Tuesday of the Second Week of Lent
Reading 1 Isaiah 1:10, 16-20
Hear the word of the LORD,
princes of Sodom!
Listen to the instruction of our God,
people of Gomorrah!
Wash yourselves clean!
Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes;
cease doing evil; learn to do good.
Make justice your aim: redress the wronged,
hear the orphan's plea, defend the widow.
Come now, let us set things right,
says the LORD:
Though your sins be like scarlet,
they may become white as snow;
Though they be crimson red,
they may become white as wool.
If you are willing, and obey,
you shall eat the good things of the land;
But if you refuse and resist,
the sword shall consume you:
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken!
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 50:8-9, 16bc-17, 21 and 23
R. (23b) To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
"Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you,
for your burnt offerings are before me always.
I take from your house no bullock,
no goats out of your fold."
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
"Why do you recite my statutes,
and profess my covenant with your mouth,
Though you hate discipline
and cast my words behind you?"
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
"When you do these things, shall I be deaf to it?
Or do you think that I am like yourself?
I will correct you by drawing them up before your eyes.
He that offers praise as a sacrifice glorifies me;
and to him that goes the right way I will show the salvation of God."
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
Verse Before the Gospel Ezekiel 18:31
Cast away from you all the crimes you have committed, says the LORD,
and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.
Gospel Matthew 23:1-12
Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying,
"The scribes and the Pharisees
have taken their seat on the chair of Moses.
Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you,
but do not follow their example.
For they preach but they do not practice.
They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry
and lay them on people's shoulders,
but they will not lift a finger to move them.
All their works are performed to be seen.
They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.
They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues,
greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation 'Rabbi.'
As for you, do not be called 'Rabbi.'
You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers.
Call no one on earth your father;
you have but one Father in heaven.
Do not be called 'Master';
you have but one master, the Christ.
The greatest among you must be your servant.
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled;
but whoever humbles himself will be exalted."
- Readings for the Optional Memorial of Saint Katharine Drexel, Virgin [In the Dioceses of the United States]
Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
March 3, 2026 // Tuesday of the Second Week of Lent // Optional Memorial of Saint Katharine Drexel, Virgin [In the Dioceses of the United States]
Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s First Reading: Isaiah 1:10, 16-20
Reflect on the Word //
“And then tell her, ‘I need to say this, so it doesn’t fester and come between us.’”
I sniffled and nodded softly as the priest’s tender counsel confronted the depths of the delicate, yet complex, family dynamic that had brought me to the Sacrament of Confession. Father had listened deeply and compassionately while I unpacked the hurtful actions of a loved one that often left me feeling ignored and unseen. In the past few weeks, a sharp pebble of hurt had encroached on my heart, and I knew that Satan’s ploy to twist it into a boulder of bitterness would prevail if I continued to hold onto it.
But here, before the font of mercy, I finally knew how to move forward in love as Father gave me the gentle language to use that would invite healing and repair. The conversation it required wasn’t going to be easy, but with the Lord’s help, we could tend to the wound and start anew.
“Come now, let us set things right,’ says the LORD” (Isaiah 1:18). In today’s First Reading, our loving God coaxes us to “put away” all that poisons our souls and keeps us estranged from Him (see Isaiah 1:16). The season of Lent is a sobering reminder that when left to ourselves in our frail humanity, we are prone to fall, which is why the Lord doesn’t admonish us to repentance only to abandon us to our own devices. No, through the prophet Isaiah, “the instruction of our God” shows us how to reorient our hearts: “Wash yourselves clean! Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes; cease doing evil; learn to do good” (Isaiah 1:16). Thankfully, all the misdeeds that have widened the chasm between us and the Father’s gaze can be washed away in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. We need only come to Him to experience this holy restoration.
Because here’s the truth, sister: Nothing is irreparable for God’s redeeming love. Even if our sins are “like scarlet” (Isaiah 1:18), we can be made clean. This is the invitation and the promise.
The instructions are just a bonus.
Relate to the Lord // What needs to be set right between you and the Lord? Talk to Him about it.
Cathy Webb is a consecrated virgin for the Diocese of Wilmington and the creator of the Sacred Heart to Heart prayer journal. A full-time Library Assistant, she finds joy in embracing the sacrament of the present moment and spreading the fragrance of Love everywhere she goes. She also treasures large cups of tea; her Chihuahua, Lucy; and anything Saint Therese. When she’s not writing and creating for the Kingdom, she can be found wearing a pretty dress while adoring the Heart of her Divine Spouse in the Eucharist. She is a contributing author to Blessed Conversations: Home. Find out more about her here.
Get Lent 2026 Devotional(s)
Get Your Prayerful Planner
