Daily Mass Readings for March 15, 2026: Gospel — Jo 9,1-41 ou 1.6-9.13-17.34-38

¹ The Lord said to Samuel, “How long do you intend to mourn for Saul? I have rejected him as king over Israel. Fill your horn with olive oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse in Bethlehem, for I have selected a king for myself from among his sons.” ⁶ When they arrived, Samuel noticed Eliab and said to himself, “Surely, here before the Lord stands his chosen king.” 7 :¹ Then the people of Kiriath Jearim came and took the ark of the Lord; they brought it to the house of Abinadab located on the hill. They consecrated Eleazar his son to guard the ark of the Lord. ² It was quite a long time—some 2 ⁰ years in all—that the ark stayed at Kiriath Jearim. All the people of Israel longed for the Lord. ³ Samuel said to all the people of Israel, “If you are really turning to the Lord with all your hearts, remove from among you the foreign gods and the images of Ashtoreth. Give your hearts to the Lord and serve only him. Then he will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.” ⁴ So the Israelites removed the Baals and images of Ashtoreth. They served only the Lord. ⁵ Then Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord on your behalf.” ⁶ After they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the Lord. They fasted on that day, and they confessed there, “We have sinned against the Lord.” So Samuel led the people of Israel at Mizpah. ⁷ When the Philistines heard that the Israelites had gathered at Mizpah, the leaders of the Philistines went up against Israel. When the Israelites heard about this, they were afraid of the Philistines. ⁸ The Israelites said to Samuel, “Keep crying out to the Lord our God so that he may save us from the hand of the Philistines!” ⁹ So Samuel took a nursing lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. Samuel cried out to the Lord on Israel’s behalf, and the Lord answered him. 1 ⁰ As Samuel was offering burnt offerings, the Philistines approached to do battle with Israel. But on that day the Lord thundered loudly against the Philistines. He caused them to panic, and they were defeated by Israel. 1 ¹ Then the men of Israel left Mizpah and chased the Philistines, striking them down all the way to an area below Beth Car. 1 ² Samuel took a stone and placed it between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Up to here the Lord has helped us.” 1 ³ So the Philistines were defeated; they did not invade Israel again. The hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. 1 ⁴ The cities that the Philistines had captured from Israel were returned to Israel, from Ekron to Gath. Israel also delivered their territory from the control of the Philistines. There was also peace between Israel and the Amorites. 1 ⁵ So Samuel led Israel all the days of his life. 1 ⁶ Year after year he used to travel the circuit of Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah; he used to judge Israel in all these places. 1 ⁷ Then he would return to Ramah, because his home was there. He also judged Israel there and built an altar to the Lord there. 1 0 :¹ Then Samuel took a small container of olive oil and poured it on Saul’s head. Samuel kissed him and said, “The Lord has chosen you to lead his people Israel! You will rule over the Lord’s people and you will deliver them from the power of the enemies who surround them. This will be your sign that the Lord has chosen you as leader over his inheritance. ² When you leave me today, you will find two men near Rachel’s tomb at Zelzah on Benjamin’s border. They will say to you, ‘The donkeys you have gone looking for have been found. Your father is no longer concerned about the donkeys but has become anxious about you two! He is asking, “What should I do about my son?”’ ³ “As you continue on from there, you will come to the tall tree of Tabor. At that point three men who are going up to God at Bethel will meet you. One of them will be carrying three young goats, one of them will be carrying three round loaves of bread, and one of them will be carrying a container of wine. ⁴ They will ask you how you’re doing and will give you two loaves of bread. You will accept them. ⁵ Afterward you will go to Gibeah of God, where there are Philistine officials. When you enter the town, you will meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place. They will have harps, tambourines, flutes, and lyres, and they will be prophesying. ⁶ Then the Spirit of the Lord will rush upon you and you will prophesy with them. You will be changed into a different