A prophet is not without honor except in his native place. Mk 6:1-6

Jesus 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 place and 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.

Little girl, I say to you, arise! Mk 5:21-43

 When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to 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 her that she may get well and live.”

He went off with him and a large crowd followed him. There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years. She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors and 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 crowd and 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 inside except 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 mother    and those who were with him and 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 this and said that she should be given something to eat.

Unclean spirit, come out of the man! Mk 5:1-20

Jesus and his disciples came to the other side of the sea, to the territory of the Gerasenes. When he got out of the boat, at once a man from the tombs who had an unclean spirit met him. The man had been dwelling among the tombs, and no one could restrain him any longer, even with a chain. In fact, he had frequently been bound with shackles and chains, but the chains had been pulled apart by him and the shackles smashed, and no one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and on the hillsides he was always crying out and bruising himself with stones. Catching sight of Jesus from a distance, he ran up and prostrated himself before him, crying out in a loud voice,

“What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me!” (He had been saying to him, “Unclean spirit, come out of the man!”)

He asked him, 

“What is your name?”

He replied, “Legion is my name. There are many of us.” And he pleaded earnestly with him not to drive them away from that territory. Now a large herd of swine was feeding there on the hillside. And they pleaded with him, “Send us into the swine. Let us enter them.”

And he let them, and the unclean spirits came out and entered the swine. The herd of about two thousand rushed down a steep bank into the sea, where they were drowned. The swineherds ran away and reported the incident in the town and throughout the countryside. And people came out to see what had happened.

As they approached Jesus, they caught sight of the man who had been possessed by Legion, sitting there clothed and in his right mind. And they were seized with fear. Those who witnessed the incident explained to them what had happened to the possessed man and to the swine. Then they began to beg him to leave their district. As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed pleaded to remain with him. But Jesus would not permit him but told him instead,

“Go home to your family and announce to them all that the Lord in his pity has done for you.”

Then the man went off and began to proclaim in the Decapolis what Jesus had done for him; and all were amazed.

He taught them as one having authority. Mk 1:21-28

Then they came to Capernaum, and on the sabbath Jesus 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.

Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey? Mk 4:35-41

 On that day, as evening drew on, Jesus said to his disciples:

“Let us cross to the other side.”

 Leaving the crowd, they took Jesus with them in the boat just as he was. And other boats were with him. A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was already filling up. Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. 

They woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”

He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, 

“Quiet! Be still!”

The wind ceased and there was great calm.

Then he asked them, 

“Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?”

They were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?”

A man scatters seed on the land and would sleep and the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how. Mk 4:26-34

 Jesus 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 land and would sleep and rise night and day and 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 plants and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade.”

With many such parables he 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.

Go out to all the world and tell the Good News. Mk 16:15-18

 Jesus appeared to the Eleven and said to them: 

“Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. They will pick up serpents with their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

You are my friends if you do what I command you. Jn 15:9-17

 Jesus said to his disciples:

“As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy be in you and your joy be complete. This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing.

I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain,  so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. This I command you: love one another.”

Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother. Mk 3:31-35

The 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 sisters are 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 God is my brother and sister and mother.”

It is the end of Satan. Mk 3:22-30

The 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.”

Repent and believe in the Gospel. Mk 1:14-20

 After 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 abandoned their nets and followed him. He walked along a little farther and 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 boat along with the hired men and followed him.

They said, “He is out of his mind.” Mk 3:20-21

Jesus came with his disciples into the house. Again the crowd gathered, making it impossible for them even to eat. When his relatives heard of this they set out to seize him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”

Jesus summoned those whom he wanted and they came to him. Mk 3:13-19

Jesus 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 him and 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.

The unclean spirits shouted, “You are the Son of God,” but Jesus warned them sternly not to make him known.Mk 3:7-12

Jesus 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 diseases were pressing upon him to touch him.

And whenever unclean spirits saw him they would fall down before him    and shout, “You are the Son of God.” He warned them sternly not to make him known.

If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have. Mt 19:16-26

Someone approached Jesus and said, “Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?” Jesus answered him, 

“Why do you ask me about the good? There is only One who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.”

He asked him, “Which ones?”

And Jesus replied, 

“You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; honor your father and your mother; and you shall love your neighbor as yourself."

The young man said to him,

 “All of these I have observed. What do I still lack?”

Jesus said to him, 

“If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad, for he had many possessions. Then Jesus said to his disciples, 

“Amen, I say to you, it will be hard for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of heaven. Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God.”

When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and said,

“Who then can be saved?”

Jesus looked at them and said,

“For men this is impossible, but for God all things are possible.”

The sabbath was made for people, not people for the sabbath.Mk 2:23-28

As 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 did when he was in need and he and his companions were hungry? How he went into the house of God when Abiathar was high priest and 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.”

The bridegroom is with them. Mk 2:18-22

The 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. f 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.”

They saw where he was staying and they stayed with him. Jn 1:35-42

John was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said, 

“Behold, the Lamb of God.”

The two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them,

“What are you looking for?”

