of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary Receiving the Hundred-Fold (Mt 19:23-30) Prayer: O Jesus, teach me to set aside everything for love of you. Imagination: Picture Jesus surrounded by his disciples. Context: After the rich young man walked away, Jesus commented on the difficulty of the rich entering the Kingdom of God. In today’s text, …
Continue reading “Tuesday, August 22nd – Week Twenty of Ordinary Time”
The Rich Young Man (Mt 19:16-22) Prayer: O Jesus, I will sacrifice everything to follow you. Imagination: Picture the young man asking Jesus about eternal life. Context: The man’s “kneeling down” shows great piety and his question is excellent. He wants what Jesus offers, eternal life. In responding to his question, Jesus mentions only commandments …
Continue reading “Monday, August 21st – Week Twenty of Ordinary Time”
The Quick-Witted Mother (Mt 15:21-28) Prayer: O Jesus, let me persevere in seeking your blessings. Imagination: Picture Jesus confronted by this mother. Context: This story occurs in Gentile territory with a Gentile mother. It shows that the Kingdom will break out of its Jewish beginnings and spread to the whole world. Jesus allows the Mother …
Continue reading “Sunday, August 20th – Week Twenty of Ordinary Time”
The Little Children (Mt 19:13-15) Prayer: O Jesus, I must accept your Kingdom like a little child. Imagination: Picture Jesus surrounded by children and the disciples. Context: After teaching on the permanency of marriage, Jesus welcomes children (the purpose of marriage). When the disciples hinder them, Jesus grows angry because a vital principal is at …
Continue reading “Saturday, August 19th – Week Nineteen of Ordinary Time”
Let No Man Separate (Mt 19:3-12) Prayer: O Jesus, restore creation as it was in the beginning. Imagination: Picture Jesus explaining his ideals to his disciples. Context: Jesus taught that the Kingdom of God was at hand. Through the power of this Kingdom, all creation can be restored to God’s original plan. Jesus believes that …
Continue reading “Friday, August 18th – Week Nineteen of Ordinary Time”
The Unmerciful Servant (Mt 18:21, 19:1) Prayer: O Jesus, fill my heart with the Holy Spirit. Imagination: Picture Jesus with his disciples. Context: The parable is about the Last Judgment and highlights the greatest demand upon every disciple, learning how to forgive. The warning is serious. God, who has granted the disciple forgiveness, will revoke …
Continue reading “Thursday, August 17th – Week Nineteen of Ordinary Time”
Importance of Gathering (Mt 18:15-20) Prayer: O Jesus, always join me with others so you will be in our midst. Imagination: Picture Jesus gathered with his disciples. Context: Jesus has just spoken of the shepherd seeking out the wandering sheep. This sheep represents a disciple who has left the church and the Church must seek …
Continue reading “Wednesday, August 16th – Week Nineteen of Ordinary Time”
Luke 1:39-56 Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit. Fill me with your joy. Imagination: Picture Mary entering Zechariah’s hous). Context: This story contains many truths. First, Jesus begins his sanctifying ministry. Second, John begins his ministry, pointing out Jesus to his mother. Third, this is an early picture of Pentecost. All are filled with the Holy Spirit. …
Continue reading “Tuesday, August 15th – The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary”
Paying the Temple Tax (Mt 17:23-27) Prayer: O Jesus, you have made me a child of God and a citizen of heaven. Imagination: Picture Jesus with his disciples, privately in a house. Context: This is a unique little story, whose meaning can easily be lost. In Jesus’ time, Roman citizens paid no taxes. Rome was …
Continue reading “Monday, August 14th – Week Nineteen of Ordinary Time”
Jesus Walks on the Water (Mt 14:22-33) Prayer: O Jesus, give me total faith in you. Imagination: Picture the disciples in their boat, surprised by Jesus’ visit. Context: After multiplying food, Jesus orders his disciples to get in a boat. This prepares for the miracle of walking on the water. Jesus even communicates this power …