person. ⁷ “When these signs have taken place, do whatever your hand finds to do, for God will be with you. ⁸ You will go down to Gilgal before me. I am going to join you there to offer burnt offerings and to make peace offerings. You should wait for seven days until I arrive and tell you what to do.” ⁹ As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed his inmost person. All these signs happened on that very day. 1 ⁰ When Saul and his servant arrived at Gibeah, a company of prophets was coming out to meet him. Then the Spirit of God rushed upon Saul and he prophesied among them. 1 ¹ When everyone who had known him previously saw him prophesying with the prophets, the people asked one another, “What on earth has happened to the son of Kish? Does even Saul belong with the prophets?” 1 ² A man who was from there replied, “And who is their father?” Therefore this became a proverb: “Is even Saul among the prophets?” 1 ³ When Saul had finished prophesying, he went to the high place. 1 ⁴ Saul’s uncle asked him and his servant, “Where did you go?” Saul replied, “To look for the donkeys. But when we realized they were lost, we went to Samuel.” 1 ⁵ Saul’s uncle said, “Tell me what Samuel said to you.” 1 ⁶ Saul said to his uncle, “He assured us that the donkeys had been found.” But Saul did not tell him what Samuel had said about the matter of kingship. 1 ⁷ Then Samuel called the people together before the Lord at Mizpah. 1 ⁸ He said to the Israelites, “This is what the Lord God of Israel has said, ‘I brought Israel up from Egypt and I delivered you from the power of the Egyptians and from the power of all the kingdoms that oppressed you. 1 ⁹ But today you have rejected your God who saves you from all your trouble and distress. You have said, “No! Appoint a king over us.” Now take your positions before the Lord by your tribes and by your clans.’” 2 ⁰ Then Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was chosen by lot. 2 ¹ Then he brought the tribe of Benjamin near by its families, and the family of Matri was chosen by lot. At last Saul son of Kish was chosen by lot. But when they looked for him, he was nowhere to be found. 2 ² So they inquired again of the Lord, “Has the man arrived here yet?” The Lord said, “He has hidden himself among the equipment.” 2 ³ So they ran and brought him from there. When he took his position among the people, he stood head and shoulders above them all. 2 ⁴ Then Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see the one whom the Lord has chosen? Indeed, there is no one like him among all the people.” All the people shouted out, “Long live the king!” 2 ⁵ Then Samuel talked to the people about how the kingship would work. He wrote it all down on a scroll and set it before the Lord. Then Samuel sent all the people away to their homes. 2 ⁶ Even Saul went to his home in Gibeah. With him went some brave men whose hearts God had touched. 2 ⁷ But some wicked men said, “How can this man save us?” They despised him and did not even bring him a gift. But Saul said nothing about it. 1 1 :¹ Nahash the Ammonite marched against Jabesh Gilead. All the men of Jabesh Gilead said to Nahash, “Make a treaty with us and we will serve you.” ² But Nahash the Ammonite said to them, “The only way I will make a treaty with you is if you let me gouge out the right eye of every one of you and in so doing humiliate all Israel!” ³ The elders of Jabesh said to him, “Leave us alone for seven days so that we can send messengers throughout the territory of Israel. If there is no one who can deliver us, we will come out voluntarily to you.” ⁴ When the messengers went to Gibeah (where Saul lived) and informed the people of these matters, all the people wept loudly. ⁵ Now Saul was walking behind the oxen as he came from the field. Saul asked, “What has happened to the people? Why are they weeping?” So they told him about the men of Jabesh. ⁶ The Spirit of God rushed upon Saul when he heard these words, and he became very angry. ⁷ He took a pair of oxen and cut them up. Then he sent the pieces throughout the territory of Israel by the hand of messengers, who said, “Whoever does not go out after Saul and after Samuel should expect this to be done to his oxen!” Then the terror of the Lord fell on the people, and they went out as one army. ⁸ When Saul counted them at Bezek, the Israelites were 30 0 ,000 strong and the men of Judah numbered 3 0 ,000. ⁹ They said to the messengers who had come, “Here’s what you should say to the men of Jabesh Gilead: ‘Tomorrow deliverance will come to you when the sun is fully up.’” When the messengers went and told the men of Jabesh Gilead, they were happy. 