The Easy Yoke (Mt 11:28-30) Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit. Help me to take up Jesus’ easy yoke and light burden. Imagination: Picture Jesus inviting all his disciples to come to him. Context: The burdened are those who cannot seem to get out from under. Jesus is one of them. He …
Reflection by Yvonne Duffy The deeper we peer into and ponder the Flame of Love, the more expansive and profound we discover this immense gift to humanity to be. To more greatly appreciate the Love of God burning in Mary’s Immaculate Heart, consider the question posed by the great Marian …
During the month of November we formed prayer cenacles and intentionally prayed in our established cenacles to assist the Poor Souls in the Month of November! So, just how many souls did our prayers help in November? Did we reach our goal to assist 1 Million Souls? Well, we believe …
As we have begun this Advent journey on Sunday, November 27, I almost immediately think “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” as the days of Advent approach and the first Sunday arrives. During this pre-Christmas liturgical season, we know Jesus, “Emmanuel,” has already come as you and I came into this world. …
The Lost Sheep (Mt 18:12-14) Prayer: O Jesus, come and find me. Imagination: Picture Jesus with His disciples. Context: This parable is closely connected to the prodigal Son parable. A hundred sheep was a medium sized flock. The shepherd must have been poor and unable to pay a helper. Matthew’s …
Forgiving Sins (Lk 5:17-26) Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit. Give me friends with great faith. Imagination: Picture Jesus healing the paralyzed man. Context: These stories in Mark’s gospel are controversy stories. Each dispute allows Jesus to make some pronouncement. In this story, Jesus says that he is the Son of Man …
The Advent Preacher (Mt 3:1-12) Prayer: O Jesus, awaken me. Your Kingdom is at hand. Imagination: Picture John preaching at the Jordan. Context: John the Baptist is the Advent preacher. He shows up every year at this time and stays for two Sundays. He has one task – “to prepare …
The Good News of God’s Reign (Mt 9:35-10:8) Prayer: O Jesus, your goodness is everywhere. Imagination: Picture Jesus with his disciples, healing the crowds. Context: The gospels are filled with Jesus compassion and power. Now, he extends that compassion to physical healings and to being a shepherd to the poor. …
Healing of the Blind (Mt 9:27-31) Prayer: O Jesus, make me confident that you can make me see. Imagination: Picture Jesus with his disciples. Context: After raising the little girl to life, Jesus encounters two blind men. They give him the Messianic title, “Son of David” and proclaim that they …
The Parable of the Two Houses (Mt 7:21, 24-27) Prayer: O Jesus, I will put your word into practice so my house will always stand. Imagination: Picture Jesus with His disciples. Context: Jesus chooses an example from the people’s daily experiences. In Israel, the rains come suddenly. A dry canal …
The First to be Called (Mt 4:18-22) Prayer: Call me, Jesus, into your Kingdom. Help me to follow you and leave everything behind. Imagination: Picture Jesus inviting the fishermen, Peter, Andrew, James and John to follow him.. Context: Mark’s gospel moves very quickly. In this first chapter, Jesus has been …
Our Blessed Mother promised Elizabeth Kindelmann that she would be Jesus’ match that world light up the world. “You see, beloved, you are like the match. My Divine Hands have lit you because I wanted this, and you will ignite the whole world like a single match because God wants …
Revealed to the Children (Lk 10:21-24) Prayer: Lord Jesus, give me a humble and accepting heart. Imagination: Imagine Jesus reprimanding his disciples. Context: Jesus sent out 72 disciples to proclaim the Kingdom. They have just returned with all the good news of their successes. This text is filled with rejoicing. …
A Centurion With Great Faith (Mt 8:5-11) Prayer: O Jesus, fill me with faith in your power. Imagination: Picture Jesus with the Centurion. Context: Advent is a time of faith and the church selects the Gentile centurion as the first model. He believed that Jesus could heal at a distance …
Not Prepared for the Coming (Mt 24:37-44) Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit, prepare for Jesus’ coming. Imagination: Picture Jesus warning His disciples to be alert. Context: Strangely enough, we begin the liturgical year with Jesus speaking about how to prepare for the end of the world. He uses Noah as an …
Final Words of Advice (Lk 21:34-36) Prayer: O Jesus, teach me to watch and to pray constantly. Imagination: Picture Jesus in the temple teaching his disciples. Context: Jesus is worried. He will not be returning to earth soon and the disciples will wonder why he delays. So, he exhorts them …
The Events Are Near (Lk 21:29-33) Prayer: O Jesus, help me to act now. So much is about to happen. Imagination: Picture Jesus teaching his disciples. Context: Jesus has just predicted the fall of Jerusalem and declared that, at a given moment, he will come on clouds of glory. Because …
The Jerusalem Destruction (Lk 21:20-28) Prayer: O Jesus, be with us in times of disasters. Imagination: Picture Jesus explaining to his disciples the fall of Jerusalem. Context: Jesus prophesied that the Romans would destroy Jerusalem, which they did in 70 A.D. Luke wrote his gospel fifteen years after this destruction. …
The Trials of a Disciple (Lk 21:12-19) Prayer: O Jesus, help me in the moments of my trials. Imagination: Picture Jesus explaining to the disciples their future difficulties. Context: After discussing all the wars and famines and earthquakes that will occur, Jesus turns to two other difficulties. The disciples will …
Not Yet the End (Lk 21:5-11) Prayer: O Jesus, let me persevere until the end. Imagination: Picture Jesus teaching his disciples. Context: In teaching about his Second Coming, Jesus keeps putting it off, always speaking of events that must happen first. The “coming” is always “later.” He stresses perseverance so …
