CHRISTMAS DAY .

Dec. 25 2024.

The Gospel according to John 1:1-18

 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　   　  Priest Seiichi Ri　　　

 1 In the beginning the Word already existed; the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2 From the very beginning the Word was with God.

3 Through him God made all things; not one thing in all creation was made without him.

4 The Word was the source of life, and this life brought light to people.

5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has never put it out.

6 God sent his messenger, a man named John,

7 who came to tell people about the light, so that all should hear the message and believe.

8 He himself was not the light; he came to tell about the light.

9 This was the real light - the light that comes into the world and shines on all people.

10 The Word was in the world, and though God made the world through him, yet the world did not recognize him.

11 He came to his own country, but his own people did not receive him.

12 Some, however, did receive him and believed in him; so he gave them the right to become God's children.

13 They did not become God's children by natural means, that is, by being born as the children of a human father; God himself was their Father.

14 The Word became a human being and, full of grace and truth, lived among us. We saw his glory, the glory which he received as the Father's only Son.

15 John spoke about him. He cried out, "This is the one I was talking about when I said, "He comes after me, but he is greater than I am, because he existed before I was born.' "

16 Out of the fullness of his grace he has blessed us all, giving us one blessing after another.

17 God gave the Law through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

18 No one has ever seen God. The only Son, who is the same as God and is at the Father's side, he has made him known.

Christmas Eve.

Dec. 24 2024.

The Gospel according to Luke 2:1-14

 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　   　  Priest  Yoshinobu Goto

 1 At that time Emperor Augustus ordered a census to be taken throughout the Roman Empire.

2 When this first census took place, Quirinius was the governor of Syria.

3 Everyone, then, went to register himself, each to his own hometown.

4 Joseph went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to the town of Bethlehem in Judea, the birthplace of King David. Joseph went there because he was a descendant of David.

5 He went to register with Mary, who was promised in marriage to him. She was pregnant,

6 and while they were in Bethlehem, the time came for her to have her baby.

7 She gave birth to her first son, wrapped him in cloths and laid him in a manger - there was no room for them to stay in the inn.

8 There were some shepherds in that part of the country who were spending the night in the fields, taking care of their flocks.

9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone over them. They were terribly afraid,

10 but the angel said to them, "Don't be afraid! I am here with good news for you, which will bring great joy to all the people.

11 This very day in David's town your Savior was born - Christ the Lord!

12 And this is what will prove it to you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

13 Suddenly a great army of heaven's angels appeared with the angel, singing praises to God:

14 "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom he is pleased!"

4th Sunday in Advent.

Dec. 22 2024.

The Gospel according to Luke 1:39-45

 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　    　　 Priest   Yoshinobu Goto        　　　

 39 Soon afterward Mary got ready and hurried off to a town in the hill country of Judea.

40 She went into Zechariah's house and greeted Elizabeth.

41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby moved within her. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit

42 and said in a loud voice, "You are the most blessed of all women, and blessed is the child you will bear!

43 Why should this great thing happen to me, that my Lord's mother comes to visit me?

44 For as soon as I heard your greeting, the baby within me jumped with gladness.

45 How happy you are to believe that the Lord's message to you will come true!"

3rd Sunday in Advent.

Dec. 15 2024.

The Gospel according to Luke 3:10-18

 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　     Priest   Masanori Shinnkai          　　　

 10 The people asked him, "What are we to do, then?"

11 He answered, "Whoever has two shirts must give one to the man who has none, and whoever has food must share it."

12 Some tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, "Teacher, what are we to do?"

13 "Don't collect more than is legal," he told them.

14 Some soldiers also asked him, "What about us? What are we to do?" He said to them, "Don't take money from anyone by force or accuse anyone falsely. Be content with your pay."

15 People's hopes began to rise, and they began to wonder whether John perhaps might be the Messiah.

16 So John said to all of them, "I baptize you with water, but someone is coming who is much greater than I am. I am not good enough even to untie his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

17 He has his winnowing shovel with him, to thresh out all the grain and gather the wheat into his barn; but he will burn the chaff in a fire that never goes out."

18 In many different ways John preached the Good News to the people and urged them to change their ways.

2nd Sunday in Advent.

Dec. 8 2024.

The Gospel according to Luke 3:1-6

 1 It was the fifteenth year of the rule of Emperor Tiberius; Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip was ruler of the territory of Iturea and Trachonitis; Lysanias was ruler of Abilene,

2 and Annas and Caiaphas were High Priests. At that time the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the desert.

