And he went into the synagogue again, and there was a man with a withered hand. They watched him closely, if he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. 

And he said to the man with the withered hand: ‘Get up and come into the centre.’

And he said to them: ‘Is it lawful to do good or to do evil on the Sabbath, to save a life or kill?

Then they were silent. 

And having looked around at them with anger, grieved at the hardness of their hearts, he said to the man: ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He stretched it out and his hand was restored

And immediately the Pharisees went out and began planning with the Herodians as to how they might destroy him.

Take from us,
O God, all pride and vanity,
all boasting and self-assertion,
and give us the true courage that shows itself in gentleness,
the true wisdom that shows itself in simplicity,
and the true power that shows itself in modesty.

Charles Kingsley

And it happened on the Sabbath, that as he was going through the grain-fields, his disciples began to make a path and pick some heads of grain. 

And the Pharisees said to him, ‘Look, why do they do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?’

And he said to them: ‘Have you never read what David did when he had a need and he was hungry, and those with him, how he went into the House of God (near the passage about  Abiathar the High Priest) and they ate the sacred bread, which it is not lawful to eat, except the priests, and he also gave it to the you who were with him. ‘

And he said to them: ‘The sabbath came to be for people, not people for the sabbath. 

Therefore the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath also. ‘

O thou, who art the light of the minds that know thee,
the life of the souls that love thee,
and the strength of the wills that serve thee;
help us so to know thee that we may truly love thee;
so to love thee that we may fully serve thee,
whom to serve is perfect freedom.
Amen

And there were disciples of John and the Pharisees fasting, and people came and said to him: ‘Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?’

And Jesus said to them: ‘The wedding guests can’t fast while the bridegroom is with them, can they? As long as the groom is with them they cannot fast. There will come a day when the groom will be taken from them and then on that day they will fast.

‘No-one sews on a patch of new cloth onto an old garment, otherwise the patch will take something away from it, the new  from the old, and the tear will be  worse. 

 ‘And no one pours new wine into old wine-skins. Otherwise the wine will break the wine-skins and  the wine will be destroyed, with the wine-skins. But new wine is poured into new wine-skins.’

Be thou a bright flame before me,
Be thou a guiding star above me
Be thou a smooth path below me
Be thou a kindly shepherd behind me
Today – tonight -forever
Amen.

St Columba

And he went out again by the sea. And all the crowd were coming to him, and he was teaching them.

And as he passed by, he saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office, and he said to him: ‘Follow me.’’ and when he had stood up, he followed him. 

And it happened that he was relining to eat in his house, and many tax collectors and sinners were eating with Jesus and his disciples. For there were many who followed him. 

And the scholars of the Pharisees seeing that he ate with the sinners and tax collectors said to his disciples ‘ Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?’ 

And Jesus having heard, said to them ‘ Those who are well do not need a doctor, but those who are sick.  I have not come to call the righteous but sinners.’ 

O Love, O God who created me, in your love recreate me.
O Love, who redeemed me,
fill up in me whatever part of your love
has fallen into neglect within me.
O Love, O God, who first loved me,
grant that with my whole heart,
and with my whole soul,
and with my whole strength,
I may love you.

Gertrude the Great

And having returned to Capernaum, several days later, it was heard that he was at home. And many gathered,  so that there was no longer any room not even near the door and he spoke the word to them. 

And some came to him, bearing a lame man, carried by four people.  And not being able to bring him to him, because of the crowd, they removed the roof where he was, and after having dug it out, they lowered the mat on which the lame man was lying. 

And Jesus seeing their faith, said to the lame man: ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’

There were certain scholars sitting there and questioning in their hearts: ‘Why does this man speak this way? He blasphemes. Who can forgive sins except God alone?’ 

And immediately when Jesus knew in his spirit that they were questioning in themselves, he said: ‘Why do you question these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the lame man “Your sins are forgiven” or to say “Get up, and take your mat and walk?”  So that you know the Son of Man has authority  to forgive sins on the earth’ – he said to the lame man-  ‘I say to you, get up, take the mat, go off to your house. ‘

And he got up, and immediately took his mat, left in front of everyone , so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying ‘Never have we seen such a thing.’

