Daily Shots

Lk 11:14-23Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute,and when the demon had gone out,the mute man spoke and the crowds were amazed.Some of them said, "By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons,he drives out demons."Others, to test him, asked him for a sign from heaven.But he knew their thoughts and said to them,"Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid wasteand house will fall against house.And if Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand?For you say that it is by Beelzebul that I drive out demons.If I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebul,by whom do your own people drive them out?Therefore they will be your judges.But if it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons,then the Kingdom of God has come upon you.When a strong man fully armed guards his palace,his possessions are safe.But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him,he takes away the armor on which he reliedand distributes the spoils.Whoever is not with me is against me,and whoever does not gather with me scatters."

Mt 5:17-19Jesus said to his disciples:“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away,not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letterwill pass from the law,until all things have taken place.Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandmentsand teaches others to do sowill be called least in the Kingdom of heaven.But whoever obeys and teaches these commandmentswill be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.”

Mt 18:21-35Peter approached Jesus and asked him,“Lord, if my brother sins against me,how often must I forgive him?As many as seven times?”Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.That is why the Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a kingwho decided to settle accounts with his servants.When he began the accounting,a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount.Since he had no way of paying it back,his master ordered him to be sold,along with his wife, his children, and all his property,in payment of the debt.At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said,‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.'Moved with compassion the master of that servantlet him go and forgave him the loan.When that servant had left, he found one of his fellow servantswho owed him a much smaller amount.He seized him and started to choke him, demanding,‘Pay back what you owe.'Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him,‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.'But he refused.Instead, he had him put in prisonuntil he paid back the debt.Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened,they were deeply disturbed, and went to their masterand reported the whole affair.His master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant!I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to.Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant,as I had pity on you?'Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturersuntil he should pay back the whole debt.So will my heavenly Father do to you,unless each of you forgives your brother from your heart.”

Lk 4:24-30Jesus said to the people in the synagogue at Nazareth:“Amen, I say to you,no prophet is accepted in his own native place.Indeed, I tell you, there were many widows in Israelin the days of Elijahwhen the sky was closed for three and a half yearsand a severe famine spread over the entire land.It was to none of these that Elijah was sent,but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon.Again, there were many lepers in Israelduring the time of Elisha the prophet;yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.”When the people in the synagogue heard this,they were all filled with fury.They rose up, drove him out of the town,and led him to the brow of the hillon which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong.But he passed through the midst of them and went away.

Mt 21:33-43, 45-46Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people: "Hear another parable.There was a landowner who planted a vineyard,put a hedge around it,dug a wine press in it, and built a tower.Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey.When vintage time drew near,he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce.But the tenants seized the servants and one they beat,another they killed, and a third they stoned.Again he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones,but they treated them in the same way.Finally, he sent his son to them,thinking, 'They will respect my son.'But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another,'This is the heir.Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.'They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?"They answered him,"He will put those wretched men to a wretched deathand lease his vineyard to other tenantswho will give him the produce at the proper times."Jesus said to them, "Did you never read in the Scriptures:The stone that the builders rejectedhas become the cornerstone;by the Lord has this been done,and it is wonderful in our eyes?Therefore, I say to you,the Kingdom of God will be taken away from youand given to a people that will produce its fruit."When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables,they knew that he was speaking about them.And although they were attempting to arrest him,they feared the crowds, for they regarded him as a prophet.

Lk 16:19-31Jesus said to the Pharisees:"There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linenand dined sumptuously each day.And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scrapsthat fell from the rich man's table.Dogs even used to come and lick his sores.When the poor man died,he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham.The rich man also died and was buried,and from the netherworld, where he was in torment,he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far offand Lazarus at his side.And he cried out, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me.Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue,for I am suffering torment in these flames.'Abraham replied, 'My child,remember that you received what was good during your lifetimewhile Lazarus likewise received what was bad;but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented.Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is establishedto prevent anyone from crossingwho might wish to go from our side to yoursor from your side to ours.'He said, 'Then I beg you, father, send himto my father's house,for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them,lest they too come to this place of torment.'But Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the prophets.Let them listen to them.'He said, 'Oh no, father Abraham,but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'Then Abraham said,'If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets,neither will they be persuadedif someone should rise from the dead.'"

