of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Author: <span>Jill Metz</span>

Author: Jill Metz

WEEK ONE OF ADVENT – FRIDAY – DECEMBER 4, 2020 HEALING 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 have confidence that he can heal …

WEEK ONE OF ADVENT – THURSDAY – DECEMBER 3, 2020 THE PARABLE OF THE TWO HOUSES (MT 7:24-27)

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 becomes quickly a raging stream. This parable is …

WEEK ONE OF ADVENT – WEDNESDAY – DECEMBER 2, 2020 MULTIPLIED BLESSINGS (MT 15:29-37)

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 …

WEEK ONE OF ADVENT – TUESDAY – DECEMBER 1, 2020 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. Advent, unlike Lent, is a …

WEEK ONE OF ADVENT – MONDAY – NOVEMBER 30, 2020 Feast of St. Andrew, Apostle 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 baptized and led by the Spirit …

WEEK ONE OF ADVENT – SUNDAY – B – NOVEMBER 29, 2020 THE WATCHMAN AT THE GATE (MK 13:33-37)

Prayer – O Lord, let me be ready to welcome you. Imagination: (Picture Jesus teaching his disciples in the temple area) Context: With these words, Jesus concludes a long speech that spoke of Jerusalem’s destruction, persecutions and the end of the world. His final advice uses the image of a …

WEEK THIRTY FOUR – SATURDAY – NOVEMBER 28, 2020 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 not to grow indulgent, not to …

WEEK THIRTY FOUR – FRIDAY – NOVEMBER 27, 2020 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 people think that this cosmic event …

WEEK THIRTY FOUR – THURSDAY – NOVEMBER 26, 2020 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. However, these words were very …

WEEK THIRTY FOUR – WEDNESDAY – NOVEMBER 25, 2020 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 find themselves hauled into court. Also, their …

WEEK THIRTY FOUR – TUESDAY – NOVEMBER 24, 2020 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. The disciple must not think that the …

WEEK THIRTY FOUR – MONDAY – NOVEMBER 23, 2020 THE WIDOW’S MITE (LK 21:1-4)

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 scenes, which describe two contrasting groups. The scribes want everyone to see their goodness while secretly they steal widows’ money. The widow, on …

WEEK THIRTY FOUR – SUNDAY (A) – NOVEMBER 22, 2020 THE LAST JUDGMENT (MT 25:31-46)

Prayer: O Jesus, You are the King who is to come. Imagination: (Picture Jesus with His disciples.) Context: Some people die without ever hearing about Jesus. How will they be judged? In this parable, Jesus confronts this question of how they will be judged. Although they do not know Jesus …

WEEK THIRTY THREE – SATURDAY – NOVEMBER 21, 2020 LIVING LIKE ANGELS (LK 20:27-38)

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 present to Jesus what seems …

WEEK THIRTY THREE – FRIDAY – NOVEMBER 20, 2020 A CLEANSED BUT UNREPENTANT TEMPLE (LK 19:45-48)

Prayer: O Jesus, make me your purified disciple. Imagination: (Picture Jesus cleansing the Temple) Context: In all four gospels, Jesus cleanses the temple. (Therefore, it is a very important event).Luke, in his gentle manner, omits many details known from the other gospels. He focuses on Jesus’ continued teaching and the …

WEEK THIRTY THREE – THURSDAY – NOVEMBER 19, 2020 JESUS’ LAMENT OVER JERUSALEM (LK 19:41-44)

Prayer: O Jesus, let me know the time of your visitation. Imagination: (Picture Jesus weeping over Jerusalem.) Context: As Jesus comes close to Jerusalem, he suddenly stops and weeps. He knows the future destruction of this city and describes it clearly. He pinpoints the cause of the failure. They did …