Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection March 05, 2026

05th March 2026 (Thursday)

Psalter: Week 2

Readings of the Day

First Reading: Jeremiah 17:5-10

Thus says the Lord: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord. He is like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land. “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.” The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? “I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”

Psalm 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6 (R. Psalm 40:5ab)

R/. Blessed the man who has placed his trust in the Lord.

Gospel Acclamation

V/. Glory and praise to you, O Christ

R/. Glory and praise to you, O Christ

V/. Blessed are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.

R/. Glory and praise to you, O Christ

Gospel: Luke 16:19-31

At that time: Jesus said to the Pharisees, “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not do so, and none may cross from there to us.’ And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house—for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”

Daily Gospel Reflection

Thursday – Second Week of Lent

Main Point: We all aspire to the throne, but we avoid the cross. Being willing to serve the food is what really defines greatness, not having the finest seat at the table.

1. Everyone aspires to be significant. We want the most comfortable living, the finest seats, and the recognition. Humans naturally want to be at the top of the hierarchy.

2. This is precisely what James and John accomplish in today’s Gospel. Jesus had just completed giving His friends His whole being. He informed them that he would be ridiculed and murdered in Jerusalem. And how did they react right away? The two most influential seats in His kingdom are what they request.

3. Their lack of knowledge is nearly comical. I do the exact same thing, however, to be honest. I completely disregard the sacrifice that God is asking of me and instead offer Him my lengthy list of selfish requests in my prayers. We certainly do not desire the agony of the crucifixion, but we do want the glory of the resurrection.

4. Jesus does not chastise them for their self-centeredness. He just says, “Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?” in a very calm and serious manner. He wants to know whether they really believe that love is worth suffering for.

5. The world teaches us that being great entails being served by others. It denotes riches and authority. However, Jesus modifies the rules entirely. He believes that being a servant is a prerequisite for greatness. It must be you who helps the weak and does the dishwashing.

6. This is not a simple task. Take a look at the first passage. They planned to destroy the life of the prophet Jeremiah because he attempted to assist his people. It’s messy to serve people. You won’t always get their gratitude. They will sometimes even insult you in return for your nice acts.

7. But that’s just what Jesus did. He came to offer His life, even for those who wronged Him, not to be served. Climbing over others to get to the top is not the definition of true power. It’s about getting on your knees to help people get up.

My Practice: Where am I requesting the “best seat” or anticipating preferential treatment at this moment? Instead of requesting service today, I will discreetly help someone else without expecting gratitude.