3 So John went throughout the whole territory of the Jordan River, preaching, "Turn away from your sins and be baptized, and God will forgive your sins."

4 As it is written in the book of the prophet Isaiah: "Someone is shouting in the desert: "Get the road ready for the Lord; make a straight path for him to travel!

5 Every valley must be filled up, every hill and mountain leveled off. The winding roads must be made straight, and the rough paths made smooth.

6 The whole human race will see God's salvation!' "

1st Sunday in Advent.

Dec. 1 2024.

The Gospel according to Luke 21:25-28、34-36

 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Priest  Yoshinobu Goto

 21 Then those who are in Judea must run away to the hills; those who are in the city must leave, and those who are out in the country must not go into the city.

22 For those will be "The Days of Punishment,' to make come true all that the Scriptures say.

23 How terrible it will be in those days for women who are pregnant and for mothers with little babies! Terrible distress will come upon this land, and God's punishment will fall on this people.

24 Some will be killed by the sword, and others will be taken as prisoners to all countries; and the heathen will trample over Jerusalem until their time is up.

25 "There will be strange things happening to the sun, the moon, and the stars. On earth whole countries will be in despair, afraid of the roar of the sea and the raging tides.

34 "Be careful not to let yourselves become occupied with too much feasting and drinking and with the worries of this life, or that Day may suddenly catch you

35 like a trap. For it will come upon all people everywhere on earth.

36 Be on watch and pray always that you will have the strength to go safely through all those things that will happen and to stand before the Son of Man."

Christ the King.

Nov. 24 2024.

The Gospel according to John 18:33-37

 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Priest  Mitsuru Chiba

 33 So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” 34Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” 35Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” 36Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” 37Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”

33th Sunday of Year.

Nov. 17 2024.

The Gospel according to Mark 13:24-32

 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Priest  Yoshinobu Goto

24 “But in those days, after  that tribulation,  the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, 25and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 27And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

28 “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. 29So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. 30Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. 31Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

32 “But concerning that day or that hour,  no one knows, not even the angels in heaven,  nor the Son,  but only the Father. 

32th Sunday of Year.

Nov. 10 2024.

The Gospel according to Mark 12:38-44

38 And in his teaching he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces 39and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, 40who devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”

41 And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. 42And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. 43And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. 44For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.” 

31th Sunday of Year.

Nov. 3 2024.

The Gospel according to Mark 12:28-34

 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Priest  Yoshinobu Goto　

28 And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” 29Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 32And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. 33And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions.46 They came to Jericho, and as Jesus was leaving with his disciples and a large crowd, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus son of Timaeus was sitting by the road.

30th Sunday of Year.

Oct. 27 2024.

The Gospel according to Mark 10:46-52

  46 They came to Jericho, and as Jesus was leaving with his disciples and a large crowd, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus son of Timaeus was sitting by the road.

47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, "Jesus! Son of David! Have mercy on me!"

48 Many of the people scolded him and told him to be quiet. But he shouted even more loudly, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"

49 Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." So they called the blind man. "Cheer up!" they said. "Get up, he is calling you."

50 So he threw off his cloak, jumped up, and came to Jesus.

51 "What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him. "Teacher," the blind man answered, "I want to see again."

52 "Go," Jesus told him, "your faith has made you well." At once he was able to see and followed Jesus on the road.              　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　           

29th Sunday of Year.

Oct. 20 2024.

The Gospel according to Mark 10:35-45

 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Priest  Yoshinobu Goto

35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus. "Teacher," they said, "there is something we want you to do for us."

36 "What is it?" Jesus asked them.

37 They answered, "When you sit on your throne in your glorious Kingdom, we want you to let us sit with you, one at your right and one at your left."

38 Jesus said to them, "You don't know what you are asking for. Can you drink the cup of suffering that I must drink? Can you be baptized in the way I must be baptized?"

39 "We can," they answered. Jesus said to them, "You will indeed drink the cup I must drink and be baptized in the way I must be baptized.

40 But I do not have the right to choose who will sit at my right and my left. It is God who will give these places to those for whom he has prepared them."

41 When the other ten disciples heard about it, they became angry with James and John.

42 So Jesus called them all together to him and said, "You know that those who are considered rulers of the heathen have power over them, and the leaders have complete authority.

