Hello, this is Father Paul, and I'm glad we're
taking this journey together to read the Bible
in a year. Today's reading is from the Gospel
of Matthew, chapter 19, and the Gospel of Mark,
chapter 10. The Gospel of Matthew, chapter 19.
Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished
these sayings, that he departed from Galilee
and came to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan.
And great multitudes followed him, and he healed
them there. The Pharisees also came to him, testing
him, and saying to him, Is it lawful for a man
to divorce his wife for just any reason? And
he answered and said to them, Have you not read
that he who made them at the beginning made them
male and female, and said, For this reason a
man shall leave his father and mother, and be
joined to his wife, and the two shall become
one flesh? So then they are no longer two, but
one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together,
Let no man separate. They said to him, Why then
did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce
and to put her away? He said to them, Moses,
because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted
you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning
it was not so. And I say to you, whoever divorces
his wife except for sexual immorality and marries
another commits adultery, and whoever marries
her who is divorced commits adultery. His disciples
said to him, If such is the case of the man with
his wife, it is better not to marry. But he said
to them, All cannot accept this saying, but only
those to whom it has been given. For there are
eunuchs who were born thus from their mother's
womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs
by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves
eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He
who is able to accept it, let him accept it.
Then little children were brought to him that
he might put his hands on them and pray. But
the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, Let
the little children come to me and do not forbid
them, for of such is the kingdom of heaven. And
he laid his hands on them and departed from there.
Now behold, one came and said to him, Good teacher,
what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal
life? So he said to him, Why do you call me good?
No one is good but one. that is, God. But if
you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.
He said to him, which ones? Jesus said, you shall
not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you
shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness,
honor your father and your mother, and you shall
love your neighbor as yourself. The young man
said to him, all these things I have kept from
my youth, what do I still lack? Jesus said to
him, if you want to be perfect, go sell what
you have and give to the poor and you will have
treasure in heaven and come follow me. But when
the young man heard that saying, he went away
sorrowful for he had great possessions. Then
Jesus said to his disciples, assuredly, I say
to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter
the kingdom of heaven. And again, I say to you,
it is easier for a camel to go through the eye
of a needle than for a rich man to enter the
kingdom of God. When his disciples heard it,
they were greatly astonished, saying, Who then
can be saved? But Jesus looked at them and said
to them, With men this is impossible, but with
God all things are possible. Then Peter answered
and said to him, See, we have left all and followed
you, therefore what shall we have? So Jesus said
to them, Assuredly I say to you that in the regeneration,
when the Son of Man sits on the throne of his
glory, You who have followed me will also sit
on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes
of Israel. And everyone who has left houses,
or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother,
or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's
sake, shall receive a hundredfold and inherit
eternal life. But many who are first will be
last, and the last first. Then he arose from
there and came to the region of Judea by the
other side of the Jordan. And multitudes gathered
to him again, and as he was accustomed, he taught
them again. The Pharisees came and asked him,
Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife, testing
him? And he answered and said to them, What did
Moses command you? They said, Moses permitted
a man to write a certificate of divorce and to
dismiss her. And Jesus answered and said to them,
Because of the hardness of your heart, he wrote
you this precept. But from the beginning of the
creation, God made them male and female. For
this reason, a man shall leave his father and
mother and be joined to his wife, and the two
shall become one flesh. So then they are no longer
two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined
together, let no man separate. In the house,
his disciples also asked him again about the
same matter. So he said to them, Whoever divorces
his wife and marries another commits adultery
against her. And if a woman divorces her husband
and marries another, she commits adultery. Then
they brought little children to him that he might
touch them. But the disciples rebuked those who
brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was greatly
displeased and said to them, Let the little children
come to me. And do not forbid them, for of such
is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you,
whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as
a little child will by no means enter it. And
he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on
them, and blessed them. Now as he was going out
on the road, one came running, knelt before him,
and asked him, Good teacher, what shall I do
that I may inherit eternal life? So Jesus said
to him, Why do you call me good? No one is good
but one. that is, God. You know the commandments.
Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not
steal, do not bear false witness, do not defraud,
honor your father and your mother. And he answered
and said to him, Teacher, all these things I
have kept from my youth. Then Jesus, looking
at him, loved him, and said to him, One thing
you lack. Go your way, sell whatever you have,
and give to the poor, and you will have treasure
in heaven. And come, take up the cross and follow
me. But he was sad at this word and went away
sorrowful, for he had great possessions. Then
Jesus looked around and said to his disciples,
How hard it is for those who have riches to enter
the kingdom of God. And the disciples were astonished
at his words. But Jesus answered again and said
to them, Children, how hard it is for those who
trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God.
It is easier for a camel to go through the eye
of a needle than for a rich man to enter the
kingdom of God. And they were greatly astonished,
saying among themselves, Who then can be saved?
But Jesus looked at them and said, With men it
is impossible, but not with God. For with God
all things are possible. Then Peter began to
say to him, See, we have left all and followed
you. So Jesus answered and said, Assuredly I
say to you, There is no one who has left house
or brothers or sisters or father or mother or
wife or children or lands for my sake and the
Gospels, who shall not receive a hundredfold
now in this time houses and brothers and sisters
and mothers and children and lands with persecutions
and in the age to come eternal life. But many
who are first will be last and the last first.
Now they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem.
And Jesus was going before them, and they were
amazed. And as they followed, they were afraid.
Then he took the twelve aside again and began
to tell them the things that would happen to
him. Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and
the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief
priests and to the scribes. And they will condemn
him to death and deliver him to the Gentiles.
And they will mock him and scourge him and spit
on him. and kill him. And the third day he will
rise again. Then James and John, the sons of
Zebedee, came to him, saying, Teacher, we want
you to do for us whatever we ask. And he said
to them, What do you want me to do for you? They
said to him, Grant us that we may sit, one on
your right hand and the other on your left, in
your glory. But Jesus said to them, You do not
know what you ask. Are you able to drink the
cup that I drink and be baptized with the baptism?
that I am baptized with, they said to him, We
are able. So Jesus said to them, You will indeed
drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism
I am baptized with, you will be baptized. But
to sit on my right hand and on my left is not
mine to give, but it is for those for whom it
is prepared. And when the ten heard it, they
began to be greatly displeased with James and
John. But Jesus called them to himself and said
to them, You know that those who are considered
rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and
their great ones exercise authority over them.
Yet it shall not be so among you. But whoever
desires to become great among you shall be your
servant, and whoever of you desires to be first
shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man
did not come to be served, but to serve, and
to give his life a ransom for many. Now they
came to Jericho, as he went out of Jericho with
his disciples and a great multitude. Blind Bartimaeus,
the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging.
And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth,
he began to cry out and say, Jesus, son of David,
have mercy on me. Then many warned him to be
quiet, but he cried out all the more, Son of
David, have mercy on me. So Jesus stood still
and commanded him to be called. Then they called
the blind man, saying to him, Be of good cheer,
rise, he is calling you. And throwing aside his
garment, he rose and came to Jesus. So Jesus
answered and said to him, What do you want me
to do for you? The blind man said to him, Rabboni,
that I may receive my sight. Then Jesus said
to him, Go your way, your faith has made you
well. And immediately he received his sight and
followed Jesus on the road. I hope you enjoyed
today's reading as much as I did and I look forward
to seeing you again tomorrow to continue on our
journey. God bless you and have a great day.