Gospel Reflections

Reading: Matthew 4:1-11 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was hungry. The tempter approached and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread.” He…

Reading: Matthew 5:38-48 “You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one as well.If anyone wants to go to law with…

Reading: Matthew 5:20-22a, 27-28, 33-34a, 37 (shorter version) Jesus said to his disciples: “I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter 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…

Reading: Matthew 5:13-16 Jesus said to his disciples: “You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain…

Reading: Luke 2:22-40 When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, Mary and Joseph took Jesus up to Jerusalem to 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…

Reading: Matthew 4:18-22 (taken from “The New Testament and Psalms: An Inclusive Version”) Then walking by the Sea of Galilee, Jesus saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea — for they were fishers. And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make…

Reading: John 1:32-34 (taken from “The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language” by Eugene H. Peterson) John testified further saying, “I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from heaven and remain upon him. I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me. ‘On whomever you…

Reading: Matthew 2:1. 13-15 (taken from “The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language” by Eugene H. Peterson) While Jesus was living in the Galilean hills, John called the “Baptizer” was preaching in the desert country of Judea … His message was simple and austere, like his desert surroundings: “Change your life. God’s kingdom is here”……

Reading: Matthew 2:1, 9-12 (taken from “The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language” by Eugene H. Peterson) After Jesus was born in Bethlehem village, Judah territory – this was during Herod’s kingship – a band of scholars arrived in Jerusalem from the East. They asked around. “Where can we find the newborn king of the…

Reading: Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23 (taken from “The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language” by Eugene H. Peterson) “After the scholars were gone, God’s angel showed up again in Joseph’s dream and commanded, ‘Get up. Take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt. Stay until further notice. Herod is on the hunt for this…

Reading: Matthew 1:18-24 (taken from “The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language” by Eugene H. Peterson) “The birth of Jesus took place like this. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. Before they came to the marriage bed, Joseph discovered she was pregnant. (It was by the Holy Spirit, but he didn’t…

Reading: Matthew 11:2-11 (taken from “The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language” by Eugene H. Peterson “John, meanwhile, had been locked up in prison. When he got wind of what Jesus was doing, he sent his own disciples to ask, ‘Are you the One we’ve been expecting, or are we still waiting?’ Jesus told them,…