READINGS: LENT SUNDAY III

Invitatory Psalm & BACK

PSALMS and BACK

והאכילתהו לחם שכל — ומי תבונה תשקנו

Even Years: Exodus 22:19—23:9 זֹבֵחַ לָאֱלֹהִים יָחֳרָם בִּלְתִּי לַיהוָה לְבַדּוֹ׃ וְגֵר לֹא־תוֹנֶה וְלֹא תִלְחָצֶנּוּ כִּי־גֵרִים הֱיִיתֶם בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם׃ כָּל־אַלְמָנָה וְיָתוֹם לֹא תְעַנּוּן׃ אִם־עַנֵּה תְעַנֶּה אֹתוֹ כִּי אִם־צָעֹק יִצְעַק אֵלַי שָׁמֹעַ אֶשְׁמַע צַעֲקָתוֹ׃ וְחָרָה אַפִּי וְהָרַגְתִּי אֶתְכֶם בֶּחָרֶב וְהָיוּ נְשֵׁיכֶם אַלְמָנוֹת וּבְנֵיכֶם יְתֹמִים׃ אִם־כֶּסֶף תַּלְוֶה אֶת־עַמִּי אֶת־הֶעָנִי עִמָּךְ לֹא־תִהְיֶה לוֹ כְּנֹשֶׁה לֹא־תְשִׂימוּן עָלָיו נֶשֶׁךְ׃ אִם־חָבֹל תַּחְבֹּל שַׂלְמַת רֵעֶךָ עַד־בֹּא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ תְּשִׁיבֶנּוּ לוֹ׃ כִּי הִוא כְסוּתָה לְבַדָּהּ הִוא שִׂמְלָתוֹ לְעֹרוֹ בַּמֶּה יִשְׁכָּב וְהָיָה כִּי־יִצְעַק אֵלַי וְשָׁמַעְתִּי כִּי־חַנּוּן אָנִי׃ אֱלֹהִים לֹא תְקַלֵּל וְנָשִׂיא בְעַמְּךָ לֹא תָאֹר׃ מְלֵאָתְךָ וְדִמְעֲךָ לֹא תְאַחֵר בְּכוֹר בָּנֶיךָ תִּתֶּן־לִּי׃ כֵּן־תַּעֲשֶׂה לְשֹׁרְךָ לְצֹאנֶךָ שִׁבְעַת יָמִים יִהְיֶה עִם־אִמּוֹ בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי תִּתְּנוֹ־לִי׃ וְאַנְשֵׁי־קֹדֶשׁ תִּהְיוּן לִי וּבָשָׂר בַּשָּׂדֶה טְרֵפָה לֹא תֹאכֵלוּ לַכֶּלֶב תַּשְׁלִכוּן אֹתוֹ׃ לֹא תִשָּׂא שֵׁמַע שָׁוְא אַל־תָּשֶׁת יָדְךָ עִם־רָשָׁע לִהְיֹת עֵד חָמָס׃ לֹא־תִהְיֶה אַחֲרֵי־רַבִּים לְרָעֹת וְלֹא־תַעֲנֶה עַל־רִב לִנְטֹת אַחֲרֵי רַבִּים לְהַטֹּת׃ וְדָל לֹא תֶהְדַּר בְּרִיבוֹ׃ כִּי תִפְגַּע שׁוֹר אֹיִבְךָ אוֹ חֲמֹרוֹ תֹּעֶה הָשֵׁב תְּשִׁיבֶנּוּ לוֹ׃ כִּי־תִרְאֶה חֲמוֹר שֹׂנַאֲךָ רֹבֵץ תַּחַת מַשָּׂאוֹ וְחָדַלְתָּ מֵעֲזֹב לוֹ עָזֹב תַּעֲזֹב עִמּוֹ׃ לֹא תַטֶּה מִשְׁפַּט אֶבְיֹנְךָ בְּרִיבוֹ׃ מִדְּבַר־שֶׁקֶר תִּרְחָק וְנָקִי וְצַדִּיק אַל־תַּהֲרֹג כִּי לֹא־אַצְדִּיק רָשָׁע׃ וְשֹׁחַד לֹא תִקָּח כִּי הַשֹּׁחַד יְעַוֵּר פִּקְחִים וִיסַלֵּף דִּבְרֵי צַדִּיקִים׃ וְגֵר לֹא תִלְחָץ וְאַתֶּם יְדַעְתֶּם אֶת־נֶפֶשׁ הַגֵּר כִּי־גֵרִים הֱיִיתֶם בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם׃	19 Anyone who sacrifices to other gods will be put under the curse of destruction. 20 You will not molest or oppress aliens, for you yourselves were once aliens in Egypt. 21 You will not ill-treat widows or orphans; 22 if you ill-treat them in any way and they make an appeal to me for help, I shall certainly hear their appeal, 23 my anger will be roused and I shall put you to the sword; then your own wives will be widows and your own children orphans. 24 If you lend money to any of my people, to anyone poor among you, you will not play the usurer with him: you will not demand interest from him. 25 If you take someone's cloak in pledge, you will return it to him at sunset. 