DR Squared: Optional Memorial Of Saint Katharine Drexel, Virgin [In The Dioceses Of The United States]

There are no assigned readings; they may be selected from the Common of Virgins or Common of Holy Men and Women. This post will not have a Douay-Rhimes submission.

DR Squared: Tuesday Of The Second Week Of Lent

First Reading:  Isaiah 1:10, 16-20

Hear the word of the Lord, ye rulers of Sodom, give ear to the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrha. Wash yourselves, be clean, take away the evil of your devices from my eyes: cease to do perversely, Learn to do well: seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge for the fatherless, defend the widow. And then come, and accuse me, saith the Lord: if your sins be as scarlet, they shall be made as white as snow: and if they be red as crimson, they shall be white as wool. If you be willing, and will hearken to me, you shall eat the good things of the land. But if you will not, and will provoke me to wrath: the sword shall devour you because the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 50 (49):23b; V. 8-9, 16bc-17, 21 and 23

R. (A)nd there is the way by which I will shew him the salvation of God.

V.  I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices:

     and thy burnt offerings are always in my sight.

     I will not take calves out of thy house:

     nor he goats out of thy flocks.

V.  Why dost thou declare my justices,

     and take my covenant in thy mouth?

      Seeing thou hast hated discipline:

     and hast cast my words behind thee.

V.  These things hast thou done, and I was silent.

      Thou thoughtest unjustly that I should be like to thee:

      but I will reprove thee, and set before thy face.

      The sacrifice of praise shall glorify me:

      and there is the way by which I will shew him the salvation of God.

Gospel Reading:  Matthew 23:1-12

Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to his disciples, Saying: The scribes and the Pharisees have sitten on the chair of Moses.  All things therefore whatsoever they shall say to you, observe and do: but according to their works do ye not; for they say, and do not. For they bind heavy and insupportable burdens, and lay them on men's shoulders; but with a finger of their own they will not move them. And all their works they do for to be seen of men. For they make their phylacteries broad, and enlarge their fringes. And they love the first places at feasts, and the first chairs in the synagogues, And salutations in the market place, and to be called by men, Rabbi. But be not you called Rabbi. For one is your master; and all you are brethren. And call none your father upon earth; for one is your father, who is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters; for one is your master, Christ. He that is the greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled: and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

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Originally posted 3/18/2025.

March 2026 Morning Offering Prayer Intention

Here is the intention for this month when praying the Morning Offering:

For Disarmament And Peace. Let us pray that nations move toward effective disarmament, particularly nuclear disarmament, and that world leaders choose the path of dialogue and diplomacy instead of violence.

A link is provided for further reflection.

DR Squared: Monday Of The Second Week In Lent

First Reading:  Daniel 9:4b-10

I beseech thee, O Lord God, great and terrible, who keepest the covenant, and mercy to them that love thee, and keep thy commandments. We have sinned, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly, and have revolted: and we have gone aside from thy commandments, and thy judgments. We have not hearkened to thy servants the prophets, that have spoken in thy name to our kings, to our princes, to our fathers, and to all the people of the land. To thee, O Lord, justice: but to us confusion of face, as at this day to the men of Juda, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all Israel to them that are near, and to them that are far off in all the countries whither thou hast driven them, for their iniquities by which they have sinned against thee. O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our princes, and to our fathers that have sinned. But to thee, the Lord our God, mercy and forgiveness, for we have departed from thee:  And we have not hearkened to the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in his law, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.

Responsorial Psalm:  cf. Psalm 103 (102):10a;V. 79 (78):8, 9, 11 and 13

R.  He hath not dealt with us according to our sins:

V.  Remember not our former iniquities:

      let thy mercies speedily prevent us,

     for we are become exceeding poor.

V.  Help us, O God, our saviour:

     and for the glory of thy name,

     O Lord, deliver us: and forgive us our sins

     for thy name's sake:

V.  Let the sighing of the prisoners come in before thee.

     According to the greatness of thy arm, take possession of the children of them that have been put to         death.

     But we thy people, and the sheep of thy pasture,

     will give thanks to thee for ever.

     We will shew forth thy praise, unto generation and generation.

