Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection March 24, 2026

24th March 2026 (Tuesday)

Psalter: Week 1

Readings of the Day

First Reading: Numbers 21:4-9

In those days: From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the people became impatient on the way. And the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food.” Then the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. And the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.” So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.

Psalm 102:2-3, 16-18, 19-21 (R. 2)

R/. O Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to you.

Gospel Acclamation

V/. Glory and praise to you, O Christ

R/. Glory and praise to you, O Christ

V/. The seed is the word of God, Christ is the sower; all who come to him will live forever

R/. Glory and praise to you, O Christ

Gospel: John 8:21-30

At that time: Jesus said to the Pharisees, “I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.” So the Jews said, “Will he kill himself, since he says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?” He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.” So they said to him, “Who are you?” Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning. I have much to say about you and much to judge, but he who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him.” They did not understand that he had been speaking to them about the Father. So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me. And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.” As he was saying these things, many believed in him.

Daily Gospel Reflection

Tuesday – Fifth Week of Lent

Main Point: To sin may be part of human frailty. But repentance and focus on God will certainly win God’s forgiveness and healing

1. Jesus is United with the Father. He is sent from the Father, he listens to Him and does what pleases Him. But the people do not believe in him and they reject him. The reason is a total contrast between him and the people: he is from above but they are from below; he belongs to God but they belong to the world.

2. This is the same case with regard to the Israelites. They are so earth-bound. Their main botheration in the desert was food and drink, and that too rich and variety. They forget all their misery of slavery in Egypt. They forget the mighty works of God. They even lose sight of the greatest act of liberation, the Exodus.

3. They don’t realise how benevolently God provides them food from heaven even in the desert. They don’t value and appreciate God’s manifold blessings. They turn ungrateful, grumbling and blaming. They blame Moses and God as if they liberated the people from Egypt for dying in the wilderness. They call manna as a loathsome worthless food.

4. This is all because their perspective, their concerns were in contrast to God’s. Thus, those who are caught up with the world and remain immersed into it, will fail in their faith and goodness. They become blind to God and to others.

5. Further, they will die in their own sin. However, if they repent and seek God’s mercy, they would be forgiven and saved, like the Israelites. Yes, those who raise themselves out of the grip of the world, and remain focused on the Lord, will gain eternal life.

My Practice: As long as one does not realize one’s sinfulness and refuses to accept it and repent for it, will not receive God’s forgiveness and will not change their lives