Saturday, February 24, 2024
Liturgical Season: 
VII The Season of Sleebo
Special Significance: 
Finding of the Head of St. John the Baptist

Dt 30:1-7

Compassion for the Repentant. 1* a When all these things, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, come upon you,b and you take them to heart in any of the nations where the LORD, your God, has dispersed you, 2c and return to the LORD, your God, obeying his voice, according to all that I am commanding you today, you and your children, with your whole heart and your whole being, 3the LORD, your God, will restore your fortunes and will have compassion on you; he will again gather you from all the peoples where the LORD, your God, has scattered you. 4Though you may have been dispersed to the farthest corner of the heavens, even from there will the LORD, your God, gather you; even from there will he bring you back.d 5The LORD, your God, will then bring you into the land your ancestors once possessed, that you may possess it; and he will make you more prosperous and numerous than your ancestors.e 6The LORD, your God, will circumcise your hearts* and the hearts of your descendants,f so that you will love the LORD, your God, with your whole heart and your whole being, in order that you may live. 7The LORD, your God, will put all those curses on your enemies and the foes who pursued you.g

Rom 3:10-20

10as it is written:g

“There is no one just, not one,

11there is no one who understands,

there is no one who seeks God.

12All have gone astray; all alike are worthless;

there is not one who does good,

[there is not] even one.

13Their throats are open graves;

they deceive with their tongues;

the venom of asps is on their lips;h

14their mouths are full of bitter cursing.i

15Their feet are quick to shed blood;j

16ruin and misery are in their ways,

17and the way of peace they know not.

18There is no fear of God before their eyes.”k

19Now we know that what the law* says is addressed to those under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world stand accountable to God,l 20since no human being will be justified in his sight* by observing the law; for through the law comes consciousness of sin.m

Mt 14:1-12

Herod’s Opinion of Jesus. 1* a At that time Herod the tetrarch* b heard of the reputation of Jesusc 2and said to his servants, “This man is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why mighty powers are at work in him.”

The Death of John the Baptist. 3d Now Herod had arrested John, bound [him], and put him in prison on account of Herodias,* the wife of his brother Philip, 4e for John had said to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” 5f Although he wanted to kill him, he feared the people, for they regarded him as a prophet. 6But at a birthday celebration for Herod, the daughter of Herodias performed a dance before the guests and delighted Herod 7so much that he swore to give her whatever she might ask for. 8Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” 9The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and the guests who were present, he ordered that it be given, 10and he had John beheaded in the prison. 11His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who took it to her mother. 12His disciples came and took away the corpse and buried him; and they went and told Jesus.