1 ⁰ The men of Jabesh said, “Tomorrow we will come out to you and you can do with us whatever you wish.” 1 ¹ The next day Saul placed the people in three groups. They went to the Ammonite camp during the morning watch and struck them down until the hottest part of the day. The survivors scattered; no two of them remained together. 1 ² Then the people said to Samuel, “Who were the ones asking, ‘Will Saul reign over us?’ Hand over those men so we may execute them!” 1 ³ But Saul said, “No one will be killed on this day. For today the Lord has given Israel a victory!” 1 ⁴ Samuel said to the people, “Come on! Let’s go to Gilgal and renew the kingship there.” 1 ⁵ So all the people went to Gilgal, where they established Saul as king in the Lord’s presence. They offered up peace offerings there in the Lord’s presence. Saul and all the Israelites were very happy. 1 2 :¹ Samuel said to all Israel, “I have done everything you requested. I have given you a king. ² Now look! This king walks before you. As for me, I am old and gray, and my sons are here with you. I have walked before you from the time of my youth till the present day. ³ Here I am. Bring a charge against me before the Lord and before his chosen king. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I wronged? Whom have I oppressed? From whose hand have I taken a bribe so that I would overlook something? Tell me, and I will return it to you!” ⁴ They replied, “You have not wronged us or oppressed us. You have not taken anything from the hand of anyone.” ⁵ He said to them, “The Lord is witness against you, and his chosen king is witness this day, that you have not found any reason to accuse me.” They said, “He is witness!” ⁶ Samuel said to the people, “The Lord is the one who chose Moses and Aaron and who brought your ancestors up from the land of Egypt. ⁷ Now take your positions, so I may confront you before the Lord regarding all the Lord’s just actions toward you and your ancestors. ⁸ When Jacob entered Egypt, your ancestors cried out to the Lord. The Lord sent Moses and Aaron, and they led your ancestors out of Egypt and settled them in this place. ⁹ “But they forgot the Lord their God, so he gave them into the hand of Sisera, the general in command of Hazor’s army, and into the hands of the Philistines and the king of Moab, and they fought against them. 1 ⁰ Then they cried out to the Lord and admitted, ‘We have sinned, for we have forsaken the Lord and have served the Baals and the images of Ashtoreth. Now deliver us from the hands of our enemies so that we may serve you.’ 1 ¹ So the Lord sent Jerub Baal, Barak, Jephthah, and Samuel, and he delivered you from the hands of the enemies all around you, and you were able to live securely. 1 ² “When you saw that King Nahash of the Ammonites was advancing against you, you said to me, ‘No! A king will rule over us’—even though the Lord your God is your king. 1 ³ Now look! Here is the king you have chosen—the one that you asked for! Look, the Lord has given you a king. 1 ⁴ If you fear the Lord, serving him and obeying him and not rebelling against what he says, and if both you and the king who rules over you follow the Lord your God, all will be well. 1 ⁵ But if you don’t obey the Lord and rebel against what the Lord says, the hand of the Lord will be against both you and your king. 1 ⁶ “So now, take your positions and watch this great thing that the Lord is about to do in your sight. 1 ⁷ Is this not the time of the wheat harvest? I will call on the Lord so that he makes it thunder and rain. Realize and see what a great sin you have committed before the Lord by asking for a king for yourselves.” 1 ⁸ So Samuel called to the Lord, and the Lord made it thunder and rain that day. All the people were very afraid of both the Lord and Samuel. 1 ⁹ All the people said to Samuel, “Pray to the Lord your God on behalf of us—your servants—so we won’t die, for we have added to all our sins by asking for a king.” 2 ⁰ Then Samuel said to the people, “Don’t be afraid. You have indeed sinned. However, don’t turn aside from the Lord. Serve the Lord with all your heart. 2 ¹ You should not turn aside after empty things that can’t profit and can’t deliver, since they are empty. 2 ² The Lord will not abandon his people because he wants to uphold his great reputation. The Lord was pleased to make you his own people. 2 ³ As far as I am concerned, far be it from me to sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you! I will instruct you in the way that is good and upright. 