Saturday of the 3rd week of Lent

1In their tribulation, they will arise early to me. Come, let us return to the Lord. 2For he has seized us, and he will heal us. He will strike, and he will cure us. 3He will revive us after two days; on the third day he will raise us up, and we will live in his sight. We will understand, and we will continue on, so that we may know the Lord. His landing place has been prepared like the first light of morning, and he will come to us like the early and the late rains of the land. 4What am I to do with you, Ephraim? What am I to do with you, Judah? Your mercy is like the morning mist, and like the dew passing away in the morning. 5Because of this, I have cut them with the prophets, I have slain them with the words of my mouth; and your opinions will depart like the light. 6For I desired mercy and not sacrifice, and knowledge of God more than holocausts.

3Be merciful to me, O God, according to your great mercy. And, according to the plentitude of your compassion, wipe out my iniquity.

4Wash me once again from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

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18For if you had desired sacrifice, I would certainly have given it, but with holocausts, you will not be delighted.

19A crushed spirit is a sacrifice to God. A contrite and humbled heart, O God, you will not spurn.

20Act kindly, Lord, in your good will toward Zion, so that the walls of Jerusalem may be built up.

21Then you will accept the sacrifice of justice, oblations, and holocausts. Then they will lay calves upon your altar.

9Now about certain persons who consider themselves to be just, while disdaining others, he told also this parable: 10“Two men ascended to the temple, in order to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector. 11Standing, the Pharisee prayed within himself in this way: ‘O God, I give thanks to you that I am not like the rest of men: robbers, unjust, adulterers, even as this tax collector chooses to be. 12I fast twice between Sabbaths. I give tithes from all that I possess.’ 13And the tax collector, standing at a distance, was not willing to even lift up his eyes to heaven. But he struck his chest, saying: ‘O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.’ 14I say to you, this one descended to his house justified, but not the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled; and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”