of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
(Luke 16:9-15) Prayer: O Jesus, let my heart be totally set upon you. Imagination: (Picture Jesus instructing his disciples.) Context: Jesus has just told the parable of the dishonest steward. Now, he speaks of how a believer should use his money to gain God’s blessings. The second part contains a serious warning. No one can …
Continue reading “NOVEMBER 7, 2015 – WEEK THIRTY ONE – SATURDAY – SERVING GOD OR MONEY?”
(Luke 16:1-8) Prayer: O Jesus, wake me up to the imminence of the Kingdom, so I respond fully. Imagination: (Picture Jesus with His disciples) Context: The parable uses real-life details. Rich owners often lived at a distance and depended on stewards who held promissory oaths of debtors. The steward wants the changes put into the …
Continue reading “NOVEMBER 6, 2015 – WEEK THIRTY ONE – FRIDAY – THE UNJUST STEWARD”
(Luke 15:1-10) Prayer: O Jesus, show me how precious I am to you. 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. Luke’s gospel centers on God’s …
Continue reading “NOVEMBER 5, 2015 – WEEK THIRTY ONE – THURSDAY – THE LOST SHEEP AND THE LOST COIN”
(Luke 14:28-32) Prayer: O Jesus, help me to persevere until the finish line. Imagination: (Picture Jesus teaching the crowds.) Context: Jesus is dealing here with enthusiastic disciples who cannot see the tremendous hardships that lie ahead. So, Jesus gives two examples which entail great difficulties. A farmer needs a tower for his grain, but the …
Continue reading “NOVEMBER 4, 2015 – WEEK THIRTY ONE – WEDNESDAY – THE TOWER AND THE WAR”
(Luke 14:15-24) Prayer: O Jesus, let me respond now to your banquet invitation. Imagination: (Picture Jesus with His disciples.) Context: In Jesus’ time, a popular, story told about a tax collector who decided to invite all the prominent people to a banquet. Naturally, these prominent people did not want to attend. The tax-collector then decided …
Continue reading “NOVEMBER 3, 2015 – WEEK THIRTY ONE – TUESDAY – THE GREAT SUPPER”
(John 6:37-40) Prayer – O Jesus, prepare me for the moment when you come to me. Imagination: (Picture Jesus with his disciples) Context: Besides proclaiming salvation, the parables warn us of judgment and call us to repentance. This parable has the cutting edge of urgency. This parable shows hostility toward Jesus. Because the children cannot …
Continue reading “NOVEMBER 2, 2015 – WEEK THIRTY ONE – MONDAY – FEAST OF ALL SOULS”
(Matthew 5:1-12) Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit. Form my heart according to Jesus’ teaching. Imagination: (Picture Jesus teaching the crowds.) Context: Jesus calls various groups “blessed”. However, anyone can choose to belong to these groups. A person can be poor in spirit, meek, mourning over the world’s sins, and hungering for justice. So, the door is …
Continue reading “NOVEMBER 1, 2015 – WEEK THIRTY ONE – SUNDAY (B) – FEAST OF ALL SAINTS”
(Luke 14:7-11) Prayer: Dear Jesus, let me see suffering as a part of your saving plan for me. Imagination: (Picture Jesus trying to explain his future suffering to his disciples.) Context: Peter has just proclaimed Jesus as the Messiah. Because of his faith, Jesus has given to Peter the keys of the Kingdom of God. …
Continue reading “OCTOBER 31, 2015 – WEEK THIRTY – SATURDAY – THE PLACES AT TABLE”
(Luke 14: 1-6) Prayer: Lord Jesus, heal my infirmities. Imagination: (Picture Jesus at table with the Pharisees.) Context: In Luke’s gospel, Jesus spends much time at table. Usually, controversy erupts. Here, Jesus heals a man and the story focuses more on the controversy than on the healing. Gospel Text: (Read slowly, possibly aloud.) When Jesus …
Continue reading “OCTOBER 30, 2015 – WEEK THIRTY – FRIDAY – ANOTHER SABBATH HEALING”
(Luke 13:31-35) Prayer: O Jesus, let me follow you to Jerusalem. Imagination – (Picture Jesus with his disciples and the Pharisees.) Context: Seemingly, the Pharisees are warning Jesus to leave Herod’s territory. Really, they want him to go to Jerusalem where they have more power. Jesus knows their plans and says that he will arrive …
Continue reading “OCTOBER 29, 2015 – WEEK THIRTY – THURSDAY – JESUS AND JERUSALEM”
