Marriage and divorce

Jesus went into the district of Judea [and] across the Jordan. Again crowds gathered around Him and, as was His custom, He again taught them. The Pharisees approached and asked, “Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?” They were testing Him. He said to them in reply, “What did Moses command you?” They replied, “Moses permitted him to write a bill of divorce and dismiss... 

One gate

John 10:1-10 Jesus said to the Pharisees, “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber. But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.  Read More »

The session of the Sanhedrin

Gospel Reading: Jn 7:40-53 Many of the Jews who had come to Mary and seen what Jesus had done began to believe in Him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. So the chief priests and the Pharisees convened the Sanhedrin and said, “What are we going to do? This Man is performing many signs.  Read More »

The origins of the Messiah

Gospel Reading: Jn 7:40-53 SOME in the crowd who heard [Jesus'] words said, “This is truly the Prophet.“ Others said, “This is the Messiah.“ But others said, “The Messiah will not come from Galilee, will he? Does not scripture say that the Messiah will be of David’s family and come from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?“ So a division occurred in the crowd because... 

Parable of the lost son

Gospel Reading: Lk 15:1-3, 11-32 THE tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to [Jesus], but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.“ So to them [Jesus] addressed this parable. “A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father, `Father, give me the share of your estate that should come to me.’  Read More »

The parable of the tenants

Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46 Jesus 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.  Read More »

The rich man and Lazarus

Gospel Reading: Lk 16:19-31 Jesus said to the Pharisees, “There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and 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 scraps that fell from the rich man’s table.  Read More »

The call of Levi

Gospel Reading: Lk 5:27-32 Jesus went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow Me.” And leaving everything behind, he got up and followed Him. Then Levi gave a great banquet for Him in his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were at table with them. The Pharisees and their scribes complained to His disciples, saying,... 

The question about fasting

Matthew 9:14-15 The 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 mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.”  Read More »

The tradition of the elders

Gospel Reading: Mk 7:1-13 Now when the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus, they observed that some of His disciples ate their meals with 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 marketplace they do...