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.” When Jesus passes by the tax collector’s booth and says, “ Follow me ,” Matthew rises immediately and follows Him (Mt 9:9). This single verse conveys a profound truth: when Christ speaks, it is not merely an external invitation—it is a summons that pierces the heart and draws the soul: “ the word of God is living and effective… piercing even between soul and spirit ” (Heb 4:12).  Tax collectors were de...

He entered a boat, made the crossing, and came into his own town. 2 And there people brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Courage, child, your sins are forgiven.” 3 At that, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” 4 Jesus knew what they were thinking, and said, “Why do you harbor evil thoughts? 5 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? 6 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic, “Rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.” 7 He rose and went home. 8 When the crowds saw this they were struck with awe and glorified God who had given such authority to human beings. Matthew 9:1–8 recounts the dramatic moment when Jesus heals a paralytic, but not in the way the crowd—or even the man himself—expected.  Jesus begins not by saying “Rise,” but by declaring, “ Courage, child, your sins are f...

When he came to the other side, to the territory of the Gadarenes, two demoniacs who were coming from the tombs met him. They were so savage that no one could travel by that road. 29 They cried out, “What have you to do with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the appointed time?” 30 Some distance away a herd of many swine was feeding. 31 The demons pleaded with him, “If you drive us out, send us into the herd of swine.” 32 And he said to them, “Go then!” They came out and entered the swine, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea where they drowned. 33 The swineherds ran away, and when they came to the town they reported everything, including what had happened to the demoniacs. 34 Thereupon the whole town came out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him they begged him to leave their district. When Jesus crosses the Sea of Galilee and arrives in the region of the Gadarenes (or Gerasenes, depending on manuscript tradition), He enters Gentile territor...

He got into a boat and his disciples followed him. 24 Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by waves; but he was asleep. 25 They came and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” 26 He said to them, “Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?” Then he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was great calm. 27 The men were amazed and said, “What sort of man is this, whom even the winds and the sea obey?” As Jesus boards the boat, His disciples follow.  What seems like a peaceful crossing quickly becomes a scene of terror: “ Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by waves; but he was asleep ” (Mt 8:24).  The Sea of Galilee is notorious for sudden squalls due to its position below sea level and the surrounding hills, but this storm is more than a weather report—it is a spiritual revelation. The disciples, some of them seasoned fishermen, are overwhelmed and cry out, “ Lord, ...

When Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side. 19 A scribe approached and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” 20 Jesus answered him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.” 21 Another of [his] disciples said to him, “Lord, let me go first and bury my father.” 22 But Jesus answered him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead.” As the crowds continue to grow around Jesus, He gives an unexpected command: “ He gave orders to cross to the other side ” (Mt 8:18).  Though brief, this moment marks a turning point. Jesus does not stay where the crowd is largest or where admiration is easiest.  Instead, He withdraws, reminding us that the true path of discipleship is not about popularity but obedience to the Father’s will—even when it means leaving comfort behind. At this moment, a scribe approaches and says, “ Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go ” (v. 19)....

Jesus entered the house of Peter, and saw his mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. 15 He touched her hand, the fever left her, and she rose and waited on him. 16 When it was evening, they brought him many who were possessed by demons, and he drove out the spirits by a word and cured all the sick, 17 to fulfill what had been said by Isaiah the prophet: “He took away our infirmities and bore our diseases.” After healing a leper and a Gentile centurion’s servant, Jesus enters the house of Simon Peter in Capernaum.  There, He finds Peter’s mother-in-law sick with a fever.  With a simple gesture—He touches her hand—the fever leaves her, and she rises and begins to serve Him (v. 15).  The immediacy of her healing, and her instinctive response of service, highlight not only the completeness of her restoration but also the appropriate response to Christ’s grace: discipleship expressed through gratitude and action. That evening, crowds bring many who are ill or possessed by de...

When he entered Capernaum, a centurion approached him and appealed to him, 6 saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully.” 7 He said to him, “I will come and cure him.” 8 The centurion said in reply, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed. 9 For I too am a person subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come here,’ and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. 11 I say to you, many will come from the east and the west, and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the kingdom of heaven, 12 but the children of the kingdom will be driven out into the outer darkness, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.” 13 And Jesus said to the centurion, “You may ...

When Jesus came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. 2 And then a leper approached, did him homage, and said, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” 3 He stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, “I will do it. Be made clean.” His leprosy was cleansed immediately. 4 Then Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one, but go show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.” When Jesus comes down from the mountain, large crowds follow Him—drawn not only by His teaching, but by something deeper: the authority with which He speaks and acts (cf. Mt 7:28–29).  In this brief but powerful encounter with a man suffering from leprosy, Jesus reveals the heart of God—not only willing to heal, but to restore the outcast to communion. In the biblical world, leprosy referred not only to Hansen’s disease but to a range of chronic skin conditions, including rashes, ulcers, or discolorations (cf. Lev 13:1–46; NABRE footnote)....

For thus says the Lord God: Look! I myself will search for my sheep and examine them. 12 As a shepherd examines his flock while he himself is among his scattered sheep, so will I examine my sheep. I will deliver them from every place where they were scattered on the day of dark clouds. 13 I will lead them out from among the peoples and gather them from the lands; I will bring them back to their own country and pasture them upon the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and every inhabited place in the land. 14 In good pastures I will pasture them; on the mountain heights of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down on good grazing ground; in rich pastures they will be pastured on the mountains of Israel. 15 I myself will pasture my sheep; I myself will give them rest—oracle of the Lord God. 16 The lost I will search out, the strays I will bring back, the injured I will bind up, and the sick I will heal; but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd them i...

Hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the holy Spirit that has been given to us. 6 For Christ, while we were still helpless, yet died at the appointed time for the ungodly. 7 Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person, though perhaps for a good person one might even find courage to die. 8 But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. 9 How much more then, since we are now justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath. 10 Indeed, if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, how much more, once reconciled, will we be saved by his life. 11 Not only that, but we also boast of God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. The parable of the lost sheep reveals the tenderness of God’s love, and St. Paul in Romans 5:5b–11 reveals its cost. The Sacred Heart of Jesus is not only the ima...

The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to him, 2but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” 3 So to them he addressed this parable. 4 “What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it? 5 And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy 6 and, upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance. On this Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus (June 27th), the Church invites us to gaze into the very heart of God—a heart that does not remain distant, but draws near to seek, save, and rejoice over the lost. Today’s Gospel, along w...

Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?’ 23 Then I will declare to them solemnly, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.’ 24 “Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. 25 The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. 26 And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. 27 The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely ruined.” 28 When Jesus finished these words, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, 29 for he taught them a...

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves. 16 By their fruits you will know them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Just so, every good tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 So by their fruits you will know them. In this portion of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus warns His disciples: “ Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves ” (Mt 7:15).  The language is striking and intentional.  False prophets are not merely mistaken teachers; they are dangerous, deceitful, and spiritually destructive.  Outwardly, they may appear gentle, trustworthy, and truthful, but their message distorts the truth and leads others astray. They often sound convincing and spea...