Monday Within Easter Octave, 21-04-2025

Acts 2:14, 22-23 / Matthew 28:8-15  

There are many ways that courage is put to the test.

It may be a heroic action or an act of valour or bravery.

But in life, courage is put to test when it comes to the truth.

It takes courage to tell the truth despite knowing that it will hurt.

It takes courage to tell the truth knowing that there will be something to lose.

In the gospel, there were two groups of people whose courage was put to the test.

One group was the women who met the Risen Lord, who sent them to tell the disciples about the Resurrection.

The women did that, disregarding what others will think of what they were telling.

The other group was the soldiers, who were guarding the tomb and they went off to tell the chief priests what had happened.

They were then given a considerable sum of money to tell a lie that the disciples stole the body of Jesus.

For the women, the truth set them free. But for the soldiers who took the money, they were imprisoned by the lie.

So, the truth is the truth, even if nobody believes it.

But a lie is a lie, even if everybody is talking about it.

As for us, let us ask Jesus, who is the Truth, to give us the courage to always tell the truth, so that we will live in the freedom of peace.

Easter Sunday, Year C, 20.04.2025

Easter Sunday C-2025                                                                                                 20-04-25

Life is ironic, and yet surprising. 

Because it takes sadness to know what happiness is. 

It takes noise to appreciate silence. 

And it takes absence to value presence. 

Yes, life is ironic, and the surprise is in the opposite. 

This weekend is what is often called a “long weekend”. 

Since Friday was a holiday, then it can be quite tempting to go for a short trip or do something exciting over the weekend.

But Friday is a religious holiday, and for us Catholics, that means it was a day of fasting and also coming to church. 

It may seem rather ironic to spend a holiday with fasting and praying instead of doing something exciting. 

But the irony is that in giving up what seems exciting that we receive something inspiring. 

We came to church on Good Friday, and there is one thing that we will remember doing. 

We will remember that we came forward to venerate the cross. 

Parents brought their children along and as they kissed the cross, their children did likewise. 

Whether ordinary or celebrity, they went down on their knees to kiss the cross. 

Elderly aunties and uncles took great effort to get down and to kiss the cross and to get up again. 

It is amazing, as well as inspiring. 

It is ironic that the cross of suffering and pain is the majestic object of our veneration and adoration. 

And it is also ironic that in the instrument of death is the symbol of life and love. 

The mystery of the Resurrection is often symbolized in the empty tomb. 

But the irony of the mystery is not in the empty tomb. 

The question the angels had for those who went to the tomb is this: 

Why look among the dead for the One who is alive? 

The question that people may ask us is this:

Why kiss the cross on Good Friday? Why kiss an object of pain and suffering when we can enjoy the holiday and have fun and do something exciting. 

But the irony is that in the symbol of pain and death, we encounter life and love. 

But it is not because of the cross, but because of Jesus who died on it. 

We believe in the Resurrection, not because of the empty tomb, but because of Jesus who rose from the dead, and rolled away the stone of sin and death. 

So, we don't look among the dead for the One who is alive. 

And Jesus lives, not in the empty tomb, but in our hearts. 

With Jesus, let us roll away the stones of sin and death. 

And may our faith in the Resurrection of Christ, bring out the love and life from us, so that others will also come to believe in Jesus who rose from the dead, and will give them life and love.   

Good Friday, 18.04.2025

Isaiah 52:13 – 53:12 / Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9 / John 18:1 – 19:42  

On this day which is called Good Friday, we meditate and reflect about the three harsh reality of life, which is: 

- the crosses in life that is to be carried, 

- the sufferings of life that is to be endured, 

- and finally the end of life that is to be accepted. 

Jesus went through all these three harsh realities in the final hours of His life on Earth. 

But these three realities are also a part of our life on Earth. 

As disciples of Jesus, we have to carry the crosses of life, and make sacrifices for the good of others. 

And the cross is painful and heavy and causes us to suffer. 

But later as we come forward to venerate the cross, we are saying “yes” to Jesus that we will accept the cross. 

With Jesus, we will accept to carry the cross and follow Him. 

There is pain and suffering, but pain and suffering are not permanent and they don't last forever. 

Also, our pain and suffering in this world cannot be compared to the reward of glory in eternity. 

So, when we come up later to venerate the Cross, we acknowledge that it is the Cross of suffering and pain. 

But because of Jesus, we believe that the cross will also lead us to life and salvation.

So, we will accept the Cross, and we will carry it and follow Jesus.