26 It is all the covering he has; it is the cloak he wraps his body in; what else will he sleep in? If he appeals to me, I shall listen. At least with me he will find compassion! 27 You will not revile God, nor curse your people's leader. 28 Do not be slow about making offerings from your abundance and your surplus. You will give me the first-born of your children; 29 you will do the same with your flocks and herds. For the first seven days the first-born will stay with its mother; on the eighth day you will give it to me. 30 'You must be people consecrated to me. You will not eat the meat of anything in the countryside savaged by wild animals; you will throw it to the dogs. 23:1 You will not spread false rumours. You will not lend support to the wicked by giving untrue evidence. 2 You will not be led into wrong-doing by the majority nor, when giving evidence in a lawsuit, side with the majority to pervert the course of justice; 3 nor will you show partiality to the poor in a lawsuit. 4 If you come on your enemy's ox or donkey straying, you will take it back to him. 5 If you see the donkey of someone who hates you fallen under its load, do not stand back; you must go and help him with it. 6 You will not cheat the poor among you of their rights at law. 7 Keep clear of fraud. Do not cause the death of the innocent or upright, and do not acquit the guilty. 8 You will accept no bribes, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and is the ruin of the cause of the upright. 9 You will not oppress the alien; you know how an alien feels, for you yourselves were once aliens in Egypt.
Odd Years: Hebrews 1:1-14 πολυμερῶς καὶ πολυτρόπως πάλαι ὁ θεὸς λαλήσας τοῖς πατράσιν ἐν τοῖς προφήταις ἐπ' ἐσχάτου τῶν ἡμερῶν τούτων ἐλάλησεν ἡμῖν ἐν υἱῷ, ὃν ἔθηκεν κληρονόμον πάντων, δι' οὗ καὶ ἐποίησεν τοὺς αἰῶνας: ὃς ὢν ἀπαύγασμα τῆς δόξης καὶ χαρακτὴρ τῆς ὑποστάσεως αὐτοῦ, φέρων τε τὰ πάντα τῷ ῥήματι τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ, καθαρισμὸν τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ποιησάμενος ἐκάθισεν ἐν δεξιᾷ τῆς μεγαλωσύνης ἐν ὑψηλοῖς, τοσούτῳ κρείττων γενόμενος τῶν ἀγγέλων ὅσῳ διαφορώτερον παρ' αὐτοὺς κεκληρονόμηκεν ὄνομα.       τίνι γὰρ εἶπέν ποτε τῶν ἀγγέλων, υἱός μου εἶ σύ, ἐγὼ σήμερον γεγέννηκά σε;       καὶ πάλιν, ἐγὼ ἔσομαι αὐτῷ εἰς πατέρα, καὶ αὐτὸς ἔσται μοι εἰς υἱόν;       ὅταν δὲ πάλιν εἰσαγάγῃ τὸν πρωτότοκον εἰς τὴν οἰκουμένην, λέγει,       καὶ προσκυνησάτωσαν αὐτῷ πάντες ἄγγελοι θεοῦ.             καὶ πρὸς μὲν τοὺς ἀγγέλους λέγει,             ὁ ποιῶν τοὺς ἀγγέλους αὐτοῦ πνεύματα,             καὶ τοὺς λειτουργοὺς αὐτοῦ πυρὸς φλόγα:                   πρὸς δὲ τὸν υἱόν,                   ὁ θρόνος σου, ὁ θεός, εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος,                   καὶ ἡ ῥάβδος τῆς εὐθύτητος ῥάβδος τῆς βασιλείας σου.                   