Only Jesus

Today’s Consuming Fire Meditation- – A Daily Dose of the Flame of Love Diary Served Up with Today’s Scriptures Monday After Epiphany- Holy Name of Jesus Only Jesus “My adored Jesus, thank You for Your infinite mercy.” (Elizabeth) (May 24, 1963) Today’s Readings: From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say,“Repent, for the …

SUNDAY, JANUARY 2, 2022 – EPIPHANY – THE MAGI (MT 2:1-12)

Prayer:   Come, Holy Spirit.  Give me your light to search for the Christ Child. Imagination:    Picture the three Magi worshipping Jesus in Bethlehem. Context:             Since the Magi were not Jewish, Epiphany is called the Gentile Christmas, a symbol that Christ is for all the world.  Magi were a learned priestly class of Persia who knew the stars.  The Old Testament …

SATURDAY, JANUARY 1, 2022 – SOLEMNITY OF MARY – THE SHEPHERDS’ RESPONSE (LK 2:16-21)

Prayer:   Come, Holy Spirit.  Give me the shepherds’ faith. Imagination:   Picture the shepherds adoring Jesus with Mary and Joseph. Context: The gospel stories are filled with people.  Some respond to Jesus and others do not.  Those who respond are always blessed.  Here, the shepherds glorify God for all they saw and heard. Gospel Text: (Read slowly, possibly aloud.)             After …

FRIDAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS – DECEMBER 31, 2021 – THE WORD BECAME FLESH (JN 1:1-18)

Prayer: O Jesus, thank you for leaving the Father’s side and becoming a man.  Imagination: Imagine Mary telling the angel, Gabriel, that she would be God’s mother.  Context:  Mark begins his gospel with John the Baptist. Matthew and Luke begin their gospels with infancy stories. John begins his gospel in heaven. Quickly, the gospel enters …

THURSDAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS – DECEMBER 30, 2021 – THE WOMAN PROPHETESS (LK 2:36-40)

Prayer: O Lord, teach me to fast, to pray and to listen to your word.  Imagination: Picture Joseph and Mary holding the Christ Child in the presence of Simeon and Anna. Context:  Luke likes to portray both men and women ministering. So, he added Anna, a prophetess, to Simeon’s story. She is a widow who …

WEDNESDAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS – DECEMBER 29, 2021 – SIMEON’S INSPIRED WORDS (LK 2:22-27)

Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit. Lead me this day to your divine appointment.  Imagination: Picture Simeon praising God with Jesus in his arms.  Context:  After forty days, Mary and Joseph fulfill the Mosaic Law by presenting Jesus in the temple. Surprisingly, Simeon appears on the scene. Luke says that the Holy Spirit was with Simeon, revealed …

Revealed By The Holy Spirit- Seeing Salvation With Our Own Eyes

Today’s Consuming Fire Meditation- – A Daily Dose of the Flame of Love Diary Served Up with Today’s Scriptures The Fifth Day In the Octave of Christmas Revealed by the Holy Spirit- Seeing Salvation with Our Own Eyes By His sigh, the Lord Jesus allowed a faint light to enter my heart and it revealed …

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2021 – THE HOLY INNOCENTS, MARTYRS – HEROD’S MASSACRE (MT 2:13-18)

Prayer: O Lord Jesus, I would love to shed my blood for you.  Imagination: Picture Mary, Joseph and the Child fleeing into Egypt.  Context:  In Matthew’s gospel, Joseph is the central person in the infancy stories and God’s usual way of communicating with him is by an angel in his dreams. Historically, Herod was an …

MONDAY – DECEMBER 27, 2021 – ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST – THE DISCIPLES AT THE TOMB (JN 20:1-8)

Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit. Give me the faith to seek the risen Christ.  Imagination: Picture the disciples at the empty tomb.  Context:  Before the gospel writers describe the Easter visions, they speak of the empty tomb and of the disciples’ reactions. In this text, Magdalene, Peter and the Beloved Disciple all have different responses. Peter …

SUNDAY – DECEMBER 26, 2021 – THE HOLY FAMILY OF JESUS, MARY & JOSEPH – SEARCHING FOR JESUS (LK 2:41-52)

Prayer: O Lord, may I always seek to find you.  Imagination: Picture Jesus with his parents in the Temple. Context:  Luke uses this story when Jesus is twelve years old as a bridge between the infancy stories and the public ministry (when Jesus was thirty). It portrays the transition from being Mary’s son to being …

CHRISTMAS – SATURDAY– DECEMBER 25, 2021 – THE WORD BECAME FLESH (JN 1:1-18)

Prayer: O Jesus, thank you for leaving the Father’s side and becoming a man.  Imagination: Picture Mary giving birth to Jesus, the Word made Flesh.  Context:  Mark begins his gospel with John the Baptist. Matthew and Luke begin their gospels with infancy stories. John begins his gospel in heaven where the Word was with the …

WEEK FOUR OF ADVENT – FRIDAY – DECEMBER 24, 2021 – ZECHARIAH’S SONG (LK 1:67-79)

Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit. Teach me to praise the Father.  Imagination: Picture Zechariah prophesying by God’s Spirit.  Context:  This canticle has two parts. The first half praises God for his blessings to Israel. The second half prophecies the effects of John the Baptist’s ministry.  Gospel Text: (Read slowly, possibly aloud.)  Zechariah, his father, was filled …