Mt 20:17-28As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem,he took the Twelve disciples aside by themselves,and said to them on the way,"Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem,and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priestsand the scribes,and they will condemn him to death,and hand him over to the Gentilesto be mocked and scourged and crucified,and he will be raised on the third day."Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Jesus with her sonsand did him homage, wishing to ask him for something.He said to her, "What do you wish?"She answered him,"Command that these two sons of mine sit,one at your right and the other at your left, in your kingdom."Jesus said in reply,"You do not know what you are asking.Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?"They said to him, "We can."He replied,"My chalice you will indeed drink,but to sit at my right and at my left,this is not mine to givebut is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father."When the ten heard this,they became indignant at the two brothers.But Jesus summoned them and said,"You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them,and the great ones make their authority over them felt.But it shall not be so among you.Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant;whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serveand to give his life as a ransom for many."

Mt 23:1-12Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying,"The scribes and the Phariseeshave taken their seat on the chair of Moses.Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you,but do not follow their example.For they preach but they do not practice.They tie up heavy burdens hard to carryand lay them on people's shoulders,but they will not lift a finger to move them.All their works are performed to be seen.They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues,greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation 'Rabbi.'As for you, do not be called 'Rabbi.'You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers.Call no one on earth your father;you have but one Father in heaven.Do not be called 'Master';you have but one master, the Christ.The greatest among you must be your servant.Whoever exalts himself will be humbled;but whoever humbles himself will be exalted."

Lk 6:36-38Jesus said to his disciples:"Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful."Stop judging and you will not be judged.Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.Forgive and you will be forgiven.Give and gifts will be given to you;a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing,will be poured into your lap.For the measure with which you measurewill in return be measured out to you."

Mt 5:20-26Jesus said to his disciples: "I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses thatof the scribes and Pharisees,you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven."You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brotherwill be liable to judgment,and whoever says to his brother, Raqa, will be answerable to the Sanhedrin,and whoever says, 'You fool,' will be liable to fiery Gehenna.Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar,and there recall that your brotherhas anything against you,leave your gift there at the altar,go first and be reconciled with your brother,and then come and offer your gift.Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court.Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge,and the judge will hand you over to the guard,and you will be thrown into prison.Amen, I say to you,you will not be released until you have paid the last penny."

Mt 7:7-12Jesus said to his disciples:“Ask and it will be given to you;seek and you will find;knock and the door will be opened to you.For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds;and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.Which one of you would hand his son a stonewhen he asked for a loaf of bread,or a snake when he asked for a fish?If you then, who are wicked,know how to give good gifts to your children,how much more will your heavenly Father give good thingsto those who ask him.“Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.This is the law and the prophets.”

Lk 11:29-32While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them,“This generation is an evil generation;it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it,except the sign of Jonah. Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites,so will the Son of Man be to this generation.At the judgment the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation and she will condemn them,because she came from the ends of the earthto hear the wisdom of Solomon,and there is something greater than Solomon here. At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generationand condemn it,because at the preaching of Jonah they repented,and there is something greater than Jonah here.”

Mt 6:7-15Jesus said to his disciples:“In praying, do not babble like the pagans,who think that they will be heard because of their many words.Do not be like them.Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.“This is how you are to pray:Our Father who art in heaven,hallowed be thy name,thy Kingdom come,thy will be done,on earth as it is in heaven.Give us this day our daily bread;and forgive us our trespasses,as we forgive those who trespass against us;and lead us not into temptation,but deliver us from evil.“If you forgive men their transgressions,your heavenly Father will forgive you.But if you do not forgive men,neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.”

Mt 25:31-46Jesus said to his disciples:“When the Son of Man comes in his glory,and all the angels with him,he will sit upon his glorious throne,and all the nations will be assembled before him.And he will separate them one from another,as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.Then the king will say to those on his right,‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father.Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.For I was hungry and you gave me food,I was thirsty and you gave me drink,a stranger and you welcomed me,naked and you clothed me,ill and you cared for me,in prison and you visited me.'Then the righteous will answer him and say,‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you,or thirsty and give you drink?When did we see you a stranger and welcome you,or naked and clothe you?When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?'And the king will say to them in reply,‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you didfor one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.'Then he will say to those on his left,‘Depart from me, you accursed,into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels.For I was hungry and you gave me no food,I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,a stranger and you gave me no welcome,naked and you gave me no clothing,ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.'Then they will answer and say,‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirstyor a stranger or naked or ill or in prison,and not minister to your needs?'He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you,what you did not do for one of these least ones,you did not do for me.'And these will go off to eternal punishment,but the righteous to eternal life.”