They said to him, “Rabbi”—which translated means Teacher—, “where are you staying?”

He said to them,

“Come, and you will see.” 

So they went and saw where Jesus was staying, and they stayed with him that day. It was about four in the afternoon. Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who heard John and followed Jesus. He first found his own brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah”—which is translated Christ—. Then he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said,

 “You are Simon the son of John;

you will be called Cephas”—which is translated Peter.

I did not come to call the righteous but sinners. Mk 2:13-17

Jesus went out along the sea. All the crowd came to him and he taught them. As he passed by, he saw Levi, son of Alphaeus, sitting at the customs post. Jesus said to him, 

“Follow me.”

And he got up and followed Jesus. While he was at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners sat with Jesus and his disciples; for there were many who followed him.

Some scribes who were Pharisees saw that Jesus was eating with sinners and tax collectors and said to his disciples,

“Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

Jesus heard this and said to them,

“Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”

The Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth. Mk 2:1-12

When 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 know that 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 astounded    and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this.”

The leprosy left him, and he was made clean. Mk 1:40-45

A 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 priest and 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 abroad so 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.

Jesus cured many who were sick with various diseases. Mk 1:29-39

On leaving the synagogue Jesus 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 him and on finding him said, “Everyone is looking for you.” He told them, 

“Let us go on to the nearby villages that 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.

Jesus taught them as one having authority. Mark 1:21-28

Jesus 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.

The Holy Spirit comes upon him Mt 3:13-17

Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan

   to be baptized by him.

John tried to prevent him, saying,

   “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me?”

Jesus said to him in reply,

   “Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.”

Then he allowed him. After Jesus was baptized, he came up from the water and behold, the heavens were opened for him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon him.

And a voice came from the heavens, saying, 

“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

The Epiphany Mt 2:1-12

 1 After Jesus had been born at Bethlehem in Judaea during the reign of King Herod, suddenly some wise men came to Jerusalem from the east 2 asking, 'Where is the infant king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose and have come to do him homage.' 3 When King Herod heard this he was perturbed, and so was the whole of Jerusalem. 4 He called together all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, and enquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, 'At Bethlehem in Judaea, for this is what the prophet wrote:

6 And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, you are by no means the least among the leaders of Judah, for from you will come a leader who will shepherd my people Israel.'

7 Then Herod summoned the wise men to see him privately. He asked them the exact date on which the star had appeared 8 and sent them on to Bethlehem with the words, 'Go and find out all about the child, and when you have found him, let me know, so that I too may go and do him homage.'

9 Having listened to what the king had to say, they set out. And suddenly the star they had seen rising went forward and halted over the place where the child was. 10 The sight of the star filled them with delight, 11 and going into the house they saw the child with his mother Mary, and falling to their knees they did him homage. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.

12 But they were given a warning in a dream not to go back to Herod, and returned to their own country by a different way.

The geneology of Jesus Christ, the son of Adam, the son of God. Lk 3:23-38

When Jesus began his ministry he was about thirty years of age.

He was the son, as was thought, of Joseph, the son of Heli,

   the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi,

   the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph, the son of Mattathias,

   the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli,

   the son of Naggai, the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias,

   the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda,

   the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel,

   the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, the son of Melchi,

   the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam,

   the son of Er, the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer,

   the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi,

   the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph,

   the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim, the son of Melea,

   the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan,

   the son of David, the son of Jesse, the son of Obed,

   the son of Boaz, the son of Sala, the son of Nahshon,

   the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Arni,

   the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah,

   the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham,

   the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, the son of Serug,

   the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber,

   the son of Shelah, the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad,

   the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,

   the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared,

   the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan, the son of Enos,

   the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.

Jn 1:43-51

Jesus decided to go to Galilee, and he found Philip. And Jesus said to him,

“Follow me.”

Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the town of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and told him, 

“We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law, and also the prophets, Jesus, son of Joseph, from Nazareth.”

But Nathanael said to him,

“Can anything good come from Nazareth?”

Philip said to him, “Come and see.” Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him,

“Here is a true child of Israel. There is no duplicity in him.”

Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered and said to him,

"Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.”

Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.” Jesus answered and said to him,

“Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.”

And he said to him, 

“Amen, amen, I say to you, you will see the sky opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

We have found the Messiah. Jn 1:35-42

John was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said,

“Behold, the Lamb of God.”

The two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them, 

“What are you looking for?”

They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher), “where are you staying?”

He said to them, “Come, and you will see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day. It was about four in the afternoon. Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who heard John and followed Jesus. He first found his own brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah,” which is translated Christ. Then he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said,

“You are Simon the son of John; you will be called Cephas,”

which is translated Peter.

Look: there is the Lamb of God. John 1:29-34

John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said,

“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. He is the one of whom I said,    ‘A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’

I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel.” 

John testified further, saying,

“I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from the sky and remain upon him. I did not know him,   but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God.”

The greatest among you must be your servant. Mt 23:8-12

Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples:

“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.”

Naming him Jesus. Lk 2:16-21

The 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.