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 30th day of Lent
Tuesday March 15th,
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
A Prophet Without Honor
6 Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. 2When
the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him
were amazed.
“Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that
has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? 3Isn’t
this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph,
Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at
him.
4Jesus said to them, “Only in their own towns, among
their relatives and in their own homes are prophets without honor.” 5He
could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and
heal them. 6He was amazed at their lack of faith.
Jesus Sends Out the Twelve
Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. 7Calling
the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority
over evil spirits.
8These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the
journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. 9Wear sandals but not an extra shirt. 10Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that
town. 11And if any place will not
welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave, as a
testimony against them.”
12They went out and preached that people should repent. 13They
drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.
John the Baptist Beheaded
14King Herod heard about this, for Jesus’ name had become well known. Some
were saying, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why
miraculous powers are at work in him.”
15Others said, “He is Elijah.”
And still others claimed, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of
long ago.”
16But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised
from the dead!”
17For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him
bound and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s
wife, whom he had married. 18For John had been saying to Herod, “It
is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19So Herodias
nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, 20because
Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy
man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to
him.
21Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet for
his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee . 22When the daughter of Herodias came
in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests.
The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it
to you.” 23And he promised her with an oath, “Whatever you ask I
will give you, up to half my kingdom.”
24She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?”
“The head of John the Baptist,” she answered.
25At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: “I want you to
give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”
26The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner
guests, he did not want to refuse her. 27So he immediately sent an
executioner with orders to bring John’s head. The man went, beheaded John in
the prison, 28and brought back his head on a platter. He presented
it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. 29On hearing of this,
John’s disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.
Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand
30The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done
and taught. 31Then, because so many people were coming and going
that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some
rest.”
32So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. 33But
many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns
and got there ahead of them. 34When Jesus landed and saw a large
crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a
shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.
35By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is
a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. 36Send the
people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and
buy themselves something to eat.”
37But he answered, “You give them something to eat.”
They said to him, “That would take almost a year’s wages! Are we to go and
spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?”
38“How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.”
When they found out, they said, “Five—and two fish.”
39Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the
green grass. 40So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. 41Taking
the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and
broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to set before the people.
He also divided the two fish among them all. 42They all ate and were
satisfied, 43and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken
pieces of bread and fish. 44The number of the men who had eaten was
five thousand.
Jesus Walks on the Water
45Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of
him to Bethsaida
47When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone
on land. 48He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the
wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the
lake. He was about to pass by them, 49but when they saw him walking
on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, 50because
they all saw him and were terrified.
Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take
courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 51Then
he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were
completely amazed, 52for they had not understood about the loaves;
their hearts were hardened.
53When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and anchored there. 54As
soon as they got out of the boat, people recognized Jesus. 55They
ran throughout that whole region and carried the sick on mats to wherever they
heard he was. 56And wherever he went—into villages, towns or
countryside—they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let
them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched him were healed.
The Holy Bible : Today's New International Version.
2005. Grand Rapids , MI
Psalm Reading
A psalm of David.
1The Lord
is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
4Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.
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