(Luke 7:18-23) Prayer: O Jesus, let me always believe in You. Imagination: (Picture John’s disciples questioning Jesus.) Context: John preached repentance and confession of sins. He expected Jesus to be even more fiery in his preachings. Instead, Jesus eats with sinners and opens the Kingdom to tax collectors. John wonders …
(Matthew 21:28-32) Prayer- O Jesus, give to me the grace of conversion. Imagination: (Picture Jesus confronting his critics) Context: This is a parable of God’s mercy which explains the decisive moments of the Final Judgment. What a surprise! Publicans and prostitutes enter Jesus’ Kingdom. Why? Because they realized the need …
(Matthew 21:23-27) Prayer: O Jesus, you have all authority in heaven and earth. Imagination: (Picture Jesus teaching in the temple, confronted by the temple authorities.) Context: The day before, Jesus had cleansed the temple. As he comes back, the temple authorities want to know by what authority he took that …
(Luke 3:7-16) Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit. Help me to accept the demands of the Kingdom. Imagination: (Picture John preaching at the Jordan River.) Context: The people are anxious for the Kingdom and are filled with many questions. John has excellent answers. He, also, clearly define his relationship to Jesus. Gospel …
(Matthew 17:10-13) Prayer: O Jesus, help me to see the Father’s saving plan. Imagination: (Picture Jesus coming down the mountain with Peter, James and John.). Context: These three apostles have just seen the transfigured Jesus speaking with Moses and Elijah on the mountaintop. This experience leads them to bring up …
(Matthew 11:16-19) Prayer: O Jesus, open my heart to all the messengers you send to me. Imagination: (Picture Jesus with His disciples). Context: This parable shows hostility toward Jesus. The children cannot agree, so their quarrels end their playtime. The cause is laziness. Some children expect others to do the …
(Matthew 11:11-15) Prayer: O Jesus, prepare me for the greatness of your Kingdom. Imagination: (Picture Jesus talking to his disciples about John.) Context: John is the greatest of the Old Testament prophets. Yet, because he did not live to see Jesus’ Kingdom, the least in Jesus’ Kingdom is greater than …
(Matthew 11:28-30) 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: The burdened are those who cannot seem to get out from under. Jesus is one of them. He carries the whole …
(Matthew 18:12-14) Prayer: O Jesus, come and find me. Imagination: (Picture Jesus with His disciples.) Context: This parable is closely connected to the prodigal Son parable. A hundred sheep was a medium sized flock. The shepherd must have been poor and unable to pay a helper. Matthew’s gospel stresses the …
(Luke 5:17-26) Prayer – Come, Holy Spirit. Give me friends with great faith. Imagination- (Picture Jesus healing the paralyzed man.) Context: These stories in Mark’s gospel are controversy stories. Each dispute allows Jesus to make some pronouncement. In this story, Jesus says that he is the Son of Man with …
(Luke 3:1-6) Prayer: Come Holy Spirit. Help me to prepare for Christmas. Imagination: (Picture yourself at the Jordan with John.) Context: Luke has told the stories of Jesus infancy, ending with Jesus being lost in the temple. The next 18 years are Jesus’ hidden life. Now the drama opens and …
(Matthew 9:35-10:8) Prayer: O Jesus, your goodness is everywhere. Imagination: (Picture Jesus with his disciples, healing the crowds). Context: The advent gospels are filled with Jesus’ compassion and power. That compassion brings forth physical healings and makes Jesus a shepherd to the poor. Unable to do all by himself, he …
(Matthew 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 …
(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 …