43 This, however, is not the way it is among you. If one of you wants to be great, you must be the servant of the rest;

44 and if one of you wants to be first, you must be the slave of all.

45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served; he came to serve and to give his life to redeem many people."

28th Sunday of Year.

Oct. 13 2024.

The Gospel according to Mark 10:17-30

 17 As Jesus was starting on his way again, a man ran up, knelt before him, and asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to receive eternal life?"

18 "Why do you call me good?" Jesus asked him. "No one is good except God alone.

19 You know the commandments: "Do not commit murder; do not commit adultery; do not steal; do not accuse anyone falsely; do not cheat; respect your father and your mother.' "

20 "Teacher," the man said, "ever since I was young, I have obeyed all these commandments."

21 Jesus looked straight at him with love and said, "You need only one thing. Go and sell all you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven; then come and follow me."

22 When the man heard this, gloom spread over his face, and he went away sad, because he was very rich.

23 Jesus looked around at his disciples and said to them, "How hard it will be for rich people to enter the Kingdom of God!"

24 The disciples were shocked at these words, but Jesus went on to say, "My children, how hard it is to enter the Kingdom of God!

25 It is much harder for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle."

26 At this the disciples were completely amazed and asked one another, "Who, then, can be saved?"

27 Jesus looked straight at them and answered, "This is impossible for human beings but not for God; everything is possible for God."

28 Then Peter spoke up, "Look, we have left everything and followed you."

29 "Yes," Jesus said to them, "and I tell you that those who leave home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and for the gospel,

30 will receive much more in this present age. They will receive a hundred times more houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and fields - and persecutions as well; and in the age to come they will receive eternal life.

27th Sunday of Year.

Oct. 6 2024.

The Gospel according to Mark 10:2-16、

 2 Some Pharisees came to him and tried to trap him. "Tell us," they asked, "does our Law allow a man to divorce his wife?"

3 Jesus answered with a question, "What law did Moses give you?"

4 Their answer was, "Moses gave permission for a man to write a divorce notice and send his wife away."

5 Jesus said to them, "Moses wrote this law for you because you are so hard to teach.

6 But in the beginning, at the time of creation, "God made them male and female,' as the scripture says.

7 "And for this reason a man will leave his father and mother and unite with his wife,

8 and the two will become one.' So they are no longer two, but one.

9 No human being must separate, then, what God has joined together."

10 When they went back into the house, the disciples asked Jesus about this matter.

11 He said to them, "A man who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against his wife.

12 In the same way, a woman who divorces her husband and marries another man commits adultery."

13 Some people brought children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples scolded the people.

14 When Jesus noticed this, he was angry and said to his disciples, "Let the children come to me, and do not stop them, because the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

15 I assure you that whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it."

16 Then he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on each of them, and blessed them.

26th Sunday of Year.

Sep. 29 2024.

The Gospel according to Mark 9:38-43、45、47-48

38 John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” 39But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. 40For the one who is not against us is for us. 41For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward.42  “Whoever causes one of  these little ones who believe in me to sin,   it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. 43And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. 45And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell.47And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, 48‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’

25th Sunday of Year.

Sep. 22 2024.

The Gospel according to Mark 9:30-37

                　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　             Priest   Kenichi Sato

30 They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he did not want anyone to know, 31for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise.” 32But they did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him.

33And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” 34But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. 35And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” 36And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, 37“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.” 

24th Sunday of Year.

Sep. 15 2024.

The Gospel according to Mark 8:27-35

                　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　             Priest  Yoshinobu Goto

27 And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” 28And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” 29And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” 30And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him.31 And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

34And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. 

23th Sunday of Year.

Sep. 8 2024.

The Gospel according to Mark 7:31-37

31 Then he returned from the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. 32And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on him. 33And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue. 34And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” 35And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. 36And Jesus charged them to tell no one. But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. 37And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”  

22th Sunday of Year.

Sep. 1 2024.

The Gospel according to Mark 7:1-8　14-15　21-23

                　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　            Priest  Yoshinobu Goto 

1 Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, 2they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. 3(For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders, 4and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.) 5And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” 6And 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 commandments of men.’

8 You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” 

14And he called the people to him again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand: 15There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.”21For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 23All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”

21th Sunday of Year.

Aug 25 2024.

