Acts 4:13-21 / Mark 16:9-15 (2020)
To see and hear the truth, to encounter the truth, does not necessarily mean that a person is bound to believe in the truth.
Back in 1969 when man landed on the moon, some people thought that the transmissions from the space capsule were some kind of Hollywood movie.
But still the truth cannot be denied and the truth will prevail.
In the 1st reading, the rulers, elders, scribes and the Sanhedrin had seen that a miracle had indeed happened.
But their incredulity and obstinacy prevented them from admitting it and accepting it.
Even in the gospel, Jesus had to reproach His disciples for their incredulity and obstinacy.
But yet the truth cannot be denied or pushed aside, and the truth will prevail.
But the truth will prevail and be accepted only when the proclaimers of the truth bear witness to the truth with love.
The truth of the resurrection is that God loves Jesus and raised Him from the dead.
We too can overcome unbelief by bearing witness to the truth with love.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Easter Octave, Friday, 29-04-11
Acts 4:1-12 / John 21:1-14
Typically speaking, there are three meals a day - breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Of the three meals, dinner gives the most relaxing mood.
The day has come to an end, everyone is back home for this meal, it is a time not just to eat, but to relate, to relax and to recreate.
These moods were apparent during the Last Supper.
That was why when Jesus talked about betrayal, everyone was disturbed. It was not the occasion to talk about such things.
Dinner time, or supper time, is supposed to be a relaxing and enjoyable time.
On the other hand, breakfast signals the start of the day.
Even as we take breakfast, we are already thinking about the day ahead, the tasks at hand, the appointments, the schedules, etc.
We are all familiar with the Last Supper. The gospel of today tells us of another important meal Jesus had with His disciples - the Last Breakfast.
And indeed, it was a working breakfast, and the agenda is obvious - the catch of 153 fish to symbolize the nations of the world; the unbroken net to symbolize the universality of the Church; the meal of bread and fish to symbolize the Eucharist.
Like the disciples, we are also reminded of this agenda every time we come to the Eucharist.
The Risen Christ sits among us and gives Himself to us as our spiritual food.
May we in turn be the spiritual food for others.
Typically speaking, there are three meals a day - breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Of the three meals, dinner gives the most relaxing mood.
The day has come to an end, everyone is back home for this meal, it is a time not just to eat, but to relate, to relax and to recreate.
These moods were apparent during the Last Supper.
That was why when Jesus talked about betrayal, everyone was disturbed. It was not the occasion to talk about such things.
Dinner time, or supper time, is supposed to be a relaxing and enjoyable time.
On the other hand, breakfast signals the start of the day.
Even as we take breakfast, we are already thinking about the day ahead, the tasks at hand, the appointments, the schedules, etc.
We are all familiar with the Last Supper. The gospel of today tells us of another important meal Jesus had with His disciples - the Last Breakfast.
And indeed, it was a working breakfast, and the agenda is obvious - the catch of 153 fish to symbolize the nations of the world; the unbroken net to symbolize the universality of the Church; the meal of bread and fish to symbolize the Eucharist.
Like the disciples, we are also reminded of this agenda every time we come to the Eucharist.
The Risen Christ sits among us and gives Himself to us as our spiritual food.
May we in turn be the spiritual food for others.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Easter Octave, Thursday, 28-04-11
Acts 3:11-26 / Luke 24:35-48 (2019)
Today's readings underscore three interwoven aspects of our lives as Christians.
Firstly, there is the reality of the resurrection.
Jesus had to say quite a bit to convince His disciples of the reality of His resurrection - Touch me, I have flesh and bones. I am not a ghost. Yes I am risen. And I can even eat fish.
Secondly, there is the necessity of the cross. The Christ would have to suffer and die and then rise from the dead.
And thirdly, there is this urgency to proclaim repentance and forgiveness of sins.
However in life, that order somehow becomes a little different.
Firstly, we must feel the urgency for repentance of our sins, whether it is because of grave illness or some close shaves in life.
We must long for that freedom to be forgiven and to forgive others too.
But that urgency and longing can only come about when we face the cross.