Mt 9:14-15The disciples of John approached Jesus and said,“Why do we and the Pharisees fast much,but your disciples do not fast?”Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests mournas long as the bridegroom is with them?The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them,and then they will fast.”

Lk 9:22-25Jesus said to his disciples:“The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejectedby the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,and be killed and on the third day be raised.”Then he said to all,“If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himselfand take up his cross daily and follow me.For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.What profit is there for one to gain the whole worldyet lose or forfeit himself?”

Mt 6:1-6, 16-18Jesus said to his disciples:"Take care not to perform righteous deedsin order that people may see them;otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.When you give alms,do not blow a trumpet before you,as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streetsto win the praise of others.Amen, I say to you,they have received their reward.But when you give alms,do not let your left hand know what your right is doing,so that your almsgiving may be secret.And your Father who sees in secret will repay you."When you pray,do not be like the hypocrites,who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street cornersso that others may see them.Amen, I say to you,they have received their reward.But when you pray, go to your inner room,close the door, and pray to your Father in secret.And your Father who sees in secret will repay you."When you fast,do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.They neglect their appearance,so that they may appear to others to be fasting.Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.But when you fast,anoint your head and wash your face,so that you may not appear to be fasting,except to your Father who is hidden.And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you."

Mk 8:14-21The disciples had forgotten to bring bread,and they had only one loaf with them in the boat.Jesus enjoined them, "Watch out,guard against the leaven of the Phariseesand the leaven of Herod." They concluded among themselves thatit was because they had no bread.When he became aware of this he said to them,"Why do you conclude that it is because you have no bread?Do you not yet understand or comprehend?Are your hearts hardened?Do you have eyes and not see, ears and not hear?And do you not remember,when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand,how many wicker baskets full of fragments you picked up?"They answered him, "Twelve.""When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand,how many full baskets of fragments did you pick up?"They answered him, "Seven."He said to them, "Do you still not understand?"

Mk 8:11-13The Pharisees came forward and began to argue with Jesus,seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him.He sighed from the depth of his spirit and said,"Why does this generation seek a sign?Amen, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation."Then he left them, got into the boat again,and went off to the other shore.

Mk 7:31-37Jesus left the district of Tyreand went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee,into the district of the Decapolis. And people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impedimentand begged him to lay his hand on him.He took him off by himself away from the crowd. He put his finger into the man's earsand, spitting, touched his tongue;then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him,"Ephphatha!" (that is, "Be opened!")And immediately the man's ears were opened,his speech impediment was removed,and he spoke plainly. He ordered them not to tell anyone. But the more he ordered them not to,the more they proclaimed it. They were exceedingly astonished and they said,"He has done all things well. He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak."

Mk 7:24-30Jesus went to the district of Tyre.He entered a house and wanted no one to know about it,but he could not escape notice.Soon a woman whose daughter had an unclean spirit heard about him.She came and fell at his feet.The woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by birth,and she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter.He said to her, “Let the children be fed first.For it is not right to take the food of the childrenand throw it to the dogs.”She replied and said to him,“Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children's scraps.”Then he said to her, “For saying this, you may go.The demon has gone out of your daughter.”When the woman went home, she found the child lying in bedand the demon gone.

Mk 7:14-23Jesus summoned the crowd again and said to them,“Hear me, all of you, and understand.Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person;but the things that come out from within are what defile.” When he got home away from the crowdhis disciples questioned him about the parable.He said to them,“Are even you likewise without understanding?Do you not realize that everythingthat goes into a person from outside cannot defile,since it enters not the heart but the stomachand passes out into the latrine?”(Thus he declared all foods clean.)“But what comes out of the man, that is what defiles him.From within the man, from his heart,come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder,adultery, greed, malice, deceit,licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly.All these evils come from within and they defile.”

Mk 7:1-13When the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalemgathered around Jesus,they observed that some of his disciples ate their mealswith unclean, that is, unwashed, hands.(For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews,do not eat without carefully washing their hands,keeping the tradition of the elders.And on coming from the marketplacethey do not eat without purifying themselves.And there are many other things that they have traditionally observed,the purification of cups and jugs and kettles and beds.)So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him,"Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the eldersbut instead eat a meal with unclean hands?" He responded,"Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites,as it is written:This people honors me with their lips,but their hearts are far from me;In vain do they worship me,teaching as doctrines human precepts.You disregard God's commandment but cling to human tradition."He went on to say,"How well you have set aside the commandment of Godin order to uphold your tradition!For Moses said,Honor your father and your mother,and Whoever curses father or mother shall die.Yet you say,'If someone says to father or mother,"Any support you might have had from me is qorban"'(meaning, dedicated to God),you allow him to do nothing more for his father or mother.You nullify the word of Godin favor of your tradition that you have handed on.And you do many such things." 

