Episodes
Tuesday Apr 22, 2014
April 27 - Second Sunday in Easter : The Doubting Thomas
Tuesday Apr 22, 2014
Tuesday Apr 22, 2014
First
Reading : Acts 2:14a, 22-32
Psalm : Psalm 16
Second Reading : 1 Peter 1:3-9
Gospel : John 20:19-31
When Jesus appeared on Sunday Thomas was not with the twelve. Some suggests that he was seeking Jesus alone while Jesus was with the assembly of his followers. That could be the Evangelist's way of telling the reader that encounter with the Risen Lord is something that happens not so much in the privacy of the individuals religious initiative and practise as much as in the fellowship with the community of believers, that is the Church. Do we have to look far to see such Thomases in our society today, men and women who deep down in their hearts seek the risen Lord, but who seek him outside the worshipping and believing community? They try to draw near to God by engaging in all sorts of self-imposed devotional exercises. Religion, they say, is personal, and they are right. But religion is also communitarian, and this they need to learn just as Thomas did.
Friday Apr 18, 2014
April 20 – Easter : New Life in Christ
Friday Apr 18, 2014
Friday Apr 18, 2014
Old Testament Readings and Psalms
Genesis 1:1-2:4a and Psalm 136:1-9,
23-26
Genesis 7:1-5, 11-18; 8:6-18; 9:8-13 and Psalm 46
Genesis 22:1-18 and Psalm 16
Exodus 14:10-31; 15:20-21 and Exodus 15:1b-13, 17-18
Isaiah 55:1-11 and Isaiah 12:2-6
Baruch 3:9-15, 3:32-4:4 or Proverbs 8:1-8, 19-21; 9:4b-6 and Psalm 19
Ezekiel 36:24-28 and Psalm 42, 43
Ezekiel 37:1-14 and Psalm 143
Zephaniah 3:14-20 and Psalm 98
New Testament Reading and Psalm
Romans 6:3-11 and Psalm 114
Gospel
Matthew 28:1-10
The Significance of Jesus’ resurrection today is that it offers for all believers the hope of a new life here and now. Yes, we will all rise from the dead one day and share in eternal glory. But, even today, here and now we experience the power of Easter glory, the effects of Jesus’ rising from the dead. Every time we suffer a defeat, fail in some exam, are plagued by some crippling disease, we experience a bit of death. But if we believe in the presence of the risen Jesus in our midst, we will discover new dreams to pursue, new challenges to take on and new reasons to try again. Every time we are overwhelmed by problems, discouraged by disappointments or beset by worries, we are diminished in some way. But if we believe in the real power of the risen Christ, we will find that the impossible becomes possible and the unreachable becomes reachable. We all testify to the power of the Resurrection among us when we don’t let evil and death get the better of us but let the way of Jesus triumph in our lives through faith, hope and love. The Risen Jesus we encounter in the Eucharist is our strength to live the significance of Easter: to transform sorrow into joy, defeat into victory, despair into hope, darkness into light, hatred into love and the tomb of death into freedom of life. May the Risen Christ who came forth from the tomb on Easter enable us to shake off the fetters of evil and sin and give us the grace to live with him. Amen.
Wednesday Apr 16, 2014
April 18 - Good Friday : Cross - the sign of God's love
Wednesday Apr 16, 2014
Wednesday Apr 16, 2014
First
Reading : Isaiah
52:13-53:12
Psalm : Psalm 22
Second Reading : Hebrews 10:16-25
Gospel : John 18:1-19:42
Sometimes we ask the question “where was God when his beloved Son was crucified ?”. St. Ignatius of Antioch speaks about the “passion of my God”. It tells us that the Father was personally involved in Christ’s suffering and that he actually participated in it. In the same way sometimes we are tempted to ask “Where was God when my son/daughter died?, Does God loves me? Does he really care for me? I challenge you to pick up your crucifix, look at the bruised and mangled body of Christ and still ask that question because back will come the answer loud and clear “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son”. Amen.
Tuesday Apr 15, 2014
April 17 - Holy Thursday : Divine Surrender
Tuesday Apr 15, 2014
Tuesday Apr 15, 2014
First
Reading : Exodus 12:1-4,
(5-10), 11-14
Psalm : Psalm 116:1-2,
12-19
Second Reading : 1 Corinthians
11:23-26
Gospel : John 13:1-17,
31b-35
The mystery of Holy Thursday embraces the supreme, threefold gift of the ministry of the Priesthood, the Eucharist and the new Commandment of love. The Basic idea of the entire Holy Thursday Mass is contained in the symbolic sign of the washing of the feet of the disciples by Jesus. This is more than an act of service, although He himself tells them and us that we must imitate him. it points to the very nature of Jesus' redeeming life and work: it is not we who redeem ourselves by anything we do; it is Jesus proclaiming himself as the Saviour. We see Jesus emptying himself. Thus we are invited to participate in the mystery of (his) divine surrender.
Wednesday Apr 09, 2014
April 13 - Passion Sunday : Self-giving Sacrifice
Wednesday Apr 09, 2014
Wednesday Apr 09, 2014
First Reading : Isaiah 50:4-9a
Psalm : Psalm 31:9-16
Second Reading : Philippians 2:5-11
Gospel : Matthew 26:14-27:66
Today we celebrate the Passion Sunday or the Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday is the great doorway leading into Holy Week, the week when the Lord Jesus makes his way towards the culmination of his earthly existence. He goes up to Jerusalem in order to fulfil the Scriptures and to be nailed to the wood of the Cross, the throne from which he will reign for ever, drawing to himself humanity of every age and offering to all the gift of redemption. During this week we are going to meditate what we hear today, in the passion Narrative, namely the life-giving death of Our Lord. He gave us everything and He had nothing more to give us. To what extent have I given Jesus everything that I have? What keeps me from giving Him everything?