Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit. Give me the faith to seek the risen Christ. Imagination: Picture the disciples at the empty tomb. Context: If Jesus has risen from the dead, then his tomb must be empty. All four gospels begin their Easter stories with visits to the empty tomb and with …
Prayer – O Jesus, you are God, Lord even of the Sabbath. Imagination: (Picture Jesus with his disciples being confronted by the Pharisees). Context: The gospels use these confrontation stories to highlight Jesus’ authority, to bring out new aspects of Christian life and most important, to reveal Jesus’ identity. Gospel …
Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit. Help me to take up Jesus’ easy yoke and light burden. Imagination: (Picture Jesus inviting all his disciples to come to Him.) Context: Jesus speaks of “a burden” and “a yoke”. The burdened are those who cannot seem to get out from under. Jesus is one …
Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit. Reveal all that is hidden. Imagination: (Picture Jesus praising God for His disciples). Context: Filled with joy, the apostles return from their preaching mission. Jesus, too, experiences great joy and thanks his heavenly Father for revealing the Kingdom to his disciples. Gospel Text: (Read slowly, possibly …
Prayer: O Jesus, give me the grace to repent so I can face you on the Day of Judgment. Imagination: (Picture Jesus teaching His disciples the importance of repentance.) Context: People might have some superficial relationship with their parish and think that this will get them into heaven. The gospels …
Prayer: O Jesus, when I help the needy, I help you. Show me this mystery. Imagination: (Picture Jesus teaching His disciples to care for each other.) Context: Jesus praises those who show hospitality. But there is much more. A great mystery exists. When helping someone who preaches or believes the …
Prayer: O Jesus, let your kingdom bring forth a harvest in my life. Imagination: (Picture Jesus explaining the parable of the seeds to his disciples.) Context: Jesus has just told the crowds the parable of the farmer who scatters seeds in four areas – by the wayside, on rocky ground, …
(Matthew 12:14-21) Prayer: O Jesus, anoint me with your Holy Spirit. Imagination: (Picture Jesus with the crowds swarming around him.) Context: More than any other gospel, Matthew quotes fulfilled prophecies, to show the Jewish members of his community that their faith in Jesus is solidly founded. He also wants his …
(Matthew 12:1-8) Prayer – O Jesus, you are God, Lord even of the Sabbath. Imagination: (Picture Jesus with his disciples being confronted by the Pharisees). Context: The gospels use these confrontation stories to highlight Jesus’ authority, to bring out new aspects of Christian life and most important, to reveal Jesus’ …
(Matthew 11:28-30) Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit. Help me to take up Jesus’ easy yoke and light burden. Imagination: (Picture Jesus inviting all his disciples to come to Him.) Context: Jesus speaks of “a burden” and “a yoke”. The burdened are those who cannot seem to get out from under. Jesus …
(Matthew 11:25-27) Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit. Reveal all that is hidden. Imagination: ( Picture Jesus praising God for His disciples). Context: Filled with joy, the apostles return from their preaching mission. Jesus, too, experiences great joy and thanks his heavenly Father for revealing the Kingdom to his disciples. Gospel Text: …
(Matthew 11:20-24) Prayer: O Jesus, give me the grace to repent so I can face you on the Day of Judgment. Imagination: (Picture Jesus teaching His disciples the importance of repentance.) Context: People might have some superficial relationship with their parish and think that this will get them into heaven. …
(Matthew 10:40 – 11:1) Prayer: O Jesus, when I help the needy, I help you. Show me this mystery. Imagination: (Picture Jesus teaching His disciples to care for each other.) Context: Jesus praises those who show hospitality. But there is much more. A great mystery exists. When helping someone who …
(Luke 10:25-37) Prayer: O Jesus, you are my good Samaritan and I am wounded along the way. Imagination: (Picture Jesus gathered with his disciples and teaching the lawyer.) Context: The lawyer asked a common question in Judaism, “How far must my charity extend? Who is within that circle?” Jesus uses …
