Prayer: O Jesus, help me to find my identity in you. Imagination: (Picture John preaching at the Jordan River.) Context: The gospel of John focuses on Jesus’ identity. This gospel clarifies the Baptist’s identity so he is not confused with the messiah. John also distinguishes their two Baptisms. Gospel Text: …
Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit. Give me the shepherds’ faith. Imagination: (Picture the shepherds adoring Jesus with Mary and Joseph). Context: The gospel stories are filled with people. Some respond to Jesus and others do not. Those who respond are always blessed. Here, the shepherds glorify God for all they saw …
Prayer: O Jesus, thank you for leaving the Father’s side and becoming a man. Imagination: (Imagine Mary telling the angel, Gabriel, that she would be God’s mother.) Context: Mark begins his gospel with John the Baptist. Matthew and Luke begin their gospels with infancy stories. John begins his gospel in …
Prayer: O Lord, teach me to fast, to pray and to listen to your word. Imagination: (Picture Joseph and Mary holding the Christ Child in the presence of Simeon and Anna.) Context: Luke likes to portray both men and women ministering. So, he added Anna, a prophetess, to Simeon’s story. …
Prayer: O Lord Jesus, I would love to shed my blood for you. Imagination: (Picture Mary, Joseph and the Child fleeing into Egypt.) Context: In Matthew’s gospel, Joseph is the central person in the infancy stories and God’s usual way of communicating with him is by an angel in his …
Prayer: O Lord Jesus, I would love to shed my blood for you. Imagination: (Picture Mary, Joseph and the Child fleeing into Egypt.) Context: In Matthew’s gospel, Joseph is the central person in the infancy stories and God’s usual way of communicating with him is by an angel in his …
Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit. Give me the faith to seek the risen Christ. Imagination: (Picture the disciples at the empty tomb.) Context: Before the gospel writers describe the Easter visions, they speak of the empty tomb and of the disciples’ reactions. In this text, Magdalene, Peter and the Beloved Disciple …
Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit, Strengthen me in moments of trial. Imagination: (Picture Jesus preparing His disciples for persecution.) Context: Jesus has just commissioned his apostles and sent them out to preach. He warns them of difficulties. Matthew’s Church also sent out missionaries who faced the same persecutions, both from Jews …
Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit. Fill me with your joy. Imagination: (Picture Mary entering Zechariah’s house). Context: This story contains many truths. First, Jesus begins his sanctifying ministry. Second, John begins his ministry, pointing out Jesus to his mother. Third, this is an early picture of Pentecost. All are filled with …
Prayer: O Jesus, I will put no obstacles to your purifying action. Imagination: (Picture Jesus with his whip confronting the temple leaders. Context: All four gospels speak of this cleansing (therefore, it is an important event). John places it at the very beginning of Jesus’ public ministry and adds the …
(John 15:18-21) Prayer: O Jesus, help me to be a servant who is just like his master. Imagination: (Picture Jesus with his apostles at the Last Supper) Context: Jesus begins a long teaching about how this unity between the disciples and himself will arouse the world’s hatred. The world has …
(John 14:7-10) Prayer: O Jesus, I will know you so I can know the Father. Imagination: (Picture Jesus teaching at the Last Supper Context: In this text, Jesus describes two different periods of time, before the resurrection (when the disciples do not really know Jesus) and after the resurrection (when …
(Matthew 11:2-6) Prayer: O Jesus, let me always believe in You. Imagination: (Picture John’s disciples questioning Jesus.) Context: John, in prison, heard about the works Christ performed and sent two disciples to Jesus to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or do we look for another?” …
(Luke 5:17-26) Prayer – Come, Holy Spirit. Give me friends with great faith. Imagination- (Picture Jesus healing the paralyzed man.) Context: These stories in Mark’s gospel are controversy stories. Each dispute allows Jesus to make some pronouncement. In this story, Jesus says that he is the Son of Man with …
(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 …
