Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit. Fill me with your joy. Imagination: (Picture Mary entering Zechariah’s house). 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 …
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: Jesus speaks of “a burden” and “a yoke”. The burdened are those who cannot seem to get out from under. Jesus is one …
Prayer: O Jesus, come and find me. 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 a helper. Matthew’s gospel stresses the shepherd’s unwearied …
Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit. Help me to say “Yes” to God’s plan. Imagination: (Picture Mary speaking with the Angel). Context: Luke records the greatest moment in human history, when God becomes flesh in Mary’s womb. This text highlights Mary’s struggle to understand the mystery. Once all is clear, she quickly …
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 way of the Lord.” …
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. Unable to do all by himself, he shares …
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 have confidence that he can heal …
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 becomes quickly a raging stream. This parable is …
Prayer: O Jesus, let me hunger for your food. Imagination: (Picture Jesus and his disciples with the hungry crowds.) Context: The multiplication of food is the only miracle told in all four gospels. It is preceded by multiple healings. These stories highlight the Advent season when we await the Lord …
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. Advent, unlike Lent, is a …
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 (unheard of in Judaism). Even Jesus proclaims …
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 example. He prepared for the sudden flood, …
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 baptized and led by the Spirit …
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 people think that this cosmic event …
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. However, these words were very …
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 find themselves hauled into court. Also, their …
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 the disciple does not think that …
Prayer: – O Jesus, to you I give all I have. Imagination: – (Picture Jesus in the temple with his disciples.) Context: This gospel joins two different people, linked by the word widow. The scribes want everyone to see their goodness while secretly they steal widow’s money. The widow, on …
Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit. Teach me to ask for heaven. Imagination: (Picture Jesus crucified with two thieves) Context: Luke portrays this special moment of faith. A thief looks at the crucified Jesus and sees a king. He even believes he has a kingdom. Jesus rewards his faith. “Today” means “before …
Prayer: – O Lord, fill me with strong desires to live like the angels. Imagination: – (Picture Jesus in confrontation with the Sadducees.) Context: The Sadducees (unlike the Pharisees) did not believe in the immortality of the soul nor the resurrection of the dead. They bring to Jesus what seems …
