructs them to travel light, relying on the hospitality of those they encounter, and to not waste time with those who do not welcome them.

The readings for the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord speak of purification and offering. What am I willing to present to God as an offering? What parts of my life do I need to purify? Where am I in need of more holiness? Can I offer some aspect of my own life as the gifts are brought up during the offertory?

St. Blaise was a fourth century bishop. He is known for his miraculous works. It is said that sick and wounded animals would find their way to him and he would heal them. But he is perhaps best known for healing a child who had a fishbone caught in his throat. For this reason, it is common to bless throats on his feast day.

The readings for the 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B cause us to reflect on Jesus’ power to heal us, both physically and spiritually. So we can focus this weekend on how Jesus has healed us and how we, in turn, can help heal the world. Here are some ideas.

St. Agatha lived in 3rd century Italy. She desired to be consecrated to the Lord and remain unmarried and able to be dedicated to a life of prayer. However she had many men who desired her.

The memorial of St. Paul Miki and Companions remembers twenty-six martyrs were crucified on a hillside overlooking Nagasaki, Japan in the year 1597.

In the gospel for Wednesday of the 5th week in ordinary time, Jesus challenges traditional Jewish ideas about purity and cleanliness. He the importance of internal, moral purity over external appearances or actions. True righteousness and holiness comes from a transformed heart.

In the gospel for Thursday of the 5th week in ordinary time, we encounter a story of a woman who came to Jesus seeking healing for her daughter. This woman, a Gentile, came from the region of Tyre, and she approached Jesus with great humility, falling at his feet and begging him to drive the demon out of her daughter. Jesus was moved by her faith and persistence, and he granted her request, healing her daughter.

In the gospel for Friday of the 5th week in Ordinary Time, Jesus heals a man who was deaf and had difficulty speaking. The man in the story was not just physically deaf and unable to speak, but he was also spiritually isolated and disconnected from the community around him.

St. Scholastica was the twin sister of St. Benedict. They lived during the sixth century. St. Scholastica founded a monastery of nuns. Each year she would meet St. Benedict near his monastery and they would spend the day talking and praying.

The readings for the 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B demonstrate the healing power of Jesus and his ability to rid us of what is unclean in our lives. So we can focus this weekend on issues such as chastity and Theology of the Body. Unclean language is also a good topic.

In the gospel for Monday of the 6th week in ordinary time, the Pharisees ask Jesus to show them a sign from heaven to prove His authority. Jesus, knowing that the Pharisees were seeking to test Him, refused to give them a sign. He recognized that they were not seeking the truth but were only looking to trap Him.

In the gospel for Tuesday of the 6th week in Ordinary Time, Jesus uses the metaphor of yeast to warn his disciples about the teachings of the Pharisees and Herod. In the context of this passage, the yeast of the Pharisees and Herod represents their false teachings and corrupting influence, which can lead people astray from the truth of God’s message.

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent. Catholics attending mass on this day have their foreheads marked with ashes as a sign of repentance.

In the gospel for Thursday after Ash Wednesday, Jesus speaks to his disciples about the cost of discipleship. He tells them that he must suffer, be rejected, and be killed, and that they too must take up their cross and follow him. Jesus reminds them that whoever wishes to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for his sake will save it.

In the gospel for Friday after Ash Wednesday, the disciples of John the Baptist ask Jesus why his disciples do not fast as they and the Pharisees do. Jesus responds by telling them that there is no need to fast while the bridegroom is with them, but that they will fast when he is taken away.

In the gospel for Saturday after Ash Wednesday, we hear Jesus calling Levi, a tax collector, to be his disciple. Despite the disdain and mistrust of the religious leaders, Jesus sees something in Levi that others do not, and he chooses him to follow him. Levi, overjoyed at this opportunity, holds a banquet for Jesus and invites all of his tax collector friends. This angers the Pharisees, who cannot understand why Jesus would associate with such sinners. Jesus responds with a powerful message, telling them that he has come to call sinners to repentance, not the righteous.

The readings for the 1st Sunday of Lent Year B get us thinking how God is faithful even when we wander away from him. So these readings get us started on our Lenten journey. It is time to commit to prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

The gospel for Monday of the 1st week of Lent is a powerful passage in which Jesus teaches us about the final judgment. This reading invites us to reflect on how we live our lives and how we treat others, particularly those who are marginalized and in need.

In the gospel for Tuesday of the 1st week of Lent, Jesus instructs His disciples on the proper way to pray. He tells them not to babble repetitively like the pagans, thinking that their prayers will be heard because of their many words. Instead, Jesus teaches them the Lord’s Prayer, which is a perfect example of how to approach God in prayer.

In the gospel for Wednesday of the 1st week of Lent Jesus, in response to a crowd seeking a sign from him, says that no sign will be given to it except for the sign of Jonah. Just as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, Jesus tells the crowd, so too will he be a sign to them. The people of Nineveh repented at the preaching of Jonah, and yet here was Jesus, someone even greater than Jonah, standing before the crowd, and yet they still demanded a sign.

The Feast of the Chair of St. Peter is not really just to celebrate a piece of furniture. Instead, it commemorates the importance of the role of St. Peter and all of his successors throughout history. So this feast recognizes the importance of the papal authority and reminds us of the role of the Pope as the shepherd of the Church.

In the gospel for Friday of the 1st week of Lent, Jesus exhorts us to surpass the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, who were known for their strict adherence to the law. Jesus reminds us that true righteousness is not about keeping the law as a mere obligation, but rather as a matter of the heart.

In the gospel for Saturday of the 1st week of Lent, Jesus instructs his followers to love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them. This message challenges us to move beyond our comfort zones and extend love and compassion to those who have hurt us.

The readings for the 2nd Sunday of Lent Year bmake us think of God’s revelation of himself to us and how we recognize him. Some possible themes for this weekend are prayer, listening to Jesus, and taking time away to encounter Jesus

The gospel for Monday of the 2nd week of Lent, reminds us of the importance of showing mercy to others, just as our Father in heaven shows mercy to us. Jesus tells us to stop judging and condemning others and instead to offer forgiveness, for it is by these actions that we will be forgiven ourselves.

The gospel for Tuesday of the 2nd week of Lent emphasizes the importance of living a humble and authentic Christian life. We are called to follow the teachings of Jesus and his example of servanthood. The scribes and Pharisees in this passage serve as a warning to us not to fall into the trap of hypocrisy and pride.

In the gospel for Wednesday of the 2nd week of Lent, Jesus reminds us that He did not come to be served, but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many. We are called to imitate Christ’s example by serving others with humility and love, putting the needs of others before our own.

The gospel for Thursday of the 2nd week of Lent emphasizes the importance of compassion and caring for the less fortunate. The parable highlights the stark contrast between the wealthy man, who lived in luxury and ignored the plight of the poor, and Lazarus, who suffered greatly but was ultimately rewarded with comfort in the bosom of Abraham.