of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
(Luke 2:25-27) 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 says that the Holy Spirit was with …
Continue reading “DECEMBER 29, 2016 – THURSDAY, CHRISTMAS WEEK – SIMEON’S INSPIRED WORDS”
(Luke 1:46-55) Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit. Inspire your prayer in my heart. Imagination: (Picture Mary praising God in Elizabeth’s presence) Context: Mary knows the Old Testament song of Hannah, mother of Samuel (1Sam 2:1-10). Hannah rejoiced that she conceived by God’s power after years of hopelessness. Mary enters into an even greater joy of conceiving …
Continue reading “DECEMBER 22, 2016 – THURSDAY – MARY’S MAGNIFICAT”
(Luke 7:24-30) Prayer: O Jesus, let me rejoice that I was born into your Kingdom. Imagination: (Picture Jesus speaking to the crowds.) Context: Jesus has answered John’s messengers about being the Messiah. Now Jesus praises John, saying he is an angel preparing the way. Even though John is the greatest of the prophets, he did …
Continue reading “DECEMBER 15, 2016 – WEEK THREE OF ADVENT – THURSDAY”
(Matthew 11:11-15) Prayer: O Jesus, prepare me for the greatness of your Kingdom. Imagination: (Picture Jesus talking to his disciples about John.) Context: John is the greatest of the Old Testament prophets. Yet, because he did not live to see Jesus’ Kingdom, the least in Jesus’ Kingdom is greater than John. An extraordinary proclamation! Just …
Continue reading “DECEMBER 8, 2016 – WEEK TWO OF ADVENT – THURSDAY – THE GREATNESS OF JOHN”
(Matthew 7:24-27) 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 “DECEMBER 1, 2016 – WEEK ONE OF ADVENT – THURSDAY – THE PARABLE OF THE TWO HOUSES”
(Luke 21:20-28) Prayer: O Jesus, be with us in times of disasters. Imagination: (Picture Jesus explaining to his disciples the fall of Jerusalem) Context: Jesus prophesied that the Romans would destroy Jerusalem, which they did in 70 A.D. Luke wrote his gospel fifteen years after this destruction. However, these words were very important to the …
Continue reading “NOVEMBER 24, 2016 – WEEK THIRTY-FOUR – THURSDAY – THE JERUSALEM DESTRUCTION”
(Luke 19:41-44) Prayer: O Jesus, let me know the time of your visitation. Imagination: (Picture Jesus weeping over Jerusalem.) Context: As Jesus comes close to Jerusalem, he suddenly stops and weeps. He knows the future destruction of this city and describes it clearly. He pinpoints the cause of the failure. They did not recognize the …
Continue reading “NOVEMBER 17, 2016 – WEEK THIRTY-THREE – THURSDAY – JESUS’ LAMENT OVER JERUSALEM”
(Luke 17:20-25) Prayer – O Lord, prepare me for your coming. Imagination: (Picture Jesus instructing his disciples). Context: The Pharisees want to know when the Kingdom would come. The question is futile because the Kingdom is already present as the Spirit dwells in the believer. A final and total coming of the Kingdom is still …
Continue reading “NOVEMBER 10, 2016 – WEEK THIRTY-TWO – THURSDAY – WHEN THE KINGDOM COMES”
(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’s gospel centers on God’s …
Continue reading “NOVEMBER 3, 2016 – WEEK THIRTY-ONE – THURSDAY – THE LOST SHEEP AND THE LOST COIN”
(Luke 13:31-35) Prayer: O Jesus, let me follow you to Jerusalem. Imagination – (Picture Jesus with his disciples and the Pharisees.) Context: Seemingly, the Pharisees are warning Jesus to leave Herod’s territory. Really, they want him to go to Jerusalem where they have more power. Jesus knows their plans and says that he will arrive …
Continue reading “OCTOBER 27, 2016 – WEEK THIRTY – THURSDAY – JESUS AND JERUSALEM”
(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 which will arise …
Continue reading “OCTOBER 20, 2016 – WEEK TWENTY-NINE – THURSDAY – ENKINDLING A FIRE”
