A Catholic guide for saints, prayer, and practical devotional reading.
Friday after Ash Wednesday. Lent. A clean reading layout for church, prayer, or preparation.
The Roman Catholic readings for this date are shown below on-site. Use plain reading mode if you want clearer modern wording, or switch back to the original Douay-Rheims wording at any time.
On-site scripture text: Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition. Plain mode is a built-in reading aid that modernizes older wording for easier understanding while keeping the same Roman Catholic reading references for the day.
Isaiah 58:1-9a
Read this as the first big movement of the day. Notice what God is doing, who is speaking, and what part of the story or teaching should stay with you.
Full on-site text is not available for this reference yet, so use the reference above and the official link below.
Psalm 51:3-4, 5-6ab, 18-19
The psalm is meant to be prayed, not rushed. If the wording feels older, focus on the main movement of the prayer: trust, praise, sorrow, gratitude, or hope.
3Have mercy on me, OH God, according to your great mercy. And according to the crowd of your tender mercies blot out my sin.
4Wash me yet more from my sin, and cleanse me from my sin.
18For if you had desired sacrifice, I would indeed have given it: with burnt offerings you will not be delighted.
19A sacrifice to God is an troubled spirit: a sorry and humbled heart, OH God, you will not despise.
Matthew 9:14-15
The Gospel is the center of the reading set. Pay close attention to what Jesus says, what Jesus does, and what response he is asking for.
14Then came to him the disciples of John, saying: Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?
15And Jesus said to them: Can the children of the bridegroom mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then they shall fast.
This page uses the Catholic Readings API for the day's references and liturgical celebration data, while the on-site scripture text is rendered from the public-domain Douay-Rheims Bible distributed through the Open Bibles project.