The 18th of February, 2021 is Thursday after Ash Wednesday. The Holy Bible verses for the mass readings for this day came from the Liturgical Calendar of the Year 2021.
Reading 1: DT 30:15-20
The first reading from the Book of Deuteronomy.
Behold, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and evil.
For I command you today to love Yahweh your God, to walk in his ways and to keep his commandments, his statutes, and his ordinances, that you may live and multiply, and that Yahweh your God may bless you in the land where you go in to possess it.
But if your heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away and worship other gods, and serve them, I declare to you today that you will surely perish. You will not prolong your days in the land where you pass over the Jordan to go into possess it.
I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Therefore choose life, that you may live, you and your descendants, to love Yahweh your God, to obey his voice, and to cling to him; for he is your life, and the length of your days, that you may dwell in the land which Yahweh swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, andto Jacob, to give them.
Responsorial Psalm: PS 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6
Response: Blessed is the man who makes Yahweh his trust.
Blessed is the man who doesn’t walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand on the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in Yahweh’s law. On his law he meditates day and night.
R: Blessed is the man who makes Yahweh his trust.
He will be like a tree planted by the streams of water, that produces its fruit in its season, whose leaf also does not wither. Whatever he does shall prosper.
R: Blessed is the man who makes Yahweh his trust.
The wicked are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
For Yahweh knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked shall perish.
R: Blessed is the man who makes Yahweh his trust.
Verse Before Gospel: MT 4:17
From the good news according to Matthew.
From that time, Jesus began to preach, and to say, “Repent! For the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”
Gospel of the Day: LK 9:22-25
From the gospel verse according to Luke.
Jesus said to his disciples, “The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be raised up.”
He said to all, “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.
For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever will lose his life for my sake will save it.
For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits his own self?”
