The 30th of March, 2023 is Thursday in the Fifth Week of Lent. The Bible scriptures for the holy mass readings for this day came from the Year 2023 of Liturgical Calendar.
Reading 1: GN 17:3-9
The first reading from the Book of Genesis.
Abram fell on his face. God talked with him, saying, “As for me, behold, my covenant is with you. You will be the father of a multitude of nations.
Your name will no more be called Abram, but your name will be Abraham; for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations.
I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you. Kings will come out of you.
I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God to you and to your offspring after you.
I will give to you, and to your offspring after you, the land where you are traveling, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession. I will be their God.”
God said to Abraham, “As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations.”
Responsorial Psalm: PS 105:4-5, 6-7, 8-9
Response: He has remembered his covenant forever.
Seek Yahweh and his strength. Seek his face forever more.
Remember his marvelous works that he has done: his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth.
R: He has remembered his covenant forever.
You offspring of Abraham, his servant, you children of Jacob, his chosen ones.
He is Yahweh, our God. His judgments are in all the earth.
R: He has remembered his covenant forever.
He has remembered his covenant forever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations, the covenant which he made with Abraham, his oath to Isaac.
R: He has remembered his covenant forever.
Verse Before Gospel: PS 95:8
From the Psalms.
Don’t harden your heart, as at Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the wilderness.
Gospel of the Day: JN 8:51-59
From the gospel verse according to John.
“Most certainly, I tell you, if a person keeps my word, he will never see death.”
Then the Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, as did the prophets; and you say, ‘If a man keeps my word, he will never taste of death.’
Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets died. Who do you make yourself out to be?”
Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say that he is our God.
You have not known him, but I know him. If I said, ‘I don’t know him,’ I would be like you, a liar. But I know him and keep his word.
Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day. He saw it and was glad.”
The Jews therefore said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old! Have you seen Abraham?”
Jesus said to them, “Most certainly, I tell you, before Abraham came into existence, I AM.”
Therefore they took up stones to throw at him, but Jesus was hid himself and went out of the temple, having gone through the middle of them, and so passed by.
