The Life of St Joseph (Matthew 1:18-2:23)
St Joseph is probably best-known for his key role in the Nativity, but there are several other episodes recorded in the gospels that tell us more about his life.
The Visitation (Luke 1:39-45)
‘The Visitation’ is the formal name for the visit of the Virgin Mary to her elderly relative, St Elizabeth. The story is told in St Luke’s gospel.
The Trial of Susanna (Daniel 13:1-64)
In the Bible, Susanna is wrongfully accused of adultery by two elders, but with the help of the prophet Daniel, she is proved to be innocent.
The Temptation of Christ (Luke 4:1-13)
The gospels say that after his baptism, Christ spent 40 days alone in the desert, where he was tempted three times by the Devil.
The Benedictus (Luke 1:67-80)
The Benedictus is the name of a poetic speech given by St Zechariah, the father of St John the Baptist. It’s named after the first word of the poem – ‘Benedictus’ - which is the Latin word for ‘Blessed’. He uttered these words after regai
St Luke the Evangelist (Colossians 4:14)
St Luke was the writer of two of the books included in the New Testament – the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles. As such, he is known as St Luke the ‘Evangelist’, which means ‘gospel-writer’. According to the start of his gospel,
Moses receives the Law (Exodus 19:1–20:21)
According to the Book of Exodus, God revealed the Ten Commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai. He spent forty days and nights on the mountain, where God gave him a physical version of the Ten Commandments on two tablets of stone.
Samuel judges Israel (1 Samuel 7:3-17)
Samuel was a prophet and judge who appointed the first two kings of Israel, Saul and David, led a spiritual renewal of the nation, and prayed for victory over its enemies.
Christ among the Doctors (Luke 2:41-52)
St Luke's gospel speaks of Christ’s disappearance during a family trip to Jerusalem – and of being discovered in the Temple, talking to the teachers of the Law.
St John, Apostle and Evangelist (John 21:20-25)
St John the Evangelist was one of the Twelve Apostles and also wrote the Fourth Gospel, which describes him as the "beloved disciple". He went on to play a leading role in the Early Church.