Wednesday, March 07, 2012 {Sts. Perpetua and Felicity, Martyrs (Commemoration)}

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
She [Mary] stands out among the poor and humble of the Lord, who confidently hope for and receive salvation from him. After a long period of waiting the times are fulfilled in her, the exalted Daughter of Sion, and the new plan of salvation is established.
-- Lumen Gentium
READINGS FOR TODAY
First Reading: Jeremiah 18:18-20(A Plot against Jeremiah)18 Then said they, Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us strike him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.
19 Give heed to me, Yahweh, and listen to the voice of those who contend with me.
20 Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have dug a pit for my soul. Remember how I stood before you to speak good for them, to turn away your wrath from them.

Psalms: Psalm 31:5-6, 14-16
5 Into your hand I commend my spirit. You redeem me, Yahweh, God of truth.
6 I hate those who regard lying vanities, But I trust in Yahweh.
14 But I trust in you, Yahweh. I said, “You are my God.”
15 My times are in your hand. Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, and from those who persecute me.
16 Make your face to shine on your servant. Save me in your loving kindness.
Gospel: Matthew 20:17-28(Matthew 20:17-28/ A Mother's Request)17 As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them,
18 “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death,
19 and will hand him over to the Gentiles to mock, to scourge, and to crucify; and the third day he will be raised up.”
20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, kneeling and asking a certain thing of him. 21 He said to her, “What do you want?”
She said to him, “Command that these, my two sons, may sit, one on your right hand, and one on your left hand, in your Kingdom.”
22 But Jesus answered, “You don’t know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?”
They said to him, “We are able.”
23 He said to them, “You will indeed drink my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with, but to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it is for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”
24 When the ten heard it, they were indignant with the two brothers.
25 But Jesus summoned them, and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.
26 It shall not be so among you, but whoever desires to become great among you shall be
your servant.
27 Whoever desires to be first among you shall be your bondservant,
28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”