April 26, 2014 - Easter Saturday Mass Readings and Reflection - The Command To Preach

They returned and told the others; but they did not believe them either. – Mark 16:13

FACT OR FICTION

      Once, a friend and I were talking about how quickly technology has developed. Things that used to be the stuff of science fiction movies are ordinary things to us today.

       Just take the example of using Skype or Facetime where you see the person you’re speaking to on your smart phone. Weren’t those things we saw only in cartoons just a few short years ago? I remember Mommy telling me that when she was young, going to the moon was make-believe, something they read about in the comics, Buck Rogers. I thought that, maybe, flying to the moon was as impossible for them as time traveling is to us today.

       Yes, things that were impossible in yesteryears are not just possible but ordinary in our times. So will we still doubt Jesus when He says, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God”?

       Friend, I’ve learned one thing in my walk of faith. If my faith can see it, then God can engineer it to reality. After all, “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen” (Hebrews 11:1). Rissa Singson-Kawpeng

1^ST READING 

 

 

The Jewish authorities are worried about the miracles of Peter and John because they threaten their authority among the people. If Peter and John can work miracles like this, the people will not take long in following the rest of the creed of the Gospel. This is narrow-mindedness but it is too often the way that “old” leaders think. We need to be open to the new things that the Holy Spirit always wants to do in our midst. Let us never be threatened by the graces God gives to others; let us always rejoice in them. 

 

Acts 4:13-21

13 Observing the boldness of Peter and John and perceiving them to be uneducated, ordinary men, the leaders, elders and scribes were amazed, and they recognized them as the companions of Jesus. 14 Then when they saw the man who had been cured standing there with them, they could say nothing in reply. 15 So they ordered them to leave the Sanhedrin, and conferred with one another, saying, 16 “What are we to do with these men? Everyone living in Jerusalem knows that a remarkable sign was done through them, and we cannot deny it. 17 But so that it may not be spread any further among the people, let us give them a stern warning never again to speak to anyone in this name.” 18 So they called them back and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 Peter and John, however, said to them in reply, “Whether it is right in the sight of God for us to obey you rather than God, you be the judges. 20 It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard.” 21 After threatening them further, they released them, finding no way to punish them, on account of the people who were all praising God for what had happened.

 

 

 

P S A L M

 

 

Psalm 118:1, 14-15, 16-18, 19-21

R: I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me.

1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever. 14 My strength and my courage is the Lord, and he has been my savior. 15 The joyful shout of victory in the tents of the just. (R) 16 “The right hand of the Lord is exalted; the right hand of the Lord has struck with power.” 17 I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord. 18 Though the Lord has indeed chastised me, yet he has not delivered me to death. (R)19 Open to me the gates of justice; I will enter them and give thanks to the Lord. 20 This is the gate of the Lord; the just shall enter it. 21 I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me and have been my savior. (R)

GOSPEL

 

 

We will probably doubt our faith at one time or another. Let us pray that they will never be serious doubts. We struggle to accept aspects of our lives, particularly when it comes to suffering. However, this is often where God’s Spirit is at His most powerful. Let us pray for the faith to trust in the goodness

of God, no matter what our experience may be at the time.

 

Mark 16:9-15

9 When Jesus had risen, early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. 10 She went and told his companions who were mourning and weeping. 11 When they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe. 12 After this he appeared in another form to two of them walking along on their way to the country. 13 They returned and told the others; but they did not believe them either. 14 But later, as the Eleven were at table, he appeared to them and rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart because they had not believed those who saw him after he had been raised. 15 He said to them, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.”

REFLECTION

 

THE VALUE OF UNBELIEF

 

We are about to end the Easter Octave, our one-week, eight-day celebration of the resurrection appearances of Jesus. We surveyed these stories of sightings of Jesus risen and alive, as written in the various Gospel accounts. Now we read from the longer ending to the Gospel of Mark. Although Bible scholars agree that these verses did not come from the original writer of the oldest Gospel, and that these verses could have been the work of a writer from the second century, the Church during the Council of Trent declared these verses as part of the inspired work. In content, these verses render a summary of resurrection stories we read elsewhere, with greater detail in Luke 24 and John 20.

