Thursday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time

Luke 9:18-22Once when Jesus was praying in solitude,and the disciples were with him,he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”They said in reply, “John the Baptist; others, Elijah;still others, ‘One of the ancient prophets has arisen.’”Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”Peter said in reply, “The Christ of God.”He rebuked them and directed them not to tell this to anyone.He said, “The Son of Man must suffer greatlyand be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,and be killed and on the third day be raised.”

Luke 9:7-9Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening,and he was greatly perplexed because some were saying,“John has been raised from the dead”;others were saying, “Elijah has appeared”;still others, “One of the ancient prophets has arisen.”But Herod said, “John I beheaded.Who then is this about whom I hear such things?”And he kept trying to see him.

Luke 9:1-6Jesus summoned the Twelve and gave them power and authorityover all demons and to cure diseases,and he sent them to proclaim the Kingdom of Godand to heal the sick.He said to them, "Take nothing for the journey,neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money,and let no one take a second tunic.Whatever house you enter, stay there and leave from there.And as for those who do not welcome you,when you leave that town,shake the dust from your feet in testimony against them."Then they set out and went from village to villageproclaiming the Good News and curing diseases everywhere.

Luke 8:19-21 The mother of Jesus and his brothers came to himbut were unable to join him because of the crowd.He was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outsideand they wish to see you.”He said to them in reply, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.”

Matthew 9:9-13As Jesus passed by,he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post.He said to him, "Follow me."And he got up and followed him.While he was at table in his house,many tax collectors and sinners cameand sat with Jesus and his disciples.The Pharisees saw this and said to his disciples,"Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"He heard this and said,"Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.Go and learn the meaning of the words,I desire mercy, not sacrifice.I did not come to call the righteous but sinners."

Luke 8:1-3Jesus journeyed from one town and village to another,preaching and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God.Accompanying him were the Twelveand some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities,Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza,Susanna, and many otherswho provided for them out of their resources.

Luke 7:36-50A certain Pharisee invited Jesus to dine with him,and he entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table.Now there was a sinful woman in the citywho learned that he was at table in the house of the Pharisee.Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment,she stood behind him at his feet weepingand began to bathe his feet with her tears.Then she wiped them with her hair,kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment.When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this he said to himself,“If this man were a prophet,he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him,that she is a sinner.”Jesus said to him in reply,“Simon, I have something to say to you.”“Tell me, teacher,” he said.“Two people were in debt to a certain creditor;one owed five hundred days’ wages and the other owed fifty.Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both.Which of them will love him more?”Simon said in reply,“The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven.”He said to him, “You have judged rightly.”Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon,“Do you see this woman?When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet,but she has bathed them with her tearsand wiped them with her hair.You did not give me a kiss,but she has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I entered.You did not anoint my head with oil,but she anointed my feet with ointment.So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven;hence, she has shown great love.But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.”He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”The others at table said to themselves,“Who is this who even forgives sins?”But he said to the woman,“Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Luke 7:31-35Jesus said to the crowds:“To what shall I compare the people of this generation?What are they like?They are like children who sit in the marketplace and call to one another,‘We played the flute for you, but you did not dance.We sang a dirge, but you did not weep.’For John the Baptist came neither eating food nor drinking wine,and you said, ‘He is possessed by a demon.’The Son of Man came eating and drinking and you said,‘Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard,a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’But wisdom is vindicated by all her children.” 

John 19:25-27 Standing by the cross of Jesus were his motherand his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas,and Mary Magdalene.When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he lovedhe said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.”Then he said to the disciple,“Behold, your mother.”And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.

John 3:13-17Jesus said to Nicodemus:"No one has gone up to heavenexcept the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man.And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,so must the Son of Man be lifted up,so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life."For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,so that everyone who believes in him might not perishbut might have eternal life.For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,but that the world might be saved through him.