Category: Bible Reading & Meditation

“Then some man wrestled with him until the break of dawn.” –Genesis 32:25 The Lord has wonderful plans for us – “plans for your welfare, not for woe! plans to give you a future full of hope” (Jer 29:11). However, He will not force us to accept His plans. We must say with Mary: “Let it be done to me according to Your word” (Lk 1:38, our transl). The Lord had a wonderful plan for Jacob. To say “yes” to this plan, Jacob had to: wrestle “with divine and human beings” all night (Gn 32:29), suffer injury (Gn 32:26), receive...

“Before Jesus had finished speaking to them, a synagogue leader came up.” –Matthew 9:18 While Jesus was talking about a new way of living and fasting, “a synagogue leader came up, did Him reverence, and said: ‘My daughter has just died. Please come and lay Your hand on her and she will come back to life’ ” (Mt 9:18). Jesus then raised the little girl from the dead (Mt 9:25). This resurrection-miracle immediately followed His healing a woman who had been hemorrhaging for twelve years (Mt 9:22). These miracles of healing and resurrection are put in the context of Jesus’...

“No prophet is without honor except in his native place, among his own kindred, and in his own house.” –Mark 6:4 At the beginning of His public ministry, the people of Jesus’ hometown of Nazareth attempted to murder Him by trying to throw Him over a cliff (Lk 4:29-30). Later, some of Jesus’ relatives, probably from His hometown, “came to take charge of Him, saying, ‘He is out of His mind’ ” (Mk 3:21). This may have been more traumatic than the attempt on His life. Nevertheless, Jesus went back to His hometown and taught “in the synagogue in a...