       After all the Gospel stories about Jesus showing Himself as definitely resurrected, the reading today tells us of the unbelief and hardness of heart of many of the disciples. Jesus rebuked this attitude of His followers, but He also ended up commissioning them to go and preach His Good News to all.

       On one hand, the highlighted unbeliefs of the disciples served a purpose. With this we are sure that the story of Jesus’ rising from the dead could not have been an invention and concoction of the first Christians. On the other hand, the early Christians had to be convinced with great proofs and with strong prodding from Jesus Himself.

       A few years back, I came to know a “blue mason.” I believe that is how neophyte masons are referred to. Though in that state, he was also actively serving in his parish. He came to me with many questions. He also expressed to me his doubts about various things, religious and spiritual. I listened. I tried to provide him with answers as best as I could. Above all, since he was active in Church, I told him to bring all his questions to prayer, and to ask for the wisdom of the Holy Spirit. Now, having gone through it, he is more convinced of his faith in God and in the Church. Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

"When I am in doubt, fill me with Your wisdom, Holy Spirit."

 

 

 

Source: http://kerygmafamily.com/modules/dailyreadings/read.php?date=2014-04-26

April 25, 2014 - Easter Friday Mass Readings and Reflection - Encounter At Lake Tiberias

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved. – Acts 4:12

NAMES

        “Just do it!” is a popular slogan for an equally popular brand name, Nike. Not many know that Nike was a struggling athletic shoe company until it became associated with arguably the greatest basketball player of all time, Michael Jordan. Michael Jordan made Nike so big that they came up with his own line, the Air Jordan. Like Nike, the Chicago Bulls that Michael Jordan played for in his heyday became a household name because of him. They won six championships with Jordan at the helm. It can be said that the name Michael Jordan is synonymous to basketball, the Chicago Bulls and Nike.

       What’s in a name? It is the reference by which an object or person is identified or recognized. Today’s reading reminds us that for us who believe in Jesus, His name is everything! Only through His name are we saved. And Jesus Himself, acknowledging the power that His name possesses, declares that anything we ask in His name, He will do for us!

       In the game of basketball, the name Jordan may be the king, but in the game of life, the name Jesus is the King of kings! In His name. Amen! Erwin Roceles

1^ST READING 

 

 

Today is the feast day of St. Mark, but we do not celebrate it as we continue to celebrate the Solemnity of the Resurrection of Christ. Mark’s Gospel is a work that has come out of a faith community very soon after the death of Jesus. Yes, Mark writes it, but it really expresses the experience of his community of faith. Let us allow the Holy Spirit to write a new gospel in terms of how our faith develops as we follow Jesus.

 

Acts 4:1-12

1 After the crippled man had been cured, while Peter and John were still speaking to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple guard, and the Sadducees confronted them, 2 disturbed that they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. 3 They laid hands on Peter and John and put them in custody until the next day, since it was already evening. 4 But many of those who heard the word came to believe and the number of men grew to about five thousand. 5 On the next day, their leaders, elders, and scribes were assembled in Jerusalem, 6 with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly class. 7 They brought them into their presence and questioned them, “By what power or by what name have you done this?” 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, answered them, “Leaders of the people and elders: 9 If we are being examined today about a good deed done to a cripple, namely, by what means he was saved, 10 then all of you and all the people of Israel should know that it was in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead; in his name this man stands before you healed. 11 He is the ‘stone rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.’ 12 There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved.”

 

 

 

P S A L M 

 

 

Psalm 118:1-2, 4, 22-24, 25-27

R: The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.

1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever. 2 Let the house of Israel say, “His mercy endures forever.” 4 Let those who fear the Lord say, “His mercy endures forever.” (R) 22 The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. 23 By the Lord has this been done; it is wonderful in our eyes. 24 This is the day the Lord has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it. (R) 25 O Lord, grant salvation! O Lord, grant prosperity! 26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; we bless you from the house of the Lord. 27 The Lord is God, and he has given us light. (R)

 

GOSPEL

 

 

Jesus continues to appear to His disciples. He knows that these appearances are important to instill the truth of the resurrection in the minds and hearts of the Apostles so that when they meet adversity in proclaiming the resurrection they will not falter in their faith. This is also why we should remember the graces God has given us — so that we will never doubt His goodness to us or His presence in our lives.

