Each day read the Gospel passage
for the day and the Psalm passage for the day (you can read them all at once or
do one reading in the morning and one in the evening) and use the reflection
questions to help process the passage.
The 29th day of Lent
Monday March 14, 2016
Now that we have finished one biography of Jesus, the Book of Luke, we
will turn to a second account – the book of Mark. Mark was written by a disciple named Mark who
was a close associate of Peter, one of the closest 12 followers of Jesus. Marks “Gospel” is full of the stories that
Peter told Mark. We will finish Mark on
Easter Sunday.
Gospel Reading
Jesus Restores a Demon-Possessed Man
5 They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. 2When
Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an evil spirit came from the tombs to
meet him. 3This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him
anymore, not even with a chain. 4For he had often been chained hand
and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one
was strong enough to subdue him. 5Night and day among the tombs and
in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.
6When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of
him. 7He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me,
Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God’s name don’t torture me!” 8For
Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you evil
spirit!”
9Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”
“My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.” 10And he
begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.
11A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. 12The
demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.” 13He
gave them permission, and the evil spirits came out and went into the pigs. The
herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake
and were drowned.
14Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and
countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. 15When
they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of
demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 16Those
who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed
man—and told about the pigs as well. 17Then the people began to
plead with Jesus to leave their region.
18As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed
begged to go with him. 19Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord
has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 20So the
man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis
how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.
Jesus Raises a Dead Girl and Heals a Sick Woman
21When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a
large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. 22Then one
of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at
his feet. 23He pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is
dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and
live.” 24So Jesus went with him.
A large crowd followed and pressed around him. 25And a woman was
there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. 26She had
suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had,
yet instead of getting better she grew worse. 27When she heard about
Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28because
she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” 29Immediately
her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her
suffering.
30At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around
in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”
31“You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet
you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ”
32But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33Then the
woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and,
trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. 34He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be
freed from your suffering.”
35While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus,
the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the
teacher anymore?”
36Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t
be afraid; just believe.”
37He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother
of James. 38When they came to the home of the synagogue leader,
Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. 39He
went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and
wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.” 40But they
laughed at him.
After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the
disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. 41He
took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha
koum!” (which means “Little girl, I say to
you, get up!”). 42Immediately the girl stood up and began to
walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely
astonished. 43He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about
this, and told them to give her something to eat.
The Holy Bible : Today's New International Version.
2005. Grand Rapids , MI
Psalm Reading
A psalm of David. When he was in the Desert of Judah
1You, God, are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you,
my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land
where there is no water.
2I have seen you in the sanctuary
and beheld your power and your glory.
3Because your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify you.
4I will praise you as long as I live,
and in your name I will lift up my hands.
5I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of
foods;
with singing lips my mouth will praise
you.
6On my bed I remember you;
I think of you through the watches of the
night.
7Because you are my help,
I sing in the shadow of your wings.
8I cling to you;
your right hand upholds me.
9Those who seek my life will be destroyed;
they will go down to the depths of the
earth.
10They will be given over to the sword
and become food for jackals.
11But the king will rejoice in God;
all who swear by God will glory in him,
while the mouths of liars will be
silenced.
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