A Catholic guide for saints, prayer, and practical devotional reading.
1st Sunday of Lent. 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.
Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7
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, 5-6, 12-13, 17
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.
5For I know my sin, and my sin is always before me.
6To you only have I sinned, and have done evil before you: that you mayst be justified in your words and mayst overcome when you art judged.
12Create a clean heart in me, OH God: and renew a right spirit within my bowels.
13Cast me not away from your face; and take not your holy spirit from me.
17OH Lord, you will open my lips: and my mouth shall declare your praise.
Romans 5:12-19 or 5:12, 17-19
This reading often teaches Christians how to live with steadiness, charity, and faith. Look for one clear encouragement or warning you can carry into the day.
17For if by one man's offence death reigned through one; much more they who receive abundance of grace, and of the gift, and of righteousness, shall reign in life through one, Jesus Christ.
18Therefore, as by the offence of one, to all men to condemnation; so also by the righteousness of one, to all men to command of life.
19For as by the disobedience of one man, many were made sinners; so also by the obedience of one, many shall be made righteous.
Matthew 4:1-11
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.
1Then Jesus was led by the spirit into the desert, to be tempted by the devil.
2And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterwards he was hungry.
3And the tempter coming said to him: If you be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
4Who answered and said: It is written, Not in bread alone does man live, but in every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God.
5Then the devil took him up into the holy city, and set him upon the pinnacle of the temple,
6And said to him: If you be the Son of God, cast yourself down, for it is written: That he has given his angels charge over you, and in their hands shall they bear you up, lest perhaps you dash your foot against a stone.
7Jesus said to him: It is written again: You shall not tempt the Lord your God.
8Again the devil took him up into a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them,
9And said to him: All these will I give you, if falling down you will adore me.
10Then Jesus says to him: Begone, Satan: for it is written, The Lord your God shall you adore, and him only shall you serve.
11Then the devil left him; and look angels came and ministered to him.
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.