(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 …
(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 scenes which describe two contrasting groups. In the first story, the scribes want everyone to see their goodness while secretly they …
(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 …
(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 …
(Mark 10:35-40) Prayer – Come, Holy Spirit. Reveal the glory you have prepared. Imagination – (Picture James and John seeking favors from Jesus.) Context: Jesus has just told the apostles that he would suffer. James and John, however, want Jesus’ glory. Jesus speaks about drinking from the chalice, meaning both …
(Mark 10:17) Prayer – Come, Holy Spirit. Let me sacrifice everything to follow Jesus. Imagination: (Picture the young man asking Jesus about eternal life.) Context: The gospel begins “As Jesus set out”. This sets the scene. Jesus is on a journey. A man “kneels down.” This shows great piety and …
(Mark 9:30-37) Prayer: O Jesus, I want to serve you and your friends. Imagination: (Picture Jesus with a child in the middle of his disciples.) Context In the second half of Mark’s gospel, Jesus deliberately withdraws from the crowds to teach his disciples about his suffering and death, and about …
(Mark 8:27-33) Prayer – Lord Jesus, lift me up and I will be secure in your arms. Imagination- (Picture Jesus with his apostles.) Context: This text is central to Mark’s gospel (exactly the midpoint) and contains the two themes of the gospel, Jesus is the Messiah and he is a …
(Mark 7:3-37) Prayer – O Jesus, open my ears to hear your gospel, and my tongue to speak your word. Imagination – (Picture Jesus healing the deaf and dumb man.) Context: Since the Ten Cities are outside of Israel, Jesus becomes a preacher to the Gentiles. Because the Gentile crowd …