(Luke 11:47-54) Prayer – O Jesus, fill me with a true piety which knows and loves God. Imagination – (Picture Jesus denouncing the Pharisees) Context: The Jews blame their forefathers for being mistaken and killing the prophets. However, they will do the same thing in killing Jesus. Jesus recounts human history. Abel was the first …
Continue reading “OCTOBER 13, 2016 – WEEK TWENTY-EIGHT – THURSDAY – BLAMING THE FOREFATHERS”
(Luke 11:5-8) Prayer: Come Holy Spirit. Teach me the overwhelming kindness of God. Imagination: (Picture Jesus with His disciples.) Context: Because the family went to bed early and would sleep in the same room, this request for bread disturbs the whole family. They are in the middle of their sleep and with the door bolted. …
Continue reading “OCTOBER 6, 2016 – WEEK TWENTY-SEVEN – THURSDAY – SEEKING HELP FROM A FRIEND”
(Luke 10:1-12) Prayer – O Lord, send me wherever your word needs to be preached. Imagination – (Picture Jesus preparing 72 more disciples to go to the villages.) Context: Three gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke), record Jesus sending the Twelve. Only Luke mentions this larger number of 72. Obviously, the early Church communities sent out …
Continue reading “SEPTEMBER 29, 2016 – WEEK TWENTY-SIX – THURSDAY – SEVENTY-TWO MORE MISSIONARIES”
(Luke 9:7-9) Prayer – O Holy Spirit, reveal to me the fullness of Jesus. Imagination – (Picture Jesus with his disciples) Context: This text is sort of an interlude as Herod ponders Jesus’ identity. Later, Peter, by divine revelation, will proclaim correctly that Jesus is the Messiah. Gospel Text: (Read slowly, possibly aloud). Herod the …
Continue reading “SEPTEMBER 22, 2016 – WEEK TWENTY-FIVE – THURSDAY – HEROD’S CONCLUSION”
(Luke 7:36-50) Prayer – O Jesus, even though I am a sinner, I will approach you. Imagination: (Picture Jesus at table with the woman at his feet.) Context: The central figure is the creditor who forgives both debtors. Where can such a man be found? He is God with his inconceivable goodness. The woman understands …
Continue reading “SEPTEMBER 15, 2016 – WEEK TWENTY-FOUR – THURSDAY – THE PARABLE OF THE TWO DEBTORS”
(Luke 6:27-36) Prayer – O Lord, you demand so much but you reward so generously. Imagination – (Picture Jesus teaching his disciples.) Context: Jesus does not give these commands to the crowds but to his disciples. He reveals what he expects of them. The demands are high but the reward is even greater. Gospel Text: …
Continue reading “SEPTEMBER 8, 2016 – WEEK TWENTY-THREE – THURSDAY – THE DEMANDS OF DISCIPLESHIP”
(Luke 5:1-11) Prayer – O Jesus, call me to serve you. Imagination: (See Peter on his knees before Jesus in the boat.) Context: Peter has witnessed many of Jesus’ miracles but this miracle is unique. Peter is a fisherman. He knows that filling both boats with fish is impossible in the daylight. This is the …
Continue reading “SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 – WEEK TWENTY-TWO – THURSDAY – PETER’S CALL”
(Matthew 24:42-51) Prayer: O Jesus, I will watch for your return. Imagination: (Picture Jesus in the Jerusalem Temple with his disciples.) Context: This text contains two parables. The first likens God to a thief who breaks in at an unexpected time. The second is a servant. He can be faithful to his work or he …
Continue reading “AUGUST 25, 2016 – WEEK TWENTY-ONE – THURSDAY – NEED FOR WATCHFULNESS”
(Matthew 22:1-14) Prayer – O Jesus, may I always respond to your invitations. Imagination – (Picture Jesus confronting his enemies.) Context: The time is Holy Week. In the days before his capture, Jesus confronts his opponents in Jerusalem. In this parable, the invited guests are the Jerusalem leaders who refuse to come, even when the …
Continue reading “AUGUST 18, 2016 – WEEK TWENTY – THURSDAY – THE INVITED GUESTS”