The following story can be found in the bible in the Book of St. Matthew 26:47-75.
In a land filled with sandstone hills and olive trees, there lived a group of friends who traveled together with their teacher, Jesus. Among them was a man named Judas, who had been with Jesus since the beginning of their journey.
Judas was a good friend, always ready to help and lend a hand. He traveled with Jesus and the other disciples, listening to his teachings, and learning from his wisdom. But deep inside, Judas carried a secret—a secret that weighed heavily on his heart and clouded his mind.
One evening, as Jesus and his friends gathered for their last supper together, Judas felt a sense of unease gnawing at him. Despite Jesus's words of love and friendship, Judas couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.
As the meal ended, Jesus turned to his friends and spoke of betrayal. 'One of you will betray me,' he said, his voice soft but filled with sorrow.
The following story can be found in the bible in Genesis 4:1-16.
In the dawn of creation, when the earth was young and the sun kissed the horizon with golden light, there lived two brothers, Cain and Abel, sons of Adam and Eve. Raised in the fertile fields of Eden, their childhood was filled with laughter and innocence, their hearts untainted by the shadow of sin.
Cain, the elder brother, was a tiller of the soil, working the land with sweat and toil, while Abel, the younger, tended to the flocks with care and devotion. Despite their differences, the brothers shared a bond forged by blood and kinship, their lives intertwined like the roots of the ancient trees that dotted the landscape.
As they grew older, Cain and Abel presented offerings to the Lord, giving thanks for the bounty of the earth and the blessings of life. Cain brought forth the fruits of his labor, grains and vegetables grown from the fertile soil, while Abel offered the choicest lambs from his flock, their wooly coats gleaming in the sunlight.
What are the Ten Commandments?
The Ten Commandments are the moral laws that God gave according to the Judeo-Christian Bible to the ancient people of Israel. These were the ten main laws that the ancient Israelites had to follow as a covenant and sign that they were truly God’s chosen people on the earth. But there were also 613 Old Testament laws altogether.
God had established these laws on Mount Sinai through one of the greatest prophets to ever walk this earth, Moses. These laws refer to ethics and the standards of worship that God had established between Himself and His chosen people Israel.
Parable of the Two Sons
Matthew 21:28-32
Jesus put another parable to them and said, “A man had two sons and he went to the first and said, Go and cultivate grapes in my vineyard.”
“And the first said, I will not go. But then he changed his mind and went to work in the vineyard.”
“To the other, he said, Go and work in my vineyard, but the son came back and said he went but he didn’t.”
“Which of them did their father’s will?” Jesus asked them.
And they answered him, “The first son.”
Jesus replied, “In truth, I tell you that the sinners and the prostitutes enter the kingdom of God before you do.”
Matthew 13:31-32
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
Jesus gave them another parable and said, “The kingdom of heaven can be compared to a grain of mustard seed that a man took and planted in his field.”
“It is the smallest of seeds; but when it is grown it is one of the largest trees even, so the birds of the air come and build nests and lodge in its branches.”
The Ten Virgins! Be Ready!
Matthew 25:1-13
Jesus gave a parable to the disciples and said, “The kingdom of heaven can be compared to ten virgins that took their lamps in the night and went out to meet their groom.”
“Five of them were wise and the other five were foolish.”
“The five foolish ones took their lamps, but no oil was in any of them.”
“However, the five wise virgins all had oil in their lamps.”
“The groom delayed his arrival, so they all slept.”
“When it was midnight there was a shout made, the groom is coming! Go out and meet him!”
“All ten virgins got up with their lamps in their hands.”
“But then the five foolish virgins realized they had no oil in their lamps, and they said to the five wise virgins, please give us some of your oil because we have none in our lamps.”
“But the five wise virgins replied, no, we can’t give you any oil because it won’t be enough for both of us. Go to those shops that sell oil and buy for yourself.”
The Rich Man and Lazarus
Luke 16: 19-31
A parable Jesus gave to them. “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and beautiful clothes, and he lived lavishly every day.”
“There was also a beggar by the name of Lazarus who sat at his gate each day and his body had a lot of sores.”
“And Lazarus wanted to eat the crumbs from the rich man’s table, but then the dogs came and licked his sores.”
“Some time had passed and both Lazarus and the rich man died. Lazarus was taken into Abraham’s arms and the rich man was taken into the fiery furnace of hell.”
“And the rich man was tormented in hell, and he looked up and saw Lazarus and Abraham a good distance away.”
“And he shouted and said, Father Abraham, please have mercy and be kind to me, and send Lazarus so that he can dip his finger in a little water and cool my tongue; for I am being tormented in these flames.”
“Abraham replied to him, Son remember in your lifetime you had only good and nice things but Lazarus only bad and evil things. Now he is in comfort, but you are tormented in these flames.”
“Moreover, there is a fixed barrier between us. Even if we could help you, we wouldn’t be able to cross.”
“The rich man said to Father Abraham, could you at least send him to my house?”
“I have five brothers there so that he can warn them about this place of torment so that they will not end up here.”
“But Father Abraham replied, They have Moses and the other prophets let your brothers hear them.”
Listen to some of Jesus' most renowned parables in this book.
A particular lawyer came to Jesus having the desire to tempt him and said, “Teacher, what should I do to have everlasting life?”
Jesus replied, “What does the Law state? What is written in it?”
The lawyer answered, “Love the Lord God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength. Also, love your neighbor as yourself.”
When Jesus heard this, he said, “You have stated correctly. Do this and you will live.”
The lawyer wanted to know more so he asked, “Lord, who is my neighbour?”
Then Jesus gave to him a parable and said, “A man was travelling from Jerusalem to Jericho, and on his way, he met upon thieves who took his clothes, and injured him badly; and went away leaving him for dead.”
“And along the way by chance came down that same road a priest, and when he saw the badly injured man he walked over by the other side.”
Luke 15: 11-31
The Prodigal Son
Jesus gave them a parable and said, “A man had two sons.”
“The younger son said to his father, Father, give me my inheritance from now.”
“The father gave his two sons their inheritance.”
“Some days later, the younger son packed his bags and went out of the country into another far country and there he spent his money foolishly.”
“Now when he had spent all his money in that same country came a great famine.”
“When this happened, he then began to be in need. He went and stayed with a citizen of that country, and he sent him out to work on the pig farm. He fed the pigs.”
“And he ate the food that was for the pigs because no one gave him anything to eat.”
“Then one day, he looked into himself and said, why am I here? How many of my father’s servants have enough bread to eat and I am here starving.”
“I will get up and go back home to my father and say, I am sorry, and I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son but please make me a hired worker.”
The Rich Fool
Luke 12:13-21
One who was in the crowds came to Jesus and said, “Teacher, speak to my brother so that he will share the inheritance with me.”
And Jesus replied, “Who made me a judge or ruler over your inheritance?'
Jesus then said, “Be aware of covetousness. You must know that a man’s life does not consist of the number of possessions he has.”
What is Pentecost?
Pentecost originally is a Jewish feast that means “Fiftieth.” It is celebrated on the fiftieth day after the Feast of Weeks or First Fruits.
Today Pentecost is celebrated both by Jewish and Christian people. Pentecost to Christians worldwide was when the Holy Spirit was given to the disciples. This is known today as “the Day of Pentecost.”
This is the account of the first Pentecost where the Holy Spirit was given.
