of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit. Sanctify my words. Imagination Picture Jesus teaching his disciples to practice simplicity in their speech. Context: People often call upon God to witness their lie. To avoid this, a Jew might substitute for God’s name a holy place or holy thing. Jesus says that this is still a vow. The heart …
Continue reading “WEEK TEN – SATURDAY – JUNE 17, 2017 SIMPLICITY OF SPEECH (MT. 5:33-37)”
Prayer: Holy Spirit. Fill me with your purity of heart. Imagination (Picture Jesus teaching His disciples to be pure.) Context: Jesus continues to contrast Old Testament teaching with his new demands concerning purity. He uses graphic images of removing eyes and hands to symbolize the detachment needed to avoid sin. Gospel Text (Read slowly, possibly …
Continue reading “WEEK TEN – FRIDAY – JUNE 16, 2017 PURITY (MT. 5:27-30)”
Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit. Let your gentleness overcome my anger. Imagination: (Picture Jesus teaching his disciples to reconcile.) Context: Jesus teaches a “greater goodness” which is demanded by the holiness of this new Kingdom. In this gospel, he compares the Old Testament teaching on anger and his new teaching. Jesus desires a oneness among his …
Continue reading “WEEK TEN – THURSDAY – JUNE 15, 2017 ANGER (MT 5:21-24)”
Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit. Make me great in Jesus’ Kingdom. Imagination: (Picture Jesus teaching his disciples about following the Law and the Prophets.) Context: “Law and prophets” means the whole Old Testament. Jesus wants his Church to retain these books and teach them to his disciples. At the same time, these books are not God’s …
Continue reading “WEEK TEN – WEDNESDAY – JUNE 14, 2017 THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS (MT 5:17-20)”
Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit. Set me as a light on the lampstand. Imagination: (Picture Jesus instructing his disciples.) Context: A disciple is someone who has made a decision to live totally for the Kingdom. In the gospels, Jesus explains what he expects of his disciples. The disciple must be salt, a power against food corrupting. …
Continue reading “WEEK TEN – TUESDAY – JUNE 13, 2017 SALT AND LIGHT (MT: 5-13-16)”
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 open to …
Continue reading “WEEK TEN – MONDAY – JUNE 12, 2017 THE FIRST FOUR BEATITUDES (5:3-6)”
(Matthew 5:33-37) Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit. Sanctify my words. Imagination Picture Jesus teaching his disciples to practice simplicity in their speech. Context: People often call upon God to witness their lie. To avoid this, a Jew might substitute for God’s name a holy place or holy thing. Jesus says that this is still a vow. …
Continue reading “JUNE 11, 2016 – WEEK TEN – SATURDAY – SIMPLICITY OF SPEECH”
(Matthew 5:27-30) Prayer: Holy Spirit. Fill me with your purity of heart. Imagination (Picture Jesus teaching His disciples to be pure.) Context: Jesus continues to contrast Old Testament teaching with his new demands concerning purity. He uses graphic images of removing eyes and hands to symbolize the detachment needed to avoid sin. Gospel Text (Read …
Continue reading “JUNE 10, 2016 – WEEK TEN – FRIDAY – PURITY”
(Matthew 5:21-24) Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit. Let your gentleness overcome my anger. Imagination: (Picture Jesus teaching his disciples to reconcile.) Context: Jesus teaches a “greater goodness” which is demanded by the holiness of this new Kingdom. In this gospel, he compares the Old Testament teaching on anger and his new teaching. Jesus desires a oneness …
Continue reading “JUNE 9, 2016 – WEEK TEN – THURSDAY – ANGER”
(Matthew 5:17-20) Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit. Make me great in Jesus’ Kingdom. Imagination: (Picture Jesus teaching his disciples about following the Law and the Prophets.) Context: “Law and prophets” means the whole Old Testament. Jesus wants his Church to retain these books and teach them to his disciples. At the same time, these books are …
Continue reading “JUNE 8, 2016 – WEEK TEN – WEDNESDAY – THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS”
(Matthew 5-13-16) Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit. Set me as a light on the lampstand. Imagination: (Picture Jesus instructing his disciples.) Context: A disciple is someone who has made a decision to live totally for the Kingdom. In the gospels, Jesus explains what he expects of his disciples. The disciple must be salt, a power against …
Continue reading “JUNE 7, 2016 – WEEK TEN – TUESDAY – SALT AND LIGHT”
(Matthew 5:3-6) 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 “JUNE 6, 2016 – WEEK TEN – MONDAY – THE FIRST FOUR BEATITUDES”
(Luke 7:11-17) Prayer – Lord, in your compassion, give me life. Imagination: (Picture Jesus standing with the widow by the funeral) Context: Naim is just 3 miles away from Nazareth. It still has a cemetery that has been used for centuries. Jesus stops death in its tracks and makes it retreat. The story obviously looks …
Continue reading “JUNE 5, 2016 – WEEK TEN – SUNDAY (C) – THE WIDOW OF NAIM”