(Matthew 1:18-25) Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit. Give to me Joseph’s fidelity to God’s plan. Imagination: (Picture Joseph receiving the angel’s message). Context: Luke tells us about Mary accepting her role as Mother of God. In Matthew’s gospel, the infancy stories focus on Joseph’s dilemma. How does an upright Jewish man …
(Matthew 1:1-17) (Note: Except for the fourth Sunday, the final eight days before Christmas use these readings.) Prayer: O Lord, I thank you that you have created me. Imagination: (Picture Joseph and Mary at Bethlehem with the child, Jesus). Context: Matthew traces the genealogy of Jesus through St. Joseph …
(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 …
(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 …
(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 …
(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 …
(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 …
(Matthew 1:18-25) Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit. Give to me Joseph’s fidelity to God’s plan. Imagination: (Picture Joseph receiving the angel’s message). Context: Luke tells us about Mary accepting her role as Mother of God. In Matthew’s gospel, the infancy stories focus on Joseph’s dilemma. How does an upright Jewish man …