Mk 6:53-56After making the crossing to the other side of the sea,Jesus and his disciples came to land at Gennesaretand tied up there.As they were leaving the boat, people immediately recognized him.They scurried about the surrounding country and began to bring in the sick on matsto wherever they heard he was.Whatever villages or towns or countryside he entered,they laid the sick in the marketplacesand begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak;and as many as touched it were healed.

Mk 6:14-29King Herod heard about Jesus, for his fame had become widespread,and people were saying,“John the Baptist has been raised from the dead;that is why mighty powers are at work in him.”Others were saying, “He is Elijah”;still others, “He is a prophet like any of the prophets.”But when Herod learned of it, he said,“It is John whom I beheaded. He has been raised up.”Herod was the one who had John arrested and bound in prisonon account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, whom he had married.John had said to Herod,“It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife.”Herodias harbored a grudge against himand wanted to kill him but was unable to do so.Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man,and kept him in custody.When he heard him speak he was very much perplexed,yet he liked to listen to him.Herodias had an opportunity one day when Herod, on his birthday,gave a banquet for his courtiers, his military officers,and the leading men of Galilee.His own daughter came in and performed a dancethat delighted Herod and his guests.The king said to the girl,“Ask of me whatever you wish and I will grant it to you.” He even swore many things to her,“I will grant you whatever you ask of me,even to half of my kingdom.”She went out and said to her mother,“What shall I ask for?”Her mother replied, “The head of John the Baptist.”The girl hurried back to the king's presence and made her request,“I want you to give me at once on a platterthe head of John the Baptist.”The king was deeply distressed,but because of his oaths and the guestshe did not wish to break his word to her.So he promptly dispatched an executionerwith orders to bring back his head.He went off and beheaded him in the prison.He brought in the head on a platterand gave it to the girl.The girl in turn gave it to her mother.When his disciples heard about it,they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

Mk 6:7-13Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by twoand gave them authority over unclean spirits.He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick–no food, no sack, no money in their belts.They were, however, to wear sandals but not a second tunic.He said to them,"Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave from there.Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you,leave there and shake the dust off your feetin testimony against them."So they went off and preached repentance.The Twelve drove out many demons,and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

Mk 6:1-6Jesus departed from there and came to his native place, accompanied by his disciples. When the sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue,and many who heard him were astonished. They said, “Where did this man get all this? What kind of wisdom has been given him? What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands! Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary,and the brother of James and Joseph and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. Jesus said to them,“A prophet is not without honor except in his native placeand among his own kin and in his own house.” So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there,apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them.He was amazed at their lack of faith.

Mk 5:21-43When Jesus had crossed again in the boatto the other side, a large crowd gathered around him, and he stayed close to the sea.One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward.Seeing him he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, saying,"My daughter is at the point of death.Please, come lay your hands on herthat she may get well and live."He went off with himand a large crowd followed him.There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years.She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctorsand had spent all that she had.Yet she was not helped but only grew worse.She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowdand touched his cloak.She said, "If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured."Immediately her flow of blood dried up.She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction.Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him,turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who has touched my clothes?"But his disciples said to him,"You see how the crowd is pressing upon you,and yet you ask, Who touched me?"And he looked around to see who had done it.The woman, realizing what had happened to her,approached in fear and trembling.She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth.He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has saved you.Go in peace and be cured of your affliction."While he was still speaking,people from the synagogue official's house arrived and said,"Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer?" Disregarding the message that was reported,Jesus said to the synagogue official,"Do not be afraid; just have faith."He did not allow anyone to accompany him insideexcept Peter, James, and John, the brother of James.When they arrived at the house of the synagogue official,he caught sight of a commotion,people weeping and wailing loudly.So he went in and said to them,"Why this commotion and weeping?The child is not dead but asleep."And they ridiculed him.Then he put them all out.He took along the child's father and motherand those who were with himand entered the room where the child was.He took the child by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum," which means, "Little girl, I say to you, arise!"The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around.At that they were utterly astounded.He gave strict orders that no one should know thisand said that she should be given something to eat.

