As he was passing through a field of grain on the sabbath, his disciples began to make a path while picking the heads of grain.  24 At this the Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the sabbath?”  25 He said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and he and his companions were hungry?  26 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?”  27 Then he said to them, “The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath.  28 That is why the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.” The Pharisees strictly adhered to the Mosaic Law and there was an obligation for Jews to abstain from work on the Sabbath (Ex. 20:10).  The sabbath was a day of rest and a day for communal worship of God (Ex; 20:11).  The Pharisees interpreted the disciples picking the heads of grain as working on ...

As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. 10 While he was at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat with Jesus and his disciples. 11 The Pharisees saw this and said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 He heard this and said, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. 13 Go and learn the meaning of the words, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.” Capernaum was located on the busy Damascus road where the provinces of the half-brothers Philip the Tetrarch and Herod Antipas touched.  Hence the location of the custom house where the publicans (tax collectors) collected tolls and dues on behalf of the chief tax collector (Lk. 19:2) who bought the right from the State to collect taxes.  As a result of the tax laws not being clearly defined, ...

While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. 2 He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. 3 Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. 4 After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” 5 Simon said in reply, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.” 6 When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. 7 They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them. They came and filled both boats so that they were in danger of sinking. 8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” 9 F...

After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God:  15 “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”  16 As he passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea; they were fishermen.  17 Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”  18 Then they abandoned their nets and followed him.  19 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.  20 Then he called them. So they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed him. The call of the first Disciples is found in all four Gospels but Mark’s version is the shortest.  Mark, with the benefit of hindsight when writing his Gospel, used the arrest of JBap to point the reader to the future event of Jesus’ arrest.  After Jesus w...

Christ is always present to his Church, especially in the actions of the liturgy. VARIOUS WAYS CHRIST IS PRESENT He is present in the sacrifice of the Mass, in the person of the minister (it is the same Christ who formerly offered himself on the cross that now offers by the ministry of priests) and most of all under the eucharistic species. He is present in the sacraments by his power, in such a way that when someone baptizes, Christ himself baptizes. He is present in his word, for it is he himself who speaks when the holy Scriptures are read in the Church. Finally, he is present when the Church prays and sings, for he himself promised: Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there in their midst. Indeed, in this great work which gives perfect glory to God and brings holiness to men, Christ is always joining in partnership with himself his beloved Bride, the Church, which calls upon its Lord and through him gives worship to the eternal Father. PUBLIC WORSHIP BY THE BOD...

At that moment his disciples returned, and were amazed that he was talking with a woman, but still no one said, “What are you looking for?” or “Why are you talking with her?” 28 The woman left her water jar and went into the town and said to the people, 29 “Come see a man who told me everything I have done. Could he possibly be the Messiah?” 30 They went out of the town and came to him. 31 Meanwhile, the disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat.” 32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.” 33 So the disciples said to one another, “Could someone have brought him something to eat?” 34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of the one who sent me and to finish his work. 35 Do you not say, ‘In four months the harvest will be here’? I tell you, look up and see the fields ripe for the harvest. 36 The reaper is already receiving his payment and gathering crops for eternal life, so that the sower and reaper can rejoice together. 37 For here the saying is ve...