A Sign from Heaven

The Pharisees came forward and began to argue with Jesus, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him. He sighed from the depth of his spirit and said, "Why does this generation seek a sign? Amen, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation." Then he left them, got into the boat again and went off to the other shore.

Lord Jesus, the hypocritical Pharisees demand that a sign from heaven be given to satisfy their lack of faith and trust in the scriptures. They have witnessed all of the good work that you have done. And they are very troubled that the people believe in you and your works. 

Help us, Lord, to have the true faith in you and all of your works and blessings. "Blessed are they who have not seen and still believe." Amen.

Ancestors to You

Jesus said to his disciples: "I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. 

"You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgement. But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgement.

"You have heard that it was said, you shall not commit adultery. But I say to you, everyone that looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Again you have heard that it was said to your ancestors, Do not take a false oath, but make good to the Lord all that you vow. But I say to you, do not swear at all. Let your 'Yes' mean 'Yes,' and your 'No, mean 'No.' Anything more is from the evil one."

Compassionate One

In those days, when again a great crowd had gathered, and they had nothing to eat, he called his disciples to him, and said to them, ​“I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days, and have nothing to eat; and if I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way; and some of them have come a long way.” ​And his disciples answered him, “How can one feed these men with bread here in the desert?” ​And he asked them, “How many loaves have you?” They said, “Seven.” ​And he commanded the crowd to sit down on the ground; and he took the seven loaves, and having given thanks he broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and they set them before the crowd. ​And they had a few small fish; and having blessed them, he commanded that these also should be set before them. ​And they ate, and were satisfied; and they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. ​And there were about four thousand people. ​And he sent them away; and immediately he got into the boat with his disciples, and went to the district of Dalmanuʹtha.

Lord Jesus, you were moved with compassion over the great crowd that had gathered and had nothing to eat for three days. The disciples had seven loaves of bread and a few small fish. After the crowd sat down as you commanded them, you gave thanks, blessed the loaves and the fish, and the disciples, as you commanded gave them to the people. They ate their fill, with seven baskets full left over. Nothing is impossible for you most loving and compassionate One. Amen. 

Lord of All Blessings

Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, through the region of the Decapʹolis. And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech; and they besought him to lay his hand upon him. And taking him aside from the multitude privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue; ​and looking up to heaven, he sighed, and said to him, “Ephʹphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” ​And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. ​And he charged them to tell no one; but the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. ​And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well; he even makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak.”

Lord Jesus, yes, you have done all things well. How much more do you wish to do for us today? If we only have the faith of a mustard seed, we could move mountains! Dear Lord, you are always ready to provide for our needs, if you so will it. Help us to be grateful for all of our blessings, and blessings that you wish to give us. Amen.

Prayers of Intercession

Jesus went to the district Tyre. He entered a house and wanted no one to know about it, but he could not escape notice. Soon a woman whose daughter had an unclean spirit heard about him. She came and fell at his feet. The woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by birth, and she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter. He said to her, "Let the children be fed first. For it is not right to take the food of children and throw it to the dogs." She replied and said to him, "Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children's scraps." Then he said to her, "For saying this you may go. The demon has gone out of your daughter." When the woman went home, she found the child lying in bed and the demon gone.

Consideration: Jesus once again approached by a woman, her daughter was possessed by a demon spirit. After speaking to her, Jesus assured her that the demon was out of her daughter. She went home and found the child in bed at Peace. The woman's faith touched the Lord, and he freed the child from her bondage.

Do we possess the faith of this woman? Do we believe that our Lord Jesus hears our prayers of intercession...?

Defiled Hearts

Jesus summoned the crowd again and said to them, "Hear me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that enters from the outside can defile that person; but the things that come from within can defile."

When he got home away from the crowd his disciples questioned him about the parable. He said to them, "are even you likewise without understanding? Do you not realize that everything that goes into a person from the outside cannot defile, since it enters not from the heart but the stomach and passes out into the latrine?" "But what comes out of a man, that is what defiles him. From within the man, from his heart, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, and folly. All these evils come from within and they defile." 

Lord Jesus, grant to us a clean heart. All the evils you have mentioned, and many more, are at the core of sinfulness. Our hearts were created pure and without blemish so we would honor and please you. Help us to turn from our wicked and sinful ways that we have allowed to fester in our hearts. Only with the grace of thy mercy can we be redeemed and be restored from the defiled ways that offend you. Amen.

Chatter of Our Lips

When the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus, they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands. So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him, "Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?" He responded, "Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written: This people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts. You disregard God's commandment but cling to human tradition." He went on to say, "How well you have set aside the commandment of God in order to uphold your tradition! For Moses said, Honor your father and mother, and whoever curses father or mother shall die. Yet you say, 'If someone says to the father or mother, "Any support you might have had from me is gorban'" (meaning dedicated to God), you allow him to do nothing more for his father or mother. You nullify the word of God in favor of your tradition that you have handed on. And you do many such things." 

Consideration: Jesus calls out the hypocrites for honoring him with their lips, yet their hearts are far from him. 

May we always give honor to our Lord with all of our hearts; never to offend him with the hypocrisy of the false chatter of our lips. Amen.