NOVEMBER 19, 2016 – WEEK THIRTY-THREE – SATURDAY – LIVING LIKE ANGELS

(Luke 20:34-38) Prayer – O Lord, fill me with strong desires to live like the angels. Imagination – (Picture Jesus in confrontation with the Sadducees.) Context: The Sadducees (unlike the Pharisees) did not believe in the immortality of the soul nor the resurrection of the dead. They bring to Jesus what seems to us like …

NOVEMBER 18, 2016 – WEEK THIRTY-THREE – FRIDAY – A CLEANSED BUT UNREPENTANT TEMPLE

(Luke 19:45-48) Prayer: O Jesus, make me your purified disciple. Imagination: (Picture Jesus cleansing the Temple) Context: In all four gospels, Jesus cleanses the temple. (Therefore, it is a very important event). Luke, in his gentle manner, omits many details known from the other gospels. He focuses on Jesus’ continued teaching and the leaders’ desires …

NOVEMBER 17, 2016 – WEEK THIRTY-THREE – THURSDAY – JESUS’ LAMENT OVER JERUSALEM

(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 …

NOVEMBER 16, 2016 – WEEK THIRTY-THREE – WEDNESDAY – THE SERVANTS ENTRUSTED WITH MONEY

(Luke 19:12-27) Prayer: O Jesus, make me your faithful servant to whom you can entrust your blessings. Imagination: (Picture Jesus teaching his disciples.) Context Jesus tells this parable to the disciples because they falsely believe that the reign of God is about to appear. The parable stresses the personal initiative of the disciple before Jesus …

NOVEMBER 15, 2016 – WEEK THIRTY-THREE – TUESDAY – THE MAN UP IN THE TREE

(Luke 19:1-10) Prayer: O Jesus, come and stay in my house this day. Imagination: (Picture Jesus finding Zaccheus in a tree.) Context: Zaccheus is the second wealthy man to receive an invitation from Jesus. He accepts the gift and uses his wealth to restore justice. This story highlights Jesus as the saviour of all, even …

NOVEMBER 14, 2016 – WEEK THIRTY-THREE – MONDAY – THE BLIND BEGGAR

(Luke 18:35-43) Prayer: O Jesus, let me cry out to you in great hope. Imagination: (Picture Jesus and the crowd with 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 …

NOVEMBER 13, 2016 – WEEK THIRTY THREE – SUNDAY (C) – NOT YET THE END

(Luke 21:5-19) Prayer: O Jesus, let me persevere until the end. Imagination: (Picture Jesus teaching his disciples). Context: In teaching about his Second Coming, Jesus keeps putting it off, always speaking of events that must happen first. The “coming” is always “later”. He stresses perseverance. The disciple must not think that the road is short. …

NOVEMBER 21, 2015 – WEEK THIRTY THREE – SATURDAY – LIVING LIKE ANGELS

(Luke 20:34-38)  Prayer – O Lord, fill me with strong desires to live like the angels. Imagination – (Picture Jesus in confrontation with the Sadducees.) Context: The Sadducees (unlike the Pharisees) did not believe in the immortality of the soul nor the resurrection of the dead. They bring to Jesus what seems to us like …

NOVEMBER 20, 2015 – WEEK THIRTY THREE – FRIDAY – A CLEANSED BUT UNREPENTANT TEMPLE

(Luke 19:45-48) Prayer: O Jesus, make me your purified disciple. Imagination: (Picture Jesus cleansing the Temple) Context: In all four gospels, Jesus cleanses the temple. (Therefore, it is a very important event). Luke, in his gentle manner, omits many details known from the other gospels. He focuses on Jesus’ continued teaching and the leaders’ desires …

NOVEMBER 19, 2015 – WEEK THIRTY THREE – THURSDAY – JESUS’ LAMENT OVER JERUSALEM

(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 …

NOVEMBER 18, 2015 – WEEK THIRTY THREE – WEDNESDAY – THE SERVANTS ENTRUSTED WITH MONEY

(Luke 19:12-27) Prayer: O Jesus, make me your faithful servant to whom you can entrust your blessings. Imagination: (Picture Jesus teaching his disciples.) Context Jesus tells this parable to the disciples because they falsely believe that the reign of God is about to appear. The parable stresses the personal initiative of the disciple before Jesus …

NOVEMBER 17, 2015 – WEEK THIRTY THREE – TUESDAY – THE MAN UP IN THE TREE

(Luke 19:1-10) Prayer: O Jesus, come and stay in my house this day. Imagination: (Picture Jesus finding Zaccheus in a tree.) Context: Zaccheus is the second wealthy man to receive an invitation from Jesus. He accepts the gift and uses his wealth to restore justice. This story highlights Jesus as the saviour of all, even …

NOVEMBER 16, 2015 – WEEK THIRTY THREE – MONDAY – THE BLIND BEGGAR

(Luke 18:35-43) Prayer: O Jesus, let me cry out to you in great hope. Imagination: (Picture Jesus and the crowd with 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 …

NOVEMBER 15, 2015 – WEEK THIRTY THREE – THIRD SUNDAY (B) – ALERT TO HIS COMING

(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. …