ἠγάπησας δικαιοσύνην καὶ ἐμίσησας ἀνομίαν:                   διὰ τοῦτο ἔχρισέν σε ὁ θεός, ὁ θεός σου,                   ἔλαιον ἀγαλλιάσεως παρὰ τοὺς μετόχους σου:             καί, σὺ κατ' ἀρχάς, κύριε, τὴν γῆν ἐθεμελίωσας,             καὶ ἔργα τῶν χειρῶν σού εἰσιν οἱ οὐρανοί:             αὐτοὶ ἀπολοῦνται, σὺ δὲ διαμένεις:             καὶ πάντες ὡς ἱμάτιον παλαιωθήσονται,             καὶ ὡσεὶ περιβόλαιον ἑλίξεις αὐτούς,             ὡς ἱμάτιον καὶ ἀλλαγήσονται:             σὺ δὲ ὁ αὐτὸς εἶ καὶ τὰ ἔτη σου οὐκ ἐκλείψουσιν.       πρὸς τίνα δὲ τῶν ἀγγέλων εἴρηκέν ποτε,       κάθου ἐκ δεξιῶν μου ἕως ἂν θῶ τοὺς ἐχθρούς σου ὑποπόδιον τῶν ποδῶν σου;       οὐχὶ πάντες εἰσὶν λειτουργικὰ πνεύματα       εἰς διακονίαν ἀποστελλόμενα διὰ τοὺς μέλλοντας κληρονομεῖν σωτηρίαν;
1 At many moments in the past and by many means, God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets; but 2 in our time, the final days, he has spoken to us in the person of his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things and through whom he made the ages. 3 He is the reflection of God's glory and bears the impress of God's own being, sustaining all things by his powerful command; and now that he has purged sins away, he has taken his seat at the right hand of the divine Majesty on high. 4 So he is now as far above the angels as the title which he has inherited is higher than their own name. 5 To which of the angels, then, has God ever said: You are my Son, today I have fathered you, or: I shall be a father to him and he a son to me? 6 Again, when he brings the First-born into the world, he says: Let all the angels of God pay him homage. 7 To the angels, he says: appointing the winds his messengers and flames of fire his servants, 8 but to the Son he says: Your throne, God, is for ever and ever; and: the sceptre of his kingdom is a sceptre of justice; 9 you love uprightness and detest evil. This is why God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness, as none of your rivals. 10 And again: Long ago, Lord, you laid earth's foundations, the heavens are the work of your hands. 11 They pass away but you remain, they all wear out like a garment. 12 Like a cloak you will roll them up, like a garment, and they will be changed. But you never alter and your years are unending. 13 To which of the angels has God ever said: Take your seat at my right hand till I have made your enemies your footstool? 14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?

