April 23 - 2nd Sunday in Easter : The Doubting Thomas

 
First Reading   Acts of the Apostles 2:42-47
The first community of Christians grows as its members meet to pray and break bread.
 
Responsorial Psalm   Psalm 118:2-4,13-15,22-24
God’s love is everlasting.
 
Second Reading   1 Peter 1:3-9
We have new hope because of Jesus’ Resurrection.
 
Gospel Reading 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.
 

April 15 – Easter : New Life in Christ

 
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. 
 
 

April 14 - Good Friday : Cross - the sign of God's love

First Reading         :  Isaiah 52:13-53:12Psalm                     :  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.

April 13 - Holy Thursday : Divine Surrender

First Reading         :  Exodus 12:1-4, (5-10), 11-14Psalm                     :  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.

April 9 - Passion Sunday : Marching with Jesus

 
Gospel at the Procession with Palms  Matthew 21:1-11 Jesus enters Jerusalem as the crowd waves palm branches and shouts, "Hosanna!"
First Reading  Isaiah 50:4-7 The Lord's Servant will stand firm, even when persecuted.
Responsorial Psalm  Psalm 22:8-9,17-20,23-24 A cry for help to the Lord in the face of evildoers
Second Reading  Philippians 2:6-11 Christ was obedient even to death, and God has exalted him.
Gospel ReadingMatthew 26:14—27:66
                        
Indeed, we have reached the climax of the liturgical year, the highest peak of salvation history, when all that has been anticipated and promised is to be fulfilled. By the close of today’s long Gospel, the work of our redemption will have been accomplished, the new covenant will be written in the blood of His broken body hanging on the cross at the place called the Skull. The palms that we use today should be sings that we are willing to follow and march with Jesus not only in moments of glory but also in times of fall and agony.