(Luke 13:24-30) Prayer – O Jesus, you are my Lord and Saviour. Imagination: (Picture Jesus with His disciples.) Context: By this parable, Jesus confronts his hearers. They understand, all too well, what He means. He comes to their villages, preaches in their streets and eats with them. Yet, they do not accept his claims and …
Continue reading “OCTOBER 28, 2015 – WEEK THIRTY – WEDNESDAY – THE CLOSED DOOR”
(Luke 13:18-21) Prayer – O Jesus, plant your powerful Kingdom in my heart. Imagination: (Picture Jesus preaching to the crowds) Context: These two little parables are excellent images of the reign of God. The mustard seed and the leaven are both small but powerful. As they are planted, people learn how forceful they are. Gospel …
Continue reading “OCTOBER 27, 2015 – WEEK THIRTY – TUESDAY – THE SMALL BEGINNINGS”
(Luke 13: 10-17) Prayer – O Jesus, stretch out your hand. With your power set me free. Imagination 🙁Picture Jesus in the synagogue.) Context: In Luke’s gospel, Jesus is about to proclaim that God’s Kingdom is open to all. He starts with the most humble, curing a stooped woman in a synagogue. The controversy that …
Continue reading “OCTOBER 26, 2015 – WEEK THIRTY – MONDAY – THE DAUGHTER OF ABRAHAM”
(Mark 10:46-52) Prayer: O Jesus, I cry out to you in great hope. Imagination: (Picture Jesus with the crowd and a beggar by the roadside.) Context: This journey to Jerusalem began with Jesus healing a blind man and culminates with another healing of blindness. This contrasts with the disciples’ growing blindness about Jesus’ death in …
Continue reading “OCTOBER 25, 2015 – WEEK THIRTY – SUNDAY (B) – THE BLIND BEGGAR”
(Luke 13:6-9) Prayer – O Lord Jesus, let me use my time to repent and receive the Kingdom. Imagination – (Picture Jesus speaking to the crowds.) Context: Although the judgment is inevitable, God marvelously extends the time for repentance. This is the gift of the Fig Tree Parable. In Palestine, the first three years of …
Continue reading “OCTOBER 24, 2015 – WEEK TWENTY NINE – SATURDAY – THE FIG TREE”
(Luke 12:54-59) Prayer – O Lord, do not let me lose the Kingdom. Imagination – (Picture Jesus teaching the crowds.) Context: This text has two parts. First, people should be able to see that the Kingdom is at hand. Second, the disciple must act now and accept the Kingdom. Gospel Text: (Read slowly, possibly aloud) …
Continue reading “OCTOBER 23, 2015 – WEEK TWENTY NINE – FRIDAY – INTERPRETING THE URGENCY”
(Luke 12:49-53) Prayer – O Jesus, light your fire in my heart. Imagination – (Picture Jesus teaching his disciples.) Context: This text contains two separate sayings of Jesus. The first shows his greatest desire – to cast the fire of the Holy Spirit upon all believers. The second speaks about the problems which will arise …
Continue reading “OCTOBER 22, 2015 – WEEK TWENTY NINE – THURSDAY – ENKINDLING A FIRE”
(Luke 12:41 – 48) Prayer – O Jesus, make me your faithful servant. Imagination – (Picture Jesus teaching Peter and the others.) Context: This parable deals with handling responsibility, with being a good servant, whether in the Church or in daily life. The owner is extremely fair and generous but he demands high standards. Jesus …
Continue reading “OCTOBER 21, 2015 – WEEK TWENTY NINE – WEDNESDAY – THE TWO SERVANTS”
(Luke 12:35-38) Prayer – O Jesus, I will be your vigilant servant. Imagination – (Picture Jesus with his disciples.) Context: Jesus describes the perfect disciples. The robe gathered in by a belt shows a man at work. The burning lamps show that the servants are awake. The Master even proceeds to wait on them, (a …
Continue reading “OCTOBER 20, 2015 – WEEK TWENTY NINE – TUESDAY – THE WIDE AWAKE SERVANTS”
(Luke 12:16-20) Prayer – O Lord, do not allow my material possessions to ruin my faith. Imagination – (Picture Jesus with His disciples.) Context: A person asked Jesus to gain him his rightful inheritance. Jesus refuses to accept this task. Jesus wants people to avoid greed. Owning property is irrelevant in the new Age. This …
Continue reading “OCTOBER 19, 2015 – WEEK TWENTY NINE – MONDAY – THE RICH FOOL”