Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection March 18, 2026

18th March 2026 (Wednesday)

Psalter: Week 4

Readings of the Day

First Reading: Isaiah 49:8-15

Thus says the Lord: “In a time of favour I have answered you; in a day of salvation I have helped you; I will keep you and give you as a covenant to the people, to establish the land, to apportion the desolate heritages, saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out,’ to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.’ They shall feed along the ways; on all bare heights shall be their pasture; they shall not hunger or thirst, neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them, for he who has pity on them will lead them, and by springs of water will guide them. And I will make all my mountains a road, and my highways shall be raised up. Behold, these shall come from afar, and behold, these from the north and from the west, and these from the land of Syene.” Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth; break forth, O mountains, into singing! For the Lord has comforted his people and will have compassion on his afflicted. But Sion said, “The Lord has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me.” “Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you.”

Psalm 145:8-9, 13cd-14, 17-18 (R. 8a)

R/. The Lord is kind and full of compassion.

Gospel Acclamation

V/. Glory and praise to you, O Christ

R/. Glory and praise to you, O Christ

V/. I am the resurrection and the life, says the Lord; everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.

R/. Glory and praise to you, O Christ

Gospel: John 5:17-30

At that time: Jesus answered the Jews, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.” This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God. So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel. For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will. For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honour the Son, just as they honour the Father. Whoever does not honour the Son does not honour the Father who sent him. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life.

Daily Gospel Reflection

Wednesday – Fourth Week of Lent

Main Point: Love’s first task is to recognize the other person’s love. Knowing how much God loves us is the first thing we should do if we really love Him.

1. To begin, we hear a lot about love. Yet, there is a big lack of love at the same time. Misunderstandings, lies, and abuses about love happen all the time. That’s why there is a lot of greed, anger, and violence, even out of love. This just proves that love isn’t being understood and shown correctly.

2. Considering this, today’s Bible reading is the best example of real love. The greatest and most real love is God’s love. God is the most loving person in the universe. Genuine love, its traits, its purposes, and its results can be found in Him.

3. Isaiah 3:3 says that God is like a mother and we are like His feeding children. As a mother never forgets her nursing child, God will never forget us either. Even if a mother forgets, He will never forget us because He loves us so much.

4. Due to His never-ending love, He never stops working for us. Infinite ways of showing His love is what God’s job is all the time. He gives us His own life, frees us from jail, exposes us to light, quenches our thirst and hunger, leads us in the right direction, and calms those who are suffering.

5. God desires to directly and concretely show us this great love. Him sending His only Son, Jesus Christ, to do this. As a result, Jesus is the Personification of the Father’s Love and his live Way and Channel. God seriously tries His loving and caring love through Jesus.

6. Everything Jesus is and does comes from His personal relationship with the Father. To always obey and be loyal to do the Father’s will is his purpose. The Father loves the Son so much that He gives the Son His own life, light, and power so that the Son can give life, guide and strengthen others, judge and honor believers with endless life. Similar to this, the Son is always with the Father because He loves the Father.

My Practice: Real love is passionate, sincere, and devoted. real acts show it. God shows His love by endlessly bestowing kindness and doing good things. Just how do we show that we love God?