The 4th Sunday of Lent is also called Laetare Sunday. We are about halfway through Lent. On this day, we consider how Jesus heals us and saves us from our sin. Find helps and ideas for youth ministry and catechists below.
Click on the appropriate year below to see resources, themes, homilies, games, lesson plans, and more.
Mass Readings for the 4th Sunday of Lent Year A
- First Reading – 1 Samuel 16:1B, 6-7, 10-13A: “Do not judge from his appearance or from his lofty stature, because I have rejected him. Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance but the LORD looks into the heart.”
- Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 23: “The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.”
- Second Reading – Ephesians 5:8-14: “Take no part in the fruitless works of darkness; rather expose them, for it is shameful even to mention the things done by them in secret; but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for everything that becomes visible is light.”
- Gospel – John 9:1-41: “This is what is so amazing, that you do not know where he is from, yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if one is devout and does his will, he listens to him. It is unheard of that anyone ever opened the eyes of a person born blind.”
Mass Readings for the 4th Sunday of Lent Year B?
- First Reading – 2 Chronicles 36:14-16, 19-23: “Whoever, therefore, among you belongs to any part of his people, let him go up, and may his God be with him!”
- Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 137: “Let my tongue be silenced, if I ever forget you!”
- Second Reading – Ephesians 2:4-10: For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so no one may boast.”
- Gospel – John 3:14-21: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.”
Mass Readings for the 4th Sunday of Lent Year C
- First Reading – Joshua 5:9A, 10-12: “On that same day 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 – Psalm 34: “Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.”
- Second Reading – 2 Corinthians 5:17-21: “We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”
- Gospel – Luke 15:1-3, 11-32: “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.”
More About Lectionary Cycles
Learn more about the difference between a Bible and a Lectionary, how the Lectionary is arranged, and translations of the Bible used at Mass.
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