What further proof do we still need in order to truly
believe that Jesus is Lord and Savior? We must come to this point where we
achieve the peak of our faith and be truly confident of the deep meaning of
what Easter celebration is all about. Bottom line, it's about love, care and
understanding no matter what activities we engage in and people we spend time
with, as long as it's all done with these 3 things then Easter is always a
reality in our lives. What a privilege
to be one of God's chosen witnesses. Everyday of our lives should be directed
toward this goal that we may someday come face to face with God and be able to
stand in His presence. Today’s 1st reading also reminds me of my reflection
several years ago about my visit to the Getty museum. As a Christian we must
believe that there is no such thing as coincidence only divine providence. I
could still remember when we (Sisters Bernadeth, Lucy, Marcy, and Rose) spent
the entire day at the J. Paul Getty Museum. It was indeed a day of joy and
gladness not only because of the wonderful and nice things we've seen at the
Museum but also because of the very nice company we had in each other. There were
lots of people who came to the museum that day and everyone who came had the
chance of seeing the priced and valuable treasures that the Christian world
holds very dear. In one of the exhibit rooms and the first place we had been
were manuscripts of some parts found in the bible that dates way back in the
year 800 AD. There were illustrations some with gold in paper of the
Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, The story of Jephtha and his oath (can be
found in the Book of Judges) (Regensburg, 1030-40; 1400-10)The Annunciation and
The martyrdom of Isaiah, (Wurzburg, 1240-50)St. Michael battling the
Dragon, (Hildesheim, 1170s)St. Stephen
by a painter named Circle of the Master of the Golden Bull (Prague, 1405) The
Visitation (Strasbourg, 1500) and several of The Crucifixion (Steinfeld, 1180;
Cologne by Master of St. Veronica, 1400-10; Franconia, 1475;
Westphalia,1500-05; by Albrecht Altdorfer, 1520) These are just a few of the
many and the earliest artworks they have preserved and depicts the truth about
our God. There is really no doubt about the truth in today's 1st reading since
every human being has been given the privilege of knowing about our God and
acknowledging Him as the one true God. For thousands of years people have been
writing, painting, documenting amazing and wonderful things from different
parts of the world. It is a consolation to know that although there are people,
places and things that I've seen there that no longer exist today and is just a
thing of the past but the message conveyed in every artwork about our Lord
Jesus Christ still persist and remain intact, true and a masterpiece until the
present time. It's good to know that we always have a choice. Whatever choices
we make in life, let us be sure that each one of them is rooted in our belief
in one Lord Jesus Christ who suffered, died and rose again for our sake. We are all called to this inheritance to be adopted
sons and daughters of God through our Lord Jesus Christ who has purchased for
us this privilege and honor. No one is excluded or exempted from this. God
is fair to all and plays no favorite for as long as we maintain the holy fear
of the Lord and remain upright before Him. It
is just by our own choice and free will that we can get a hold of this for it
has already been made available for us by Jesus our Redeemer
and Savior. Amen. Hallelujah!
Acts 10:34, 37-43
...To him all the prophets bear witness, that everyone who
believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.”…This man
God raised on the third day and granted that he be visible, 41 not to all the
people, but to us, the witnesses chosen by God in advance, who ate and drank
with him after he rose from the dead. 42 He commissioned us to preach to the
people and testify that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living
and the dead. 43 To him all the prophets bear witness, that everyone who
believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.”
God is the source of all good things. Only Jesus can satisfy
our souls. We should be really careful in setting our priorities. Sometimes we
end up making the wrong choices and decisions in life. We end up rejecting
something that should be valued and treasured more than anything else in this
whole wide world. All we need to do is trust that the Lord will always take
care of all our needs we need not tire ourselves to the point of exhaustion
because it is better to take refuge in the Lord than resort to trusting in or
own strength and others. According
to Fr. Joseph Koterski a Jesuit priest and a professor in Fordham University
Psalms 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23
R: This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be
glad.
1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his mercy
endures forever. 2 Let the house of Israel say, “His mercy endures
forever.” (R) 16 “The right hand of the LORD has struck with power; the right
hand of the LORD is exalted.” 17 I shall not die, but live, and declare the
works of the LORD. (R) 22 The stone which the builders rejected has become the
cornerstone. 23 By the LORD has this been done; it is wonderful in our eyes.
