maronite readings

‘Woe to you, blind guides, who say, “Whoever swears by the sanctuary is bound by nothing, but whoever swears by the gold of the sanctuary is bound by the oath.”
You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the sanctuary that has made the gold sacred?
And you say, “Whoever swears by the altar is bound by nothing, but whoever swears by the gift that is on the altar is bound by the oath.”
How blind you are! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred?
So whoever swears by the altar, swears by it and by everything on it;
and whoever swears by the sanctuary, swears by it and by the one who dwells in it;
and whoever swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by the one who is seated upon it.

maronite readings – rosary,team

Therefore also the Wisdom of God said, “I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute”,
so that this generation may be charged with the blood of all the prophets shed since the foundation of the world,
from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it will be charged against this generation.
Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge; you did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering.’
When he went outside, the scribes and the Pharisees began to be very hostile towards him and to cross-examine him about many things,
lying in wait for him, to catch him in something he might say.

maronite readings – rosary,team

Then they brought to him a demoniac who was blind and mute; and he cured him, so that the one who had been mute could speak and see.
All the crowds were amazed and said, ‘Can this be the Son of David?’
But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, ‘It is only by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons, that this fellow casts out the demons.’
He knew what they were thinking and said to them, ‘Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand.
If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand?
If I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own exorcists cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges.
But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come to you.
Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his property, without first tying up the strong man? Then indeed the house can be plundered.
Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
Therefore I tell you, people will be forgiven for every sin and blasphemy, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.
Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.

maronite readings – rosary,team

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples,
‘The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat;
therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practise what they teach.
They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them.
They do all their deeds to be seen by others; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long.
They love to have the place of honour at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues,
and to be greeted with respect in the market-places, and to have people call them rabbi.
But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all students.
And call no one your father on earth, for you have one Father the one in heaven.
Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Messiah.
The greatest among you will be your servant.
All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted.

maronite readings – rosary,team

Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge; you did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering.’
When he went outside, the scribes and the Pharisees began to be very hostile towards him and to cross-examine him about many things,
lying in wait for him, to catch him in something he might say.

maronite readings – rosary,team

Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets whom your ancestors killed.
So you are witnesses and approve of the deeds of your ancestors; for they killed them, and you build their tombs.
Therefore also the Wisdom of God said, “I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute”,
so that this generation may be charged with the blood of all the prophets shed since the foundation of the world,
from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it will be charged against this generation.

maronite readings – rosary,team

‘But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and herbs of all kinds, and neglect justice and the love of God; it is these you ought to have practised, without neglecting the others.
Woe to you Pharisees! For you love to have the seat of honour in the synagogues and to be greeted with respect in the market-places.
Woe to you! For you are like unmarked graves, and people walk over them without realizing it.’
One of the lawyers answered him, ‘Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us too.’
And he said, ‘Woe also to you lawyers! For you load people with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not lift a finger to ease them.

maronite readings – rosary,team

While he was speaking, a Pharisee invited him to dine with him; so he went in and took his place at the table.
The Pharisee was amazed to see that he did not first wash before dinner.
Then the Lord said to him, ‘Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.
You fools! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also?
So give for alms those things that are within; and see, everything will be clean for you.

maronite readings – rosary,team

As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love.
If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.
I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.
‘This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
You are my friends if you do what I command you.
I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father.
You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name.

maronite readings – rosary,team