of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
(John 8:1-11) Prayer: O Jesus, forgive me and set me free from all my accusers. Imagination: (Picture Jesus in the temple with the accused woman before him.) Context: This story fulfills Jesus’ statement “You judge by appearances, but I do not judge anyone.” (Jn 8:15) Jesus teaching in the temple and people getting up early …
Continue reading “MARCH 13, 2016 – WEEK FIVE OF LENT – SUNDAY – C – THE WOMAN CAUGHT IN ADULTERY”
(Luke 15:17-24) Prayer: O Father, embrace me when I return to you. Imagination: (Picture Jesus with His disciples.) Context: The father’s response to the Prodigal’s return is not a model for earthly fathers. It is how the heavenly father responds to our repentance. The son is reduced to the lowest degree of degradation. He is …
Continue reading “MARCH 6, 2016 – WEEK FOUR OF LENT – SUNDAY – C – THE RETURN OF THE PRODIGAL”
(Luke 13:6-9) Prayer – O Lord Jesus, let me use this extra 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. The Fig Tree parable teaches that in Palestine, the owner allowed three years for a …
Continue reading “FEBRUARY 28, 2016 – WEEK THREE OF LENT – SUNDAY – C – THE FIG TREE”
(Luke 9:27-36) Prayer: O Jesus, take me up the mountain with you. Imagination: (Picture Jesus transfigured in glory with his 3 apostles.) Context: Peter has just proclaimed (by faith) that Jesus is the Messiah. Now, these three apostles experience Jesus as the Messiah. Also, the Father says that Jesus is his “Beloved Son”, the same …
Continue reading “FEBRUARY 21, 2016 – WEEK TWO OF LENT – SUNDAY – C – THE TRANSFIGURATION”
(Luke 4:1-13) Prayer: O Jesus, help me to remain faithful to you in all my temptations. Imagination: (Picture Jesus tempted by Satan.) Context: These temptations show that Jesus experienced temptations just as we do. By going into the desert, Jesus is like the Israelites who spent forty years there. However, they constantly failed and many …
Continue reading “FEBRUARY 14, 2016 – WEEK ONE OF LENT – SUNDAY – C – THE THREE TEMPTATIONS”
(Luke 5:4 -11) Prayer – Let me see, O Lord, how unworthy I am to be your disciple. Imagination – (Picture Peter kneeling at Jesus’ feet and proclaiming his own sinfulness.) Context: This miraculous catch of fish is but a prelude to the high point of the story. While seeing the miracle, Peter receives a …
Continue reading “FEBRUARY 7, 2016 – WEEK FIVE – SUNDAY (C) – THE CATCH OF FISH”
(Luke 4:21-30) Prayer – O Lord, never let me reject you. Imagination– (Picture Jesus confronted by the angry citizens of Nazareth.) Context: The mood of the crowd changes suddenly from acceptance to rejection because they want to see miracles. Jesus recounts two stories in which the prophets worked no miracles for Jews, but did help …
Continue reading “JANUARY 31, 2016 – WEEK FOUR – SUNDAY – C – REJECTION AT NAZARETH”
(Luke 4:14-21) Prayer – O Jesus, send the Spirit of the Father upon me. Imagination: (Picture Jesus teaching in the synagogue.) Context: Having overcome Satan’s three temptations, Jesus begins his public ministry. Other gospels record this visit to the synagogue but Luke gives it preeminence. This is Jesus’ inauguration address, highlighting all the themes of …
Continue reading “JANUARY 24, 2016 – WEEK THREE – SUNDAY – (C) – THE INAUGURAL ADDRESS”
Prayer: O Mary, my mother, you help me in all my trials. Imagination: (Picture Mary with Jesus at the wedding feast.) Context: This is an extremely important story because it spells out John’s theme. The hour of the passion, when Jesus sheds his blood, is the world-saving moment. The new wine is a preview of …
Continue reading “JANUARY 17, 2016 – WEEK TWO – SUNDAY (C) – MAKING NEW WINE”
