(Matthew 22:34-40) Prayer – O Holy Spirit, send your divine fire to help me love God and my neighbor. Imagination: (Pictures Jesus speaking to the Pharisees and the crowds.) Context: The Rabbis had 613 commandments, and a common question was, “Which is the greatest?” The Pharisees approach Jesus in a …
(Matthew 19:3-12) Prayer: O Jesus, restore creation as it was in the beginning. Imagination: (Picture Jesus explaining his ideals to his disciples.) Context: Jesus taught that the Kingdom of God was at hand. Through the power of this Kingdom, all creation can be restored to God’s original plan. Jesus believes …
(Matthew 16-24-28) Prayer: Jesus, how greatly I desire eternal life. Imagination: (Picture Jesus teaching his disciples) Context: Jesus has just predicted his passion, death and rising. Now he extends this mystery to everyone. Every disciple can rise with Jesus. They need only to deliberately take the same path. The choice …
(Matthew 13:54-58) Prayer: O Jesus, I will believe and not doubt. Imagination: (Picture Jesus teaching in the synagogue at Nazareth) Context: The gospels record Jesus coming back to Nazareth and being met with a lack of faith. The people know about his miraculous powers but remain cynical. Their lack of …
(Matthew 13:18-23) Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit. Let your Kingdom bring forth a harvest. Imagination: (Picture Jesus explaining the parable to his disciples.) Context: In this text, Jesus applies the parable. The original story highlighted the power of the Kingdom. This explanation highlights the ground’s ability to receive the seed and …
(Matthew 12:1-8) Prayer – O Jesus, you are God, Lord even of the Sabbath. Imagination: (Picture Jesus with his disciples being confronted by the Pharisees). Context: The gospels use these confrontation stories to highlight Jesus’ authority, to bring out new aspects of Christian life and most important, to reveal Jesus’ …
(Matthew 10:17-22) Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit, Strengthen me in moments of trial. Imagination: (Picture Jesus preparing His disciples for persecution.) Context: Jesus has just commissioned his apostles and sent them out to preach. He warns them of difficulties. Matthew’s Church also sent out missionaries who faced the same persecutions, both …
(Matthew 9:9-13) Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit. Let me respond quickly to Jesus’ call. Imagination: (Picture Jesus at table in Matthew’s house). Context: This text has 2 parts. First, Matthew responds to Jesus’ call and then he invites Jesus to his house. Since Matthew is a sinner (collecting taxes for Romans) …
(Matthew 8:1-4) Prayer: O Jesus, help me to believe that you can cleanse me. Imagination: (Picture Jesus cleansing the leper) Context: Jesus has just finished his great discourse on the mountain. As he descends, he quickly encounters the real life difficulties of illness, diabolical possessions and storms at sea. In …
(Matthew 6:19-23) Prayer: O Jesus, teach me to treasure heavenly riches. Imagination (Picture Jesus teaching His disciples to treasure heaven.) Context: These sayings of Jesus have a common theme. He wants the disciples to have a singleness of purpose, totally serving God and not being distracted by earthly cares. Gospel …
(Matthew 5:27-30) Prayer: Holy Spirit. Fill me with your purity of heart. Imagination (Picture Jesus teaching His disciples to be pure.) Context: Jesus continues to contrast Old Testament teaching with his new demands concerning purity. He uses graphic images of removing eyes and hands to symbolize the detachment needed to …
(Mark 12:35-37) Prayer: O Jesus, You alone are my Lord. Imagination: (Imagine Jesus teaching in the temple.) Context: While Jesus is teaching in the temple, he is constantly challenged. After silencing all his critics, he goes on the offensive. He raises the question of the true relationship of David to …
(Mark 11:11 – 26) Prayer: O Jesus, let me offer you the good fruit of my life. Imagination: (Picture Jesus and the disciples looking at a withered fig tree.) Context: On the day after Palm Sunday, Jesus returns to Jerusalem. On the way, he seeks figs from a tree. Finding …
(Mark 10:1-12) Prayer: O Jesus, you have come to restore creation as it was in the beginning. Imagination: (Picture Jesus explaining his ideals to his disciples.) Context: Jesus believes that through the power of the Kingdom of God, all creation can be restored to God’s original plan. His critics cite …
(John 21:15-19) Prayer: O Jesus, fill my heart with love so I can serve you. Imagination: (Picture Jesus speaking with Peter on the share of Galilee.) Context: This text is extremely important. In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus gives Peter the Keys to the Kingdom. In this passage, Jesus also gives Peter …
(John 16:16-22) Prayer: O Jesus, turn my sorrows into joys. Imagination: (Picture Jesus with the apostles at the Last Supper.) Context: Jesus has spoken of “a little while.” Because the disciples are confused, Jesus explains what this means. He speaks of a joyful woman who has given birth. This “birth” …
(John 15:12-16) Prayer: O Jesus, I seek only to be your friend. Imagination (Picture Jesus teaching at the Last Supper) Context: After showering his own love upon the disciples, Jesus asks that they love one another. Before asking for this love, he has made them his friends and has chosen …
(John 14:1-6) Prayer: Jesus, bring me to the heavenly mansion which you have prepared for me. Imagination: (Picture Jesus teaching at the Last Supper) Context: The scene now shifts dramatically. Jesus is still in Jerusalem but no longer teaching the crowds. He has just completed the Last Supper and gives …
(John 6:52-59) Prayer: O Jesus, may I eat your flesh and drink your blood every day of my life. Imagination: (Picture Jesus teaching to the crowds.) Context: These are among the most important verses in the New Testament because they provide a clear teaching on the power of the Eucharist …
(John 6:1-15) Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit. Multiply your gifts within me. Imagination: (Picture Jesus feeding the crowds.) Context: This multiplication of food is very important and is told in all four gospels. The Early Church loved this miracle because it prefigures Jesus’ gift of Eucharist. Why is this story told …
