Samaritans and the Jewish people had parted ways in some of their beliefs and religious practices, although they remained neighbors geographically. Both groups believed in the Ten Commandments, though. When a scholar of the law asked Jesus to define “neighbor” in the second Commandment, the Lord told His parable of the good Samaritan. The scholar would have preferred a hero from his side of the ideological fence. Visiting with friends, Jesus encountered Martha, his overwhelmed hostess. Martha got nowhere by asking Jesus to tell her sister

Jesus chose the Twelve—a very blessed and privileged group, yet they argued among themselves about who was the greatest. When an outsider cast out demons in the Lord’s name, the Disciples tried to put a stop to it. Instead of telling them to grow up, Jesus said to humble themselves like small children. As the Lord steeled Himself for the journey toward His Passion and death, 72 preceded Him to the places Jesus planned to visit along the way. He gave them power to heal and instructed them to preach the Kingdom of heaven at hand for people re

Rumors spread as people speculated that John the Baptist, Elijah, or one of the other prophets had come back to life as Jesus. Our Lord said that Peter got it right when he called Jesus the Christ of God. At last, the Light of the world didn’t have to feel like a hidden lamp. Nevertheless, our Lord frequently referred to Himself as the Son of Man, a title that serves to remind us that He humbly embraced His humanity. When word reached Jesus that members of His family had joined a crowd outside, Jesus described people who hear and act upon t

John the Baptist ate locusts and wild honey. Jesus dined among sinners, eating whatever table fare they offered. People said John was possessed and called Jesus a glutton. A Pharisee invited the Lord to his home but denied Him the common courtesy of a basin of water to rinse the road dust from His feet. Then a sinful woman approached Jesus, bathed His feet with her tears, dried them with her hair, and anointed them with ointment. She received His forgiveness and gave her love. A centurion, admittedly unworthy to have Jesus under the same roof

Before healing a man’s withered hand, Jesus asked the scribes and Pharisees in the synagogue if they thought it lawful to do something good on the Sabbath. After spending a night in prayer, Jesus chose the Twelve to become Apostles. By His actions as much as His words, Jesus helped people get their priorities in line. He didn’t come to condemn the world, after all, but to save it. The poor could look forward to God’s Kingdom. The hungry would have their fill. Weeping would turn to laughter. Anyone hated because of the Lord would receive a

In his hometown, people just about ran Jesus off of a cliff for putting gentiles on equal footing with the “chosen people.” People of Capernaum, however, didn’t want Jesus to leave. On the shore of Lake Gennesaret (the Sea of Galilee), a crowd pressed toward Jesus until He got into Peter’s boat to preach. Afterward, when the Lord advised heading out to deep water for a catch, Peter knew that the best time for fishing had come and gone. Fish filled the nets, and Peter acknowledged his sinfulness in doubting. Pharisees stuck with the tact

Jesus told the scribes and Pharisees exactly what He thought of them. They kept others out of the Kingdom of God with their focus on ritual, instead of righteousness. In biblical times, a bride and her bridesmaids didn’t know the date or time that the groom’s party would arrive to escort them to the wedding celebration. For us, waiting for the Lord can mean joyful anticipation or getting startled awake. It depends on how we use what God has entrusted to us. When we stop listening attentively because we have heard the Word of God before or s