Great in mercy, rich in mercy
This is God’s mercy, Divine Mercy
Let us celebrate this feast
With a meal fit for the King
Our hearts filled with gratitude
Brimming with joy and smiles
I am alive today purely because of Him
My spirit sings, my soul finds peace
My whole being resounds in His love
Without Him I would be alone
I would wither and fade away
With Him I prosper and bear fruit
Remember His mercy, beg for it
Then bottle it up in your heart
A precious elixir of life, for life.
In today’s Gospel, Luke recounts how the disciples meet Jesus again and they are dumbfounded due to the great joy they feel when they realise it is the resurrected Lord standing in their midst.
I actually relate to them for I received two bits of news today that allow me to see the Risen Lord standing in our midst. Three weeks ago, A, one of my fellow instructors passed out at the studio and needed to be rushed to the hospital to have an emergency delivery. Today we were told she and the baby have been discharged from the hospital. Her situation was quite grim so it is indeed fantastic news.
The other piece of news was from the Blessed Sacrament Church RCIA coordinator, S, who shared that all those who have been journeying for the year towards baptism will be baptized this coming Sunday. This will be the second time I will be a sponsor for an adult becoming a Catholic and I am so thrilled about it. I look forward to celebrating this Sunday which fittingly is Divine Mercy Sunday with much rejoicing.
And I am reminded of the beautiful promise found in the book of Lamentations which we just completed, chapter 3:22-23:
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
Christ indeed from death is risen, our new life obtaining. Have mercy, victor King, ever reigning Amen. Alleluia. Sequence
May the blessings, the joy of Easter be yours forever and a day.
He is risen! Alleluia!
Praises be to God on high.
Yet early to the tomb she went*
Found it empty and panicked
Coming back the men stumbled in
Found the rolled up burial cloths
Believing the body was gone
Not understanding the Word
What resurrection from death meant
Three days to eternity
Grief blinds us often to the Truth
As does pride and other sins
Receive the promise of new life
Forgiveness of sins through His name**
Believe in eternal life
Salvation is ours, rejoice
Dance for joy, sing alleluia!
* John 20:1-9
** Acts 10:43
...We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life. Romans 6:3-4
The Easter Vigil held on Holy Saturday celebrates the turning point of death into the resurrection of new life of Jesus Christ, and all His followers. It was traditionally a night where those who desired baptism would be baptized for as Saint Paul points out in his letter to the Romans it is through baptism that we are joined to Jesus in a special way that allows us to share in His resurrected life. As those of us who are baptized renew our baptismal vows, let us celebrate this unity with Jesus with joy.
The spiritual grace of baptism cannot be underestimated for it holds the potential for every baptized Christian to die to sin and to live for God in Jesus Christ. Our original sin has been washed away and we have become new creations, temples of the Holy Spirit. What glorious good news! We should celebrate the liberation of Easter in our lives by living cheerfully and exuberantly, out from the shadows of sin.
Our hearts should sing out the story of God’s salvific love every day for eternal happiness is within our grasp. In fact, we are fortunate enough to experience slices of heaven here on earth if we orientate our hearts and minds to Jesus and strive to live out our baptismal office of priest, prophet and king to the fullest extent.
As we wait in the darkness, let us lift our eyes to the heavens. Come, let us adore Him, let us praise and glorify Him, let us bear witness to His awesomeness and might in our lives, and let us serve Him with great love.
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin. Hebrews 4:15
Not only did Jesus come to redeem us thereby opening the door to eternal life, but He also came to teach us by His example how we should act as beloved children of God. Despite the trials and tribulations of life, there is a way of grace, a way to meet adversity and loss that earns us the merit of being without sin.
We must be confident that God, our Father, is always on our side and we can approach the throne of grace to receive His mercy and timely assistance. Jesus in His humanity always received assistance when He most needed it , whether it was during His 40 days in the arid wilderness, or during His Passion, most notably in the garden of Gethsemane.
Other times, He was led by His heart that was so closely linked to His Father’s He never put a foot wrong. Like a true son He relied completely on His Father, acknowledging His Father’s authority in all matters. He shows us it is possible to be like Him in every way.