Lk 2:22-40When the days were completed for their purificationaccording to the law of Moses,Mary and Joseph took Jesus up to Jerusalemto present him to the Lord,just as it is written in the law of the Lord,Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,and to offer the sacrifice ofa pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons,in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord. Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon.This man was righteous and devout,awaiting the consolation of Israel,and the Holy Spirit was upon him.It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spiritthat he should not see deathbefore he had seen the Christ of the Lord. He came in the Spirit into the temple;and when the parents brought in the child Jesusto perform the custom of the law in regard to him,he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying:    “Now, Master, you may let your servant go         in peace, according to your word,    for my eyes have seen your salvation,        which you prepared in the sight of all the peoples:    a light for revelation to the Gentiles,        and glory for your people Israel.”The child's father and mother were amazed at what was said about him;and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother,“Behold, this child is destinedfor the fall and rise of many in Israel,and to be a sign that will be contradicted-and you yourself a sword will pierce-so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”There was also a prophetess, Anna,the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher.She was advanced in years,having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage,and then as a widow until she was eighty-four.She never left the temple,but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer.And coming forward at that very time,she gave thanks to God and spoke about the childto all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.When they had fulfilled all the prescriptionsof the law of the Lord,they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom;and the favor of God was upon him.

Mk 4:26-34Jesus said to the crowds:“This is how it is with the Kingdom of God;it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the landand would sleep and rise night and dayand the seed would sprout and grow,he knows not how.Of its own accord the land yields fruit,first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once,for the harvest has come.”He said,“To what shall we compare the Kingdom of God,or what parable can we use for it?It is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground,is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth.But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plantsand puts forth large branches,so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade.”With many such parableshe spoke the word to them as they were able to understand it.Without parables he did not speak to them,but to his own disciples he explained everything in private.

Mk 4:21-25Jesus said to his disciples,“Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basketor under a bed,and not to be placed on a lampstand?For there is nothing hidden except to be made visible; nothing is secret except to come to light.Anyone who has ears to hear ought to hear.”He also told them, “Take care what you hear.The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you, and still more will be given to you.To the one who has, more will be given; from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”

Mk 4:1-20On another occasion, Jesus began to teach by the sea.A very large crowd gathered around him so that he got into a boat on the sea and sat down.And the whole crowd was beside the sea on land.And he taught them at length in parables, and in the course of his instruction he said to them, "Hear this! A sower went out to sow.And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up.Other seed fell on rocky ground where it had little soil.It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep.And when the sun rose, it was scorched and it withered for lack of roots. Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it and it produced no grain.And some seed fell on rich soil and produced fruit.It came up and grew and yielded thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold."He added, "Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear."And when he was alone, those present along with the Twelve questioned him about the parables.He answered them, "The mystery of the Kingdom of God has been granted to you.But to those outside everything comes in parables, so thatthey may look and see but not perceive,and hear and listen but not understand,in order that they may not be converted and be forgiven."Jesus said to them, "Do you not understand this parable?Then how will you understand any of the parables?The sower sows the word.These are the ones on the path where the word is sown.As soon as they hear, Satan comes at once and takes away the word sown in them.And these are the ones sown on rocky ground who, when they hear the word, receive it at once with joy.But they have no roots; they last only for a time.Then when tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.Those sown among thorns are another sort.They are the people who hear the word, but worldly anxiety, the lure of riches, and the craving for other things intrude and choke the word, and it bears no fruit.But those sown on rich soil are the ones who hear the word and accept itand bear fruit thirty and sixty and a hundredfold."

Mk 3:31-35The mother of Jesus and his brothers arrived at the house.Standing outside, they sent word to Jesus and called him.A crowd seated around him told him,"Your mother and your brothers and your sistersare outside asking for you."But he said to them in reply,"Who are my mother and my brothers?"And looking around at those seated in the circle he said,"Here are my mother and my brothers.For whoever does the will of Godis my brother and sister and mother."

Mk 3:22-30The scribes who had come from Jerusalem said of Jesus, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and“By the prince of demons he drives out demons.”Summoning them, he began to speak to them in parables, “How can Satan drive out Satan?If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand; that is the end of him.But no one can enter a strong man's house to plunder his property unless he first ties up the strong man.Then he can plunder his house. Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies that people utter will be forgiven them.But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an everlasting sin.”For they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.” 

