Let us read together the Gospel of the day 26 February 2026

Thursday of the 1st Week of Lent

• St. Paula of St. Joseph Calasanz, foundress (1799-1889)
• St. Alexander of Alexandria (ET), patriarch (ca. 250-326)
• Saint of the day

First Reading

I have no help but you, O Lord.

From the Book of Esther
Est 4:17

In those days, Queen Esther, seized with deadly anxiety, fled to the Lord. She lay on the ground with her maids from morning until evening and said: «You are blessed, God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob. Help me, who am alone and have no help but you, O Lord, for a great danger is upon me.

I have heard from the books of my ancestors, Lord, that you deliver to the very end all who do your will. Now, Lord my God, help me, who am alone and have no one but you.
Come to my aid, for I am an orphan, and put a timely word in my mouth before the lion, and make me pleasing to him. Turn his heart to hatred against those who fight us, to his ruin and that of all who agree with him. As for us, deliver us from the hand of our enemies, turn our mourning into joy and our suffering into salvation».

The Word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm

From Ps 138

R. Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.

I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart;
you have heard the words of my mouth.
Not to the gods, but to you I will sing,
I bow down toward your holy temple. R.
 
I give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness;
you have exalted your name and your promise above everything.
On the day I called, you answered me,
you increased my strength of soul. R.
 
Your right hand delivers me.
The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me.
O Lord, your steadfast love endures forever;
do not abandon the work of your hands. R.

Gospel Acclamation

Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory!

Create in me a clean heart, O God;
restore to me the joy of your salvation. (Ps 51:10a, 12a)

Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory!

Today’s Gospel: February 26, 2026

Everyone who asks, receives.

From the Gospel according to Matthew
Mt 7:7-12

At that time, Jesus said to his disciples:
«Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for bread, will give a stone? Or if the child asks for a fish, will give a snake? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets».

The Gospel of the Lord.

The Ever-Open Door: Eugenio’s Dialogue of Love

Jesus’ words in today’s Gospel are an encouragement that warms the heart: «Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you». God is not a distant judge, but a Father who desires to give good things to those who ask Him. Jesus assures us that no prayer is ever lost, even when the answer is not exactly what we expected, because a father would never give a stone to a son who asks for bread.

I have often wondered how my son Eugenio managed to maintain that serenity in asking and seeking. His prayer was not a list of demands, but a continuous and trusting knocking at God’s door. Even in the darkest moments, Eugenio never stopped seeking the Father’s hand. He received the “bread” of strength, the “fish” of inner peace, and he left us the legacy of the Golden Rule lived through his own skin: doing to others what we would want done to us. Even when he was in need of everything, he always made sure to give a thought or a smile to those around him.

Today, in my prayers, I want to knock on that same door with the simplicity of my son. I do not ask for miracles that overturn God’s plan, but I ask for the grace to be able to see the good gifts that the Father sows every day on my path. I learn from Eugenio that praying does not mean convincing God to do what we want, but allowing God to give us the strength to live what He has prepared for us.

THE TEACHINGS OF THE POPES

«Jesus assures us that the Father always responds. But beware: He is not a vending machine. God gives us what we truly need for our salvation, which is sometimes different from what we ask for. Prayer is the breath of faith: never tire of knocking, because behind that door there is a heart that loves you infinitely.» — Pope Francis (General Audience)

«Prayer is the expression of our hope. If an earthly father knows how to give good things to his children, how much more the heavenly Father! Trust in His providence, even when the silence of God seems to grow heavy. In that silence, He is preparing for you a gift greater than you can imagine.» — Pope Benedict XVI (Spiritual Reflection)

«In everything do to others as you would have them do to you. This is the summary of the Christian life. Do not wait to be loved in order to love, or to be helped in order to help. Take the initiative of good, as Christ took it with us, knocking first at the door of our hearts.» — Saint John Paul II (Homily to the faithful)