四旬期第一周星期五
Friday of the First Week of Lent
读经一
恭读厄则克耳先知书 18:21-28
上主天主这样说：“若恶人悔改，远离所犯的罪过，遵守我的法度，遵行我的法律和正义，必得生存，不致丧亡。他所行的一切邪恶必被遗忘；他必因所行的正义而得生存。我岂能喜欢恶人的丧亡？——我主上主的断语——我岂不更喜欢他离开旧道而得生存？若义人离弃了正义而行恶，一如恶人所惯行的丑恶，他岂能生存？他行过的正义必被遗忘，因为他背信违约，犯了罪过，必要丧亡。你们或说：上主的作法不公平！以色列家族，请听我说：是我的作法不公平吗？岂不是你们的作法不公平？若是义人离弃正义而行恶，因而丧亡，是因为他所行的恶而丧亡。若恶人远离他所行的恶事，而遵行法律和正义，必能保全自己的生命，因为他考虑之后，离弃了所行的一切恶事，他必生存，不致丧亡。”
Reading 1
A reading from the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel 18:21-28
Thus says the Lord GOD:
If the wicked man turns away from all the sins he committed,
if he keeps all my statutes and does what is right and just,
he shall surely live, he shall not die.
None of the crimes he committed shall be remembered against him;
he shall live because of the virtue he has practiced.
Do I indeed derive any pleasure from the death of the wicked?
says the Lord GOD.
Do I not rather rejoice when he turns from his evil way
that he may live?
And if the virtuous man turns from the path of virtue to do evil,
the same kind of abominable things that the wicked man does,
can he do this and still live?
None of his virtuous deeds shall be remembered,
because he has broken faith and committed sin;
because of this, he shall die.
You say, “The LORD’s way is not fair!”
Hear now, house of Israel:
Is it my way that is unfair, or rather, are not your ways unfair?
When someone virtuous turns away from virtue to commit iniquity, and dies,
it is because of the iniquity he committed that he must die.
But if the wicked, turning from the wickedness he has committed,
does what is right and just,
he shall preserve his life;
since he has turned away from all the sins that he committed,
he shall surely live, he shall not die.
福音
恭读圣玛窦福音 5:20-26
那时候，耶稣对他的门徒说：“我告诉你们：除非你们的义德超过经师和法利塞人的义德，你们决进不了天国。你们一向听过给古人说：‘不可杀人！’ 谁若杀了人，应受裁判。我却对你们说：凡向自己弟兄发怒的，就要受裁判；谁若向自己的弟兄说 ‘傻子’，就要受议会的裁判；谁若说 ‘疯子’，就要受火狱的罚。所以，你若在祭坛前，要献你的礼物时，在那里想起你的弟兄有什么怨你的事，就把你的礼物留在那里，留在祭坛前，先去与你的弟兄和好，然后再来献你的礼物。当你和你的对头还在路上，赶快与他和解，免得对头把你交与判官，判官交给差役，把你投在狱里。我实在告诉你：非到你还了最后的一文，决不能从那里出来。”
Gospel
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew 5:20-26
Jesus said to his disciples:
“I tell you,
unless your righteousness surpasses that
of the scribes and Pharisees,
you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.
“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.
But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother
will be liable to judgment,
and whoever says to his brother, Raqa,
will be answerable to the Sanhedrin,
and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna.
Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar,
and there recall that your brother
has anything against you,
leave your gift there at the altar,
go first and be reconciled with your brother,
and then come and offer your gift.
Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court.
Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge,
and the judge will hand you over to the guard,
and you will be thrown into prison.
Amen, I say to you,
you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.”