And having called the crowd together again, he said to them:

‘Everyone, listen to me and understand. Nothing outside a person, going into them, can make them unclean., but the things that come out from them they make a person unclean.’

And when he went into the house, away from the crowd, his disciples asked him about the saying. 

And he said to them:  ‘So are you also without understanding, do you not perceive that everything which goes into a person from outside cannot make them unclean? For it does not enter their heart but their guts and goes out into the sewer. ‘ (Cleansing all food).

He said: ‘What goes out from a person, that makes them unclean. For from within, from a person’s heart, come out the bad thoughts: sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, indecency, an evil eye, slander, pride, foolishness.

‘All these evil things come out from within and make a person unclean.’

Lord, you have given me so much,
I ask for one more thing –
a grateful heart.

George Herbert

And the Pharisees, and some of the scholars having come from Jerusalem, gathered around him.

And when they saw that some of his disciples ate food with unclean hands, that is unwashed…

—for the Pharisees and all the Jews  do not eat unless they have washed their hands in the proper way, holding fast to the tradition of the elders, for when they return from the market they do not eat unless they wash themselves, with the result that there are many things which they observe, washings of cups and pitchers and bowls, and couches—

….the Pharisees and the scholars asked him: ‘Why do your disciples not live according to the traditions of the elders, but eat food with unclean hands?’

But he said to them: ‘Isaiah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written:

‘This people honour me with their lips, but their hearts are very far away from me.
In vain, they worship me,
teaching as ‘doctrines’ human rules.'(Isa 29:13)

Disobeying the command of God you hold to human tradition.’

And he said to them:
‘”Rightly” you reject the command of God, so that you might establish your tradition. For Moses said: “Honour your father and mother”
and “The one who speaks evil of their father or mother surely let that one be put to death.

‘But you say: “If a person says to their father or mother ‘Whatever help you would have from me it is Korban ( that is a gift)’ then you longer permit them to do anything for their father or mother, so nullifying the word of God by your tradition which you have handed down, and similar things you do such as this.’ 

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 having crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and anchored there. And after they had left the boat, the people, having recognised him, ran through that whole region and began to bring those who were ill on their mats, to  wherever they heard he was. And whenever he entered villages, towns or the countryside, they would put the sick in the marketplace and beg him that they might at least touch the tassels on the fringe of his robe.

And as many as touched him were healed.

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 immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he sent the crowd away. And when he had said goodbye to them he went to the mountain to pray. 

And when evening came the boat was in the middle of the sea, and he was alone on the land. And when he saw them struggling  in their rowing, for the wind was against them, at the fourth watch of the night, he came to them walking on the sea and he wanted to go past them. 

But when they saw him on the sea, walking, they thought, ’it is a ghost’. For all who saw him were terrified. 

But he immediately talked with them:  ‘Take courage!. It is me. Do not be afraid.’ And he climbed in to the boat with them and the wind stopped, and they were altogether amazed. For they did not understand about the breads, but their hearts were hardened. 

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 already the hour was late and his disciples came to him and said ‘This place is deserted. And the hour is late. Send them away, so that they can go into the surrounding country and villages and buy for themselves something to eat. 

But he answered: ‘Give to them something to eat yourselves.’

And they said to him: ‘Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii of bread  and give that to them to eat?’

But he said to them ‘How many breads do you have? Go and look!’

When they found out they said ‘Five, and two fish.’

And he ordered them to sit everyone down in groups, on the green grass. 

And they sat in groups of hundreds and fifties. And having taken the five breads and the two fish, looked up to heaven, said a blessing and broken the breads , then he gave it, again and again to his disciples to distribute to them, and he divided the two fish among them all. 

And everyone ate and they were satisfied, 

and they collected fragments, enough to fill twelve baskets, and of the fish. 

And those who had eaten were 5,000 men. 

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 when those sent out gathered together with Jesus, they told him everything that they had done and what they had taught. 

And he said to them ‘Come, by yourselves, alone, into a deserted place and rest for a little while.’ 

For many people were coming and going and they did not have an opportunity to eat. 

And they left in the boat to go to a deserted place, alone.
And people saw them going and many recognised them, and many hurrred there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. 

And when he got out he saw a great crowd and he had compassion for them, because they were sheep without a shepherd, and he began to teach them many things.

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)

An opportunity came –
when Herod, on his birthday, gave a banquet
for his nobles
and the army officers
and the prominent people in Galilee
and when the daughter of this Herodias
entered  and danced-
she pleased Herod and the guests. 

The king said to the girl:
‘Ask me for whatever you wish and I will give it to you.’
And he swore oaths to her.
‘Whatever you ask of me I will give, even to half of my kingdom.’

And she went out and said to her mother ‘What shall I ask for?’ 

She said ‘The head of John the Baptiser.’

And she went in and immediately with speed asked the King:
‘I want you to give to me at once upon a plate the head of John the Baptist.’

And the King became full of sadness,
but because of the promises and the guests
he did not want to break the promises to her. 

And immediately the King sent a guard and he gave orders to bring his head.
And he went and beheaded him in prison.
And he brought his head on a plate
and he gave it to the girl,
and the girl gave it to her mother. 

And when his disciples heard, they came and took his body and put it into a tomb. 

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 King Herod heard-  

for his name became known, 
and people said ‘John the Baptizer has risen from the dead
and because of this the powers are at work in him.’
Others said ‘He is Elijah.’
But others said ‘He is a prophet, like one of the prophets.’

– but when Herod heard this he said ‘John, whom I beheaded – this man has been raised.’

For Herod himself had sent (men), and seized John
and bound him in prison
on account of Herodias, the wife of Philip, his brother, because he had married her.

For John had been saying to Herod ‘ It is not lawful for you to have the wife of your brother.’

Herodias had it in for him and wanted to kill him, but she could not. 

For Herod feared John,
knowing that he was a righteous man and holy, he protected him.
And having heard him, he was greatly confused and yet gladly heard him. 

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)

And he travelled around the neighbouring villages, teaching.  And he called the twelve to himself and began to send them two by two and he gave  to them authority over unclean spirits, and he commanded them to take nothing on the road, only a stick, no bread, no bag, nor money in a belt, but put on sandals and not to wear two tunics. 

And he said to them: ‘Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave there.  And whatever place does not receive you nor listen to you,  and when leaving  there,  shake the dust off your feet as a witness against them. ‘

And after they had gone out, they preached so that people might repent, and they cast out many demons, and they anointed with olive oil many sick people and they were healed. 

V 30 And when those sent out gathered together with Jesus, told him everything that they had done and what they had taught. 

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)

And he went out from there, and went to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. 

And when it was the Sabbath, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many hearing him were amazed, saying ‘From where came these things to this man? And what is the wisdom that has been given to this man ?’ and ‘Such works of power that are being done by his hands! Is this not the worker, the son of Mary, and brother of Jacob and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are these not his sisters with us?’ And they took offense at him. 

And Jesus said to them ‘A prophet is not without honour, except in his hometown and amongst his relatives and in his house,’ and he could not do any works of power there, except by laying his hands on a few sick people he healed them. And he was amazed because of their unbelief. 

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