Daily Readings - 10/03/2026
TUESDAY OF THE THIRD WEEK OF LENT
First Reading : Dan 3, 25. 34-43
3:25 Azariah stood in the heart of the fire, and he began to pray:
3:34 Oh! Do not abandon us for ever, for the sake of your name; do not repudiate your covenant,
3:35 do not withdraw your favour from us, for the sake of Abraham, your friend, of Isaac your servant, and of Israel your holy one,
3:36 to whom you promised descendants as countless as the stars of heaven and as the grains of sand on the seashore.
3:37 Lord, now we are the least of all the nations, now we are despised throughout the world, today, because of our sins.
3:38 We have at this time no leader, no prophet, no prince, no holocaust, no sacrifice, no oblation, no incense, no place where we can offer you the first-fruits
3:39 and win your favour. But may the contrite soul, the humbled spirit be as acceptable to you
3:40 as holocausts of rams and bullocks, as thousands of fattened lambs: such let our sacrifice be to you today, and may it be your will that we follow you wholeheartedly, since those who put their trust in you will not be disappointed.
3:41 And now we put our whole heart into following you, into fearing you and seeking your face once more.
3:42 Do not disappoint us; treat us gently, as you yourself are gentle and very merciful.
3:43 Grant us deliverance worthy of your wonderful deeds, let your name win glory, Lord.
3:25 ‘But,’ he went on ‘I can see four men walking about freely in the heart of the fire without coming to any harm. And the fourth looks like a son of the gods.'[*a]
Psalm : Ps 24
R. Remember your mercies, Lord.
Of David
24:1 To Yahweh belong earth and all it holds, the world and all who live in it;
24:2 he himself founded it on the ocean, based it firmly on the nether sea
24:3 Who has the right to climb the mountain of Yahweh, who the right to stand in his holy place?
24:4 He whose hands are clean, whose heart is pure, whose soul does not pay homage to worthless things and who never swears to a lie.
24:5 The blessing of Yahweh is his, and Vindication from God his saviour.
24:6 Such are the people who seek him, who seek your presence, God of Jacob! (pause)
24:7 Gates, raise your arches, rise, you ancient doors, let the king of glory in!
24:8 Who is this king of glory? Yahweh the strong, the valiant, Yahweh valiant in battle!
24:9 Gates, raise your arches, rise you ancient doors, let the king of glory in!
24:10 Who is this king of glory? He is Yahweh Sabaoth, King of glory, he! (pause)
Gospel : Mt 18, 21-35
Forgiveness of injuries
18:21 Then Peter went up to him and said, ‘Lord, how often must I forgive my brother if he wrongs me? As often as seven times?’
18:22 Jesus answered, ‘Not seven, I tell you, but seventy-seven times.
Parable of the unforgiving debtor
18:23 ‘And so the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who decided to settle his accounts with his servants.
18:24 When the reckoning began, they brought him a man who owed ten thousand talents;[*c]
18:25 but he had no means of paying, so his master gave orders that he should be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, to meet the debt.
18:26 At this, the servant threw himself down at his master’s feet. “Give me time” he said “and I will pay the whole sum.”
18:27 And the servant’s master felt so sorry for him that he let him go and cancelled the debt.
18:28 Now as this servant went out, he happened to meet a fellow servant who owed him one hundred denarii;[*d] and he seized him by the throat and began to throttle him. “Pay what you owe me” he said.
18:29 His fellow servant fell at his feet and implored him, saying, “Give me time and I will pay you”.
18:30 But the other would not agree; on the contrary, he had him thrown into prison till he should pay the debt.
18:31 His fellow servants were deeply distressed when they saw what had happened, and they went to their master and reported the whole affair to him.
18:32 Then the master sent for him. “You wicked servant,” he said “I cancelled all that debt of yours when you appealed to me.
18:33 Were you not bound, then, to have pity on your fellow servant just as I had pity on you?”
18:34 And in his anger the master handed him over to the torturers till he should pay all his debt.
18:35 And that is how my heavenly Father will deal with you unless you each forgive your brother from your heart.’