Gospel Verse, Cf. Lk 8:15: Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart and yield a harvest through perseverance.It is one week before the end of Lent, a week from Spy Wednesday. This Mass reminds us that the hatred against Christ was growing, and the plot to kill Him was developing. The three young men in the fiery furnace are a reminder of what Jesus will endure. –The Vatican II Weekday Missal