of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
The Rise and Fall of Peter (Mk 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. For many chapters, the people have been wondering, …
Continue reading “Week Six – Ordinary Time – Thursday, February 16, 2023”
A Two-Part Healing (Mk 8:22-26) Prayer: Jesus, lead me out of darkness into the full light of day. Imagination: Picture Jesus laying his hands on the blind man’s eyes. Context: This section of Mark’s gospel begins and ends with Jesus healing blind men. In many of his stories, Mark deliberately contrasts new sight given to …
Continue reading “Week Six – Ordinary Time – Wednesday, February 15, 2023”
Disciples Who Do Not Understand (Mk 8:14-21) Prayer: O Jesus, do not let my heart be hardened. Imagination: Picture Jesus in the boat with the Twelve. Context: Certainly, the Pharisees have hardened hearts, but this text shows that the disciples’ hearts are hardening, also. The multiplication of the loaves has not increased their faith. They …
Continue reading “Week Six – Ordinary Time – Tuesday, February 14, 2023”
The Sign Seekers (Mk 8:11-13) Prayer: O Jesus, I will trust you completely with the faith of a little child. Imagination: Picture the Pharisees confronting Jesus and his disciples. Context: In this story, the Pharisees do not understand. Like the crowds, they have witnessed Jesus teaching and healing. Unlike the crowds, they do not come …
Continue reading “Week Six – Ordinary Time – Monday, February 13, 2023”
The Greater Holiness (Mt 5:17-37) Prayer: O Lord Jesus, by your Holy Spirit, guide me to the heights of holiness. Imagination: Picture Jesus teaching his disciples. Context: Matthew wrote his gospel in 85 A.D. when the early fervor of the believers was cooling down. He tries to enkindle the fire by setting a high standard of …
Continue reading “Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time – February 12, 2023”
Feeding the Four Thousand (Mk 8:1-10) Prayer: O Jesus, feed me with Your Body and Blood, the Bread of Life. Imagination: Picture Jesus blessing the bread in the sight of the crowds. Context: Earlier (Mk 6:34), Jesus multiplied bread and fish for a Jewish crowd. Now, He repeats the miracle for Gentiles. Some changes occur. …
The Enthusiastic Crowd (Mk 7:31-37) 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: The geography shows that Jesus has become a preacher to the Gentiles. Because the Gentile crowd might not understand, he takes the man …
Continue reading “Week Five – Ordinary Time – Friday, February 10th”
The Quick-Witted Mother (Mk 7:24-30) Prayer: O Jesus, let me persevere in seeking your blessings. Imagination: Picture Jesus confronted by this mother. Context: This story occurs in Gentile territory with a Gentile mother and shows that Jesus’ Kingdom will spread beyond Palestine. Mark gives a developed portrait of this mother’s intense desires and ingenuity. She …
Continue reading “Week Five – Ordinary Time – Thursday, February 9th”
Only What Enters the Heart (Mk 7:14-23) Prayer: O Jesus, let no evil designs enter my heart. Imagination: Picture Jesus summoning the crowd. Context: After his conflict with the Pharisees, Jesus summons the crowd to give his own teaching. He declares that all foods are clean. This is a gigantic help in freeing Gentile Christians …
Continue reading “Week Five – Ordinary Time – Wednesday, February 8, 2023”
Setting Aside God’s Commandments (Mk 7:1-13) Prayer: O Jesus, let my heart be set only on the Heavenly Father’s will. Imagination: Picture Jesus in this controversy with the Pharisees. Context: Jesus rejects the piety of the Pharisees, who have gone off course. This gospel contains two stories, washing of hands and declaring things sacred. Each …
Continue reading “Week Five – Ordinary Time – Tuesday, February 7, 2023”
Touching His Cloak (Mk 6:53-56) Prayer: Jesus, let me seek you, find you and be blessed by your power. Imagination: Picture the crowds pressing upon Jesus. Context: These crowds in Galilee are enthusiastic. In fact, by their lively faith they somewhat force Jesus to heal. He seems more comfortable in the solitude of prayer or …
Continue reading “Week Five – Ordinary Time – Monday, February 6, 2023”
Salt and Light (Mt 5:13-16) Prayer: Lord Jesus, bless me so I can bless others. Enlighten me so I can show others the way. Imagination: Picture Jesus teaching his disciples. Context: Jesus uses 2 images (salt and light) to describe the good works of a true disciple. These works will manifest the Father’s goodness. Then others, who …
Continue reading “Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time – February 5, 2023”
Sheep without a Shepherd (Mk 6:30-34) Prayer: O Lord, pour out your mercy and draw me close to your heart. Imagination: Picture Jesus surrounded by the apostles and the crowds. Context: For a brief moment, Jesus wants to be alone with his disciples. This foreshadows the second half of the gospel where Jesus spends much …
Continue reading “Week Four – Ordinary Time – Saturday, February 4, 2023”
The completion of the Story of John the Baptist (Mark 6:14-29) Prayer: Lord Jesus, let me not be swerved by the opinions of others. Imagination: Picture Herod with his party guests. Context: This section is an interlude, which Mark inserts between the sending of the Twelve and their return. It is the only story that …
Continue reading “Week Four – Ordinary Time – Friday, February 3rd”
The Presentation of the Lord Simeon’s Inspired Words (Lk 2:22-32) Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit. Lead me this day to your divine appointment. Imagination: Picture Simeon praising God with Jesus in his arms. Context: After forty days, Mary and Joseph fulfill the Mosaic Law by presenting Jesus in the temple. Surprisingly, Simeon appears on the scene. Luke …
Continue reading “Week Four – Ordinary Time – Thursday, February 2nd”
Rejected by His Own People (Mk 6:1-6) Prayer: O Jesus, I honor you as the true prophet who has come into the world. Imagination: Picture Jesus in the synagogue at Nazareth. Context: Jesus returns to Nazareth, accompanied by his disciples. After his teaching, the crowd asks itself three questions which summarize Mark’s gospel. Jesus has …
Continue reading “Week Four – Ordinary Time – Wednesday, February 1st”
Raising a Girl to Life (Mk 5:21-43) Prayer: O Jesus, raise me to new life in Your Holy Spirit. Imagination: Picture Jesus raising the girl to life. Context: Mark carefully notes that Jesus returns to Jewish territory and the atmosphere is filled with faith. At Jairus’ home, however, people have little faith. So Jesus casts them …
Continue reading “Week Four – Ordinary Time – Tuesday, January 31st”
Power Over Satan (Mk 5:1-20) Prayer: Lord Jesus, set me free in the power of your name. Imagination: Picture the possessed man coming to Jesus and his disciples. Context: Although this story seems strange, biblical scholars agree that it happened (although it probably is two stories joined together). Jesus began his ministry to Israel with …
Continue reading “Week Four – Ordinary Time – Monday, January 30th”
The First Four Beatitudes – Part I – (Mt 5:1-5, 12a) Prayer: O Jesus, call me to a special goodness and help me to be a faithful disciple. Imagination: Picture Jesus preaching to the disciples. Context: Matthew’s teachings are broken into five sections, (like the five books of Moses). The beatitudes are Jesus’ first major …
Continue reading “Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time – January 29th”
ST. THOMAS AQUINAS, PRIEST & DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH Power Over the Sea (Mk 4:35-41) Prayer: O Jesus, calm the storms in my own life. Imagination: Picture the fearful disciples in the boat, while Jesus calms the sea. Context: Mark begins a series of 5 stories showing Jesus’ power. In this first calming of the …
Continue reading “Week Three – Ordinary Time – Saturday, January 28th”