of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Category: <span>Mark</span>

Category: Mark

JANUARY 19, 2016 – WEEK TWO – TUESDAY – EATING GRAIN ON THE SABBATH

(Mark 2:23-28) Prayer: O Jesus, be the Lord of my life. Imagination: (Picture Jesus with his disciples in the grain fields.) Context: This controversy is not about picking off heads of grain, (which was an accepted practice), but about picking them on the Sabbath. This controversy allows Jesus to pronounce …

JANUARY 18, 2016 – WEEK TWO – MONDAY – SOME SURPRISE PRONOUNCEMENTS

(Mark 2:18-22) Prayer: O Holy Spirit, make me a new creation. Imagination: (Imagine Jesus with the disciples and the Pharisees.) Context: Jesus uses two images of cloth and wineskins to show that his Kingdom demands a totally new way of acting and thinking. Nobody sews new cloth on old garments …

JANUARY 16, 2016 – WEEK ONE – SATURDAY – EATING WITH LEVI’S FRIENDS

(Mark 2:13-17) Prayer: O Jesus, call me into your Kingdom because I am a sinner. Imagination: (Picture Jesus at table with Levi and his friends.) Context: Having heard Jesus call him, Levi calls others. When they sit at table, some religious people complain. This allows Jesus to announce that he …

JANUARY 15, 2016 – FIRST WEEK – FRIDAY – THE PARALYZED MAN

(Mark 2:1-12) Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit. Give me friends with great faith. Imagination: (Picture Jesus healing the paralyzed man.) Context: The next five stories contain controversies which allow Jesus to make a solemn pronouncement (the high point of each story). This reveals Jesus’ prerogatives. In this story, Jesus proclaims that …

JANUARY 14, 2016 – WEEK ONE – THURSDAY – CLEANSING A LEPER

(Mark 1:40-45) Prayer:   Come, Holy Spirit. Help me to believe that Jesus can cleanse me. Imagination: (Picture Jesus cleansing the leper) Context: Mark provides no geographical setting for this miracle. His goal is to show Jesus’ power and how his fame quickly spreads. Jesus tries to avoid this publicity. Gospel …

JANUARY 13, 2016 – WEEK ONE – WEDNESDAY – MULTIPLE HEALINGS

(Mark 1:29-39) Prayer: O Jesus, let me experience your healing power. Imagination: (Picture Jesus surrounded by the sick seeking to be healed.) Context: Jesus’ powers are diverse. He heals many illnesses and casts out all kinds of demons. They do not shout out because Jesus quiets them. When his work …

JANUARY 12, 2016 – WEEK ONE – TUESDAY – AN EXORCISM IN THE SYNAGOGUE

(Mark 1:21-28)  Prayer: Come Holy Spirit. Set me free from the Kingdom of Darkness. Imagination: (Picture Jesus in a synagogue setting the man free from the unclean spirit.) Context: Mark groups his stories by geography. The next few stories take place at Capernaum, and provide a quick overview of Jesus’ …

JANUARY 11, 2016 – WEEK ONE – MONDAY – JESUS FIRST PUBLIC APPEARANCE

(Mark 1:14-20) Prayer – Lord Jesus, invite me today to be your disciple. Imagination: (Picture Jesus calling his first disciples along the Sea of Galilee.) Context This gospel text begins “After John was arrested” and it records Jesus’ first homily of his public ministry. He repeats John’s teaching that the …

JANUARY 9, 2016 – SATURDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY – THE MORE POWERFUL ONE

(Mark 1:7-11) Prayer: O Holy Spirit, fall upon me. Imagination: (Picture Jesus coming out of the Jordan) Context: Mark begins his gospel with the ministry of John the Baptist. The preceding verses describe John who then describes Jesus as the more powerful one. After the baptism comes the divine manifestation …

JANUARY 6, 2016 – WEDNESDAY AFTER EPIPHANY – WALKING ON THE WATER

(Mark 6:45-52) Prayer: O Jesus, come to me when the waves threaten my boat. Imagination: (Picture the disciples in the boat, seeing Jesus on the water.) Context: These early stories of Mark’s gospel reveal to the disciples who Jesus is. However, even as they see the miracles, they do not …

JANUARY 5, 2016 – TUESDAY AFTER EPIPHANY – FEEDING THE FIVE THOUSAND

(Mark 6:34-44) Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit. Multiply your gifts within me. Imagination: (Picture Jesus feeding the crowds.) Context: This is the first of two multiplications of food in Mark’s gospel. (This one is for a Jewish crowd and the other is for Gentiles). This miracle is told in all four …

NOVEMBER 23, 2015 – WEEK THIRTY FOUR – MONDAY – THE WIDOW’S MITE

(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 …

NOVEMBER 22, 2015 – WEEK THIRTY FOUR – SUNDAY (B) – JESUS’ TESTIMONY BEFORE PILATE

(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 …

NOVEMBER 15, 2015 – WEEK THIRTY THREE – THIRD SUNDAY (B) – ALERT TO HIS COMING

(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 …

NOVEMBER 8, 2015 – WEEK THIRTY TWO – SUNDAY (B) – THE WIDOW’S MITE

(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 …

OCTOBER 25, 2015 – WEEK THIRTY – SUNDAY (B) – THE BLIND BEGGAR

(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 …

OCTOBER 18, 2015 – WEEK TWENTY NINE – SUNDAY (B) AMBITIONS JAMES AND JOHN

(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 …

OCTOBER 11, 2015 – WEEK TWENTY EIGHT – SUNDAY (B) – THE RICH YOUNG MAN

(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 …

OCTOBER 4, 2015 – WEEK TWENTY SEVEN – SUNDAY (B) – AS AT THE BEGINNING

(Mark 10:2-12)  Prayer – O Jesus, restore me. Make me pure as was the beginning creation. Imagination: (Picture Jesus teaching the holiness of marriage.) Context: Even though the Jewish people received God’s revelation, they wandered from the truth. Because of their hardness of heart, Moses even allowed a man to …

SEPTEMBER 27, 2015 – WEEK TWENTY SIX – SUNDAY (B) – GAINING HEAVEN

(Mark 9:38-43; 47-48) Prayer – O Jesus, purify my heart and guide my decisions. Imagination – (Picture Jesus with his disciples) Context: This gospel has many little parts. Some teach about relationships within the believing community. Others explain what is needed for personal salvation. Both are important. Jesus mentions the …