Because the cross challenges us to turn away from sin, to empty out our selfishness and to pour out our lives for others.
There is no other way to experience the reality of the resurrection except through the way of the cross.
So whenever we choose the cross, we choose what is now, and that is the life of freedom, and we also choose what is beyond, and that is the life of the resurrection.
Today's readings underscore three interwoven aspects of our lives as Christians.
Firstly, there is the reality of the resurrection.
Jesus had to say quite a bit to convince His disciples of the reality of His resurrection - Touch me, I have flesh and bones. I am not a ghost. Yes I am risen. And I can even eat fish.
Secondly, there is the necessity of the cross. The Christ would have to suffer and die and then rise from the dead.
And thirdly, there is this urgency to proclaim repentance and forgiveness of sins.
However in life, that order somehow becomes a little different.
Firstly, we must feel the urgency for repentance of our sins, whether it is because of grave illness or some close shaves in life.
We must long for that freedom to be forgiven and to forgive others too.
But that urgency and longing can only come about when we face the cross.
Because the cross challenges us to turn away from sin, to empty out our selfishness and to pour out our lives for others.
There is no other way to experience the reality of the resurrection except through the way of the cross.
So whenever we choose the cross, we choose what is now, and that is the life of freedom, and we also choose what is beyond, and that is the life of the resurrection.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Easter Octave, Wednesday, 27-04-11
Acts 3:1-10 / Lk 24:13-35
It might sound strange to hear this, but in order to recognize the Risen Christ, our eyes must be opened by Him.
It's just like what we heard in the gospel, that the eyes of the two disciples were opened at the breaking of bread and they recognized Jesus.
Even from the other gospel accounts, the Risen Christ was not immediately recognized.
To Mary Magdalene, He was a gardener. To the disciples in the upper room, He was a ghost. To the disciples at the lake of Galilee, He was a stranger on the shore. To the two disciples on the way to Emmaus, He was a lonely traveller.
But after their eyes were opened, the disciples saw every situation and every experience as a "risen" situation. In other words, every situation and experience was filled with the presence of the Risen Lord.
In the 1st reading, Peter and John saw that the crippled man needed more than just financial assistance. In fact they may have none to give him.
But out of the mouth of Peter came these precious words - I have neither silver or gold, but I will give you what I have: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, walk!
We have come and gathered at the altar of the Lord to hear His Word and to have our eyes opened again at the breaking of bread.
May our hearts burn with God's love and may we see the presence of the Risen Christ in every person, experience and situation.
And in the name of Jesus Christ our Risen Lord, let us walk on in faith and bring His love to others.
It might sound strange to hear this, but in order to recognize the Risen Christ, our eyes must be opened by Him.
It's just like what we heard in the gospel, that the eyes of the two disciples were opened at the breaking of bread and they recognized Jesus.
Even from the other gospel accounts, the Risen Christ was not immediately recognized.
To Mary Magdalene, He was a gardener. To the disciples in the upper room, He was a ghost. To the disciples at the lake of Galilee, He was a stranger on the shore. To the two disciples on the way to Emmaus, He was a lonely traveller.
But after their eyes were opened, the disciples saw every situation and every experience as a "risen" situation. In other words, every situation and experience was filled with the presence of the Risen Lord.
In the 1st reading, Peter and John saw that the crippled man needed more than just financial assistance. In fact they may have none to give him.
But out of the mouth of Peter came these precious words - I have neither silver or gold, but I will give you what I have: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, walk!
We have come and gathered at the altar of the Lord to hear His Word and to have our eyes opened again at the breaking of bread.
May our hearts burn with God's love and may we see the presence of the Risen Christ in every person, experience and situation.
And in the name of Jesus Christ our Risen Lord, let us walk on in faith and bring His love to others.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Tuesday within Easter Octave, 26-04-11
Acts 2:36-43 / John 20:11-18 (2021 / 2023)
The gospel began with Mary staying outside the tomb weeping.
The gospel ends with Mary of Magdala going forth to tell the disciples that she had seen the Lord.
