Mass Readings for fifth Wednesday of Lent, Mar. 24, 2010

This is an open book quiz; open a second computer screen and take the quiz as you read the passages below. You may take as many chances as you need to get 100 on it.
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  1. Reading I: Chapter 3 of the book of the prophet Daniel found in the Old Testament of the Bible

    King Nebuchadnezzar said:
    “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,
    that you will not serve my god,
    or worship the golden statue that I set up?
    Be ready now to fall down and worship the statue I had made,
    whenever you hear the sound of the trumpet,
    flute, lyre, harp, psaltery, bagpipe,
    and all the other musical instruments;
    otherwise, you shall be instantly cast into the white-hot furnace;
    and who is the God who can deliver you out of my hands?”
    Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar,
    “There is no need for us to defend ourselves before you
    in this matter.
    If our God, whom we serve,
    can save us from the white-hot furnace
    and from your hands, O king, may he save us!
    But even if he will not, know, O king,
    that we will not serve your god
    or worship the golden statue that you set up.”

    King Nebuchadnezzar’s face became livid with utter rage
    against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
    He ordered the furnace to be heated seven times more than usual
    and had some of the strongest men in his army
    bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
    and cast them into the white-hot furnace.

    Nebuchadnezzar rose in haste and asked his nobles,
    “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?”
    “Assuredly, O king,” they answered.
    “But,” he replied, “I see four men unfettered and unhurt,
    walking in the fire, and the fourth looks like a son of God.”
    Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed,
    “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,
    who sent his angel to deliver the servants who trusted in him;
    they disobeyed the royal command and yielded their bodies
    rather than serve or worship any god
    except their own God.”




  1. Responsorial Psalm: the book of the prophet Daniel chapter 3

    R. Glory and praise for ever!
    “Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers,
    praiseworthy and exalted above all forever;
    And blessed is your holy and glorious name,
    praiseworthy and exalted above all for all ages.”
    R. Glory and praise for ever!
    “Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory,
    praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.
    R. Glory and praise for ever!
    “Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom,
    praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.”
    R. Glory and praise for ever!
    “Blessed are you who look into the depths
    from your throne upon the cherubim;
    praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.”
    R. Glory and praise for ever!
    “Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven,
    praiseworthy and glorious forever.”
    R. Glory and praise for ever!



  1. Gospel: the Gospel of St. John 8:31-42 in the New Testament of the Bible

    Jesus said to those Jews who believed in him,
    “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples,
    and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
    They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham
    and have never been enslaved to anyone.
    How can you say, ‘You will become free’?”
    Jesus answered them, “Amen, amen, I say to you,
    everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin.
    A slave does not remain in a household forever,
    but a son always remains.
    So if the Son frees you, then you will truly be free.
    I know that you are descendants of Abraham.
    But you are trying to kill me,
    because my word has no room among you.
    I tell you what I have seen in the Father’s presence;
    then do what you have heard from the Father.”

    They answered and said to him, “Our father is Abraham.”
    Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children,
    you would be doing the works of Abraham.
    But now you are trying to kill me,
    a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God;
    Abraham did not do this.
    You are doing the works of your father!”
    So they said to him, “We were not born of fornication.
    We have one Father, God.”
    Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me,
    for I came from God and am here;
    I did not come on my own, but he sent me.”


  1. St. Nicholas of Flue

    Feast Day: March 22nd

    Nicholas was born on March 21, 1417, in Switzerland. He was the eldest son of peasant parents who were very devout Catholics. Nicholas later took his name, Flue, from the name of the Flueli River, which flowed near his birthplace.
    As a young man, Nicholas was very fond of praying and also practiced mortification. When he was twenty-one years old, he joined the army and was involved in the battle of Ragaz in 1446. He also engaged in the so-called Thurgau war against Archduke Sigismund of Austria. Because of his intercession, Swiss confederates did not destroy the convent of St. Katharinental.
    When Nicholas was twenty-five he married a woman named Dorothea Wissling who bore him ten children, five sons and five daughters. The youngest son became a priest and doctor of theology. Nicholas became magistrate and was a highly respected counselor. He turned down the office of governor several times and had no interest in pursuing a political career.
    In 1467, with the consent of his wife and family, Nicholas embraced the life of a hermit and built a small hut made out of branches and leaves. His austerity was extreme. Even in the winter he didn’t wear either a cap or shoes. For the rest of his life he lived entirely without food, except for the Holy Eucharist. Because he became well-known for his piety and wisdom, many visited him, including civic leaders. In fact, dignitaries from all over Europe came to this humble man for counsel. In 1469, the civil authorities built a cell and a chapel for him where he resided for the remainder of his life.
    In 1480 delegates of the Swiss confederates met at Stans to try to settle their differences; however, civil war seemed inevitable. The pastor of Huns, Henry Imgrund, went to Nicholas and pleaded with him to intervene and prevent war. Nicholas agreed to go to the delegates with his counsels and proposals and the civil war was indeed averted.
    Nicholas died on his seventieth birthday on March 21, 1487. He was canonized in 1947.





Mrs. Moroles
Oratory Athenaeum
Pharr, TX