 

 

John 21:1-14

1 Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. He revealed himself in this way. 2 Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, Zebedee’s sons, and two others of his disciples. 3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We also will come with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. 4 When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore; but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus said to them, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?” They answered him, “No.” 6 So he said to them, “Cast the net over the right side of the boat and you will find something.” So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in because of the number of fish. 7 So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad, and jumped into the sea. 8 The other disciples came in the boat, for they were not far from shore, only about a hundred yards, dragging the net with the fish. 9 When they climbed out on shore, they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore full of one hundred fifty-three large fish. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come, have breakfast.” And none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they realized it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them, and in like manner the fish. 14 This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to his disciples after being raised from the dead.

REFLECTION

“IT IS THE LORD”

 

     The disciples were down, discouraged and incomplete. They numbered seven, instead of Twelve. They went out fishing the whole night and caught nothing. But when Jesus came and directed their efforts and their drooping spirits, John the evangelist writes: “They caught much, and they caught 153 large fish” (v. 11). Amidst the big catch, their net was not torn.

       The exact number of 153 for the catch of large fish is believed to be symbolic. According to St. Jerome, the Greek zoologists catalogued a total of 153 species of fish (cf also Ezekiel 47:10; Psalm 104:24-25). This was believed to be the universal number of the variety of fish available in the earth’s seas.

       This periscope can mean two things:

       1. The mission is universal. The Apostles were to work not just for the salvation of a few, like the Jews as a selected class. They are being sent for the fulfillment of God’s reign among all peoples. To use the parlance of the Gospel, the Apostles were to be fishers of all men.

       2. The success of the mission is Jesus’ gift. Not the number of the disciples, not the passion and hard work of the disciples alone, not that the disciples were deserving. The Spirit of Jesus present and working in the midst of the disciples, and in spite of their limitedness, is the true dynamo. The beloved disciple declared it right: “It is the Lord.” Fr. Domie Guzman, SS

 "Thank You, Lord, for Your presence during moments of darkness in my life. Thank You for making all things well. "

 Source:  http://kerygmafamily.com/modules/dailyreadings/read.php?date=2014-04-25

April 24, 2014 - Easter Thursday Mass Readings and Reflection - Jesus Appears To His Disciples

“Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds?” – Luke 24:38

ABANDON SHIP

We were rafting in the vast Mongolian outback when all of a sudden the darkest clouds descended on our parade. Soon, we were twisting, turning, hitting rocks of all sizes left and right, freezing in our totally-penetrable-by-wind-and-water attire, with no cell phone in our possession, and no public transport or even people (only horses!) in sight. Instead of powering through torrential rain and rough waters for over 10 kilometers, we decided to cut our rafting adventure short and abandon our raft, hoping to God that somehow, some Good Samaritan would help us find our way back to our in-the-middleof-nowhere camp.

       It took a while, but in spite of physical and mental exhaustion and the huge language barrier, help did eventually come. We just had to stay strong against the doubts that were  rising in our minds.

       The same is true with every challenge that comes our way. No matter how bleak our situation may be, we can trust that our perseverance and faith will always be rewarded in the long run. We may have to abandon ship, but we should never abandon hope! Ria Macasaet

1^ST READING 

 

 

Peter is just as surprised as everyone else at the healing of the cripple. This story ought to bring great confidence to us when we ask God to work miracles in our lives. He has done it before and He will do it again. The biggest lesson here is one of trust. Peter trusted that God would hear his prayer and act upon it. Do we trust that God will hear our prayers and act upon them?