In between, something very personal, something very intimate, happened to Mary.
She heard the Risen Lord call her by her name, and she responded in Hebrew, her mother tongue, a language that was most intimate to her.
Before that, she was a broken person - weeping, grieving and lost.
But the experience of the Risen Lord gave her back her identity and a mission; she was Mary of Magdala and she had seen the Lord.
Similarly, the Peter who spoke on the day of Pentecost was a different person from the one who denied Jesus three times and wept.
Something happens when people experience the Risen Lord. They regain their identity and find a new purpose and mission in life.
So when we feel that life has come to a standstill, our dreams are broken, and we have more fears than hopes, the Risen Lord comes to us.
He calls out to us just as He called Mary. Mary responded with her heart.
We can't be always standing outside the tomb of emptiness or the tombs of pleasure, wealth and power and sin.
The Risen Lord calls us by our names. Let us respond with our hearts so that our lives can have a meaning and a mission.
The gospel began with Mary staying outside the tomb weeping.
The gospel ends with Mary of Magdala going forth to tell the disciples that she had seen the Lord.
In between, something very personal, something very intimate, happened to Mary.
She heard the Risen Lord call her by her name, and she responded in Hebrew, her mother tongue, a language that was most intimate to her.
Before that, she was a broken person - weeping, grieving and lost.
But the experience of the Risen Lord gave her back her identity and a mission; she was Mary of Magdala and she had seen the Lord.
Similarly, the Peter who spoke on the day of Pentecost was a different person from the one who denied Jesus three times and wept.
Something happens when people experience the Risen Lord. They regain their identity and find a new purpose and mission in life.
So when we feel that life has come to a standstill, our dreams are broken, and we have more fears than hopes, the Risen Lord comes to us.
He calls out to us just as He called Mary. Mary responded with her heart.
We can't be always standing outside the tomb of emptiness or the tombs of pleasure, wealth and power and sin.
The Risen Lord calls us by our names. Let us respond with our hearts so that our lives can have a meaning and a mission.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Monday within Easter Octave, 25-04-11
Acts 2:14, 22-33 / Matthew 28:8-15 (2021 / 2023)
For the past 6 weeks of the season of Lent and especially over the Holy Triduum, we had gone through a flurry of activities.
There were Stations of the Cross on Fridays, and fasting and abstinence and penance, and Reconciliation services in the parishes.
All these makes the season of Lent seem like a very busy time.
Now that the season of Easter is here, it seems that so much has been scaled down and there is nothing much to do.
Yes, there is actually nothing much to do. We are just like the disciples who also do not know what to do when they heard the news of the resurrection.
In fact the ones who were scurrying about trying to do something were the guards and the elders, as we heard in the gospel.
They had to do something to cover up the truth. But the truth can never be concealed or suppressed. And that is the power of the resurrection.
As we heard Peter say in the 1st reading - You killed Him, but God raised Him up life, freeing Him from the pangs of Hades, for it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.
The power of the resurrection will lead us to the truth. We just have to let go of our sinfulness and false securities and let God raise us up to life.
For the past 6 weeks of the season of Lent and especially over the Holy Triduum, we had gone through a flurry of activities.
There were Stations of the Cross on Fridays, and fasting and abstinence and penance, and Reconciliation services in the parishes.
All these makes the season of Lent seem like a very busy time.
Now that the season of Easter is here, it seems that so much has been scaled down and there is nothing much to do.
Yes, there is actually nothing much to do. We are just like the disciples who also do not know what to do when they heard the news of the resurrection.
In fact the ones who were scurrying about trying to do something were the guards and the elders, as we heard in the gospel.
They had to do something to cover up the truth. But the truth can never be concealed or suppressed. And that is the power of the resurrection.
As we heard Peter say in the 1st reading - You killed Him, but God raised Him up life, freeing Him from the pangs of Hades, for it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.
The power of the resurrection will lead us to the truth. We just have to let go of our sinfulness and false securities and let God raise us up to life.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Holy Thursday 21-04-2011
Exodus 12:1-2, 1-8, 11-14/ 1 Corinthians 11:23-26/ John 13:1-15
Today we begin the Holy Triduum with the commemoration of the Lord’s Supper, which was actually the Institution of the Holy Eucharist.