The Gospel according to john 6:60-69

 60 Many of his followers heard this and said, "This teaching is too hard. Who can listen to it?"

61 Without being told, Jesus knew that they were grumbling about this, so he said to them, "Does this make you want to give up?

62 Suppose, then, that you should see the Son of Man go back up to the place where he was before?

63 What gives life is God's Spirit; human power is of no use at all. The words I have spoken to you bring God's life-giving Spirit.

64 Yet some of you do not believe." (Jesus knew from the very beginning who were the ones that would not believe and which one would betray him.)

65 And he added, "This is the very reason I told you that no people can come to me unless the Father makes it possible for them to do so."

66 Because of this, many of Jesus' followers turned back and would not go with him any more.

67 So he asked the twelve disciples, "And you - would you also like to leave?"

68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life.

69 And now we believe and know that you are the Holy One who has come from God."

20th Sunday of Year.

Aug 18 2024.

The Gospel according to john 6:51-58

                                                             　　　　 Priest  Yoshinobu Goto

 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If you eat this bread, you will live forever. The bread that I will give you is my flesh, which I give so that the world may live."

52 This started an angry argument among them. "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" they asked.

53 Jesus said to them, "I am telling you the truth: if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you will not have life in yourselves.

54 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them to life on the last day.

55 For my flesh is the real food; my blood is the real drink.

56 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood live in me, and I live in them.

57 The living Father sent me, and because of him I live also. In the same way whoever eats me will live because of me.

58 This, then, is the bread that came down from heaven; it is not like the bread that your ancestors ate, but then later died. Those who eat this bread will live forever."

Assumption of B.V.M.

Aug 15  2024.

The Gospel according to Luke 1:39-56

                                                             　　　　　       Priest  Seiichi Ri

 39 Soon afterward Mary got ready and hurried off to a town in the hill country of Judea.

40 She went into Zechariah's house and greeted Elizabeth.

41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby moved within her. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit

42 and said in a loud voice, "You are the most blessed of all women, and blessed is the child you will bear!

43 Why should this great thing happen to me, that my Lord's mother comes to visit me?

44 For as soon as I heard your greeting, the baby within me jumped with gladness.

45 How happy you are to believe that the Lord's message to you will come true!"

46 Mary said, "My heart praises the Lord;

47 my soul is glad because of God my Savior,

48 for he has remembered me, his lowly servant! From now on all people will call me happy,

49 because of the great things the Mighty God has done for me. His name is holy;

50 from one generation to another he shows mercy to those who honor him.

51 He has stretched out his mighty arm and scattered the proud with all their plans.

52 He has brought down mighty kings from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly.

53 He has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away with empty hands.

54 He has kept the promise he made to our ancestors, and has come to the help of his servant Israel.

55 He has remembered to show mercy to Abraham and to all his descendants forever!"

56 Mary stayed about three months with Elizabeth and then went back home.

19th Sunday of Year.

Aug 11  2024.

The Gospel according to john 6:41-51

                                                             　　　　　       Priest  Seiichi Ri

41 The people started grumbling about him, because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven."

42 So they said, "This man is Jesus son of Joseph, isn't he? We know his father and mother. How, then, does he now say he came down from heaven?"

43 Jesus answered, "Stop grumbling among yourselves.

44 People cannot come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me; and I will raise them to life on the last day.

45 The prophets wrote, "Everyone will be taught by God.' Anyone who hears the Father and learns from him comes to me.

46 This does not mean that anyone has seen the Father; he who is from God is the only one who has seen the Father.

47 I am telling you the truth: he who believes has eternal life.

48 I am the bread of life.

49 Your ancestors ate manna in the desert, but they died.

50 But the bread that comes down from heaven is of such a kind that whoever eats it will not die.

51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If you eat this bread, you will live forever. The bread that I will give you is my flesh, which I give so that the world may live."

18th Sunday of Year.

Aug 4  2024.

The Gospel according to john 6:24-35

                                                                       Priest Yoshinobu Goto

                                                          　　　　　             24 When the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they got into those boats and went to Capernaum, looking for him.

25 When the people found Jesus on the other side of the lake, they said to him, "Teacher, when did you get here?"

26 Jesus answered, "I am telling you the truth: you are looking for me because you ate the bread and had all you wanted, not because you understood my miracles.

27 Do not work for food that spoils; instead, work for the food that lasts for eternal life. This is the food which the Son of Man will give you, because God, the Father, has put his mark of approval on him."

