Gospel Reflections

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,…

Reading: Matthew 3:1-12 (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.’ John and…

Reading: Matthew 24:37-44 (taken from “The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language” by Eugene H. Peterson) “The arrival of the Son of Man will take place in times like Noah’s. Before the great flood everyone was carrying on as usual, having a good time right up to the day Noah boarded the ark.They knew nothing…

Reading: Luke 21: 5-19 The rulers sneered at Jesus and said,“He saved others, let him save himself if he is the chosen one, the Christ of God.”Even the soldiers jeered at him.As they approached to offer him wine they called out, “If you are King of the Jews, save yourself.”Above him there was an inscription…

Reading: Luke 21: 5-19 While some people were speaking about how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings, Jesus said, “All that you see here —the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.” Then they asked him, “Teacher, when…

Reading: Luke 20:27, 34-38 (shortened version) Some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection, came forward (and gave the example of a brother who died and his seven brothers each in turn married his wife. Who will be her husband be in heaven?). Jesus said to them, “The children of this age marry…

Reading: Luke 19:1-10 At that time, Jesus came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town. Now a man there named Zacchaeus, who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man, was seeking to see who Jesus was; but he could not see him because of the crowd, for he was short…

Reading: Luke 18:9-14 Jesus addressed this parable to those who were convinced of their own righteousness and despised everyone else. “Two people went up to the temple area to pray; one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector. The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, ‘O God,…

Reading: Luke 8:1-8 Jesus told his disciples a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary. He said, “There was a judge in a certain town who neither feared God nor respected any human being. And a widow in that town used to come to him and say, ‘Render a just…

Reading: Luke 17:11-19 As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem, he traveled through Samaria and Galilee. As he was entering a village, ten lepers met him.They stood at a distance from him and raised their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!” And when he saw them, he said, “Go show yourselves to the…

Reading: Luke 17:5-10 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” The Lord replied, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. “Who among you would say to your servant who has just…

Reading: Luke 16:1-13 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…