This Friday is good because this is the day all humanity gained access to the kingdom of God and eternal life. Let us treasure this gift well and show our gratitude by following in His footsteps as closely as we can.
Thank you, Lord, for suffering on the cross, for dying for our sins, for choosing to love us, to love me, who did nothing to merit the sacrifice of your life. Give me the grace to be worthy of your love in any way I can, that is within my capacity, all the days of my life.
If I, then, the Lord and Master, have washed your feet, you should wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example so that you may copy what I have done to you. John 13:14-15
Jesus was very clear to his disciples what they must do if they were His followers. When Jesus lived, the dusty roads necessitated the washing of feet before reclining at the table to eat, a task carried out by the lowliest of servants. This prime example of servant leadership demonstrates the correct attitude of heart which is that of great humility and service.
No task was too menial or onerous for Jesus, no person was ever accorded anything but great respect and full assistance when they sought help. Jesus laid hands on and healed the outcasts and the desperate, He fed thousands, He befriended and sat with despised tax collectors and prostitutes, and He even reached out to the Gentiles, bringing healing.
If we are His disciples, then we, too, must engage in a life of ministry, working tirelessly to be salt and light where we see it is needed, especially to those on the fringes of society, or those who really need our help.
Today let us ask for eyes to see who among us will benefit from some help, then simply lend assistance, be His hands and feet. Every act of service brings us closer to the heart of our Master and Lord - a good thing.
Hail to you, our King, obedient to the Father; you were led to your crucifixion like a gentle lamb to the slaughter. Verse before Gospel
Jesus is the sacrificial offering, the Lamb of God offered up for our sins so that we may live. In the Old Testament, offerings were the prescribed way the Jews would worship God with appropriate reverence. There were various types of offerings to symbolize different things. A sin offering was made to make atonement for their sins. So Jesus became our sin offering for His death on the cross took away our sins once and for all. He was the ultimate sacrifice.
Sacrifice is a word that doesn’t sit so well in today’s context, and yet, when we throw love into the equation, it changes everything. For love we are willing to sacrifice much as Jesus did, who knowingly and peaceably went to His extremely painful death just because He wanted to redeem us. As His disciples, we may not have to prove our love for Him by crucifixion, but we are called to do His will which may require dying to self in numerous ways.
What is key in all this is obedience to the Father. Jesus always did as His Father desired, which meant He was without sin, loving, and always reaching out to others such that they were never the same - they were invariably better, happier, stronger people.
Thank you, Lord, for loving us, and for dying for us. Teach us to be obedient as you were, and to be gentle in all our ways as You were.
Reclining at table with his disciples, Jesus was deeply troubled and testified, “Amen, amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” John 13:21
Sin is a funny thing, you start small, merely bending the rules, but before you know it, you have stepped into quicksand and might even be breaking the law. It doesn’t even take very much or very long to get there. Soon you find yourself hiding in darkness.
Judas was a disciple, a follower of Christ, but he had dishonest tendencies, petty thievery. Sadly this caused him to have a wonky conscience and his greed eventually led to his betrayal of someone he obviously loved and respected. He later realizes the error of his ways but it is too late. Out of deep guilt and most probably horror, he throws the money away and he kills himself. Rather than go down that tragic route, it is better to acknowledge your sins and turn back to Christ whom we know is forgiving and compassionate. After all, Christ died to redeem us so you are already redeemed if you say yes to following Him.
True repentance means not sinning again in such a manner or to such a degree. On the way back to Christ we will, of course commit the same sins and fail repeatedly. But one hopes with time, things improve and we learn continence, ever honing new virtues. It takes great effort, abject humility, much prayer and the frequent availing of the sacraments, but it is possible to be better than you were yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that.
Keep on trying every new day, don’t give up like Judas did. Do not hide your sins as Judas did, layering one on top of the other. Painful as truths may be, they are also liberating so embrace God’s truth every day in repentance so that even if you betray the Lord, there is a way home, out of the darkness.
Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one with whom I am pleased, Upon whom I have put my Spirit; Isaiah 42:1
If there is one thing I would like to hear the Father say to me, it is these opening lines from Isaiah chapter 42. It tells me I have been obedient to Him and that I have served Him in a manner which makes Him happy. He is never far from me for I choose to bear His Spirit within me, just as He chose me and singled me out to carry out His plans for Him.
