Reflection for the Week

Jesus got so crazy-busy that relatives wanted to rescue Him from the crowds pressing for His help. At times, He and the Disciples could not even manage a quick meal. Nevertheless, Scripture describes Pharisees objecting when the Lord allowed the Disciples to pick and eat heads of grain as they walked along on a Sabbath day. Jesus cured a man’s withered hand right in the synagogue, after Pharisees declined to say whether keeping the Sabbath prevented doing something good. Like new cloth that would pull at a tear if used to patch old fabric, or

Jesus had no need for a baptism of repentance but went to the Jordan River to fulfill the revelation promised to John the Baptist. The Holy Spirit came upon Jesus like a dove, and a voice from heaven proclaimed Him the beloved Son. Others would later come to believe because of the way Jesus taught or the miracles He worked. When the Lord went to a deserted place to pray, people looked for Him. In Capernaum, four men lowered a paralytic through the roof to get close to Jesus, who forgave the paralyzed man’s sins first and then cured Him as a s

Mary and Jesus raised their Son in a devout family. Jesus grew in strength and wisdom, but also in obedience to His parents—a humbling experience for the Son of God! Only about six months older than Jesus, John the Baptist began his public ministry first. He preached repentance and paved the way for the One on whom he would see the Holy Spirit come. John’s open acknowledgement of Jesus as the Son of God took courage! Newly called as an Apostle, Philip took Nathanael to meet the Lord. Quickly realizing that Jesus already knew him, Nathanael,

On the night of the Lord’s birth, glad tidings from heaven revealed that shepherds would find the newborn Savior lying in a manger in Bethlehem. Imagine their confusion when contrasting the glory of heaven to seeing Jesus cradled in a feeding trough. During the ritual presentation of a firstborn son in the Temple, a holy man named Simeon told Mary and Joseph that he recognized Jesus as the awaited Christ. An angel warned Joseph to take the Holy Family to Egypt before Herod could have the Child slain. When, at last, Jesus and His family return

Zechariah, serving in the Temple in his old age, did not believe an angel’s message promising a son. God took away Zechariah’s ability to speak until after he and his wife became parents. Mary and Joseph had faith that she would give birth to the Son of God. They had to trust God over and above Mosaic law, which held that posing as a child’s father would result in God punishing the Israelite nation. Mary went to the home of Zechariah and Elizabeth. The two expectant mothers greeted each other, with Elizabeth exuberantly acknowledging Mary

Jesus referred to John the Baptist as Elijah, not in the literal sense, but in terms of fulfilling the Old Testament. When a group lowered a paralyzed man through the roof to get close to Jesus, our Savior provided both physical and spiritual healing. The Lord does not weigh people down and invites everyone who feels burdened to come to Him. Jesus compared His generation to children playing their flutes and expecting others to respond joyfully or mournfully, depending on the tune. Crowds followed Jesus with hope, while scribes and Pharisees sou

Isaiah envisioned people remaking swords and spears into tools—a peaceful ideal still not realized. A Roman military officer, admittedly unworthy to have Jesus under his roof, asked the Lord to cure his paralyzed servant by just saying the word—a wonderful expression of faith. Jesus worked the miracle. Whether curing one person or multiplying a few loaves and fish to feed a crowd of thousands, Jesus enabled people to see with childlike wonder and give glory to God. Not everyone knew what to make of Jesus’ words, but the faithful must put