Even Years: Bernard of Clairvaux, The levels of humility and pride, III:6 (Opera omnia, Edit. Cisterc. 3, 1963, 20-21) Sed quia ipsa quoque veritatis agnitio in tribus gradibus consistit, ipsos breviter, si possum, distinguo, quatenus ex hoc clarius innotescat, ad quem trium veritatis, duodecimus humilitatis pertingat. Knowledge of the truth comprises three degrees, which I will try to set out as briefly as possible. Inquirimus namque veritatem in nobis, in proximis, in sui natura. In nobis, nosmetipsos diiudicando; in proximis, eorum malis compatiendo; in sui natura, mundo corde contemplando Observa sicut numerum, ita et ordinem. Primo te doceat Veritas ipsa, quod prius in proximis quam in sui debeat inquiri natura. Post haec accipies, cur prius in te quam in proximis inquirere debeas. In the first place we seek truth in ourselves; then we seek it in our neighbour, and last of all we search for truth in its own essential nature. We discover truth in ourselves when we pass judgment on ourselves; we find it in our neighbour when we suffer in sympathy with others; we search out its own nature by contemplation in purity of heart. In numero siquidem beatitudinum, quas suo sermone distinxit, prius misericordes quam mundicordes posuit. Misericordes quippe cito in proximis veritatem deprehendunt, dum suos affectus in illos extendunt, dum sic per caritatem se illis conformant, ut illorum vel bona, vel mala, tamquam propria sentiant. Cum infirmis infirmantur, cum scandalizatis uruntur. Gaudere cum gaudentibus, flere cum flentibus consueverunt. Hac caritate fraterna cordis acie mundata, veritatem delectantur in sui contemplari natura, pro cuius amore mala tolerant aliena. Qui vero se ita fratribus non consociant, sed e contrario aut flentibus insultant, aut gaudentibus derogant, dum quod in illis est, in se non sentiunt, quia similiter affecti non sunt, veritatem in proximis qualiter deprehendere possunt? Bene namque convenit illis illud vulgare proverbium: Nescit sanus quid sentiat aeger, aut plenus quid patiatur ieiunus. Et aeger aegro, et ieiunus ieiuno quanto propinquius, tanto familiarius compatiuntur Sicut enim pura veritas non nisi puro corde videtur, sic miseria fratris verius misero corde sentitur. Notice not only the number of these degrees, but also their order. Before we inquire into the nature of truth, Truth itself must first teach us to seek it in our neighbour. Then we shall understand why, before we find it in our neighbour, we must seek it in ourselves. The sequence of beatitudes given in the Sermon on the Mount places the merciful before the pure in heart. The merciful are those who are quick to see truth in their neighbour; they reach out to others in compassion and identify with them in love, responding to the joys and sorrows in the lives of others as if they were their own. They make themselves weak with the weak, and burn with indignation when others are led astray. They are always ready to share the joys of those who rejoice and the sorrows of those who mourn. Men whose inner vision has thus been cleansed by the exercise of charity toward their neighbour can delight in the contemplation of truth in itself, for it is love of truth which makes them take upon themselves the misfortunes of others. But can people find the truth in their neighbour if they refuse to support their brothers in this way —if on the contrary they either scoff at their tears or disparage their joys, being insensitive to all feelings but their own? There is a popular saying which well suits them: A healthy person cannot feel the pains of sickness, nor can one who is well-fed feel the pangs of hunger. The more familiar we are with sickness or hunger, the greater will be our compassion for others who are sick or hungry. Just as pure truth can only be seen by the pure in heart, so the sufferings of our fellow men and women are more truly felt by hearts that know suffering themselves. Sed ut ob alienam miseriam cor miserum habeas, oportet tuam prius agnoscas, ut proximi mentem in tua invenias, et ex te noveris qualiter illi subvenias, exemplo scilicet Salvatoris nostri, qui pati voluit ut compati sciret, miser fieri ut misereri disceret, ut quomodo de ipso scriptum est: Et didicit ex his quae passus est oboedientiam, ita disceret et misericordiam. Non quod ante misereri nesciret, cuius misericordia ab aeterno et usque in aeternum; sed quod natura sciebat ab aeterno, temporali didicit experimento. However, we cannot sympathize with the wretchedness of others until we first recognize our own. Then we shall understand the feelings of others by what we personally feel, and know how to come to their help. Such was the example shown by our Saviour, who desired to suffer himself in order that he might learn to feel compassion, and to be afflicted in order that he might learn how to show mercy. Scripture says of him that he learned the meaning of obedience through what he suffered. In the same way he learned the meaning of mercy. Not that the Lord whose mercy is from age to age was ignorant of mercy's meaning until then; he knew its nature from all eternity, but he learned it by personal experience during his days on earth.

