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The Samaritan Woman

Gospel of John 4:5–16, 19–26, 39–42: Jesus came to the Samaritan town of Sychar, near the land Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Tired from his journey, he sat by Jacob’s well at about noon. A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said, “Give me a drink.” His disciples had gone into town to buy food. Surprised, the woman said, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan, for a drink?” For Jews did not associate with Samaritans. Jesus answered, “If you knew the gift of God and who is asking you, you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” She said, “Sir, you have no bucket and the well is deep. Are you greater than our father Jacob who gave us this well?” Jesus replied, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give will never thirst. The water I give will become a spring within, welling up to eternal life.” The woman said, “Sir, give me this water.” Then she added, “I see you are a prophet. Our anc...
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The Prodigal Son

The Gospel of Luke (15:1–3, 11–32) Tax collectors and sinners gathered to listen to Jesus, while the Pharisees and scribes complained that he welcomed sinners. In response, Jesus told this parable: A man had two sons. The younger asked for his share of the inheritance, and the father divided his property between them. Soon after, the younger son left for a distant country where he wasted everything in reckless living. When a famine struck and he had nothing left, he found work feeding pigs and was so hungry he longed to eat their food. Coming to his senses, he decided to return home and say, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as one of your servants.” While he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to embrace and kiss him. Though the son began his confession, the father called for the best robe, a ring, and sandals, and ordered a feast. “For this son of mine was dea...
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The owner of the vineyard

Gospel Matthew 21:33-43,45-46 This is the landlord's heir: come, let us kill him Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people, ‘Listen to another parable. There was a man, a landowner, who planted a vineyard; he fenced it round, dug a winepress in it and built a tower; then he leased it to tenants and went abroad. When vintage time drew near he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his produce. But the tenants seized his servants, thrashed one, killed another and stoned a third. Next he sent some more servants, this time a larger number, and they dealt with them in the same way. Finally he sent his son to them. “They will respect my son” he said. But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, “This is the heir. Come on, let us kill him and take over his inheritance.” So they seized him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?’ They answered, ‘He will br...
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Lazarus and the rich man

Gospel Luke 16:19-31 Dives and Lazarus Jesus said to the Pharisees: ‘There was a rich man who used to dress in purple and fine linen and feast magnificently every day. And at his gate there lay a poor man called Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to fill himself with the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table. Dogs even came and licked his sores. Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried.     ‘In his torment in Hades he looked up and saw Abraham a long way off with Lazarus in his bosom. So he cried out, “Father Abraham, pity me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in agony in these flames.” “My son,” Abraham replied “remember that during your life good things came your way, just as bad things came the way of Lazarus. Now he is being comforted here while you are in agony. But that is not all: between us and you a great gulf has been f...
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Follow Christ is to Serve

Gospel Matthew 20:17-28 They will condemn the Son of Man to death Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, and on the way he took the Twelve to one side and said to them, ‘Now we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man is about to be handed over to the chief priests and scribes. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the pagans to be mocked and scourged and crucified; and on the third day he will rise again.’     Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came with her sons to make a request of him, and bowed low; and he said to her, ‘What is it you want?’ She said to him, ‘Promise that these two sons of mine may sit one at your right hand and the other at your left in your kingdom.’ ‘You do not know what you are asking’ Jesus answered. ‘Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?’ They replied, ‘We can.’ ‘Very well,’ he said ‘you shall drink my cup, but as for seats at my right hand and my left, these are not mine to grant; they belong to those to whom ...
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Practice what you preach

Gospel Matthew 23:1-12 They do not practise what they preach Addressing the people and his disciples Jesus said, ‘The scribes and the Pharisees occupy the chair of Moses. You must therefore do what they tell you and listen to what they say; but do not be guided by what they do: since they do not practise what they preach. They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but will they lift a finger to move them? Not they! Everything they do is done to attract attention, like wearing broader phylacteries and longer tassels, like wanting to take the place of honour at banquets and the front seats in the synagogues, being greeted obsequiously in the market squares and having people call them Rabbi.     ‘You, however, must not allow yourselves to be called Rabbi, since you have only one master, and you are all brothers. You must call no one on earth your father, since you have only one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor must you allow yourselves to be called tea...
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Do not judge

Gospel Luke 6:36-38 Grant pardon, and you will be pardoned Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate. Do not judge, and you will not be judged yourselves; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned yourselves; grant pardon, and you will be pardoned. Give, and there will be gifts for you: a full measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap; because the amount you measure out is the amount you will be given back.’ Reflection Becoming like the Father means practicing mercy in small and daily ways—granting pardon, withholding judgment, and living with a generosity that overflows into others. When we choose compassion over critique, we invite God’s own measure to return to us in fullness. Reflection Question How might I practice granting pardon this week, in a situation where I’m tempted to judge or condemn? Prayer Loving Father, open my heart to mercy. Help me to grant pardon as freely as I have r...
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