The gift and promise of Easter should be directly
proportional to the life we live here on earth. It is not like a seasonal diet
that we follow for a specific period of time but one that we are willing to
stick to for life. We should not set it aside once the season is over since it
should be the kind of lifestyle we should be willing to commit throughout our
lifetime. We are recipients of this great gift of salvation and thus we ought to
make ourselves worthy and fitting for it. One thing we can be sure of,
everything pays off immediately, later or in the end if we constantly seek God
in all we do. No matter how tiring or discouraging the way or the road we are
traveling which seems to pull us back down and want to give up, not go on or be
tempted to take a different direction we simply must keep on going to the road
where Jesus leads us. We should remain focused on Christ no matter how many
distractions we encounter in our daily lives. We are living in a world full of
deceptions, pretenses and lies. Sometimes we would be better off if we could
just keep our thoughts to ourselves most especially the sensitive and very
personal issues about a person. If we have a choice then we would rather not be
involved and just keep silent about it. Sometimes not even immediate family
members, close relatives and friends dare to do it. Although there are times when we simply
could no longer ignore the fact that God wants us to speak out and be bold enough
to proclaim the truth. A lot of things are easier said than done. Living our
faith in Jesus Christ by example is definitely one of these things. It is good
to know that we have scriptures to guide and enlighten us at all times and
today’s 2nd reading is definitely one of them. But this we can only do if we
truly love and care about these people and be able to show them that it is
really Christ that is in us and in all that motivates us to do so. Amen.
Hallelujah!
Colossians 3:1-4 (or 1Corinthians 5:6-8)
1 Brothers and sisters: If then you were raised with Christ,
seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Think of
what is above, not of what is on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is
hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ your life appears, then you too will
appear with him in glory.
Happy Easter to all! May we all experience a transforming
experience not only today but in all the days to come in our lives brought and
effected by the truth of the victory of Jesus' Resurrection from the dead. Jesus
has taken away the obstacle and hindrance for us to enter into new life with
Him by His resurrection. Let us not forfeit this benefit and truly believe with
the heart and soul of our faith. It seems impossible for somebody to rise from
the dead that is why Mary of Magdala got confused despite her being able to
witness with her own very eyes the many wonders that Jesus did when He was
still with them. There are some instances when we just can't get it. But we
should never doubt the truth that God is all powerful and able to do beyond our
imagination even though at times we fail to grasp the meaning of some things
happening in our lives. Through His resurrection we are able to enter into new
life with Him. I can still remember very vividly what Fr. James de Souza
preached when I attended his seminar way back in the Philippines more than 20 years ago
when the gospel for today was the focus of his teaching. He commended St. John for being the
most intimate and affectionate to Jesus. From that time on, I always have this
constant hope and prayer that I will grow more daily into that overwhelmingly
deep affection of St. John for Jesus to always see and believe Him in order to
run and go to Him first. John is the only apostle who did not leave Christ and
stayed beside Him all the way to the foot of the cross. He was also the beloved
apostle who rested his head at the chest of Jesus during the last supper. It is him who Jesus entrusted His mother with
at the foot of the cross. This bible passage from today's gospel has left a
remarkable impression in my memory. He ran as fast he could to be closest to
the Lord. It made me think of our attitude towards God. Do we also have the
same enthusiasm and fervor as John? And yet he still hesitated and got a hold
of such strong emotions and still acted accordingly as dictated by the virtue
of prudence. He was full of love and devotion for the Lord but he did not let
it get in the way or disrupt the proper order of things that needs to be
followed. He outran Peter in the rush to
the tomb where Jesus was buried, but he let the more superior leader of the
Twelve enter the tomb first. We can follow the example of St. John’s humble deferment to someone
higher, his self-sacrificing and humble disposition vis-à-vis seniority. We
should learn from him in the way he conducted himself in such situations, full
of love and abounding in grace. He definitely acted the right thing at the
right time in all the right places. Amen. Hallelujah!
John 20:1-9
1 On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the
tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed
from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple
whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and
we don’t know where they put him.” 3 So Peter and the other disciple went out
and came to the tomb. 4 They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than
Peter and arrived at the tomb first; 5 he bent down and saw the burial cloths
there, but did not go in. 6 When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into
the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, 7 and the cloth that had covered his
head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place. 8 Then the
other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he
saw and believed. 9 For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he had
to rise from the dead.
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