Wednesday of the Third Week of Lent

Moses charges Israel to guard the faith and teach it to their children; Jesus declares he came not to abolish the law but to fulfill it - every letter matters.

Moses commands Israel to observe God's statutes carefully, for this will demonstrate their wisdom to the nations. He marvels: what great nation has gods so close to it as the Lord is to Israel? Then he warns: take care not to forget the things your own eyes have seen, and teach them to your children and grandchildren. The psalm praises the God who strengthens, blesses, and proclaims his word to his people. In the Gospel, Jesus tells his disciples he has come not to abolish the law or the prophets but to fulfill them. Not the smallest letter or part of a letter will pass away. Whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.

DEACON/PRIEST: Lord Jesus, you came not to abolish but to fulfill, and you call us to treasure every word God has spoken. PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

DEACON/PRIEST: Christ Jesus, you are the fulfillment of every promise and the answer to every commandment. PEOPLE: Christ, have mercy.

DEACON/PRIEST: Lord Jesus, you call the greatest in your Kingdom those who obey and teach, living the truth before speaking it. PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST: Moses warned Israel not to forget what their eyes had seen. Trusting in God's faithfulness, let us bring our prayers before the Lord.

DEACON/LECTOR:

1. For our Holy Father, Pope Leo, our bishop, and all who teach in the Church: that they would fulfill Moses' charge to pass on the faith with integrity, patience, and love, we pray to the Lord.

2. For those who shape education and culture: that wisdom and truth would be valued, and that the dignity of the human person would be upheld, we pray to the Lord.

3. For parents and grandparents: that they would take seriously Moses' command to teach the faith to their children and grandchildren, knowing that what is not deliberately handed on will be quietly lost, we pray to the Lord.

4. For catechists, OCIA teams, and all who teach the faith in parishes: that their lives would match their lessons and their students would see the faith lived, not just lectured, we pray to the Lord.

5. For those who have forgotten their faith - not rejected it, but let it slip away in the busyness of life: that this Lent would be a season of remembering, we pray to the Lord.

6. For the faithful departed, especially those who first taught us to pray: that the God they served faithfully would welcome them into eternal life, we pray to the Lord.

PRIEST: Lord God, you gave your statutes to Israel and fulfilled them in your Son. Help us guard what we have received, teach it faithfully to those who come after us, and live it before we speak it, through Christ our Lord. Amen.