May Second
Jesus Preaching At Capernaum
They came to Capernaum.
When Jesus had gone into the house, he asked them:
“What were you discussing on the way?”
But they were silent; for on the way they had been arguing with one another which was the greatest. Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said:
“If any one wishes to be first, he must be last of all, and servant of all.”
Then Jesus took a little child, and placed it in the middle of them. Folding it in his arms, he said to them:
“Any one who, for the sake of my Name, welcomes even a little child like this is welcoming me, and any one who welcomes me is welcoming not me, but him who sent me as his Messenger.”
“Teacher,” said John, “we saw a man driving out demons by using your name, and we tried to prevent him, because he did not follow us.”
“None of you must prevent the man,” answered Jesus, “for no one will use my name in working a miracle, and yet find it easy to speak evil of me. He who is not against us is for us. If any one gives you a cup of water because you belong to Christ, I tell you, he shall assuredly not lose his reward. And, if any one puts a snare in the way of one of these lowly ones who believe in me, it would be far better for him if he had been thrown into the sea with a great millstone round his neck
“If your hand proves a snare to you, cut it off. It would be better for you to enter the Life maimed, than to have both your hands and go into the Pit, into the inextinguishable fire.”
—Mark.
When the homes of the people become immoral the nation’s grave is already dug.