Gospel Reading:  Luke 6:36-38

Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you shall be forgiven. Give, and it shall be given to you: good measure and pressed down and shaken together and running over shall they give into your bosom. For with the same measure that you shall mete withal, it shall be measured to you again.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

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Originally posted 3/17/2025.

DR Squared: Second Sunday Of Lent (Year A)

First Reading:  Genesis 12:1-4a

And the Lord said to Abram: Go forth out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and out of thy father's house, and come into the land which I shall shew thee. And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and magnify thy name, and thou shalt be blessed. I will bless them that bless thee, and curse them that curse thee, and IN THEE shall all the kindred of the earth be blessed:  So Abram went out as the Lord had commanded him,

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 33 (32):22; V. 4-5, 18-19, 20, 22

R.  Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, as we have hoped in thee.

V.  For the word of the Lord is right,

     and all his works are done with faithfulness.

     He loveth mercy and judgment;

     the earth is full of the mercy of the Lord.

V.  Behold the eyes of the Lord are on them that fear him:

     and on them that hope in his mercy.

     To deliver their souls from death;

     and feed them in famine.

V.  Our soul waiteth for the Lord:

     for he is our helper and protector.

     Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us,

     as we have hoped in thee.

Second Reading:  2 Timothy 1:8b-10

(B)ut labour with the gospel, according to the power of God, Who hath delivered us and called us by his holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the times of the world. But is now made manifest by the illumination of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath destroyed death, and hath brought to light life and incorruption by the gospel:

Gospel Reading:  Matthew 17:1-9

And after six days Jesus taketh unto him Peter and James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart:  And he was transfigured before them. And his face did shine as the sun: and his garments became white as snow. And behold there appeared to them Moses and Elias talking with him. And Peter answering, said to Jesus: Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles, one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. And as he was yet speaking, behold a bright cloud overshadowed them. And lo, a voice out of the cloud, saying: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: hear ye him. And the disciples hearing, fell upon their face, and were very much afraid. And Jesus came and touched them: and said to them, Arise, and fear not. And they lifting up their eyes saw no one but only Jesus. And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying: Tell the vision to no man, till the Son of man be risen from the dead.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

DR Squared: Saturday Of The First Week Of Lent

First Reading:  Deuteronomy 26:16-19

This day the Lord thy God hath commanded thee to do these commandments and judgments: and to keep and fulfill them with all thy heart, and with all thy soul. Thou hast chosen the Lord this day to be thy God, and to walk in his ways and keep his ceremonies, and precepts, and judgments, and obey his command. And the Lord hath chosen thee this day, to be his peculiar people, as he hath spoken to thee, and to keep all his commandments:  And to make thee higher than all nations which he hath created, to his own praise, and name, and glory: that thou mayst be a holy people of the Lord thy God, as he hath spoken.

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 119 (118):1; V. 1-2, 4-5, 7-8

R.  Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord.

V.  Blessed are the undefiled in the way,

     who walk in the law of the Lord.

     Blessed are they who search his testimonies:

     that seek him with their whole heart.

V.  Thou hast commanded thy commandments

     to be kept most diligently.

     O! that my ways may be directed

     to keep thy justifications.

V.  I will praise thee with uprightness of heart,

     when I shall have learned the judgments of thy justice.

     I will keep thy justifications:

     O! do not thou utterly forsake me.

Gospel Reading:  Matthew 5:43-48

You have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thy enemy. But I say to you, Love your enemies: do good to them that hate you: and pray for them that persecute and calumniate you:  That you may be the children of your Father who is in heaven, who maketh his sun to rise upon the good, and bad, and raineth upon the just and the unjust. For if you love them that love you, what reward shall you have? do not even the publicans this? And if you salute your brethren only, what do you more? do not also the heathens this? Be you therefore perfect, as also your heavenly Father is perfect.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

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Originally posted 3/15/2025

DR Squared: Optional Memorial Of Saint Gregory Of Narek, Abbot And Doctor Of The Church

First Reading:  Wisdom 7:7-10, 15-16

Wherefore I wished, and understanding was given me: and I called upon God, and the spirit of wisdom came upon me:  And I preferred her before kingdoms and thrones, and esteemed riches nothing in comparison of her. Neither did I compare unto her any precious stone: for all gold in comparison of her, is as a little sand, and silver in respect to her shall be counted as clay. I loved her above health and beauty, and chose to have her instead of light: for her light cannot be put out. And God hath given to me to speak as I would, and to conceive thoughts worthy of those things that are given me: because he is the guide of wisdom, and the director of the wise:  For in his hand are both we, and our words, and all wisdom, and the knowledge and skill of works.

