of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
(Luke 1:67-79) Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit. Teach me to praise the Father. Imagination: (Picture Zechariah prophesying by God’s Spirit) Context: This canticle has two parts. The first half praises God for his blessings to Israel. The second half prophecies the effects of John the Baptist’s ministry. Gospel Text: (Read slowly, possibly aloud) Zechariah, his father, …
Continue reading “DECEMBER 24, 2016 – SATURDAY – ZECHARIAH’S SONG”
(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 resolve the dilemma of a …
Continue reading “DECEMBER 24, 2016 – SATURDAY, CHRISTMAS VIGIL – JOSEPH’S DILEMMA”
(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 back to Abraham. He divides …
Continue reading “DECEMBER 17, 2016 – SATURDAY – THE GENEALOGY OF JESUS”
(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 a popular religious question about …
Continue reading “DECEMBER 10, 2016 – WEEK TWO OF ADVENT – SATURDAY – THE NEW ELIJAH”
(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 shares his powers with the …
Continue reading “DECEMBER 3, 2016 – WEEK ONE OF ADVENT – SATURDAY – THE GOOD NEWS OF GOD’S REIGN”
(Luke 21:34-36) Prayer: O Jesus, teach me to watch and to pray constantly. Imagination: (Picture Jesus in the temple teaching his disciples.) Context: Jesus is worried. He will not be returning to earth soon and the disciples will wonder why he delays. So, he exhorts them not to grow indulgent, not to give up prayer …
Continue reading “NOVEMBER 26, 2016 – WEEK THIRTY-FOUR – SATURDAY – FINAL WORDS OF ADVICE”
(Luke 20:34-38) Prayer – O Lord, fill me with strong desires to live like the angels. Imagination – (Picture Jesus in confrontation with the Sadducees.) Context: The Sadducees (unlike the Pharisees) did not believe in the immortality of the soul nor the resurrection of the dead. They bring to Jesus what seems to us like …
Continue reading “NOVEMBER 19, 2016 – WEEK THIRTY-THREE – SATURDAY – LIVING LIKE ANGELS”
(Luke 18:2-8) Prayer – O Jesus, let me cry out to you day and night. Imagination: (Picture Jesus with his disciples.) Context: The real focus in this parable is the unjust judge. Although he is a complete opposite of God, he still grants the widow’s request. In the middle of trials, the destitute must believe …
Continue reading “NOVEMBER 12, 2016 – WEEK THIRTY-TWO – SATURDAY – THE UNJUST JUDGE”
(Luke 16:9-15) Prayer: O Jesus, let my heart be totally set upon you. Imagination: (Picture Jesus instructing his disciples.) Context: Jesus has just told the parable of the dishonest steward. Now, he speaks of how a believer should use his money to gain God’s blessings. The second part contains a serious warning. No one can …
Continue reading “NOVEMBER 5, 2016 – WEEK THIRTY-ONE – SATURDAY – SERVING GOD OR MONEY?”