Odd Years: John Chrysostom, Homily 2 on Hebrews, 3 (PG 63, 23.24-25) Εἶπεν ὁ Θεὸς, Γενηθήτω φῶς, ὅτι Πατὴρ ἐπέταξεν, ὁ δὲ Υἱὸς ἐπήκουσεν; Ἀλλ' ἰδοὺ καὶ ἐνταῦθα ῥήματι αὐτὸς ποιεῖ· Φέρων τε γὰρ, φησὶ, τὰ πάντα· τουτέστι, κυβερνῶν, τὰ διαπίπτοντα συγκρατῶν. Τοῦ γὰρ ποιῆσαι τὸν κόσμον οὐχ ἧττόν ἐστι τὸ συγκρατεῖν, ἀλλ', εἰ δεῖ τι καὶ θαυμαστὸν εἰπεῖν, καὶ μεῖζον. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων ἐστί τι παράγειν· τὸ δὲ, τὰ γεγονότα εἰς τὸ μὴ εἶναι μέλλοντα ἀναχωρεῖν, συνέχειν τε καὶ συνάπτειν πρὸς ἄλληλα διαστασιάζοντα, τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ μέγα καὶ θαυμαστὸν, καὶ πολλῆς δυνάμεως τεκμήριον The Son of God sustains the whole universe by his word of power. In the beginning God said: Let there be light. But here we see that the Son also acts by the power of his word, sustaining the whole universe, controlling and supporting what would otherwise disintegrate. The preservation of the world is, in fact, no less a task than its creation. If so bold a statement may be allowed, it is even greater, for in the one instance something is produced from nothing, while in the other created things are preserved from falling apart and returning to non-existence. This is indeed a great and wonderful work, a proof of immense power Εἶτα καὶ τὸ εὔκολον δηλῶν εἶπε· Φέρων. Οὐκ εἶπε· Κυβερνῶν, ἀπὸ μεταφορᾶς τῶν ἁπλῶς τῷ δακτύλῳ τι κινούντων, καὶ ποιούντων περιφέρεσθαι. Ἐνταῦθα καὶ τὸν ὄγκον τῆς κτίσεως ἔδειξε μέγαν ὄντα, καὶ τὸ μέγα οὐδὲν αὐτῷ ὄν. Εἶτα πάλιν τὸ ἀπονητὶ δείκνυσιν, εἰπών· Τῷ ῥήματι τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ. Καλῶς εἶπε· Τῷ ῥήματι· ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τὸ ῥῆμα παρ' ἡμῖν ψιλὸν εἶναι δοκεῖ, δείκνυσιν ὅτι οὐκ ἔστι ψιλὸν ἐπὶ Θεοῦ Καὶ ὥσπερ ἐκεῖνός φησι· Ζωὴ ἦν, τὸ διακρατητικὸν τῆς κτίσεως δηλῶν, ὅτι πάντων αὐτός ἐστιν ἡ ζωή· οὕτω καὶ οὗτός φησι· Φέρων τε τὰ πάντα τῷ ῥήματι τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ Δι' ἑαυτοῦ γὰρ, φησὶ, καθαρισμὸν ποιησάμενος τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἡμῶν. In saying that he sustains the whole universe, therefore, Scripture is telling us that the Lord makes light of the great burden of creation; it is no effort to him, for, the text adds, he does it by his word of power. Yes, truly: by his word. We may think of a word as something insubstantial, but Scripture shows us that it is not so with God. The expression used in the Letter to the Hebrews: he sustains the whole universe by his word of power, has the same significance as Saint John's message: In him was life. Both indicate the power of the Word to preserve his creation, since he is himself the life of the whole universe. The text continues: In his own person he has made purification for our sins. Εἰπὼν περὶ τῶν θαυμαστῶν ἐκείνων καὶ μεγάλων, τῶν ἀνωτάτω, λέγει λοιπὸν