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 37:30a; V. 3-4, 5-6, 30-31

R.  The mouth of the just shall meditate wisdom:

V.  Trust in the Lord, and do good,

     and dwell in the land, and thou shalt be fed with its riches.

     Delight in the Lord,

     and he will give thee the requests of thy heart.

V.  Commit thy way to the Lord,

     and trust in him, and he will do it.

     And he will bring forth thy justice as the light,

     and thy judgment as the noonday.

V.  The mouth of the just shall meditate wisdom:

     and his tongue shall speak judgment.

     The law of his God is in his heart,

     and his steps shall not be supplanted. 

Gospel Reading:  Matthew 7:21-29

Not every one that saith to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven: but he that doth the will of my Father who is in heaven, he shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. Many will say to me in that day: Lord, Lord, have not we prophesied in thy name, and cast out devils in thy name, and done many miracles in thy name? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity. Every one therefore that heareth these my words, and doth them, shall be likened to a wise man that built his house upon a rock, And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and they beat upon that house, and it fell not, for it was founded on a rock. And every one that heareth these my words, and doth them not, shall be like a foolish man that built his house upon the sand, And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and they beat upon that house, and it fell, and great was the fall thereof. And it came to pass when Jesus had fully ended these words, the people were in admiration at his doctrine. For he was teaching them as one having power, and not as the scribes and Pharisees.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

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Originally posted 2/27/2025.

DR Squared: Friday Of The First Week Of Lent

First Reading:  Ezekiel 18:21-28

But if the wicked do penance for all his sins which he hath committed, and keep all my commandments, and do judgment, and justice, living he shall live, and shall not die. I will not remember all his iniquities that he hath done: in his justice which he hath wrought, he shall live. Is it my will that a sinner should die, saith the Lord God, and not that he should be converted from his ways, and live? But if the just man turn himself away from his justice, and do iniquity according to all the abominations which the wicked man useth to work, shall he live? all his justices which he hath done, shall not be remembered: in the prevarication, by which he hath prevaricated, and in his sin, which he hath committed, in them he shall die. And you have said: The way of the Lord is not right. Hear ye, therefore, O house of Israel: Is it my way that is not right, and are not rather your ways perverse? For when the just turneth himself away from his justice, and committeth iniquity, he shall die therein: in the injustice that he hath wrought he shall die. And when the wicked turneth himself away from his wickedness, which he hath wrought, and doeth judgment, and justice: he shall save his soul alive. Because he considereth and turneth away himself from all his iniquities which he hath wrought, he shall surely live, and not die.

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 130 (129):3; V. 1-2, 3-4, 5-7a, 7bc-

R.  If thou, O Lord, wilt mark iniquities: Lord, who shall stand it.

V.  Out of the depths I have cried to thee, O Lord:

     Lord, hear my voice.

     Let thy ears be attentive

     to the voice of my supplication.

V.  If thou, O Lord, wilt mark iniquities:

     Lord, who shall stand it.

     For with thee there is merciful forgiveness:

     and by reason of thy law, I have waited for thee, O Lord. 

V.  My soul hath relied on his word:

     My soul hath hoped in the Lord.

     From the morning watch even until night,

     let Israel hope in the Lord.

V.  Because with the Lord there is mercy:

     and with him plentiful redemption.

     And he shall redeem Israel

     from all his iniquities.

Gospel Reading:  Matthew 5:20-26

For I tell you, that unless your justice abound more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. You have heard that it was said to them of old: Thou shalt not kill. And whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment. But I say to you, that whosoever is angry with his brother, shall be in danger of the judgment. And whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council. And whosoever shall say, Thou Fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. If therefore thou offer thy gift at the altar, and there thou remember that thy brother hath any thing against thee; Leave there thy offering before the altar, and go first to be reconciled to thy brother: and then coming thou shalt offer thy gift. Be at agreement with thy adversary betimes, whilst thou art in the way with him: lest perhaps the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Amen I say to thee, thou shalt not go out from thence till thou repay the last farthing. 

