Good things come to you and bad things to Lazarus; now he is comforted while you are in agony. 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.

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 off

   and 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 lifetime

   while 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 established

   to prevent anyone from crossing

   who might wish to go from our side to yours

   or from your side to ours.’

He said, ‘Then I beg you, father, send him

   to 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 persuaded

   if someone should rise from the dead.’”

They will condemn the Son of Man to death. Mt 20:17-28

As 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 priests

   and the scribes,

   and they will condemn him to death,

   and hand him over to the Gentiles

   to 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 sons

   and 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 give

   but 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 serve

   and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

They preach but they do not practice. Mt 23:1-12

Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying,

   “The scribes and the Pharisees

   have 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 carry

   and 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.”

Forgive and you will be forgiven. Lk 6:36-38

 Jesus 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 measure

   will in return be measured out to you.”

This is my beloved Son. Mk 9:2-10

Jesus took Peter, James, and John

   and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves.

And he was transfigured before them,

   and his clothes became dazzling white,

   such as no fuller on earth could bleach them.

Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses,

   and they were conversing with Jesus.

Then Peter said to Jesus in reply,

   “Rabbi, it is good that we are here!

Let us make three tents:

   one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified.

Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them;

   from the cloud came a voice,

   “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.”

Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone

   but Jesus alone with them.

As they were coming down from the mountain,

   he charged them not to relate what they had seen to anyone,

   except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

So they kept the matter to themselves,

   questioning what rising from the dead meant.

Be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect. Mt 5:43-48

Jesus said to his disciples:

   “You have heard that it was said,

   You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.

But I say to you, love your enemies,

   and pray for those who persecute you,

   that you may be children of your heavenly Father,

   for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good,

   and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.

For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have?

Do not the tax collectors do the same?

And if you greet your brothers and sisters only,

   what is unusual about that?

Do not the pagans do the same?

So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Go first and be reconciled with your brother. Mt 5:20-26

Jesus said to his disciples:

“I tell you,

   unless your righteousness surpasses that

   of 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 brother

   will 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 brother

   has 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.”

You are Peter. I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven. Mt 16:13-19

When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi

   he asked his disciples,

“Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”

They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah,

   still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Simon Peter said in reply,

   “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah.

For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.

And so I say to you, you are Peter,

   and upon this rock I will build my church,

   and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.

I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven.

Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven;

   and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

No sign will be given to this generation except the sign of Jonah. Lk 11:29-32

 While 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 earth

   to hear the wisdom of Solomon,

   and there is something greater than Solomon here.

At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation

   and condemn it,

   because at the preaching of Jonah they repented,

   and there is something greater than Jonah here.”

This is how you are to pray. Mt 6:7-15

Jesus 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.”

Whatever you have done to the very least of my brothers you have done to me Mt 25:31-46

 

Jesus 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 did

   for 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 thirsty

   or 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.”

Jesus was tempted by Satan, and the angels ministered to him. Mk 1:12-15

The Spirit drove Jesus out into the desert, and he remained in the desert for forty days, tempted by Satan. He was among wild beasts, and the angels ministered to him. 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.” 

I have not come to call righteous to repentance. Lk 5:27-32

Jesus 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, 

“Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”

Jesus said to them in reply,

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

When the bridegroom is taken from them, then they will fast. Mt 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.”

Whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. Lk 9:22-25

Jesus said to his disciples:

“The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by 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 himself and 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 world yet lose or forfeit himself?”

Your Father who sees in secret will repay you. Mt 6:1-6, 16-18

Jesus said to his disciples: 

“Take care not to perform righteous deeds in 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 streets to 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 alms-giving 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 corners so 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.”

Watch out, guard against the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod. Mk 8:14-21

The 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 Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”

They concluded among themselves that it 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?”

Why does this generation seek a sign? Mk 8:11-13

The 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.

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

 A leper came to Jesus and kneeling down begged him and said, 

“If you wish, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched him, 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. 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.

Martha welcomed him. Mary has chosen the better part. Lk 10:38-42

Jesus entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, 

“Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.”

The Lord said to her in reply,

“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.”

He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak. Mk 7:31-37

Jesus left the district of Tyre and 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 impediment and 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 ears and, 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.”

The dogs under the table eat the children’s scraps. Mk 7:24-30

Jesus 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 children and 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 bed and the demon gone.

What comes out of the man, that is what defiles him. Mk 7:14-23

Jesus 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 crowd his disciples questioned him about the parable. He said to them,

“Are even you likewise without understanding? Do you not realize that everything that goes into a person from outside cannot defile, since it enters not the heart but the stomach and 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.”

Go and teach all nations. Mt 28:16-20

The Eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them. When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted. Then Jesus approached and said to them,

“All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father,    and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”

Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. Lk 9:23-26

Jesus said to all,

“If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and 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 world yet lose or forfeit himself? Whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of when he comes in his glory    and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.”

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.

They were like sheep without a shepherd. Mk 6:30-34

The Apostles gathered together with Jesus and reported all they had done and taught. He said to them,

“Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.”

People were coming and going in great numbers, and they had no opportunity even to eat. So they went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place. People saw them leaving and many came to know about it. They hastened there on foot from all the towns and arrived at the place before them. When Jesus disembarked and 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.

My eyes have seen your salvation. Lk 2:22-40 or 2:22-32

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 to offer the sacrifice of a 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 Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord. 

He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to 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.”

In the longer form, the reading continues:

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 destined for 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 child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem. 

When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of 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.

Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out Mk 6:7-13

Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and 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 feet in 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.