(Luke 3:15-16; 21-22) Prayer: Holy Spirit, pour out your fire. Imagination: (Picture Jesus after his baptism.) Context: In Luke, the crowds play a large role. They are filled with anticipation. Also, they get baptized before Jesus does. The two central points are Jesus’ power to baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire, and the heavenly …
Continue reading “JANUARY 10, 2016 – BAPTISM OF THE LORD – C – BAPTIZING WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT”
(Matthew 2:1-12) Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit. Give me your light to search for the Christ Child. Imagination: (Picture the three Magi worshipping Jesus in Bethlehem.) Context: Since the Magi were not Jewish, Epiphany is called the Gentile Christmas, a symbol that Christ is for all the world. Magi were a learned priestly class of Persia, …
(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 Text: (Read slowly, possibly aloud.) …
Continue reading “DECEMBER 13, 2015 – WEEK THREE OF ADVENT – SUNDAY (C) – THE BAPTIST’S MESSAGE”
(Luke 3:1-6) Prayer: Come Holy Spirit. Help me to prepare for Christmas. Imagination: (Picture yourself at the Jordan with John.) Context: Luke has told the stories of Jesus infancy, ending with Jesus being lost in the temple. The next 18 years are Jesus’ hidden life. Now the drama opens and John the Baptist is the …
(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: These are Jesus’ final words of teaching before the Last Supper. Jesus is worried. He will not be returning to earth soon. The disciples will wonder why he delays. So, he exhorts …
Continue reading “NOVEMBER 29, 2015 – WEEK THREE OF ADVENT – SUNDAY (C) – FINAL WORDS OF ADVICE”
(Mark 18:33-38) Prayer – Come, Holy Spirit. Make Jesus the king of my heart. Imagination: (Picture Jesus standing before Pilate) Context: Pilate has inquired from the Jews about the charges against Jesus. They said that he claims to be King of the Jews. In conducting his investigation he allows Jesus to explain his Kingship and …
(Mark 13:24-32) Prayer: O Jesus, prepare me for your coming. Imagination: (Picture Jesus teaching his disciples). Context: As we arrive at the end of the Church’s liturgical year, the gospels concern Jesus’ Second Coming. The first part of this text describes the cosmic signs that will accompany Jesus’ coming at the end of the world. …
Continue reading “NOVEMBER 15, 2015 – WEEK THIRTY THREE – THIRD SUNDAY (B) – ALERT TO HIS COMING”
(Mark 12:38-44) Prayer – O Jesus, to you I give all I have. Imagination – (Picture Jesus in the temple with his disciples.) Context: This gospel joins two different scenes which describe two contrasting groups. In the first story, the scribes want everyone to see their goodness while secretly they steal widows’ money. In the …
Continue reading “NOVEMBER 8, 2015 – WEEK THIRTY TWO – SUNDAY (B) – THE WIDOW’S MITE”
(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 justice. So, the door is …
Continue reading “NOVEMBER 1, 2015 – WEEK THIRTY ONE – SUNDAY (B) – FEAST OF ALL SAINTS”
(Mark 10:46-52) Prayer: O Jesus, I cry out to you in great hope. Imagination: (Picture Jesus with the crowd and a beggar by the roadside.) Context: This journey to Jerusalem began with Jesus healing a blind man and culminates with another healing of blindness. This contrasts with the disciples’ growing blindness about Jesus’ death in …
Continue reading “OCTOBER 25, 2015 – WEEK THIRTY – SUNDAY (B) – THE BLIND BEGGAR”
(Mark 10:35-40) Prayer – Come, Holy Spirit. Reveal the glory you have prepared. Imagination – (Picture James and John seeking favors from Jesus.) Context: Jesus has just told the apostles that he would suffer. James and John, however, want Jesus’ glory. Jesus speaks about drinking from the chalice, meaning both the chalice of his suffering …
Continue reading “OCTOBER 18, 2015 – WEEK TWENTY NINE – SUNDAY (B) AMBITIONS JAMES AND JOHN”