of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
The Unjust Steward (Lk 16:1-8) Prayer: O Jesus, wake me up to the imminence of the Kingdom, so I respond fully. Imagination: Picture Jesus with His disciples. Context: The parable uses real-life details. Rich owners often lived at a distance and depended on stewards who held promissory oaths of debtors. The steward wants the changes …
Continue reading “Week Thirty-One – Friday, November 4, 2022”
The Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin (Lk 15:1-10) Prayer: O Jesus, show me how precious I am to you. Imagination: Picture Jesus with His disciples. Context: These twin parables are closely connected to the Prodigal Son parable. A hundred sheep was a medium sized flock. The shepherd must have been poor, unable to pay …
Continue reading “Week Thirty-One – Thursday, November 3, 2022”
True Bread from Heaven (Jn 6:37-40) Prayer: O Jesus, you are the true Bread of Life. Imagination: Picture Jesus teaching the crowds. Context: In their debate with Jesus, the crowd talks about the great sign of manna which God sent to Moses and the Israelites (Ex 16:4). Jesus uses this Old Testament story to reveal …
Continue reading “Week Thirty-One – Wednesday, November 2, 2022 – ALL SOULS DAY”
The First Four Beatitudes (Mt 5:1-5) Prayer O Jesus, call me to a special goodness and help me to be a faithful disciple. Imagination Picture Jesus preaching to the disciples. Context: Matthew’s teachings are broken into five sections, (like the five books of Moses). The beatitudes are Jesus’ first major teaching. Matthew, seeing a decline in …
Continue reading “Week Thirty-One – Tuesday, November 1, 2022 ALL SAINTS DAY”
Who Gets Invited? (Lk 14:12-14) Prayer: O Jesus, I will reach out to those who cannot repay me. Imagination: Picture Jesus at table with the Pharisees. Context: Jesus asks for a great holiness. His disciples must bless others with no hope of any return. Their reward will come at the Resurrection. Gospel Text: (Read slowly, …
Continue reading “Week Thirty-One – Monday, October 31, 2022”
The Man Up in the Tree (Lk 19:1-10) Prayer: O Jesus, come and stay in my house this day. Imagination: Picture Jesus finding Zaccheus in a tree. Context: Zaccheus is the second wealthy man to receives an invitation from Jesus. He accepts the gift and uses his wealth to restore justice. This story highlights Jesus …
Continue reading “Week Thirty – Sunday – C – October 30, 2022”
The Places at Table (Lk 14:7-11) Prayer: Dear Jesus, let me see suffering as a part of your saving plan for me. Imagination: Picture Jesus trying to explain his future suffering to his disciples. Context: Peter has just proclaimed Jesus as the Messiah. Because of his faith, Jesus has given to Peter the keys of …
Prayer, Selection and Healing (Lk 6:12-19) Prayer: Lord Jesus, if you choose me, I will serve you with all my heart. Imagination: Picture Jesus with his disciples and the crowds. Context: This text has 3 different scenes. First, Jesus is alone in prayer. Second, he is with his disciples. Third, he comes down the mountain and …
Jesus and Jerusalem (Lk 13:31-35) Prayer: O Jesus, let me follow you to Jerusalem. Imagination: Picture Jesus with his disciples and the Pharisees. Context: Seemingly, the Pharisees are warning Jesus to leave Herod’s territory. Really, they want him to go to Jerusalem where they have more power. Jesus knows their plans and says that he …
The Closed Door (Lk 13:22-30) Prayer: O Jesus, you are my Lord and Saviour. Imagination: Picture Jesus with His disciples. Context: By this parable, Jesus confronts his hearers. They understand, all too well, what He means. He comes to their villages, preaches in their streets and eats with them. Yet, they do not accept his …
Continue reading “Week Thirty – Wednesday, October 26, 2022”
The Small Beginnings (Lk 13:18-21) Prayer: O Jesus, plant your powerful Kingdom in my heart. Imagination: Picture Jesus preaching to the crowds. Context: These two little parables are excellent images of the reign of God. The mustard seed and the leaven are both small but powerful. As they are planted, people learn how forceful they …
The Daughter of Abraham (Lk 13:10-17) Prayer: O Jesus, stretch out your hand. With your power set me free. Imagination: Picture Jesus in the synagogue. Context: In Luke’s gospel, Jesus is about to proclaim that God’s Kingdom is open to all. He starts with the humblest curing a stooped woman in a synagogue. The controversy …
The Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Lk 18:9-14) Prayer: O Lord, fill me with light that I would see my sinfulness. Imagination: Picture Jesus with His disciples. Context: The two men both arrive at the hour of prayer (either 9:00AM or 3:00PM). Three aspects mark the Pharisee – his prominent position, the sins he has …
The Fig Tree (Lk 13:1-9) Prayer: O Lord Jesus, let me use my time to repent and receive the Kingdom. Imagination: Picture Jesus speaking to the crowds. Context: Although the judgment is inevitable, God marvelously extends the time for repentance. This is the gift of the Fig Tree Parable. In Palestine, the first three years …
Continue reading “Week Twenty-Nine – Saturday, October 22, 2022”
Interpreting the Urgency (Lk 12:54-59) Prayer: O Lord, do not let me lose the Kingdom. Imagination: Picture Jesus teaching the crowds. Context: This text has two parts. First, people should be able to see that the Kingdom is at hand. Second, the disciple must act now and accept the Kingdom. Gospel Text: (Read slowly, possibly aloud.) …
Continue reading “Week Twenty-Nine – Friday, October 21, 2022”
Enkindling a Fire (Lk 12:49-53) Prayer: O Jesus, light your fire in my heart. Imagination: Picture Jesus teaching his disciples. Context: This text contains two separate sayings of Jesus. The first shows his greatest desire – to cast the fire of the Holy Spirit upon all believers. The second speaks about the problems which will …
Continue reading “Week Twenty-Nine – Thursday, October 20, 2022”
The Two Servants (Lk 12:41-48) Prayer: O Jesus, make me your faithful servant. Imagination: Picture Jesus teaching Peter and the others. Context: This parable deals with handling responsibility, with being a good servant, whether in the Church or in daily life. The owner is extremely fair and generous but he demands high standards. Jesus describes …
Continue reading “Week Twenty-Nine – Wednesday, October 19, 2022”
Jesus, Divine Mercy Incarnate assures us that He is always present with us. His Divine Mercy, for which our hearts yearn, reaches out to us in many ways.
Seventy-Two More Missionaries (Lk 10:1-9) Prayer: O Lord, choose me and send me wherever your word needs to be preached. Imagination: Picture Jesus preparing seventy-two more disciples to go to the villages. Context: Other gospels (Mark and Matthew) record Jesus sending the Twelve. Only Luke mentions this larger number of seventy-two. Obviously, the early Church …
Continue reading “Feast of St. Luke, Evangelist – Tuesday, October 18, 2022”
The Rich Fool (Lk 12:13-21) Prayer: O Lord, do not allow my material possessions to ruin my faith. Imagination: Picture Jesus with His disciples. Context: A person asked Jesus to gain him his rightful inheritance. Jesus refuses to accept this task. Jesus wants people to avoid greed. Owning property is irrelevant in the new Age. …
Continue reading “Week Twenty-Nine – Monday, October 17, 2022”