God chooses each one of us specifically to do His will in ways that are unique to each of us. We each have a personal mission. And yet, at the same time, our personal missions hold a common thread through them, and that is the love of God. We are all called to glorify Him by bringing His love into the world in visible and influential words and actions.
What we do on a day to day basis, and in the months and years ahead of us, we must do with careful attention and cheerful care.
Let us honour Jesus today for what He did to set us free, to help us see, and that is to go to His death willingly.
Lord Jesus, may I die to myself and become bread broken for others as You were.
May I please Our Father as You did, as much as You did.
he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Philemon 2:8-9
And so we have entered into Holy Week with Palm Sunday. What seemed to be a triumphal entry into Jerusalem descended all too quickly into an arrest, false trial, agonizing scourging, excruciating crowning with thorns and a cruel crucifixion. This harsh ending for the Son of God was foretold much earlier on by prophets inspired by the Lord. Jesus Himself knew what was coming up. He probably knew, at a tender age, what His mission in the world was.
How does one live knowing one is going to die with great persecution and suffering? I have to admit when I attended the Stations of the Cross, something in me rejected the idea of accepting my sufferings as Christ did. It is not humanly possible to welcome pain and suffering with such calm equanimity.
But as Christians, we do have some formidable weapons to help us. We have the power of the Eucharist and the Spirit of God to give us supernatural courage and steadfastness. We have the years of discipline of centring ourselves on Jesus to draw on strength. We also have the loving support of the Christian community, brothers and sisters who lift us up on wings of prayer.
A peaceful passing from this earth is granted to only a few so I will most likely suffer before I die. May I be given the humility and obedience of Christ at that crucial time and look forward to life eternal after death.
he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, and not only for the nation, but also to gather into one the dispersed children of God. John 11:51-52
We are about to enter into Holy Week and the readings reflect the imminence of Jesus’ death. His death as described by the Passion was a horrific one and it is quite easy to get caught up in the gory details and stay in sorrow. But the one main message remains, and that is love.
Out of love, Christ will die to save all of us. Out of love, God doesn’t give up on us and instead, through the sacrifice of His Son, He will gather into one all His scattered children. It is a purifying love, full of sanctifying grace, and it perseveres to the end. It is a love that refuses to die as seen by Christ’s resurrection and ascension. The best thing about the love of God is Jesus leaves us a Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, who is with us wherever we go.
His is a presence who brings us supernatural grace such as wisdom, encouragement, comfort and helps us maintain a close and vibrant relationship with Jesus. If there is one thing we can learn from this heinous decision of the Pharisees, it is that murder is so easy to commit when we allow our pride to judge others meanly and when we reject the Father’s loving promise - the promise of covenantal peace and a chance to live forever.
As Ezekiel 18:31 exhorts: Cast away from you all the crimes you have committed, says the LORD, and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.
Many came to him and said, “John performed no sign, but everything John said about this man was true.” And many there began to believe in him. John 10:41-42
Saint Paul tells the Ephesians in chapter 2 verse 8: For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God. Faith is a gift that God extends to all humankind. From time immemorial He has never stopped extending the invitation to believe in Him and to enter into a covenantal relationship with Him.
Baptism is the entry point for every believer where we are not only cleansed from all our sins but we enter into new life with the Holy Spirit residing within us. Besides the ability to gain entry into heaven, as a child of God, the power of the Holy Spirit enables us to grow in faith, hope and love. We are better able to grow in virtue and to reach out confidently in love to others so that they, too, may experience the light and love of the gospel through us. Baptism brings an inner strength to the human spirit, a strength marked by peace and joy even in the worst storms of life.
Sadly the Jews refused to even believe in the good works, the many miracles Jesus performed. Instead they sought to kill Him for blasphemy. It is those who first believed in the God of John the Baptist who came to believe in Jesus. Where are we today, are we like the Jews who stubbornly clung onto pride or fear to the point of sin and death? Or do we step out in faith, tapping into our baptismal graces, going boldly where He wills, thereby earning the right to everlasting life?
Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Luke 1:38
The Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord is one of our most important feast days for it was at this encounter between the angel Gabriel and Mother Mary that she conceived, and thus the incarnation of Christ happened, right within her womb. Reflecting on the mystery of the Annunciation never ceases to amaze me and to inspire me. This sincere and humble yes of a young girl to the announcement of an angel after one simple clarification changed the course of history around the world.
The incisive insight Mary had, that what she was hearing was an actual message from God, and the firm, swift faith with which she made her decision speaks volumes of who she was, a young woman who clearly loved God with all her heart, with all her soul, with all her strength and with all her mind (Luke 10:27). In Mary we find an exemplar of living faith and great love, someone to be much admired and emulated.
I have heard countless stories of people who returned to the Lord because of Mother Mary. She has always been a kindly presence in my life especially when I stayed away from Jesus. And she is certainly instrumental in the deepening of my faith for I have found a more intimate relationship with her son Jesus because of my devotion to her. I consecrated myself to her in 2016 and have found, through Mary an extremely enriching consecration to Jesus himself.
We would do well to always heed her advice regarding her son in John 2:5 - Do whatever He tells you.
If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. John 8:31-32
Jesus promises those who believe in Him that they can be true disciples; they just have to remain in His word. Jesus who is the Word made flesh, the Son of God who came to redeem us so that we may gain eternal life, tells us simply to be like Him.
The Bible is our book of reference that helps us to become like Him. It shares with us what He did, what He was all about, and what God, our Heavenly Father did through history. As Saint Jerome said: Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ. Other ways to study and know Him are sacred Tradition, the teachings of the Church, and people like Mother Mary, Saint Joseph, all those we call saints who teach us how to be just like Him.
Contemplate His face in prayer and find Him in all the practices of faith set out. Be good. Be kind. Be obedient. Be loving. Believe. We actually know all the ways that will make us good disciples and many truths that can set us free. The question is do we embrace the truths, the ways, the life of Christ, not just today but every day? It’s a long road ahead, we will get weary and distracted, dispirited, so we must persevere in His word for the truths set within will sustain us, refresh us, inspire us and liberate us for the journey.
The one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do what is pleasing to him.” John 8:29
There is only one thing we need do as followers of Christ, and that is to do what is pleasing to His Heavenly Father, just as Jesus did. Jesus knew His Father was with Him every step of the way, especially when it came time for Him to finish what He was sent to do. To know and do the will of the Father such that He finds us delightful means we must know the heart of the Father intimately.
Most parents know exactly what their children prefer. Conversely, not many children know what their parents like, unless, out of deep gratitude and love, they have actually paid close attention and sought to serve their parents, to give back as a means of thanking them.
Do we behave like filial and loving children?
Do we seek wholeheartedly to do what is pleasing to Him?
Have we listened carefully in order to carry out what He desires for us, trusting He knows what’s best for us?
Do we seek the good of others even at our own inconvenience?
Do we obey Him in all things?
These are questions worth pondering each day.
To know the heart of our Father requires first a heart of gratitude, followed by a tongue of praise, and cheerful, generous and untiring hands that bring light and life to the world around us.
Let us cultivate these pleasing attitudes of Christ, lest we are doomed by our disobedience and our sin.
Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side. Psalm 23:4
Two women stand accused of adultery. One was Susanna, a woman of virtue who was wrongfully accused for she refused to submit to the evil intentions of two lustful men. The other a guilty, unnamed woman who was brought to Jesus by the Pharisees to test Jesus on the law. Both were in danger of being stoned to death and most probably praying hard for their lives.
God heard and intervened. Susanna trusted God wholeheartedly and God used Daniel to expose the wicked lies of her two accusers. While Jesus kept silent and merely reminded those present that only one who had not sinned should cast the first stone. When everyone left eventually, Jesus forgave the woman her sin and told her to sin no more.
The message is clear, trust in God and God alone. He is our Good Shepherd who will guide us and protect us from evil. Even when tragedy strikes, He will be there with us, and will help us to overcome our sorrows. Continue to put your hope in Him, stay away from sin, and call on Him unceasingly in times of trouble.
