Verbum Domini

2012 Feb 11 Sat: Ordinary Weekday/ BVM/ Our Lady of Lourdes
1 Kgs 12: 26-32; 13: 33-34/ Ps 106: 6-7ab. 19-20. 21-22/ Mk 8: 1-10

Today is Saturday, February 11^th, 2012, Saturday of the fifth week in Ordinary Time

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A reading from the first book of Kings

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[26] Jerobo'am said in his heart, "Now the kingdom will turn back to the house of David;
[27] if this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn again to their lord, to Rehobo'am king of Judah, and they will kill me and return to Rehobo'am king of Judah."
[28] So the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold. And he said to the people, "You have gone up to Jerusalem long enough. Behold your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt."
[29] And he set one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan.
[30] And this thing became a sin, for the people went to the one at Bethel and to the other as far as Dan.
[31] He also made houses on high places, and appointed priests from among all the people, who were not of the Levites.
[32] And Jerobo'am appointed a feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month like the feast that was in Judah, and he offered sacrifices upon the altar; so he did in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves that he had made. And he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places that he had made.

The Word of the Lord

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From Psalm 106

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Remember us, O LORD, when thou showest favor to thy people

[6] Both we and our fathers have sinned;
we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly.
[7] Our fathers, when they were in Egypt,
did not consider thy wonderful works;

Remember us, O LORD, when thou showest favor to thy people

[19] They made a calf in Horeb
and worshiped a molten image.
[20] They exchanged the glory of God
for the image of an ox that eats grass.

Remember us, O LORD, when thou showest favor to thy people

[21] They forgot God, their Savior,
who had done great things in Egypt,
[22] wondrous works in the land of Ham,
and terrible things by the Red Sea.

Remember us, O LORD, when thou showest favor to thy people

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A reading from the holy gospel according to Mark

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[1] In those days, when again a great crowd had gathered, and they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him, and said to them,

[2] "I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days, and have nothing to eat;
[3] and if I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way; and some of them have come a long way."
[4] And his disciples answered him, "How can one feed these men with bread here in the desert?"
[5] And he asked them, "How many loaves have you?" They said, "Seven."
[6] And he commanded the crowd to sit down on the ground; and he took the seven loaves, and having given thanks he broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and they set them before the crowd.
[7] And they had a few small fish; and having blessed them, he commanded that these also should be set before them.
[8] And they ate, and were satisfied; and they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full.
[9] And there were about four thousand people.
[10] And he sent them away; and immediately he got into the boat with his disciples, and went to the district of Dalmanu'tha.

The Gospel of the Lord

2012 Feb 10 Fri: Scholastica, v, r M
1 Kgs 11: 29-32; 12: 19/ Ps 81: 10-11ab. 12-13. 14-15/ Mk 7: 31-37

Today is Friday, February 10^th, 2012, Memorial of Saint Scholastica, Virgin

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A reading from the first book of Kings

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[29] At that time, when Jerobo'am went out of Jerusalem, the prophet Ahi'jah the Shi'lonite found him on the road. Now Ahi'jah had clad himself with a new garment; and the two of them were alone in the open country.
[30] Then Ahi'jah laid hold of the new garment that was on him, and tore it into twelve pieces.
[31] And he said to Jerobo'am, "Take for yourself ten pieces; for thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, `Behold, I am about to tear the kingdom from the hand of Solomon, and will give you ten tribes
[32] (but he shall have one tribe, for the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel),

[12:19] So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.

The Word of the Lord

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From Psalm 81

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I am the Lord, your God: hear my voice.

[10] There shall be no strange god among you;
you shall not bow down to a foreign god.
[11] I am the LORD your God,
who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.

I am the Lord, your God: hear my voice.

[12] "But my people did not listen to my voice;
Israel would have none of me.
[13] So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts,
to follow their own counsels.

I am the Lord, your God: hear my voice.

[14] O that my people would listen to me,
that Israel would walk in my ways!
[15] I would soon subdue their enemies,
and turn my hand against their foes.

I am the Lord, your God: hear my voice.

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A reading from the holy gospel according to Mark

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[31] Jesus returned from the region of Tyre, and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, through the region of the Decap'olis.