28 So they asked him, "What can we do in order to do what God wants us to do?"

29 Jesus answered, "What God wants you to do is to believe in the one he sent."

30 They replied, "What miracle will you perform so that we may see it and believe you? What will you do?

31 Our ancestors ate manna in the desert, just as the scripture says, "He gave them bread from heaven to eat.' "

32 "I am telling you the truth," Jesus said. "What Moses gave you was not the bread from heaven; it is my Father who gives you the real bread from heaven.

33 For the bread that God gives is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."

34 "Sir," they asked him, "give us this bread always."

35 "I am the bread of life," Jesus told them. "Those who come to me will never be hungry; those who believe in me will never be thirsty.

17th Sunday of Year.

Jul 28  2024.

The Gospel according to john 6:1-15

                                                             　　　　　　Priest  Kenichi Sato

1After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. 2And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. 3Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. 4Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. 5Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” 6He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. 7Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.” 8One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, 9“There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” 10Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. 11Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. 12And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” 13So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. 14When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!”

15 Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

16th Sunday of Year.

Jul 21  2024.

The Gospel according to Mark 6:30-34

                                                             　　　　Priest  Yoshinobu Goto

30  The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. 31And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. 32And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. 33Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. 34When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things.

15th Sunday of Year.

Jul 14  2024.

The Gospel according to Mark 6:7-13

 7 And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. 8He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in their belts— 9but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics. 10And he said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there. 11And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” 12So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent. 13And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.

14th Sunday of Year.

Jul 7  2024.

The Gospel according to Mark 6:1-6

                                                             　　　Priest  Yoshinobu Goto　　　

 1 He went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. 2And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? 3Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. 4And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” 5And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6And he marveled because of their unbelief.

13th Sunday of Year.

Jun  30  2024.

The Gospel according to Mark 5:21-43

                                                          　　　Priest  Yoshinobu Goto　　　

 21 Jesus went back across to the other side of the lake. There at the lakeside a large crowd gathered around him.

22 Jairus, an official of the local synagogue, arrived, and when he saw Jesus, he threw himself down at his feet

23 and begged him earnestly, "My little daughter is very sick. Please come and place your hands on her, so that she will get well and live!"

24 Then Jesus started off with him. So many people were going along with Jesus that they were crowding him from every side.

25 There was a woman who had suffered terribly from severe bleeding for twelve years,

26 even though she had been treated by many doctors. She had spent all her money, but instead of getting better she got worse all the time.

27 She had heard about Jesus, so she came in the crowd behind him,

28 saying to herself, "If I just touch his clothes, I will get well."

29 She touched his cloak, and her bleeding stopped at once; and she had the feeling inside herself that she was healed of her trouble.

30 At once Jesus knew that power had gone out of him, so he turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes?"

31 His disciples answered, "You see how the people are crowding you; why do you ask who touched you?"

32 But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it.

33 The woman realized what had happened to her, so she came, trembling with fear, knelt at his feet, and told him the whole truth.

34 Jesus said to her, "My daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your trouble."

35 While Jesus was saying this, some messengers came from Jairus' house and told him, "Your daughter has died. Why bother the Teacher any longer?"

36 Jesus paid no attention to what they said, but told him, "Don't be afraid, only believe."

37 Then he did not let anyone else go on with him except Peter and James and his brother John.

38 They arrived at Jairus' house, where Jesus saw the confusion and heard all the loud crying and wailing.

39 He went in and said to them, "Why all this confusion? Why are you crying? The child is not dead - she is only sleeping!"

40 They started making fun of him, so he put them all out, took the child's father and mother and his three disciples, and went into the room where the child was lying.

41 He took her by the hand and said to her, ["Talitha, koum,"] which means, "Little girl, I tell you to get up!"

42 She got up at once and started walking around. (She was twelve years old.) When this happened, they were completely amazed.

43 But Jesus gave them strict orders not to tell anyone, and he said, "Give her something to eat."

12th Sunday of Year.

Jun  23  2024.

The Gospel according to Mark 4:35-41

 35 On the evening of that same day Jesus said to his disciples, "Let us go across to the other side of the lake."

36 So they left the crowd; the disciples got into the boat in which Jesus was already sitting, and they took him with them. Other boats were there too.

37 Suddenly a strong wind blew up, and the waves began to spill over into the boat, so that it was about to fill with water.