2 ⁴ However, fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. Just look at the great things he has done for you! 2 ⁵ But if you continue to do evil, both you and your king will be swept away.” 1 3 :¹ Saul was [thirty] years old when he began to reign; he ruled over Israel for [forty] years. ² Saul selected for himself 3 ,000 men from Israel. Of these 2 ,000 were with Saul at Micmash and in the hill country of Bethel; the remaining 1 ,000 were with Jonathan at Gibeah in the territory of Benjamin. He sent all the rest of the people back home. ³ Jonathan attacked the Philistine outpost that was at Geba and the Philistines heard about it. Then Saul alerted all the land saying, “Let the Hebrews pay attention!” ⁴ All Israel heard this message, “Saul has attacked the Philistine outpost, and now Israel is repulsive to the Philistines!” So the people were summoned to join Saul at Gilgal. ⁵ Meanwhile the Philistines gathered to battle with Israel. Then they went up against Israel with 3 ,000 chariots, 6 ,000 horsemen, and an army as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They went up and camped at Micmash, east of Beth Aven. ⁶ The men of Israel realized they had a problem because their army was hard pressed. So the army hid in caves, thickets, cliffs, strongholds, and cisterns. ⁷ Some of the Hebrews crossed over the Jordan River to the land of Gad and Gilead. But Saul stayed at Gilgal; the entire army that was with him was terrified. ⁸ He waited for seven days, the time period indicated by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the army began to abandon Saul. ⁹ So Saul said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings.” Then he offered a burnt offering. 1 ⁰ Just when he had finished offering the burnt offering, Samuel appeared on the scene. Saul went out to meet him and to greet him. 1 ¹ But Samuel said, “What have you done?” Saul replied, “When I saw that the army had started to abandon me, and that you didn’t come at the appointed time, and that the Philistines had assembled at Micmash, 1 ² I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will come down on me at Gilgal and I have not sought the Lord’s favor.’ So I felt obligated to offer the burnt offering.” 1 ³ Then Samuel said to Saul, “You have made a foolish choice! You have not obeyed the commandment that the Lord your God gave you. Had you done that, the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. 1 ⁴ But now your kingdom will not continue. The Lord has sought out for himself a man who is loyal to him, and the Lord has appointed him to be leader over his people, for you have not obeyed what the Lord commanded you.” 1 ⁵ Then Samuel set out and went up from Gilgal to Gibeah in the territory of Benjamin. Saul mustered the army that remained with him; there were about 6 0 ⁰ men. 1 ⁶ Saul, his son Jonathan, and the army that remained with them stayed in Gibeah in the territory of Benjamin, while the Philistines camped in Micmash. 1 ⁷ Raiding bands went out from the camp of the Philistines in three groups. One band turned toward the road leading to Ophrah by the land of Shual; 1 ⁸ another band turned toward the road leading to Beth Horon; and yet another band turned toward the road leading to the border that overlooks the valley of Zeboyim in the direction of the desert. 1 ⁹ A blacksmith could not be found in all the land of Israel, for the Philistines had said, “This will prevent the Hebrews from making swords and spears.” 2 ⁰ So all Israel had to go down to the Philistines in order to get their plowshares, cutting instruments, axes, and sickles sharpened. 2 ¹ They charged two-thirds of a shekel to sharpen plowshares and cutting instruments, and one-third of a shekel to sharpen picks and axes, and to set ox goads. 2 ² So on the day of the battle no sword or spear was to be found in the hand of anyone in the army that was with Saul and Jonathan. No one but Saul and his son Jonathan had them. 2 ³ A garrison of the Philistines had gone out to the pass at Micmash.

⁸ for you were at one time darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live like children of light— ⁹ for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth— 1 ⁰ trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. 1 ¹ Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 1 ² For the things they do in secret are shameful even to mention. 1 ³ But all things being exposed by the light are made visible. 1 ⁴ For everything made visible is light, and for this reason it says: “Awake, O sleeper! Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you!”