Readings for the Third Sunday of LentReadings for the Year BReading I Ex 17:3-7 In those days, in their thirst for water, the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “Why did you ever make us leave Egypt? Was it just to have us die here of thirst  with our children and our livestock?” So Moses cried out to the LORD,  “What shall I do with this people? a little more and they will stone me!” The LORD answered Moses, “Go over there in front of the people,  along with some of the elders of Israel,  holding in your hand, as you go,  the staff with which you struck the river. I will be standing there in front of you on the rock in Horeb. Strike the rock, and the water will flow from it  for the people to drink.” This Moses did, in the presence of the elders of Israel. The place was called Massah and Meribah,  because the Israelites quarreled there and tested the LORD, saying, “Is the LORD in our midst or not?” Responsorial Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9 R. (8)  If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts. Come, let us sing joyfully to the LORD;     let us acclaim the Rock of our salvation. Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;     let us joyfully sing psalms to him.R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts. Come, let us bow down in worship;     let us kneel before the LORD who made us. For he is our God,     and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides.R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts. Oh, that today you would hear his voice:     “Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,     as in the day of Massah in the desert, Where your fathers tempted me;     they tested me though they had seen my works.”R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts. Reading II Rom 5:1-2, 5-8 Brothers and sisters: Since we have been justified by faith,  we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,  through whom we have gained access by faith  to this grace in which we stand,  and we boast in hope of the glory of God. And hope does not disappoint,  because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts  through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. For Christ, while we were still helpless,  died at the appointed time for the ungodly. Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person,  though perhaps for a good person one might even find courage to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. Verse Before the Gospel Cf. Jn 4:42, 15 Lord, you are truly the Savior of the world; give me living water, that I may never thirst again. Gospel Jn 4:5-42 Jesus came to a town of Samaria called Sychar,  near the plot of land that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there. Jesus, tired from his journey, sat down there at the well. It was about noon. A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” His disciples had gone into the town to buy food. The Samaritan woman said to him, “How can you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?” —For Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans.— Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God and who is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink, ‘ you would have asked him  and he would have given you living water.” The woman said to him,  “Sir, you do not even have a bucket and the cistern is deep;  where then can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob,  who gave us this cistern and drank from it himself  with his children and his flocks?” Jesus answered and said to her,  “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again;  but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst;  the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I may not be thirsty  or have to keep coming here to draw water.” Jesus said to her, “Go call your husband and come back.” The woman answered and said to him, “I do not have a husband.” Jesus answered her, “You are right in saying, ‘I do not have a husband.’ For you have had five husbands,  and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true.” The woman said to him, “Sir, I can see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain;  but you people say that the place to worship is in Jerusalem.” Jesus said to her, “Believe me, woman, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You people worship what you do not understand;  we worship what we understand,  because salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here,  when true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth;  and indeed the Father seeks such people to worship him. God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and truth.” The woman said to him, “I know that the Messiah is coming, the one called the Christ;  when he comes, he will tell us everything.” Jesus said to her, “I am he, the one speaking with you.” At that moment his disciples returned,  and were amazed that he was talking with a woman,  but still no one said, “What are you looking for?”  or “Why are you talking with her?” The woman left her water jar  and went into the town and said to the people,  “Come see a man who told me everything I have done. Could he possibly be the Christ?” They went out of the town and came to him. Meanwhile, the disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.” So the disciples said to one another,  “Could someone have brought him something to eat?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of the one who sent me and to finish his work. Do you not say, ‘In four months the harvest will be here’? I tell you, look up and see the fields ripe for the harvest. The reaper is already receiving payment  and gathering crops for eternal life,  so that the sower and reaper can rejoice together. For here the saying is verified that ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap what you have not worked for;  others have done the work,  and you are sharing the fruits of their work.”  Many of the Samaritans of that town began to believe in him because of the word of the woman who testified,  “He told me everything I have done.” When the Samaritans came to him, they invited him to stay with them;  and he stayed there two days. Many more began to believe in him because of his word,  and they said to the woman,  “We no longer believe because of your word;  for we have heard for ourselves,  and we know that this is truly the savior of the world.” OR: Jn 4:5-15, 19b-26, 39a, 40-42 Jesus came to a town of Samaria called Sychar,  near the plot of land that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there. Jesus, tired from his journey, sat down there at the well. It was about noon. A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” His disciples had gone into the town to buy food. The Samaritan woman said to him,  “How can you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?” —For Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans.— Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God and who is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink, ‘ you would have asked him  and he would have given you living water.” The woman said to him,  “Sir, you do not even have a bucket and the cistern is deep;  where then can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob,  who gave us this cistern and drank from it himself  with his children and his flocks?” Jesus answered and said to her,  “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again;  but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst;  the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I may not be thirsty  or have to keep coming here to draw water. “I can see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain;  but you people say that the place to worship is in Jerusalem.” Jesus said to her, “Believe me, woman, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father  neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You people worship what you do not understand;  we worship what we understand,  because salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here,  when true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth;  and indeed the Father seeks such people to worship him. God is Spirit, and those who worship him  must worship in Spirit and truth.” The woman said to him, “I know that the Messiah is coming, the one called the Christ;  when he comes, he will tell us everything.” Jesus said to her, “I am he, the one who is speaking with you.” Many of the Samaritans of that town began to believe in him. When the Samaritans came to him, they invited him to stay with them;  and he stayed there two days. Many more began to believe in him because of his word,  and they said to the woman,  “We no longer believe because of your word; for we have heard for ourselves,  and we know that this is truly the savior of the world.” - - -Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Reading 1 Mi 7:14-15, 18-20 Shepherd your people with your staff,the flock of your inheritance,That dwells apart in a woodland,in the midst of Carmel.Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead,as in the days of old;As in the days when you came from the land of Egypt,show us wonderful signs.Who is there like you, the God who removes guiltand pardons sin for the remnant of his inheritance;Who does not persist in anger forever,but delights rather in clemency,And will again have compassion on us,treading underfoot our guilt?You will cast into the depths of the sea all our sins;You will show faithfulness to Jacob,and grace to Abraham,As you have sworn to our fathersfrom days of old. Responsorial Psalm Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12 R. (8a) The Lord is kind and merciful.Bless the LORD, O my soul;and all my being, bless his holy name.Bless the LORD, O my soul,and forget not all his benefits.R. The Lord is kind and merciful.He pardons all your iniquities,he heals all your ills.He redeems your life from destruction,he crowns you with kindness and compassion.R. The Lord is kind and merciful.He will not always chide,nor does he keep his wrath forever.Not according to our sins does he deal with us,nor does he requite us according to our crimes.R. The Lord is kind and merciful.For as the heavens are high above the earth,so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him.As far as the east is from the west,so far has he put our transgressions from us.R. The Lord is kind and merciful. Verse Before the Gospel Lk 15:18 I will get up and go to my father and shall say to him,Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. Gospel Lk 15:1-3, 11-32 Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus,but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying,"This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."So to them Jesus addressed this parable."A man had two sons, 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.After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongingsand set off to a distant countrywhere he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation.When he had freely spent everything,a severe famine struck that country,and he found himself in dire need.So he hired himself out to one of the local citizenswho sent him to his farm to tend the swine.And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed,but nobody gave him any.Coming to his senses he thought,'How many of my father's hired workershave more than enough food to eat,but here am I, dying from hunger.I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him,"Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.I no longer deserve to be called your son;treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers."'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.His son said to him,'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you;I no longer deserve to be called your son.'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.Take the fattened calf and slaughter it.Then let us celebrate with a feast,because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again;he was lost, and has been found.'Then the celebration began.Now the older son had been out in the fieldand, on his way back, as he neared the house,he heard the sound of music and dancing.He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean.The servant said to him,'Your brother has returnedand your father has slaughtered the fattened calfbecause he has him back safe and sound.'He became angry,and when he refused to enter the house,his father came out and pleaded with him.He said to his father in reply,'Look, all these years I served youand not once did I disobey your orders;yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends.But when your son returnswho swallowed up your property with prostitutes,for him you slaughter the fattened calf.'He said to him,'My son, you are here with me always;everything I have is yours.