[32] And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech; and they besought him to lay his hand upon him.
[33] And taking him aside from the multitude privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue;
[34] and looking up to heaven, he sighed, and said to him, "Eph'phatha," that is, "Be opened."
[35] And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly.
[36] And he charged them to tell no one; but the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it.
[37] And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, "He has done all things well; he even makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak."

The Gospel of the Lord

2012 Feb 9 Thu: Ordinary Weekday
1 Kgs 11: 4-13/ Ps 106: 3-4. 35-36. 37 and 40/ Mk 7: 24-30

Today is Thursday, February 9^th, 2012, Thursday of the fifth week in Ordinary Time

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A reading from the first book of Kings

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[4] When Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods; and his heart was not wholly true to the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.
[5] For Solomon went after Ash'toreth the goddess of the Sido'nians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.
[6] So Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and did not wholly follow the LORD, as David his father had done.
[7] Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Molech the abomination of the Ammonites, on the mountain east of Jerusalem.
[8] And so he did for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods.
[9] And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice,

[10] and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; but he did not keep what the LORD commanded.
[11] Therefore the LORD said to Solomon, "Since this has been your mind and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you and will give it to your servant.
[12] Yet for the sake of David your father I will not do it in your days, but I will tear it out of the hand of your son.
[13] However I will not tear away all the kingdom; but I will give one tribe to your son, for the sake of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem which I have chosen."

The Word of the Lord

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From Psalm 106

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Remember me, O LORD, when thou showest favor to thy people

[3] Blessed are they who observe justice,
who do righteousness at all times!
[4] Remember me, O LORD, when thou showest favor to thy people;
help me when thou deliverest them;

Remember me, O LORD, when thou showest favor to thy people

[35] but they mingled with the nations
and learned to do as they did.
[36] They served their idols,
which became a snare to them.

Remember me, O LORD, when thou showest favor to thy people

[37] They sacrificed their sons
and their daughters to the demons;
[40] Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against his people,
and he abhorred his heritage.

Remember me, O LORD, when thou showest favor to thy people

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A reading from the holy gospel according to Mark

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[24] Jesus went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And he entered a house, and would not have any one know it; yet he could not be hid.

[25] But immediately a woman, whose little daughter was possessed by an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell down at his feet.
[26] Now the woman was a Greek, a Syrophoeni'cian by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter.
[27] And he said to her, "Let the children first be fed, for it is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs."
[28] But she answered him, "Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs."
[29] And he said to her, "For this saying you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter."
[30] And she went home, and found the child lying in bed, and the demon gone.

The Gospel of the Lord

2012 Feb 8 Wed: Ordinary Weekday/ Jerome Emiliani, p, rf/ Josephine Bakhita, v
1 Kgs 10: 1-10/ Ps 37: 30-31. 39-40/ Mk 7: 14-23

Today is Wednesday, February 8^th, 2012, Wednesday of the fifth week in Ordinary Time

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A reading from the first book of Kings

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[1] Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to test him with hard questions.

[2] She came to Jerusalem with a very great retinue, with camels bearing spices, and very much gold, and precious stones; and when she came to Solomon, she told him all that was on her mind.
[3] And Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing hidden from the king which he could not explain to her.
[4] And when the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built,
[5] the food of his table, the seating of his officials, and the attendance of his servants, their clothing, his cupbearers, and his burnt offerings which he offered at the house of the LORD, there was no more spirit in her.
[6] And she said to the king, "The report was true which I heard in my own land of your affairs and of your wisdom,

[7] but I did not believe the reports until I came and my own eyes had seen it; and, behold, the half was not told me; your wisdom and prosperity surpass the report which I heard.
[8] Happy are your wives! Happy are these your servants, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom!
[9] Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and set you on the throne of Israel! Because the LORD loved Israel for ever, he has made you king, that you may execute justice and righteousness."
[10] Then she gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and a very great quantity of spices, and precious stones; never again came such an abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

The Word of the Lord

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From Psalm 37

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The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom

[5] Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him, and he will act.
[6] He will bring forth your vindication as the light,
and your right as the noonday.

