Gospel: March 11, 2026
March 11, 2026 (Wednesday)
3rd Week of Lent
Psalter: Week 3 (Violet)
Ps 147:12-13, 15-16, 19-20
Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
1st Reading: Deuteronomy 4:1, 5-9
And now, Israel, listen to the norms and laws which I teach that you may put them into practice. And you will live and enter and take possession of the land which the Lord, the God of your fathers, gives you.
See, as the Lord, my God, ordered me, I am teaching you the norms and the laws that you may put them into practice in the land you are going to enter and have as your own. If you observe and practice them, other peoples will regard you as wise and intelligent. When they come to know of all these laws, they will say, “There is no people as wise and as intelligent as this great nation.” For in truth, is there a nation as great as ours, whose gods are as near to it as the Lord, our God, is to us whenever we call upon him? And is there a nation as great as ours whose norms and laws are as just as this law which I give you today?
But be careful and be on your guard. Do not forget these things which your own eyes have seen nor let them depart from your heart as long as you live. But on the contrary, teach them to your children and to your children’s children.
Gospel: Matthew 5:17-19
Do not think that I have come to annul the law and the prophets. I have not come to annul them, but to fulfill
them. I tell you this: as long as heaven and earth last, not the smallest letter or dot in the law will change, until all is fulfilled.
So then, whoever breaks the least important of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be the least in the kingdom of heaven. On the other hand, whoever obeys them, and teaches others to do the same, will be great in the kingdom of heaven.
Reflection:
Always strive for a higher righteousness.
When reading any law, the concepts of the letter and spirit come into play. The letter refers to its literal meaning, while the spirit signifies its intended purpose. Of the two, the spirit holds greater significance as it determines how the law’s written principles should be interpreted accurately. William Barclay argues that the fundamental principle behind Jewish law—its essence or true meaning, which Jesus aimed to fulfill—is respect, or more profoundly, reverence for God. This reverence expresses itself not through adherence to numerous precepts and minute regulations but in the countless ways we demonstrate our gratitude for the love that God has bestowed upon us. It materializes in our many acts of mercy, charity, and concern for others.
May we always strive for a higher righteousness that seeks to satisfy the letter of the law and its spirit.