Mk 3:13-19Jesus went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted and they came to him.He appointed Twelve, whom he also named Apostles,that they might be with himand he might send them forth to preach and to have authority to drive out demons:He appointed the Twelve:Simon, whom he named Peter; James, son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James, whom he named Boanerges, that is, sons of thunder;Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew,Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus; Thaddeus, Simon the Cananean,and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.

Mk 3:7-12Jesus withdrew toward the sea with his disciples.A large number of people followed from Galilee and from Judea.Hearing what he was doing,a large number of people came to him also from Jerusalem,from Idumea, from beyond the Jordan,and from the neighborhood of Tyre and Sidon.He told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd,so that they would not crush him.He had cured many and, as a result, those who had diseaseswere pressing upon him to touch him.And whenever unclean spirits saw him they would fall down before himand shout, “You are the Son of God.”He warned them sternly not to make him known.

Mk 3:1-6Jesus entered the synagogue.There was a man there who had a withered hand.They watched Jesus closelyto see if he would cure him on the sabbathso that they might accuse him.He said to the man with the withered hand,"Come up here before us."Then he said to the Pharisees,"Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil,to save life rather than to destroy it?"But they remained silent.Looking around at them with angerand grieved at their hardness of heart,Jesus said to the man, "Stretch out your hand."He stretched it out and his hand was restored.The Pharisees went out and immediately took counselwith the Herodians against him to put him to death.

Mk 2:23-28As Jesus was passing through a field of grain on the sabbath,his disciples began to make a path while picking the heads of grain.At this the Pharisees said to him,“Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the sabbath?”He said to them,“Have you never read what David didwhen he was in need and he and his companions were hungry?How he went into the house of God when Abiathar was high priestand ate the bread of offering that only the priests could lawfully eat,and shared it with his companions?”Then he said to them,“The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath.That is why the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.”

Mk 2:18-22The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were accustomed to fast.People came to Jesus and objected,“Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?”Jesus answered them,“Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast.But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them,and then they will fast on that day.No one sews a piece of unshrunken cloth on an old cloak.If he does, its fullness pulls away,the new from the old, and the tear gets worse.Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins.Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins,and both the wine and the skins are ruined.Rather, new wine is poured into fresh wineskins.”

Mk 2:1-12When Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days,it became known that he was at home.Many gathered together so that there was no longer room for them,not even around the door,and he preached the word to them.They came bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men.Unable to get near Jesus because of the crowd,they opened up the roof above him.After they had broken through,they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying.When Jesus saw their faith, he said to him,“Child, your sins are forgiven.”Now some of the scribes were sitting there asking themselves,“Why does this man speak that way?  He is blaspheming.Who but God alone can forgive sins?”Jesus immediately knew in his mind what they were thinking to themselves, so he said, “Why are you thinking such things in your hearts?Which is easier, to say to the paralytic,‘Your sins are forgiven,'or to say, ‘Rise, pick up your mat and walk'?But that you may knowthat the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth”–he said to the paralytic,“I say to you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home.”He rose, picked up his mat at once, and went away in the sight of everyone.They were all astoundedand glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this.”

Mk 1:40-45A leper came to him and kneeling down begged him and said,“If you wish, you can make me clean.”Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand,touched the leper, and said to him, “I do will it. Be made clean.”The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean.Then, warning him sternly, he dismissed him at once.Then he said to him, “See that you tell no one anything,but go, show yourself to the priestand offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed;that will be proof for them.”The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter.He spread the report abroadso that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly.He remained outside in deserted places,and people kept coming to him from everywhere.

Mk 1:29-39On leaving the synagogueJesus entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John.Simon's mother-in-law lay sick with a fever.They immediately told him about her.He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up.Then the fever left her and she waited on them.When it was evening, after sunset,they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons.The whole town was gathered at the door.He cured many who were sick with various diseases,and he drove out many demons,not permitting them to speak because they knew him.Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed.Simon and those who were with him pursued himand on finding him said, “Everyone is looking for you.”He told them, “Let us go on to the nearby villagesthat I may preach there also.For this purpose have I come.”So he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee.

Mk 1:21-28Jesus came to Capernaum with his followers, and on the sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught.The people were astonished at his teaching,for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes.In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit;he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?Have you come to destroy us?I know who you are–the Holy One of God!” Jesus rebuked him and said, “Quiet!  Come out of him!”The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him.All were amazed and asked one another, “What is this?A new teaching with authority.He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him.”His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee.

