ENTRANCE ANTIPHON (Cf. Ps 91 (90):15-16)
When he calls on me, I will answer him;
I will deliver him and give him glory,
I will grant him length of days.

COLLECT
Let us pray (pause)
Grant, almighty God,
through the yearly observances of holy Lent,
that we may grow in understanding
of the riches hidden in Christ
and by worthy conduct pursue their effects.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
R. Amen.

FIRST READING (God’s covenant with Noah when he was delivered from the flood.)
A reading from the Book of Genesis (9:8-15)
God said to Noah and to his sons with him: “See, I am now establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you and with every living creature that was with you: all the birds, and the various tame and wild animals that were with you and came out of the ark. I will establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all bodily creatures be destroyed by the waters of a flood; there shall not be another flood to devastate the earth.” God added: “This is the sign that I am giving for all ages to come, of the covenant between me and you and every living creature with you: I set my bow in the clouds to serve as a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth, and the bow appears in the clouds, I will recall the covenant I have made between me and you and all living beings, so that the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all mortal beings.” —The Word of the Lord.

R. Thanks be to God.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM (25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9)
R.    Your ways, O Lord, are love and truth to those who keep your covenant. (Cf. Ps 25:10)

Your ways, O Lord, make known to me; teach me your paths, guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my savior. (R)

Remember that your compassion, O Lord, and your love are from of old. In your kindness remember me, because of your goodness, O Lord. (R)

Good and upright is the Lord, thus he shows sinners the way. He guides the humble to justice, and he teaches the humble his way. (R)

SECOND READING (The water of the flood prefigured baptism, which saves you now.)
A reading from the first Letter of Saint Peter (3:18-22)
Beloved: Christ suffered for sins once, the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous, that he might lead you to God. Put to death in the flesh, he was brought to life in the Spirit. In it he also went to preach to the spirits in prison, who had once been disobedient while God patiently waited in the days of Noah during the building of the ark, in which a few persons, eight in all, were saved through water. This prefigured baptism, which saves you now. It is not a removal of dirt from the body but an appeal to God for a clear conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers subject to him. —The Word of the Lord.

R. Thanks be to God.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (Mt 4:4b)
R. Glory and praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God. (R)

GOSPEL (Jesus was tempted by Satan, and the angels ministered to him.)
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark (1:12-15)
The Spirit drove Jesus out into the desert, and he remained in the desert for forty days, tempted by Satan. He was among wild beasts, and the angels ministered to him.

After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” —The Gospel of the Lord.

R. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

PRAYER OVER THE OFFERINGS
Give us the right dispositions, O Lord, we pray,
to make these offerings,
for with them we celebrate the beginning
of this venerable and sacred time.
Through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.

PREFACE
(The Temptation of the Lord.)
It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation,
always and everywhere to give you thanks,
Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God,
through Christ our Lord.

By abstaining forty long days from earthly food,
he consecrated through his fast
the pattern of our Lenten observance
and, by overturning all the snares of the ancient serpent,
taught us to cast out the leaven of malice,
so that, celebrating worthily the Paschal Mystery,
we might pass over at last to the eternal paschal feast.

And so, with the company of Angels and Saints,
we sing the hymn of your praise,
as without end we acclaim:

COMMUNION ANTIPHON (Mt 4:4)
One does not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.
Or (Cf. Ps 91 (90):4)
The Lord will conceal you with his pinions,
and under his wings you will trust.

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Let us pray (pause)
Renewed now with heavenly bread,
by which faith is nourished, hope increased,
and charity strengthened,
we pray, O Lord,
that we may learn to hunger for Christ,
the true and living Bread,
and strive to live by every word
which proceeds from your mouth.
Through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.

PRAYER OVER THE PEOPLE
Bow down for the blessing.
(The priest, with hands extended over the people, says the blessing.)

May bountiful blessing, O Lord, we pray,
come down upon your people,
that hope may grow in tribulation,
virtue be strengthened in temptation,
and eternal redemption be assured.
Through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.

And may the blessing of almighty God,
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
come down on you and remain with you for ever.
R. Amen.