The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom

[30] The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom,
and his tongue speaks justice.
[31] The law of his God is in his heart;
his steps do not slip.

The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom

[39] The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD;
he is their refuge in the time of trouble.
[40] The LORD helps them and delivers them;
he delivers them from the wicked, and saves them,
because they take refuge in him.

The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom

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A reading from the holy gospel according to Mark

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[14] Jesus called the people to him again, and said to them, "Hear me, all of you, and understand:

[15] there is nothing outside a man which by going into him can defile him; but the things which come out of a man are what defile him."
[17] And when he had entered the house, and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable.
[18] And he said to them, "Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a man from outside cannot defile him,
[19] since it enters, not his heart but his stomach, and so passes on?" (Thus he declared all foods clean.)
[20] And he said, "What comes out of a man is what defiles a man.
[21] For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, fornication, theft, murder, adultery,
[22] coveting, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, foolishness.
[23] All these evil things come from within, and they defile a man."

The Gospel of the Lord

2012 Feb 7 Tue: Ordinary Weekday
1 Kgs 8: 22-23. 27-30/ Ps 84: 3. 4. 5 and 10. 11/ Mk 7: 1-13

Today is Tuesday, February 7, 2012, Tuesday of the fifth week in Ordinary Time

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A reading from the first book of Kings

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[22] Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven;

[23] and said, "O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and showing steadfast love to thy servants who walk before thee with all their heart;
[27] "But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have built!

[28] Yet have regard to the prayer of thy servant and to his supplication, O LORD my God, hearkening to the cry and to the prayer which thy servant prays before thee this day;
[29] that thy eyes may be open night and day toward this house, the place of which thou hast said, `My name shall be there,' that thou mayest hearken to the prayer which thy servant offers toward this place.
[30] And hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant and of thy people Israel, when they pray toward this place; yea, hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place; and when thou hearest, forgive.”

The Word of the Lord

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From Psalm 84

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How lovely is thy dwelling place, O LORD of hosts!

[3] My soul longs, yea, faints
for the courts of the LORD;
my heart and flesh sing for joy
to the living God.

How lovely is thy dwelling place, O LORD of hosts!

[4] Even the sparrow finds a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may lay her young,
at thy altars, O LORD of hosts,
my King and my God.

How lovely is thy dwelling place, O LORD of hosts!

[5] Blessed are those who dwell in thy house,
ever singing thy praise!
[10] Behold our shield, O God;
look upon the face of thine anointed!

How lovely is thy dwelling place, O LORD of hosts!

[11] For a day in thy courts is better
than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of wickedness.

How lovely is thy dwelling place, O LORD of hosts!

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A reading from the holy gospel according to Mark

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[1] Now when the Pharisees gathered together to him, with some of the scribes, who had come from Jerusalem,

[2] they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands defiled, that is, unwashed.
[3] (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they wash their hands, observing the tradition of the elders;
[4] and when they come from the market place, they do not eat unless they purify themselves; and there are many other traditions which they observe, the washing of cups and pots and vessels of bronze.)
[5] And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, "Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with hands defiled?"
[6] And he said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, `This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me;
[7] in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.'
[8] You leave the commandment of God, and hold fast the tradition of men."
[9] And he said to them, "You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God, in order to keep your tradition!

[10] For Moses said, `Honor your father and your mother'; and, `He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him surely die';
[11] but you say, `If a man tells his father or his mother, What you would have gained from me is Corban' (that is, given to God) --
[12] then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother,
[13] thus making void the word of God through your tradition which you hand on. And many such things you do."

The Gospel of the Lord

2012 Feb 6 Mon: Paul Miki, p, mt, & co., mts M
1 Kgs 8: 1-7. 9-13/ Ps 132: 6-7. 8-10/ Mk 6: 53-56

Today is Monday, February 6^th, 2012, Memorial of Saint Paul Miki and Companions, martyrs

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A reading from the first book of Kings

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[1] Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the leaders of the fathers' houses of the people of Israel, before King Solomon in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which is Zion.