Continue reading “Sunday, August 13th – Week Nineteen of Ordinary Time”
The Boy with a Demon (Mt 17:14-20) Prayer: O Jesus, set me free from the Evil One. Imagination: Picture the boy’s father pleading with Jesus. Context: The disciples are regressing. Formerly, they had great success in driving out demons. Now, they are total failures. Jesus gets exasperated at their lack of faith. The father is …
Continue reading “Saturday, August 12th – Week Eighteen of Ordinary Time”
Saving Your Life (Mt 16:24-28) Prayer: Jesus, how greatly I desire eternal life. Imagination: Picture Jesus teaching his disciples. Context: Jesus has just predicted his passion, death and rising. Now he extends this mystery to everyone. Every disciple can rise with Jesus. They need only to deliberately take the same path. The choice is extremely important. …
Continue reading “Friday, August 11th – Week Eighteen of Ordinary Time”
The Grain of Wheat (Jn 12:24-26) Prayer: O Jesus, help me to die with you. Imagination: Picture Jesus teaching in the Temple. Context: When Jesus enters Jerusalem for the final time, some sincere Greek-speaking Jews ask to see him. Their appearance is a sign to Jesus that his death (the hour of glorification) is at …
Continue reading “Thursday, August 10th – Week Eighteen of Ordinary Time”
The Quick-Witted Mother (Mt 15:21-28) Prayer: O Jesus, let me persevere in seeking your blessings. Imagination: Picture Jesus confronted by this mother. Context: This story occurs in Gentile territory with a Gentile mother and shows that the Kingdom will break out of its Jewish beginnings and spread to the whole world. Jesus allows her to …
Continue reading “Wednesday, August 9th – Week Eighteen of Ordinary Time”
A Clean Heart (Mt 15:1-2, 10-14) Prayer: O Jesus, let me be planted by your heavenly Father Imagination: Picture Jesus preaching to the crowds. Context: This gospel mentions two enemies of Jesus – the scribes from Jerusalem (fierce opponents) and Pharisees (misguided opponents). The scribes raise the question of purification of hands before eating. The …
Continue reading “Tuesday, August 8th – Week Eighteen of Ordinary Time”
Food in a Deserted Place (Mt 14:13-21) Prayer: O Jesus, you feed me with the finest food. Imagination: Picture Jesus feeding the 5,000. Context: When Jesus heard of John’s death (told immediately before this story) he crosses to the eastern bank of the Sea of Galilee (Gentile territory). Jesus was already known among the Gentiles …
Continue reading “Monday, August 7th – Week Eighteen of Ordinary Time”
The Transfiguration of the Lord (Mt 17:1-9) Prayer: Jesus, take me up the mountain of prayer. Imagination: Picture Jesus in glory with his three apostles. Context: Peter has just proclaimed by faith that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God. Now, he and two others experience this truth as they see Jesus …
Continue reading “Sunday, August 6th – Week Eighteen of Ordinary Time”
Beheading of John the Baptist (Mt 14:1-12) Prayer: Lord Jesus, let me not be swayed by the opinions of others. Imagination: Picture Herod with his party guests. Context: Matthew shortens Mark’s long explanation of Herod’s party. He highlights what is familiar – the hatred of John by Herod’s wife and Herod’s foolish promise and killing …
Continue reading “Saturday, August 5th – Week Seventeen of Ordinary Time”
The Doubting Home Town (Mt 13:54-58) Prayer: O Jesus, I will believe and not doubt. Imagination: Picture Jesus teaching in the synagogue at Nazareth. Context: The gospels record Jesus coming back to Nazareth and being met with a lack of faith. The people know about his miraculous powers but remain cynical. Their lack of faith limits …
Continue reading “Friday, August 4th – Week Seventeen of Ordinary Time”
The Concluding Parable (Mt 13:47-53) Prayer: O Jesus, help me to understand your Kingdom. Imagination: Picture Jesus with His disciples. Context: After preaching many parables, Jesus concludes with this parable about the Final Judgment. When finished, he asks the disciples if they understand. Then describes what he has just done by bringing forth various kinds of …
Continue reading “Thursday, August 3rd – Week Seventeen of Ordinary Time”