(Matthew 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 …
(Matthew 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 …
(Luke 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, …
(Matthew 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 (unheard of in Judaism). Even …
(Luke 21:34-36) Prayer: O Jesus, teach me to watch and to pray constantly. Imagination: (Picture Jesus in the temple teaching his disciples.) Context: These are Jesus’ final words of teaching before the Last Supper. Jesus is worried. He will not be returning to earth soon. The disciples will wonder why …
(Luke 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, …
(Luke 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 …
(Luke 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 …
(Luke 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. …
(Luke 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 the disciple does not …
(Mark 12:38-44) 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 …
(Mark 18:33-38) Prayer – Come, Holy Spirit. Make Jesus the king of my heart. Imagination: (Picture Jesus standing before Pilate) Context: Pilate has inquired from the Jews about the charges against Jesus. They said that he claims to be King of the Jews. In conducting his investigation he allows Jesus …
(Luke 20:34-38) 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 bring to Jesus …
(Luke 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 …
(Luke 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. …
(Luke 19:12-27) Prayer: O Jesus, make me your faithful servant to whom you can entrust your blessings. Imagination: (Picture Jesus teaching his disciples.) Context Jesus tells this parable to the disciples because they falsely believe that the reign of God is about to appear. The parable stresses the personal initiative …
(Luke 19:1-10) Prayer: O Jesus, come and stay in my house this day. Imagination: (Picture Jesus finding Zaccheus in a tree.) Context: Zaccheus is the second wealthy man to receive an invitation from Jesus. He accepts the gift and uses his wealth to restore justice. This story highlights Jesus as …
(Luke 18:35-43) Prayer: O Jesus, let me cry out to you in great hope. Imagination: (Picture Jesus and the crowd with 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’ …
(Mark 13:24-32) Prayer: O Jesus, prepare me for your coming. Imagination: (Picture Jesus teaching his disciples). Context: As we arrive at the end of the Church’s liturgical year, the gospels concern Jesus’ Second Coming. The first part of this text describes the cosmic signs that will accompany Jesus’ coming at …
(Luke 18:2-8) Prayer – O Jesus, let me cry out to you day and night. Imagination: (Picture Jesus with his disciples.) Context: The real focus in this parable is the unjust judge. Although he is a complete opposite of God, he still grants the widow’s request. In the middle of …