[2] And all the men of Israel assembled to King Solomon at the feast in the month Eth'anim, which is the seventh month.
[3] And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark.
[4] And they brought up the ark of the LORD, the tent of meeting, and all the holy vessels that were in the tent; the priests and the Levites brought them up.
[5] And King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, who had assembled before him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing so many sheep and oxen that they could not be counted or numbered.
[6] Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place, in the inner sanctuary of the house, in the most holy place, underneath the wings of the cherubim.
[7] For the cherubim spread out their wings over the place of the ark, so that the cherubim made a covering above the ark and its poles.
[9] There was nothing in the ark except the two tables of stone which Moses put there at Horeb, where the LORD made a covenant with the people of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.
[10] And when the priests came out of the holy place, a cloud filled the house of the LORD,
[11] so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD.
[12] Then Solomon said,

"The LORD has set the sun in the heavens,
but has said that he would dwell in thick darkness.
[13] I have built thee an exalted house,
a place for thee to dwell in for ever."

The Word of the Lord

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From Psalm 132

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Arise, O LORD, and go to thy resting place

[6] Lo, we heard of it in Eph'rathah,
we found it in the fields of Ja'ar.
[7] "Let us go to his dwelling place;
let us worship at his footstool!"

Arise, O LORD, and go to thy resting place

[8] Arise, O LORD, and go to thy resting place,
thou and the ark of thy might.
[9] Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness,
and let thy saints shout for joy.
[10] For thy servant David's sake
do not turn away the face of thy anointed one.

Arise, O LORD, and go to thy resting place

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A reading from the holy gospel according to Mark

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[53] When they had crossed over to the other side of the sea, Jesus and his disciples came to land at Gennes'aret, and moored to the shore.

[54] And when they got out of the boat, immediately the people recognized him,
[55] and ran about the whole neighborhood and began to bring sick people on their pallets to any place where they heard he was.
[56] And wherever he came, in villages, cities, or country, they laid the sick in the market places, and besought him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment; and as many as touched it were made well.

The Gospel of the Lord

2012 Feb 5 SUN: FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Jb 7: 1-4. 6-7/ Ps 147: 1-2. 3-4. 5-6/ 1 Cor 9: 16-19. 22-23/ Mk 1: 29-39

Today is Sunday, February 5, 2012, the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

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A reading from the Book of Job

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Job spoke, saying:

[1] "Has not man a hard service upon earth,
and are not his days like the days of a hireling?
[2] Like a slave who longs for the shadow,
and like a hireling who looks for his wages,
[3] so I am allotted months of emptiness,
and nights of misery are apportioned to me.
[4] When I lie down I say, `When shall I arise?'
But the night is long,
and I am full of tossing till the dawn.
[6] My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle,
and come to their end without hope.
[7] Remember that my life is a breath;
my eye will never again see good.”

The Word of the Lord

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From Psalm 147

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Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted

[1] Praise the LORD!
For it is good to sing praises to our God;
for he is gracious, and a song of praise is seemly.
[2] The LORD builds up Jerusalem;
he gathers the outcasts of Israel.

Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted

[3] He heals the brokenhearted,
and binds up their wounds.
[4] He determines the number of the stars,
he gives to all of them their names.

Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted

[5] Great is our LORD, and abundant in power;
his understanding is beyond measure.
[6] The LORD lifts up the downtrodden,
he casts the wicked to the ground.

Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted

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A reading from the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians

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Brothers and sisters:

[16] If I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!
[17] For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward; but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with a commission.
[18] What then is my reward? Just this: that in my preaching I may make the gospel free of charge, not making full use of my right in the gospel.
[19] For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, that I might win the more.

 [22] To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
[23] I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

The Word of the Lord

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A reading from the holy gospel according to Mark

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[29] Jesus left the synagogue, and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.

[30] Now Simon's mother-in-law lay sick with a fever, and immediately they told him of her.
[31] And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her; and she served them.
[32] That evening, at sundown, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons.

[33] And the whole city was gathered together about the door.
[34] And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.
[35] And in the morning, a great while before day, he rose and went out to a lonely place, and there he prayed.

[36] And Simon and those who were with him pursued him,
[37] and they found him and said to him, "Every one is searching for you."
[38] And he said to them, "Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also; for that is why I came out."
[39] And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.

The gospel of the Lord