Holy Thursday 17.04.2025

Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14 / 1 Cor 11:23-26 / John 13:1-15 

The Sacred Paschal Triduum begins with the Mass of the Lord's Supper. 

So, it would be expected that the readings be focused on the institution of the Eucharist. 

Well, the 1st reading talks about how the Passover came about. 

The 2nd reading mentions about the institution of the Eucharist. 

The gospel began with Jesus having the Passover meal with His disciples. 

It was to be His Last Supper with His disciples. 

In that Last Supper, Jesus changed everything and turned it into the institution of the Eucharist. 

But in the gospel, there was no mention of the consecration of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ. 

Rather, the gospel mentioned that during supper, Jesus did something surprising. 

He got up, took a basin and towel, and began to wash the feet of His disciples. 

All attention was focused on the washing of the feet, which will be re-enacted later. 

From the sacred and holy Eucharist, the attention went down to the lowly feet. 

But that also makes us think about our feet. 

We may not like to show our feet for some reason. 

The feet are meant for the floor, and not raised up, unless it is an act of insult. 

But the washing of the feet makes us think about the connection of the Eucharist and our feet. 

The Eucharist is the love of God for us. 

As we receive that love in the Eucharist, it has to go down all the way in service to the lowly, the poor and the needy. 

We need not wash their feet, but we share with them God's love, so that they can get back on their feet and move on with hope. 

When we understand that, then we understand God's love for us in the Eucharist, and we also understand what Jesus, our Master and Lord, has done for us.

Wednesday of Holy Week, 16-04-2025

Isaiah 50:4-9 / Matthew 26:14-25  

A person who has integrity is a person who is honest and sincere.

He keeps to his word and has strong moral principles which he will stand firmly on.

Such a person commands the respect of others and he can be trusted when there are tough decisions to be made.

Jesus came to show us what integrity is and how it is expressed.

He already knew that Judas was going to betray him.

Yet, Jesus did not expose the evil intention of Judas.

Rather, He tried to hint to Judas that betrayal brings about destruction in relationships.

But Judas was indifferent to the persuasive hints of Jesus to come to his senses.

Still, Jesus showed His integrity by not accusing or exposing Judas.

In life, it is difficult to be upright and virtuous in the face of betrayal, slanders and other bad things that are done to us.

But let us keep our focus on Jesus who will come to our aid in the face of insults and false accusations. 

Yes, Jesus is our vindicator who will reward us for keeping to our integrity.

Tuesday of Holy Week, 15-04-2025

Isaiah 49:1-6 /John 13:21-33, 36-38 

One of the spiritual things that we might have thought of doing for the season of Lent is to give up something.

What comes to mind will be our pleasures and desires and other bad habits and practices.

So it might be giving up drinking or smoking, or giving up a meal a day, or going on a bread-and-water diet.

But whatever we might think of giving up, we would not likely ever think of giving up our life for someone.

Even giving up something of our own for another person is already difficult.

When Jesus decided to give up His life to save sinners, not only was there no appreciation, rather, He faced rejection.

And it came from one of His disciples who will betray Him.

Though Peter said that he will lay down his life, Jesus knew that when it comes to the test, each will be for himself.

Yes, when it comes to the test, we will rather save ourselves than to lay down our lives for others.

We might think it is not worth it to make the sacrifice, or to be charitable, or to give way.

But as the 1st reading tells us, we will not toil in vain, nor will we exhaust ourselves for nothing.

Because God knows, and He will be our strength and our reward.

And when we offer up our lives to God for the good of others, let us also remember what Jesus said: the person who gives up his life for the sake of Jesus will save it.

Monday of Holy Week, 14-04-2025

Isaiah 42:1-7 / John 12:1-11   

As we enter into Holy Week, we enter into a week that stirs up emotions.

Holy Week can be called a week of emotions.

In the gospel passage, Mary did something that was rather difficult to comprehend.

She brought in a pound of very costly ointment, pure nard, and with it anointed the feet of Jesus, wiping them with her hair.

Besides the house being full of the scent of the ointment, it was also full of reactions of the people in the house.

Judas Iscariot was first to react with criticism about the cost of ointment, but that was because he had other motives about the money.

The reply of Jesus was rather baffling, as He talked about His burial.

As for the chief priests, they not only wanted to kill Jesus, they even wanted to do away with Lazarus as well.

All these dramatic incidents are heavy with emotions.

But the 1st reading brings us to focus on Jesus, who is the central figure in Holy Week.

Jesus is appointed by God as the covenant of the people and the light of the nations.

He will open our eyes and free us from darkness.

Let us keep our focus on Jesus and feel His love for us as we journey on into Holy Week.