Mk 1:14-20After 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.”As he passed by the Sea of Galilee,he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea;they were fishermen.Jesus said to them,“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”Then they left their nets and followed him.He walked along a little fartherand saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.They too were in a boat mending their nets.Then he called them.So they left their father Zebedee in the boatalong with the hired men and followed him.

Lk 5:12-16It happened that there was a man full of leprosy in one of the towns where Jesus was;and when he saw Jesus,he fell prostrate, pleaded with him, and said,“Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him, and said,“I do will it.  Be made clean.” And the leprosy left him immediately. Then he ordered him not to tell anyone, but“Go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansingwhat Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.” The report about him spread all the more,and great crowds assembled to listen to himand to be cured of their ailments,but he would withdraw to deserted places to pray.

Lk 4:14-22Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit,and news of him spread throughout the whole region. He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all.He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up,and went according to his custominto the synagogue on the sabbath day. He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written:            The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,                        because he has anointed me                                    to bring glad tidings to the poor.            He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives                        and recovery of sight to the blind,                                    to let the oppressed go free,            and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down,and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him. He said to them,“Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” And all spoke highly of himand were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. 

Mk 6:45-52After the five thousand had eaten and were satisfied,Jesus made his disciples get into the boatand precede him to the other side toward Bethsaida,while he dismissed the crowd.And when he had taken leave of them,he went off to the mountain to pray.When it was evening,the boat was far out on the sea and he was alone on shore.Then he saw that they were tossed about while rowing,for the wind was against them.About the fourth watch of the night,he came toward them walking on the sea.He meant to pass by them.But when they saw him walking on the sea,they thought it was a ghost and cried out.They had all seen him and were terrified.But at once he spoke with them,“Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid!”He got into the boat with them and the wind died down.They were completely astounded.They had not understood the incident of the loaves.On the contrary, their hearts were hardened.

Mk 6:34-44When Jesus saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them,for they were like sheep without a shepherd;and he began to teach them many things.By now it was already late and his disciples approached him and said,“This is a deserted place and it is already very late.Dismiss them so that they can goto the surrounding farms and villagesand buy themselves something to eat.”He said to them in reply,“Give them some food yourselves.”But they said to him,“Are we to buy two hundred days' wages worth of foodand give it to them to eat?”He asked them, “How many loaves do you have?  Go and see.”And when they had found out they said,“Five loaves and two fish.”So he gave orders to have them sit down in groups on the green grass.The people took their places in rows by hundreds and by fifties.Then, taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven,he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciplesto set before the people;he also divided the two fish among them all.They all ate and were satisfied.And they picked up twelve wicker baskets full of fragmentsand what was left of the fish.Those who ate of the loaves were five thousand men.

Mt 4:12-17, 23-25When Jesus heard that John had been arrested,he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea,in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali,that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled:Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan,Galilee of the Gentiles,the people who sit in darknesshave seen a great light,on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by deathlight has arisen.From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say,“Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.”He went around all of Galilee,teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom,and curing every disease and illness among the people. His fame spread to all of Syria,and they brought to him all who were sick with various diseasesand racked with pain,those who were possessed, lunatics, and paralytics,and he cured them. And great crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, and Judea,and from beyond the Jordan followed him.

Jn 1:19-28This is the testimony of John. When the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to himto ask him, “Who are you?”he admitted and did not deny it, but admitted,“I am not the Christ.” So they asked him,“What are you then? Are you Elijah?” And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?”He answered, “No.” So they said to him,“Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us? What do you have to say for yourself?”He said:“I am the voice of one crying out in the desert,‘Make straight the way of the Lord,'as Isaiah the prophet said.” Some Pharisees were also sent. They asked him,“Why then do you baptizeif you are not the Christ or Elijah or the Prophet?” John answered them,“I baptize with water;but there is one among you whom you do not recognize,the one who is coming after me,whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.” This happened in Bethany across the Jordan,where John was baptizing.

Lk 2:16-21The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph,  and the infant lying in the manger.When they saw this,  they made known the message  that had been told them about this child.All who heard it were amazed  by what had been told them by the shepherds.And Mary kept all these things,  reflecting on them in her heart.Then the shepherds returned,  glorifying and praising God  for all they had heard and seen,  just as it had been told to them.  When eight days were completed for his circumcision,  he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel  before he was conceived in the womb.