Tuesday, March 10, 2026

Tuesday of the Third Week of Lent

Lent

Listen to today's Mass in full

Selected Mass Reading

Gospel — Matthew 18:21-35

Then came Peter unto him and said: Lord, how often shall my brother offend against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith to him: I say not to thee, till seven times; but till seventy times seven times. Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened to a king, who would take an account of his servants. And when he had begun to take the account, one as brought to him, that owed him ten thousand talents. And as he had not wherewith to pay it, his lord commanded that he should be sold, and his wife and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. But that servant falling down, besought him, saying: Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And the lord of that servant being moved with pity, let him go and forgave him the debt. But when that servant was gone out, he found one of his fellow- servants that owed him an hundred pence: and laying hold of him, he throttled him, saying: Pay what thou owest. And his fellow-servant falling down, besought him, saying: Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he paid the debt. Now his fellow servants seeing what was done, were very much grieved, and they came, and told their lord all that was done. Then his lord called him: and said to him: Thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all the debt, because thou besoughtest me: Shouldst not thou then have had compassion also on thy fellow servant, even as I had compassion on thee? And his lord being angry, delivered him to the torturers until he paid all the debt. So also shall my heavenly Father do to you, if you forgive not every one his brother from your hearts.

Feast Days

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Anastasia the Patrician Hermit, Nun, Courtier 501–576

Saint Anastasia the Patrician, born in the Byzantine Empire and flourishing in the sixth century, lived first amid the splendor and peril of the imperial court at Constantinople. She served as a lady-in-waiting to Empress Theodora, and when jealousy and unwanted attention threatened her peace, Anastasia chose the safer path of humility. She fled to Alexandria in Egypt and, near the city at Pempton, founded a monastery where she embraced strict monastic discipline, supporting herself by weaving cloth. After Theodora’s death in 548, Emperor Justinian sought to summon Anastasia back, but she refused and instead sought counsel in the desert from Abba Daniel of Scetis. For her protection, Daniel arranged for her to live hidden in a solitary cell far from Scetis, where she remained in prayerful seclusion for twenty-eight years, receiving only simple provisions and weekly visits. Sensing her end in 576, she summoned Daniel, received Holy Communion, and surrendered her life to God. She is venerated for her courage, purity of heart, and steadfast renunciation of worldly power, and is honored as patron of Borgorose. Her feast day is March 10.

Macarius of Jerusalem Bishop of Jerusalem 300–335

Saint Macarius of Jerusalem was born in the Holy Land, though the details of his early life are not known. He became Bishop of Jerusalem around 312, shepherding the Church at a decisive moment when persecution was giving way to peace and the holy places of Christ’s Passion were coming again into the light. Remembered for his “honest and simple” apostolic spirit, Macarius stood firmly for the true faith against Arianism and was counted among the bishops who warned the Church about Arius. He took part in the Council of Nicaea in 325, where his witness to orthodox doctrine helped strengthen the confession of Christ’s divinity. That same era saw his devoted care for the sacred sites of salvation. He accompanied Saint Helena, mother of Emperor Constantine, in the search for relics of the Lord’s Passion, and he oversaw the uncovering of the Holy Sepulchre and the building of the great basilica there, as well as other churches in the region. Venerated in East and West, he is honored as patron of Rasiglia. His feast day is March 10.