Prayer: O Jesus, make me your faithful servant to whom you can entrust your blessings. Imagination: (Picture Jesus teaching His disciples.) Context: This parable is directed to the scribes. Surprisingly, the emphasis is upon the third servant (a symbol of the scribes). He has received the word of God but …
Prayer: O Jesus, I will go out to meet you. Imagination: (Picture Jesus with His disciples.) Context: In Jesus’ time, because marriages were delayed for hours until all the arrangements were worked out. Therefore, there were many midnight processions by torchlight with the bridegroom arriving unexpectedly. In this parable, all …
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 …
Prayer: O Jesus, free me from my blindness. Let me see the truth. Imagination: (Picture Jesus confronting his contemporaries.) Context: This is the longest of seven woes pronounced by Jesus. He prophesies his own death and the persecution of the Early Church. Gospel Text (Read slowly, possibly aloud.) Woe to …
Prayer – Lord Jesus, let me not be swerved by the opinions of others. Imagination – (Picture Herod with his party guests) Context: This section is an interlude, which Mark inserts between the sending of the Twelve and their return. It is the only story that does not focus on …
Prayer: O Jesus, enlighten my path and lead my steps. Imagination: (Picture Jesus denouncing hypocrisy.) Context: Jesus is preaching in the temple during Holy Week. There, he meets severe opposition and must denounce false religious practices (which only increases the crowd’s anger). Jesus had given Peter the keys to open …
Prayer: O Jesus, You are the Messiah, the son of God. Imagination: (Picture Jesus with Peter and the apostles.) Context: This text begins with questions about Jesus’ identity. By a revelation from the Father, Peter recognizes that Jesus is the Messiah. Because of this revelation, Jesus changes Simon’s name to …
(Matthew 25:14-30) Prayer: O Jesus, make me your faithful servant to whom you can entrust your blessings. Imagination: (Picture Jesus teaching His disciples.) Context: This parable is directed to the scribes. Surprisingly, the emphasis is upon the third servant (a symbol of the scribes). He has received the word of …
(Matthew 25:1-13) Prayer: O Jesus, I will go out to meet you. Imagination: (Picture Jesus with His disciples.) Context: In Jesus’ time, because marriages were delayed for hours until all the arrangements were worked out. Therefore, there were many midnight processions by torchlight with the bridegroom arriving unexpectedly. In this …
(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 …
(Matthew 23:29-36) Prayer: O Jesus, free me from my blindness. Let me see the truth. Imagination: (Picture Jesus confronting his contemporaries.) Context: This is the longest of seven woes pronounced by Jesus. He prophesies his own death and the persecution of the Early Church. Gospel Text (Read slowly, possibly aloud.) …
(Matthew 23:35-37) Prayer: O Jesus, send your Holy Spirit, the fire of true repentance. Imagination: (Picture Jesus teaching inner holiness.) Context: Jesus continues to confront his opponents about their false teachings which lead many astray. “The cup and the dish” are people who follow the Pharisees. They are not taught …
(Matthew 23:13-23) Prayer: O Jesus, enlighten my path and lead my steps. Imagination: (Picture Jesus denouncing hypocrisy.) Context: Jesus is preaching in the temple during Holy Week. There, he meets severe opposition and must denounce false religious practices (which only increases the crowd’s anger). Jesus had given Peter the keys …
(Luke 13:24-30) Prayer: O Jesus, you are my Lord and Saviour. Imagination: (Picture Jesus with His disciples.) Context: By these parables, Jesus confronts his hearers. They understand, (all too well), what He means. He comes to their villages, preaches in their streets and eats with them. Yet, they do not …