Today is called Holy Thursday. Some of us may remember that it is also called Maundy Thursday.
That word “Maundy” is derived from the Latin word “mandatum” which means mandate.
It refers to the new commandment of love that Jesus gave to His apostles at the Last Supper.
Jesus also instituted the Holy Eucharist and He commanded His apostles to do likewise when He said: Do this in memory of me.
Yet the strange thing is that the gospel we have just heard did not mention anything about Jesus consecrating bread and wine into His body and blood.
Instead there is this intriguing account of Jesus washing the feet of His disciples.
The account began by saying that Jesus had always loved those who were His, and now He showed how perfect His love was.
He got up, took a towel, poured water into a basin and then washed His disciples’ feet.
So, how would washing His disciples’ feet show how great His love was?
Well, for one, let us remember that it was not just the Master washing His disciples’ feet.
It was God washing man’s feet!
It was literally an out-of-this-world act of humility.
Yes, it was certainly out of this world. Yet it was as downright as an act that was out of the will.
In other words, Jesus was willing to wash His disciples’ feet. He was willing and that’s what make it loving.
Similarly, He was willing to give us His body and blood, and that’s what makes the Eucharist so loving.
In the simple humble act of washing the feet, Jesus showed us what the Eucharist is all about and what our service should be like.
Indeed, Jesus has always loved us and He showed us how deep His love is and how willingly He loved us, even to accepting death on the cross.
So later, let us spend the rest of the evening with Jesus at the Altar of Repose.
Let us stay with Jesus in His agony in the garden.
Let us recall the words of Jesus: Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass me by. Nevertheless, let Your will be done, not mine.
Jesus willingly washed His disciples’ feet. Jesus willingly gave us His body and blood.
We only need to understand this – in order to do it lovingly, we must first do it willingly.
In short, we must be willingly to love. Jesus gave us the example and the mandate. Let us humbly and willingly do it.
Today we begin the Holy Triduum with the commemoration of the Lord’s Supper, which was actually the Institution of the Holy Eucharist.
Today is called Holy Thursday. Some of us may remember that it is also called Maundy Thursday.
That word “Maundy” is derived from the Latin word “mandatum” which means mandate.
It refers to the new commandment of love that Jesus gave to His apostles at the Last Supper.
Jesus also instituted the Holy Eucharist and He commanded His apostles to do likewise when He said: Do this in memory of me.
Yet the strange thing is that the gospel we have just heard did not mention anything about Jesus consecrating bread and wine into His body and blood.
Instead there is this intriguing account of Jesus washing the feet of His disciples.
The account began by saying that Jesus had always loved those who were His, and now He showed how perfect His love was.
He got up, took a towel, poured water into a basin and then washed His disciples’ feet.
So, how would washing His disciples’ feet show how great His love was?
Well, for one, let us remember that it was not just the Master washing His disciples’ feet.
It was God washing man’s feet!
It was literally an out-of-this-world act of humility.
Yes, it was certainly out of this world. Yet it was as downright as an act that was out of the will.
In other words, Jesus was willing to wash His disciples’ feet. He was willing and that’s what make it loving.
Similarly, He was willing to give us His body and blood, and that’s what makes the Eucharist so loving.
In the simple humble act of washing the feet, Jesus showed us what the Eucharist is all about and what our service should be like.
Indeed, Jesus has always loved us and He showed us how deep His love is and how willingly He loved us, even to accepting death on the cross.
So later, let us spend the rest of the evening with Jesus at the Altar of Repose.
Let us stay with Jesus in His agony in the garden.
Let us recall the words of Jesus: Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass me by. Nevertheless, let Your will be done, not mine.
Jesus willingly washed His disciples’ feet. Jesus willingly gave us His body and blood.
We only need to understand this – in order to do it lovingly, we must first do it willingly.
In short, we must be willingly to love. Jesus gave us the example and the mandate. Let us humbly and willingly do it.
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