(Luke 14:7-11) Prayer: Dear Jesus, let me see suffering as a part of your saving plan for me. Imagination: (Picture Jesus trying to explain his future suffering to his disciples.) Context: Peter has just proclaimed Jesus as the Messiah. Because of his faith, Jesus has given to Peter the keys of the Kingdom of God. …
Continue reading “OCTOBER 29, 2016 – WEEK THIRTY – SATURDAY – THE PLACES AT TABLE”
(Luke 13:6-9) Prayer – O Lord Jesus, let me use my time to repent and receive the Kingdom. Imagination – (Picture Jesus speaking to the crowds.) Context: Although the judgment is inevitable, God marvelously extends the time for repentance. This is the gift of the Fig Tree Parable. In Palestine, the first three years of …
Continue reading “OCTOBER 22, 2016 – WEEK TWENTY-NINE – SATURDAY – THE FIG TREE”
(Luke 12:8-12) Prayer: O Jesus, You are my Lord. Imagination: – (Picture Jesus teaching his disciples). Context This text has three separate teachings. If the disciple acknowledges Jesus, Jesus will acknowledge him before the Father. If not, then Jesus cannot acknowledge him. The second teaching speaks of people who rejected Jesus in his earthly …
Continue reading “OCTOBER 15, 2016 – WEEK TWENTY-EIGHT – SATURDAY – ACKNOWLEDGING JESUS”
(Luke 11:27-28) Prayer – O Lord, help me to hear your word and keep it. Imagination: (Picture Jesus speaking to the crowds when a woman shouts out). Context This spontaneous cry of a woman praises motherhood. Jesus uses this to reveal true holiness, which comes when the mature disciple hears and keeps God’s word. Gospel …
Continue reading “OCTOBER 8, 2016 – WEEK TWENTY-SEVEN – SATURDAY – THE GREATER BLESSING”
(Luke 10:17-24) Prayer – O Jesus, I will serve you and I will rejoice with you. Imagination: (Picture Jesus with his 72 disciples, all filled with joy.) Context: In this scene, Jesus speaks of the great blessings when the disciples fulfill their mission. Satan falls. The disciples gain eternal life. Seeing all of this, Jesus …
Continue reading “OCTOBER 1, 2016 – WEEK TWENTY-SIX – SATURDAY – THE JOYFUL RETURN”
(Luke 9:43-45) Prayer – O Holy Spirit, reveal to me the mystery of Jesus. Imagination – (Picture Jesus with his disciples.) Context: Jesus has just healed the boy with a demon. While the disciples are still amazed at this, Jesus shifts the focus to his death. The warning falls on deaf ears. They have no …
Continue reading “SEPTEMBER 24, 2016 – WEEK TWENTY-FIVE – SATURDAY – A SECOND WARNING”
(Luke 8:4-15) Prayer – Jesus, plant the powerful seed of your Kingdom in my heart. Imagination: (Picture Jesus preaching to the crowds). Context: This parable contrasts the difficult beginning of the Kingdom and its glorious fulfillment. The beginning has multiple frustrations. The end has a gigantic harvest. Jesus’ ministry is experiencing many obstacles. The disciples …
Continue reading “SEPTEMBER 17, 2016 – WEEK TWENTY-FOUR – SATURDAY – THE SOWER”
(Luke 6:47-49) 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 parable is an excellent example …
Continue reading “SEPTEMBER 10, 2016 – WEEK TWENTY-THREE – SATURDAY – THE PARABLE OF THE TWO HOUSES”
(Luke 6:1-5) Prayer – O Jesus, you are God, Lord even of the sabbath. Imagination: (Picture Jesus with his disciples being confronted by the Pharisees). Context: These confrontation stories highlight Jesus’ authority, bring out new aspects of Christian life and most important, reveal Jesus’ identity. This story uses the powerful Sabbath regulation to reveal Jesus’ …
Continue reading “SEPTEMBER 3, 2016 – WEEK TWENTY-TWO – SATURDAY – LORD OF THE SABBATH”
(Matthew 25:14-30) Prayer: O Jesus, make me your faithful servant to whom you can entrust your blessings. Imagination: (Picture Jesus teaching His disciples.) Context: This parable is directed to the scribes. Surprisingly, the emphasis is upon the third servant (a symbol of the scribes). He has received the word of God but has neglected the …
Continue reading “AUGUST 27, 2016 – WEEK TWENTY-ONE – SATURDAY – THE SERVANTS ENTRUSTED WITH MONEY”
(Matthew 23:1-12) Prayer: O Jesus, give me the heart of a servant. Imagination: (Picture Jesus instructing His disciples in humility.) Context: Jesus does not criticize the teaching of the scribes and Pharisees (although he alludes to moral rigorism). Instead, he attacks their practices of seeking honor and gaining title. This conflicts with Jesus’ teaching that …
Continue reading “AUGUST 20, 2016 – WEEK TWENTY – SATURDAY – THE HYPOCRISY OF THE PHARISEES”