Teach us, good Lord,
to serve thee as thou deservest;
to give and not to count the cost;
to fight and not to heed the wounds;
to toil and not to seek for rest;
to labour and not to ask for any reward,
save that of knowing that we do thy will,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen

St Ignatius

And a man with a skin condition came to him,  begging and kneeling, and saying to him: If you wish you can cleanse me.’

And filled with anger, stretching his hand, he touched him, and said ‘I wish, be clean.’ And immediately the disease left him, and he was cleansed. 

And having  strictly warned him,  immediately  he sent him away. And he said to him, ‘See to it that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer what Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a witness to them. 

But the man, as he went out began to proclaim many things  and spread the word., so that he could no longer enter a town openly, but he was out in deserted places. And they came to him from everywhere.

Grant, Lord,
that we may hold to you without parting,
worship you without wearying,
serve you without failing;
faithfully seek you,
happily find you,
and forever possess you,
the only God,blessed now and for ever.
Amen

St Anselm

And early, when it was still dark, having risen, he went out and went into a deserted place and there spent time praying. And Simon and those with him hunted him down, and they found him and said to him: ‘Everyone is looking for you.’

And he said to them ‘Let us go elsewhere, into the neighbouring towns, so that I might preach there also. For I came out for this reason. ‘

And he went preaching into their synagogues through the whole of Galilee and casting out demons. 

Thank you, dear Jesus,
for all you have given me,
for all you have taken away from me,
for all you have left me.

Thomas More (c.1478-1535)

And immediately having come out of the synagogue, they went into the house of Simon and Andrew with Jacob (James)  and John. 

The mother in law of Simon was lying down with fever. And immediately they spoke to him about her. 

And having come to him, he raised her, grasping her by the hand. And the fever left her, and she began to serve them. 

When evening came, when the sun had set, they brought to him all those who were sick, and the demon possessed. And the whole town had gathered at the door. And he healed many who were sick with all kinds of disease and he cast out many demons and he did not let the demons speak, because they knew him.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is discord, union;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy,
For your mercy and for your truth’s sake. Amen

And they enter Capernaum.
And immediately entering the synagogue he taught on the Sabbath(s). 

And they were amazed at his teaching.  For he was teaching them as one having authority and not as the Torah scholars. 

And immediately  there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit and he cried out saying : ‘What do you have to do with us, and what do we have to do with you, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the holy one of God.’ 

And Jesus rebuked him, saying: ‘Be silent, and come out of him!’

And the unclean spirit shook him violently, and having cried out loudly, went out of him. 

And they all were astonished so that they debated amongst themselves: ‘Who is this? A new teaching with authority. And he orders the unclean spirits and they obey him.’

And immediately  news of him went out everywhere into the whole region, that is Galilee.

O Lord Jesus Christ,
stay beside me to defend me,
within me to guide me,
before me to lead me,
and above me to bless me,
that with you and in you,
I may live, and move and have my being,
for ever and ever.
Amen.

(unknown)

Recorded on a boat on the Sea of Galilee, during a pilgrimage in 2013

And passing by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Simon’s brother Andrew casting their nets in the sea. For they were fishermen. 

And Jesus said to them ‘Here! Follow after me! And I will make you fishers of people.;

And immediately leaving the nets they followed him.

And having gone on a little way he saw Jacob, the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat mending the nets, and immediately he called them, and leaving their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired workers, they went after him.

Steer the ship of my life, good Lord, to your quiet harbour,
where I can be safe from the storms of sin and conflict.
Show me the course I should take.
Renew in me the gift of discernment,
so that I can always see the right direction in which I should go.
And give me the strength and the courage to choose the right course,
even when the sea is rough and the waves are high,
knowing that through enduring hardship and danger in your name
we shall find comfort and peace.
Amen

Basil of Caesarea (c.329-379)