THURSDAY AFTER ASH WEDNESDAY

Thursday After Ash Wednesday

EPISTLE. Isaias xxxviii. 1-6

INthose days Ezechias was sick even to death, and the prophet Isaias, the son of Amos, came unto him, and said to him :Thus saith the Lord : Take order with thy house, for thou shalt die and not live. And Ezechias turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the Lord, and said: I beseech Thee, O Lord, remember how I have walked before Thee in truth, and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in Thy sight.  And Ezechias wept with great weeping. And the word of the Lord came to Isaias, saying: Go and say to Ezechias : Thus saith the Lord the God of David thy father : I have heard thy prayer, and I have seen thy tears : behold I will add to thy days fifteen years : and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand oi the king of the Assyrians, and I will protect it, saith the Lord Almighty.

GOSPEL. Matt. viii. 5-13.

At that time : When Jesus had entered into Capharnaum, there came to Him a centurion, beseeching Him, and saying: Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, and is grievously tormented. And Jesus saith to him: I will come and heal him. And the centurion, making answer, said : Lord, I am not worthy that Thou shouldst enter under my roof; but only say the word, and my servant shall be healed. For I also am a man subject to authority, having under me soldiers; and I say to this, Go, and he goeth, and to another, Come, and he cometh, and to my servant, Do this, and he doth it. And Jesus, hearing this, marvelled, and said to them that followed Him: Amen I say to you, I have not found so great faith in Israel. And I say to you that many shall come from the East and the West, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven : but the children of the king dom shall be cast out into the exterior darkness : there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. And Jesus said to the centurion, Go, and as thou hast believed, so be it done to thee. And the servant was healed at the same hour.

Prayer.

O God, Who by sin art offended, and by penance pacified, mercifully regard the prayers of Thy people, making supplications to Thee, and turn away the scourges of Thy anger, which we deserve for our sins. Through Our Lord, etc.
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