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.'" - - -Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Reading 1 Gn 37:3-4, 12-13a, 17b-28a Israel loved Joseph best of all his sons,for he was the child of his old age;and he had made him a long tunic.When his brothers saw that their father loved him best of all his sons,they hated him so much that they would not even greet him.One day, when his brothers had goneto pasture their father's flocks at Shechem,Israel said to Joseph, "Your brothers, you know, are tending our flocks at Shechem.Get ready; I will send you to them."So Joseph went after his brothers and caught up with them in Dothan.They noticed him from a distance,and before he came up to them, they plotted to kill him.They said to one another: "Here comes that master dreamer!Come on, let us kill him and throw him into one of the cisterns here;we could say that a wild beast devoured him.We shall then see what comes of his dreams."When Reuben heard this,he tried to save him from their hands, saying,"We must not take his life.Instead of shedding blood," he continued,"just throw him into that cistern there in the desert;but do not kill him outright."His purpose was to rescue him from their handsand return him to his father. So when Joseph came up to them,they stripped him of the long tunic he had on;then they took him and threw him into the cistern,which was empty and dry.They then sat down to their meal.Looking up, they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead,their camels laden with gum, balm and resinto be taken down to Egypt.Judah said to his brothers:"What is to be gained by killing our brother and concealing his blood? Rather, let us sell him to these Ishmaelites,instead of doing away with him ourselves.After all, he is our brother, our own flesh."His brothers agreed.They sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. Responsorial Psalm Ps 105:16-17, 18-19, 20-21 R. (5a) Remember the marvels the Lord has done.When the LORD called down a famine on the landand ruined the crop that sustained them,He sent a man before them,Joseph, sold as a slave.R. Remember the marvels the Lord has done.They had weighed him down with fetters,and he was bound with chains,Till his prediction came to passand the word of the LORD proved him true.R. Remember the marvels the Lord has done.The king sent and released him,the ruler of the peoples set him free.He made him lord of his houseand ruler of all his possessions.R. Remember the marvels the Lord has done. Verse Before the Gospel Jn 3:16 God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son;so that everyone who believes in him might have eternal life. Gospel Mt 21:33-43, 45-46 Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people: "Hear another parable.There was a landowner who planted a vineyard,put a hedge around it,dug a wine press in it, and built a tower.Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey.When vintage time drew near,he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce.But the tenants seized the servants and one they beat,another they killed, and a third they stoned.Again he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones,but they treated them in the same way.Finally, he sent his son to them,thinking, 'They will respect my son.'But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another,'This is the heir.Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.'They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?"They answered him,"He will put those wretched men to a wretched deathand lease his vineyard to other tenantswho will give him the produce at the proper times."Jesus said to them, "Did you never read in the Scriptures:The stone that the builders rejectedhas become the cornerstone;by the Lord has this been done,and it is wonderful in our eyes?Therefore, I say to you,the Kingdom of God will be taken away from youand given to a people that will produce its fruit."When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables,they knew that he was speaking about them.And although they were attempting to arrest him,they feared the crowds, for they regarded him as a prophet. - - -Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Reading 1 Jer 17:5-10 Thus says the LORD:Cursed is the man who trusts in human beings,who seeks his strength in flesh,whose heart turns away from the LORD.He is like a barren bush in the desertthat enjoys no change of season,But stands in a lava waste,a salt and empty earth.Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,whose hope is the LORD.He is like a tree planted beside the watersthat stretches out its roots to the stream:It fears not the heat when it comes,its leaves stay green;In the year of drought it shows no distress,but still bears fruit.More tortuous than all else is the human heart,beyond remedy; who can understand it?I, the LORD, alone probe the mindand test the heart,To reward everyone according to his ways,according to the merit of his deeds. Responsorial Psalm Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6 R. (40:5a) Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.Blessed the man who follows notthe counsel of the wickedNor walks in the way of sinners,nor sits in the company of the insolent,But delights in the law of the LORDand meditates on his law day and night.R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.He is like a treeplanted near running water,That yields its fruit in due season,and whose leaves never fade.Whatever he does, prospers.R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.Not so, the wicked, not so;they are like chaff which the wind drives away.For the LORD watches over the way of the just,but the way of the wicked vanishes.R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord. Verse Before the Gospel See Lk 8:15 Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heartand yield a harvest through perseverance. Gospel Lk 16:19-31 Jesus said to the Pharisees:"There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linenand dined sumptuously each day.And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scrapsthat fell from the rich man's table.Dogs even used to come and lick his sores.When the poor man died,he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham.The rich man also died and was buried,and from the netherworld, where he was in torment,he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far offand Lazarus at his side.And he cried out, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me.Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue,for I am suffering torment in these flames.'Abraham replied, 'My child,remember that you received what was good during your lifetimewhile Lazarus likewise received what was bad;but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented.Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is establishedto prevent anyone from crossingwho might wish to go from our side to yoursor from your side to ours.'He said, 'Then I beg you, father, send himto my father's house,for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them,lest they too come to this place of torment.'But Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the prophets.Let them listen to them.'He said, 'Oh no, father Abraham,but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'Then Abraham said,'If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets,neither will they be persuadedif someone should rise from the dead.'" - - -Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.