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

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Originally posted 3/14/2025.

DR Squared: Thursday Of The First Week In Lent

First Reading:  Esther C:12, 14-16, 23-25 (D-R--14:1, 3-5, 13-15)

Queen Esther also, fearing the danger that was at hand, had recourse to the Lord. And she prayed to the Lord the God of Israel, saying: O my Lord, who alone art our king, help me a desolate woman, and who have no other helper but thee. My danger is in my hands. I have heard of my father that thou, O Lord, didst take Israel from among all nations, and our fathers from all their predecessors, to possess them as an everlasting inheritance, and thou hast done to them as thou hast promised. Give me a well ordered speech in my mouth in the presence of the lion, and turn his heart to the hatred of our enemy, that both he himself may perish, and the rest that consent to him. But deliver us by thy hand, and help me, who have no other helper, but thee, O Lord, who hast the knowledge of all things. And thou knowest that I hate the glory of the wicked, and abhor the bed of the uncircumcised, and of every stranger.

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 138 (137):3a; V. 1-2ab, 2cde-3, 7c-8

R.  In what day soever I shall call upon thee, hear me:

V.  I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart:

     for thou hast heard the words of my mouth.

     I will sing praise to thee in the sight of the angels:

     I will worship towards thy holy temple,

     and I will give glory to thy name.

V.  For thy mercy, and for thy truth:

     for thou hast magnified thy holy name above all.

     In what day soever I shall call upon thee, hear me:

     thou shall multiply strength in my soul.

V.  (A)nd thy right hand hath saved me.

      The Lord will repay for me:

      thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever:

      O despise not the work of thy hands.

Gospel Reading:  Matthew 7:7-12

Ask, and it shall be given you: seek, and you shall find: knock, and it shall be opened to you. For every one that asketh, receiveth: and he that seeketh, findeth: and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened. Or what man is there among you, of whom if his son shall ask bread, will he reach him a stone? Or if he shall ask him a fish, will he reach him a serpent? If you then being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children: how much more will your Father who is in heaven, give good things to them that ask him? All things therefore whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do you also to them. For this is the law and the prophets.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

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Originally posted 3/13/2025.

DR Squared: Wednesday Of The First Week In Lent

First Reading:  Jonah 3:1-10

And the word of the Lord came to Jonas the second time, saying:  Arise, and go to Ninive the great city: and preach in it the preaching that I bid thee. And Jonas arose, and went to Ninive, according to the word of the Lord: now Ninive was a great city of three days' journey. And Jonas began to enter into the city one day's journey: and he cried, and said: Yet forty days, and Ninive shall be destroyed. And the men of Ninive believed in God: and they proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least. And the word came to the king of Ninive; and he rose up out of his throne, and cast away his robe from him, and was clothed with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. And he caused it to be proclaimed and published in Ninive from the mouth of the king and of his princes, saying: Let neither men nor beasts, oxen nor sheep, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water. And let men and beasts be covered with sackcloth, and cry to the Lord with all their strength, and let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the iniquity that is in their hands. Who can tell if God will turn, and forgive: and will turn away from his fierce anger, and we shall not perish? And God saw their works, that they were turned from their evil way: and God had mercy with regard to the evil which he had said that he would do to them, and he did it not.

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 51 (50):3-4, 12-13, 18-19

R.  (A) contrite and humbled heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

V.  Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy great mercy.

     And according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my iniquity.

     Wash me yet more from my iniquity,

     and cleanse me from my sin.

V.  Create a clean heart in me, O God:

     and renew a right spirit within my bowels.

     Cast me not away from thy face;

     and take not thy holy spirit from me.

V. For if thou hadst desired sacrifice,

     I would indeed have given it:

     with burnt offerings thou wilt not be delighted.

     A sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit:

     a contrite and humbled heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. 

Gospel Reading:  Luke 11:29-32

And the multitudes running together, he began to say: This generation is a wicked generation: it asketh a sign, and a sign shall not be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. For as Jonas was a sign to the Ninivites; so shall the Son of man also be to this generation. The queen of the south shall rise in the judgment with the men of this generation, and shall condemn them: because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold more than Solomon here. The men of Ninive shall rise in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it; because they did penance at the preaching of Jonas; and behold more than Jonas here.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

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Originally posted 3/12/2025.