"STAY WITH US, LORD" (Luke 24:29)

1st Reading     Acts 5:27b-32.40b-41 Resp. Psalm    Ps. 30 2nd Reading   Rev. 5:11-14 Gospel             Jn. 21: 1-19 Hope amidst Looming despair Dear Friends, today is the 3rd Sunday of Easter and the Word of God keeps us within the framework of the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus, particularly to his disciples. These appearances are in a bid to inspire hope and affirm in the hearts of the Disciples and believers that Jesus is truly risen. In the Gospel, Jesus reveals himself to 7 of his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias: "Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, Zebedee’s sons, and two others of his disciples" (v. 2). It seem to suggest that these disciples were returning to their 'former way of life', their life prior to their call to discipleship. Hopelessness drives in us a sense of despair and makes us think that we are unredeemable, that the only way to restore hope is to return...

1st Reading Acts 5:12–16 Resp. Psalm Ps. 118. 2nd Reading Rev. 1:9-11a,12-13,17-19 Gospel Jn. 20:19–31 "Divine Mercy, Peace amidst Fear" Dear friends, today is the Second Sunday of Easter and, as it has been since the year 2000, we celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday. The Divine Mercy is a gift of God to humanity given in an apparition by Jesus to Sr. Fasting Kowalska. In the words of Jesus to Sr. Faustina, "humanity will not find PEACE until it turns trustful to DIVINE MERCY". The Word of God turns our attention towards the PEACE that God gives. Infact, in the Gospel Jesus tells the disciples, " PEACE be with you" (Jn. 20:19).  In the first reading, we hear that the apostles, granted the power by God, performed many signs and wonders among the people, especially in the temple area of Solomon's Portico . We know Solomon to be the wisest and wealthiest king that ever lived. He is the son of David and successor of his throne. His name comes from the Hebrew wo...

1st Reading      Acts 10: 34a. 37-43 Resp. Psalm     Ps. 118. 2nd Reading   Colossians 3:1-4 Gospel              John 20: 1-9 "Early, while it was still dark" Alle luia, the Lord is Risen! Today is Easter Sunday and the Word of God, particularly the Gospel passage, draws our attention to that mysterious event which strengthens our hope and 'increases our faith' (Lk. 17: 14). If Christ had not risen from the dead,...[our] faith would have been in vain (1 Corinthians 15:14). The Gospel recounts the resurrection of Jesus. Within the narrative in the Gospel according to John 20, I propose 4 acts that are shrouded in mystery and accompany the fact that "he had to rise from the dead" (John 20: 9). They are: "early in the morning, while it was still dark" (v. 1), "...stone removed from the tomb" (v. 1), "the other disciple whom Jesus loved" (v. 2), "THEY have taken the Lord from the tomb" (v. 2) [who are the THEY]. Let ...

GOSPEL BEFORE PROCESSION (YEAR C) — LUKE 19:28-40 BLESSED IS THE KING WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD Dear friends, today we begin the Holy Week with the celebration of Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord . We commemorate the free and triumphal entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem. He, "the lamb of God" (Jn.1:29), enters freely as he is not bound under force to do so. This is differentiated from the case of unblemished lambs that, according to Jewish tradition, are brought to Jerusalem on this same day for sacrifice a day before the Passover feast. The Passover is near and it is incumbent on every male Jew to journey to Jerusalem to celebrate (Deut. 16:16).  Particularly, we notice the praise of the multitude: "Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!" (Lk. 19: 38). This is a combination of two statements. The first is from Psalm 118:26, "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord". The second c...