καὶ περὶ τῆς εἰς ἀνθρώπους αὐτοῦ κηδεμονίας. Μάλιστα μὲν γὰρ καὶ ἐκεῖνο καθολικὸν ἦν, τὸ, Φέρων τε τὰ πάντα· πλὴν ἀλλὰ τοῦτο πολλῷ μεῖζον. Καὶ τοῦτο δὲ καθολικόν· τὸ γὰρ αὐτοῦ μέρος, πάντας ἔσωσεν· Thus after speaking of these great and wonderful matters, Scripture goes on to describe God's providential care for the human race. He sustains the whole universe is, indeed, an all-embracing statement; but the continuation is greater still and no less universal, since the salvation offered to all of us comes through the Son of God. ἐπεὶ καὶ ὁ Ἰωάννης εἰπών· Ζωὴ ἦν, καὶ τὴν πρόνοιαν αὐτοῦ δηλώσας, πάλιν λέγει, ὅτι Καὶ φῶς, τὸ αὐτὸ τοῦτο δηλῶν. Δι' ἑαυτοῦ, φησὶ, καθαρισμὸν ποιησάμενος τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἡμῶν, ἐκάθισεν ἐν δεξιᾷ τῆς μεγαλωσύνης ἐν ὑψηλοῖς. Δύο τίθησιν ἐνταῦθα τῆς κηδεμονίας αὐτοῦ τεκμήρια μέγιστα· τό τε καθαρίσαι τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἡμᾶς, καὶ τὸ δι' ἑαυτοῦ τοῦτο ποιῆσαι. Moreover, when John had pointed out God's providence in the words In him was life, he went on to say: And in him was light. The same declaration is made here to the Hebrews: When he had made purification for our sins, he took his seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high. Here we are given two signs of God's care for us: we are cleansed from sin, and this is brought about through the Son of God himself. Καὶ πολλαχοῦ ὁρᾷς αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τούτῳ σεμνυνόμενον, οὐ μόνον ἐπὶ τῇ καταλλαγῇ τῇ πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ διὰ τοῦ Υἱοῦ τοῦτο γεγενῆσθαι· καὶ γὰρ οὕτω τὸ μέγα δῶρον μεῖζον γεγένηται τῷ διὰ τοῦ Υἱοῦ. Εἰπὼν γάρ· Ἐκάθισεν ἐν δεξιᾷ, καὶ, Καθαρισμὸν δι' ἑαυτοῦ ποιησάμενος τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἡμῶν, καὶ ἀναμνήσας τοῦ σταυροῦ, ταχέως τὸν περὶ τῆς ἀναστάσεως καὶ τῆς ἀναλήψεως λόγον ἐπήγαγε How many texts there are that glory not only in our reconciliation with God but in its accomplishment through his Son! So immense a gift becomes even greater when it is given us through him. Now when Scripture says that after making purification for our sins, he took his seat at God's right hand, it recalls the Cross to our minds and then proceeds at once to teaching on the resurrection and ascension. Ταῦτ' οὖν εἰδότες, μηδὲν ἐπαισχυνώμεθα, μὴ μέγα φρονῶμεν. Εἰ γὰρ αὐτὸς Θεὸς ὢν καὶ Δεσπότης καὶ Θεοῦ Υἱὸς, οὐ παρῃτήσατο μορφὴν δούλου λαβεῖν· πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἡμᾶς ἅπαντα δεῖ ποιεῖν, κἂν ταπεινὰ ᾖ. Since we know these things, therefore, let us be neither ashamed nor presumptuous. He who was Lord and God and Son of God did not refuse to assume the condition of a slave; surely then we ought to embrace every task that is laid upon us, no matter how humble and lowly it may be.

GOSPELS FOR THE THREE CYCLES
*A* , *B* , *C*

Prayer