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

Category: Meditations

JULY 10, 2016 – WEEK FIFTEEN – SUNDAY (C) – THE GOOD SAMARITAN

(Luke 10:25-37) Prayer: O Jesus, you are my good Samaritan and I am wounded along the way. Imagination: (Picture Jesus gathered with his disciples and teaching the lawyer.) Context: The lawyer asked a common question in Judaism, “How far must my charity extend? Who is within that circle?” Jesus uses …

JULY 9, 2016 – WEEK FOURTEEN – SATURDAY

(Matthew 10:26-33) Prayer: O Jesus, free me from fear so I always acknowledge that I am your disciple. Imagination: (Picture Jesus speaking with his apostles). Context    Jesus is sending his apostles to preach the Kingdom. This is all new for them. Jesus foresees that they will be persecuted and could …

JULY 8, 2016 – WEEK FOURTEEN – FRIDAY – PERSECUTIONS

(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 …

JULY 7, 2016 – WEEK FOURTEEN – THURSDAY – SENDING OUT THE TWELVE

(Matthew 10:7-15) Prayer – O Jesus, send me forth like an apostle. Imagination – (Picture the Twelve gathered around, listening to Jesus’ instructions.) Context:    There is not much time to evangelize Israel, so Jesus sends out the Twelve. This is totally his initiative. He summons, instructs, and gives his powers. …

JULY 6, 2016 – WEEK FOURTEEN – WEDNESDAY – COMMISSIONING OF THE TWELVE

 (Matthew 10:1-7) Prayer: Come, Jesus. Anoint me to preach your Kingdom. Imagination: (Picture Jesus preparing his apostles for their missionary journey.) Context:    Jesus now makes his apostles into missionaries. He calls them and gives two powers – to drive out demons and to heal. He tells them how to act …

JULY 5, 2016 – WEEK FOURTEEN – TUESDAY – THE FAITH OF THE CROWD

 (Matthew 9:23-28) Prayer: O Jesus, come to my town. Imagination (Picture Jesus healing and teaching the crowds.) Context:    The gospel has 2 parts. First, Jesus casts out a demon so a person begins to speak. This causes both praise and criticism. Then, Jesus tours all the villages with multiple miracles …

JULY 4, 2016 – WEEK FOURTEEN – MONDAY – WOMAN WITH AN ISSUE OF BLOOD

(MT: 9:18-26) Prayer: O Jesus, let me press close to you and be healed. Imagination: (Picture Jesus, surrounded by crowds and the woman secretly touching His garment.) Context:    This story contains excellent teachings about healing. The woman has been suffering for twelve years. Many people touch Jesus (as the disciples …

JULY 3, 2016 – WEEK FOURTEEN – SUNDAY (C) – SEVENTY-TWO MORE MISSIONARIES

(Luke 10:1-12) Prayer – O Lord, choose me and send me wherever your word needs to be preached. Imagination – (Picture Jesus preparing seventy-two more disciples to go to the villages.) Context: Other gospels (Mark and Matthew) record Jesus sending the Twelve. Only Luke mentions this larger number of seventy-two. …

JULY 2, 2016 – WEEK THIRTEEN – SATURDAY – TRUSTING THE FATHER

(Matthew 9:14-17) Prayer: Come, Holy Ghost. Help me to seek first the Kingdom of heaven. Imagination: ( Picture Jesus teaching His disciples about the Father’s care for them.) Context: In this gospel, Jesus speaks only to his disciples. Since they have given themselves to the Kingdom, Jesus promises that the …

JULY 1, 2016 – WEEK THIRTEEN – FRIDAY – MATTHEW THE TAX COLLECTOR

(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) …

JUNE 30, 2016 – WEEK THIRTEEN – THURSDAY – THE PARALYZED MAN

(Matthew 9:1-8) Prayer – Come, Holy Spirit. Give me friends with great faith. Imagination- (Picture Jesus healing the paralyzed man.) Context: The stories in this section are controversy stories, which allow Jesus to make some pronouncement.   The pronouncement in this story is that Jesus is the Son of Man with …

JUNE 29, 2016 – WEEK THIRTEEN – WEDNESDAY – POSSESSED MEN AND A DUMB CITY

(Matthew 8:28-34) Prayer: O Jesus, how great is your power to free me. Imagination: (Picture Jesus with his disciples as he frees the two possessed men.) Context: Matthew takes this story from Mark’s gospel (5:1-20) but he shortens Mark’s story. In doing so, he highlights Jesus’ power. Unfortunately, the people …

JUNE 28, 2016 – WEEK THIRTEEN – TUESDAY – POWER OVER THE SEA

(Matthew 8:23-27) Prayer – O Jesus, calm the storms in my own life. Imagination: (Picture the fearful disciples and Jesus calming the sea.) Context: Matthew very much follows Mark’s story when Jesus sleeps in the boat. The miracle causes awe and wonder in the apostles. Gospel Text: (Read slowly, possibly …

JUNE 27, 2016 – WEEK THIRTEEN – MONDAY – THE WOULD BE DISCIPLES

(Matthew 8:18-22) Prayer: O Jesus, make me your true disciple, ready to pay any price. Imagination: (Picture Jesus with the crowd, challenging people to be his disciples.) Context: This gospel is Matthew’s version of the reluctant disciple. From this story, we get a clear picture that some people followed Jesus …

JUNE 26, 2016 – WEEK THIRTEEN – SUNDAY (C) – THREE WOULD BE DISCIPLES

(Luke 9:51-62) Prayer: O Jesus, let me not hold back my commitment to you. Imagination: (Picture Jesus speaking to the crowds.) Context: This gospel begins Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem, a serious undertaking that will result in his death. Many are attracted to Jesus and want to follow him. He invites …

JUNE 25, 2016 – WEEK TWELVE – SATURDAY – A CENTURION WITH GREAT FAITH

(Matthew 8:5-11) Prayer: O Jesus, fill me with faith in all that you can do. Imagination: (Picture Jesus with the Centurion.) Context: This Gentile centurion is the great model of faith. He believed that Jesus could heal at a distance (unheard of in Judaism). Even Jesus proclaims his extraordinary faith. …

JUNE 24, 2016 – WEEK TWELVE – FRIDAY – CLEANSING A LEPER

(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 …

JUNE 23, 2016 – WEEK TWELVE – THURSDAY – DOING THE FATHER’S WILL

(Matthew 7:21-24) Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit. Teach me to do the Father’s will. Imagination: (Picture Jesus teaching His disciples true devotion.) Context: The disciples in Matthew’s Church exercised many charismatic powers (as seen in this gospel). Here, Matthew issues a severe warning. These powers do not get the disciple into …

JUNE 22, 2016 – WEEK TWELVE – WEDNESDAY – THE FALSE PROPHETS

(Matthew 7:15-20) Prayer: O Jesus, teach me to be on guard lest I be deceived. Imagination: (Picture Jesus teaching his disciples.) Context: Matthew tries to protect and form his church members. He protects them by warning against false prophets who can lead them astray. He forms them by demanding a …

JUNE 21, 2016 – WEEK TWELVE – TUESDAY – THE NARROW ROAD

(Matthew 7:6 & 12-14) Prayer: O Jesus, teach me to enter by the narrow gate of selflessness and walk the narrow Road that leads to life. Imagination: (Picture Jesus warning his disciples about the conditions for eternal life.) Context: Matthew writes for his Church members who have chosen the Kingdom. …