38 Jesus was in the back of the boat, sleeping with his head on a pillow. The disciples woke him up and said, "Teacher, don't you care that we are about to die?"

39 Jesus stood up and commanded the wind, "Be quiet!" and he said to the waves, "Be still!" The wind died down, and there was a great calm.

40 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Why are you frightened? Do you still have no faith?"

41 But they were terribly afraid and began to say to one another, "Who is this man? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"

11th Sunday of Year.

Jun  16  2024.

The Gospel according to Mark 4:26-34

                                                           　　　Priest  Yoshinobu Goto　

 26 Jesus went on to say, "The Kingdom of God is like this. A man scatters seed in his field.

27 He sleeps at night, is up and about during the day, and all the while the seeds are sprouting and growing. Yet he does not know how it happens.

28 The soil itself makes the plants grow and bear fruit; first the tender stalk appears, then the head, and finally the head full of grain.

29 When the grain is ripe, the man starts cutting it with his sickle, because harvest time has come.

30 "What shall we say the Kingdom of God is like?" asked Jesus. "What parable shall we use to explain it?

31 It is like this. A man takes a mustard seed, the smallest seed in the world, and plants it in the ground.

32 After a while it grows up and becomes the biggest of all plants. It puts out such large branches that the birds come and make their nests in its shade."

33 Jesus preached his message to the people, using many other parables like these; he told them as much as they could understand.

34 He would not speak to them without using parables, but when he was alone with his disciples, he would explain everything to them.

10th Sunday of Year.

Jun  9  2024.

The Gospel according to Mark 3:20-35

 20 Then Jesus went home. Again such a large crowd gathered that Jesus and his disciples had no time to eat.

21 When his family heard about it, they set out to take charge of him, because people were saying, "He's gone mad!"

22 Some teachers of the Law who had come from Jerusalem were saying, "He has Beelzebul in him! It is the chief of the demons who gives him the power to drive them out."

23 So Jesus called them to him and spoke to them in parables: "How can Satan drive out Satan?

24 If a country divides itself into groups which fight each other, that country will fall apart.

25 If a family divides itself into groups which fight each other, that family will fall apart.

26 So if Satan's kingdom divides into groups, it cannot last, but will fall apart and come to an end.

27 "No one can break into a strong man's house and take away his belongings unless he first ties up the strong man; then he can plunder his house.

28 "I assure you that people can be forgiven all their sins and all the evil things they may say.

29 But whoever says evil things against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, because he has committed an eternal sin."

30 (Jesus said this because some people were saying, "He has an evil spirit in him.")

31 Then Jesus' mother and brothers arrived. They stood outside the house and sent in a message, asking for him.

32 A crowd was sitting around Jesus, and they said to him, "Look, your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, and they want you."

33 Jesus answered, "Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?"

34 He looked at the people sitting around him and said, "Look! Here are my mother and my brothers!

35 Whoever does what God wants is my brother, my sister, my mother."

Corpus Christi.

Jun  2  2024.

The Gospel according to Mark 14:12-16、22-26  

                                                           　　　　Priest　 Yoshinobu Goto.

 12 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the day the lambs for the Passover meal were killed, Jesus' disciples asked him, "Where do you want us to go and get the Passover meal ready for you?"

13 Then Jesus sent two of them with these instructions: "Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him

14 to the house he enters, and say to the owner of the house: "The Teacher says, Where is the room where my disciples and I will eat the Passover meal?'

15 Then he will show you a large upstairs room, fixed up and furnished, where you will get everything ready for us."

16 The disciples left, went to the city, and found everything just as Jesus had told them; and they prepared the Passover meal.

22 While they were eating, Jesus took a piece of bread, gave a prayer of thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples. "Take it," he said, "this is my body."

23 Then he took a cup, gave thanks to God, and handed it to them; and they all drank from it.

24 Jesus said, "This is my blood which is poured out for many, my blood which seals God's covenant.

25 I tell you, I will never again drink this wine until the day I drink the new wine in the Kingdom of God."

26 Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives.

Trinity Sunday.

May  26  2024.

The Gospel according to Mathew 28：16-20   

                                                           　　　　　　　Priest  Kenichi Sato　　　　　　　　　　　　　

Pentecost Sunday.

May  19  2024.

The Gospel according to John 15：26-27  16：12-15   

                                                          　　　　　　Priest  Yoshinobu Goto