(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 stories focus on Joseph’s dilemma. How does an upright Jewish man resolve …
(Luke 3:7-16) Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit. Help me to accept the demands of the Kingdom. Imagination: (Picture John preaching at the Jordan River.) Context: The people are anxious for the Kingdom and are filled with many questions. John has excellent answers. He, also, clearly define his relationship to Jesus. Gospel …
(Matthew 3:1-12) Prayer: O Jesus, awaken me. Your Kingdom is at hand. Imagination: (Picture John preaching at the Jordan.) Context: John the Baptist is the Advent preacher. He shows up every year at this time and stays for two Sundays. He has one task – “to prepare the way of …
(Matthew 24:36-41) Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit, prepare for Jesus’ coming. Imagination: (Picture Jesus warning His disciples to be alert.) Context: Strangely enough, we begin the liturgical year with Jesus speaking about how to prepare for the end of the world. He uses Noah as an example. He prepared for the …
(Luke 23:39-43) Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit. Teach me to ask for heaven. Imagination: (Picture Jesus crucified with two thieves) Context: Luke portrays this special moment of faith. A thief looks at the crucified Jesus and sees a king. He even believes he has a kingdom. Jesus rewards his faith. “Today” …
(Luke 21:5-19) Prayer: O Jesus, let me persevere until the end. Imagination: (Picture Jesus teaching his disciples). Context: In teaching about his Second Coming, Jesus keeps putting it off, always speaking of events that must happen first. The “coming” is always “later”. He stresses perseverance. The disciple must not think …
(Luke 20:27-38) 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 present to Jesus …
(Luke 19:1-10) Prayer: O Jesus, come and stay in my house this day. Imagination: (Picture Jesus finding Zaccheus in a tree.) Context: Zaccheus is the second wealthy man to receives an invitation from Jesus. He accepts the gift and uses his wealth to restore justice. This story highlights Jesus as …
(Luke 18:9-14) Prayer – O Lord, fill me with light that I would see my sinfulness. Imagination: (Picture Jesus with His disciples) Context: The two men both arrive at the hour of prayer (either 9:00AM or 3:00PM). Three aspects mark the Pharisee – his prominent position, the sins he has …
(Luke 17:11-19) Prayer – Come, Holy Spirit. Fill me with a spirit of thanksgiving. Imagination: (Picture the one leper returning to give thanks) Context: This story is somewhat like a parable and ends with Jesus pronouncing the saving faith of the Samaritan. Obviously, the group consisted of nine Jewish lepers …
(Luke 17:7-10) Prayer – O Lord, let me serve you faithfully with a humble heart. Imagination: (Picture Jesus with His disciples.) Context: Jesus sees deeply into his disciples’ heart. He demands that they serve faithfully without any self-righteous feelings. Gospel Text: (Read slowly, possibly aloud) If a man has a …
(Luke 16:19-31) Prayer – O Lord, awaken me by this warning. Imagination – (Picture Jesus teaching the crowds.) Context: Judaism believed that riches showed God’s favor and that poverty showed sinfulness. Jesus reveals the true picture, which shocks his audience. The poor man, Lazarus, enjoys the highest honor of being …
(Luke 16:1-8) Prayer: O Jesus, wake me up to the imminence of the Kingdom. Imagination: (Picture Jesus with His disciples) Context: The parable uses real-life details. Rich owners often lived at a distance and depended on stewards who held promissory oaths of debtors. The steward wants his changes put into …
(Luke 15:1-10) Prayer: O Jesus, show me how precious I am to you. Imagination: (Picture Jesus with His disciples.) Context: These twin parables are closely connected to the Prodigal Son parable. A hundred sheep was a medium sized flock. The shepherd must have been poor, unable to pay a helper. …
(Luke 14:28-32) Prayer: O Jesus, help me to persevere until the finish line. Imagination: (Picture Jesus teaching the crowds.) Context: Jesus is dealing here with enthusiastic disciples who cannot see the tremendous hardships involved in discipleship. So, Jesus gives two examples entailing great difficulties. A farmer needs a tower for …
(Luke 14:12-14) Prayer: O Jesus, let me help those who cannot repay me. Imagination: (Picture Jesus at table with the Pharisees.) Context: Jesus asks for a great holiness. His disciples must bless others with no hope of any return. Their reward will come at the resurrection. Gospel Text: (Read slowly, …
(Luke 14:7-11) Prayer – O Jesus, let me sit at your heavenly table. Imagination: (Picture Jesus at the banquet) Context: In Jesus’ time, the most important guests would arrive last. If someone took too high a place they would have to move down to the lower places. Jesus uses this …
(Luke 13:24-30) Prayer: O Jesus, you are my Lord and Saviour. Imagination: (Picture Jesus with His disciples.) Context: By these parables, Jesus confronts his hearers. They understand, (all too well), what He means. He comes to their villages, preaches in their streets and eats with them. Yet, they do not …
(Luke 12:49-53) Prayer: O Jesus, light your fire in my heart. Imagination: (Picture Jesus teaching his disciples.) Context: This text contains two separate sayings of Jesus. The first shows his greatest desire – to cast the fire of the Holy Spirit upon all believers. The second speaks about the problems …
(Luke 12:35-40) Prayer: O Jesus, may you find me watching when you return. Imagination: (Picture Jesus with His disciples.) Context: Jesus gives two crisis parables which emphasize the need for watchfulness. The master has many servants and all must keep watch. The second parable reverses the situation. The owner must …