 

Acts 3:11-26

11 As the crippled man who had been cured clung to Peter and John, all the people hurried in amazement toward them in the portico called “Solomon’s Portico.” 12 When Peter saw this, he addressed the people, “You children of Israel, why are you amazed at this, and why do you look so intently at us as if we had made him walk by our own power or piety? 13 The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus whom you handed over and denied in Pilate’s presence, when he had decided to release him. 14 You denied the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. 15 The author of life you put to death, but God raised him from the dead; of this we are witnesses. 16 And by faith in his name, this man, whom you see and know, his name has made strong, and the faith that comes through it has given him this perfect health, in the presence of all of you. 17 Now I know, brothers and sisters, that you acted out of ignorance, just as your leaders did; 18 but God has thus brought to fulfillment what he had announced beforehand through the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer. 19 Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away, 20 and that the Lord may grant you times of refreshment and send you the Christ already appointed for you, Jesus, 21 whom heaven must receive until the times of universal restoration of which God spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old. 22 For Moses said: ‘A prophet like me will the Lord, your God, raise up for you from among your own kin; to him you shall listen in all that he may say to you. 23 Everyone who does not listen to that prophet will be cut off from the people.’ 24 Moreover, all the prophets who spoke, from Samuel and those afterwards, also announced these days. 25 You are the children of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your ancestors when he said to Abraham, ‘In your offspring all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ 26 For you first, God raised up his servant and sent him to bless you by turning each of you from your evil ways.”

 

P S A L M

 

 

Psalm 8:2, 5, 6-7, 8-9

R: O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!

1 [2] O Lord, our Lord, how glorious is your name over all the earth! 4 [5] What is man that you should be mindful of him, or the son of man that you should care for him? (R) 5 [6] You have made him little less than the angels, and crowned him with glory and honor. 6 [7] You have given him rule over the works of your hands, putting all things under his feet. (R) 7 [8] All sheep and oxen, yes, and the beasts of the field, 8 [9] the birds of the air, the fishes of the sea, and whatever swims the paths of the seas. (R)

 

 

 

GOSPEL

 

 

Jesus is always in our midst. He promised that we will never be orphaned. It is important that we believe this in order to open up our faith to a new degree. If we believe that Jesus is beside us in all that we do, we will be empowered to a degree that we will find difficult to comprehend. The power of God is beyond what we can imagine. Let us allow ourselves to be instruments of God’s grace in the world.

 

Luke 24:35-48

35 The disciples of Jesus recounted what had taken place along the way, and how they had come to recognize him in the breaking of bread. 36 While they were still speaking about this, he stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 37 But they were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a ghost. 38 Then he said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts? 39 Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have.” 40 And as he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41 While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed, he asked them, “Have you anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of baked fish; 43 he took it and ate it in front of them. 44 He said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. 46 And he said to them, “Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day 47 and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things.”

REFLECTION

 

THE PROMISE OF THE FATHER

 

 

    The Paschal Mystery is primarily a celebration of the most important and central Jesus events. These events center around the mystery of the cross, and they particularly include the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus. Of these events, the resurrection opened the grave for Jesus to come out in glory; it also opened something more important — the gates of heaven. By rising victoriously from death, Jesus defeats the power of evil and makes it possible for us to enter into a new level of intimacy with God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Even in the way we celebrate the Church’s liturgy, Easter leads us to Pentecost — the Feast of the Holy Spirit — and to the solemn feast of the Blessed Trinity.

       The mystery of the incarnation, when Jesus the Word became enfleshed in the womb of the Blessed Mother through the Holy Spirit, unites heaven to earth. Now, the paschal mystery opens heaven for the earth.

       Our belief in the resurrection of Jesus is not just a message of hope and salvation. The event of the resurrection is not just the great proof of the true faith that we profess. The resurrection of Jesus stirs us to see beyond — to have transcendence — far above the mundane and material concerns that we need to face.

       We are made for heaven and we are but pilgrims on earth. We are destined to be with God and not just to live as mortals in pitiable state. Our citizenship is in heaven — and whatever life we live on earth, we are all “resident aliens” in this part of life. Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

"Lord, help me to never give up hope, especially when it’s so easy to do. And help me to live each day with heaven as my goal."

Source:  http://kerygmafamily.com/modules/dailyreadings/read.php?date=2014-04-24

April 23, 2014 - Easter Wednesday Mass Readings and Reflection - Jesus Appeared At Emmaus

“Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” – Luke 24:29

STAY WITH US

      Dusk, the darkest part of twilight, is the saddest part of the day for Mom. She told me that she’d purposely leave the office early in the afternoon or late in the evening but never at dusk. She didn’t want to see the day end.

       I can’t recall having seen a dusky sky so I googled for images. One was a photo of a shoreline where the sun seemed to be hiding behind the foliage, its bright light subdued to a golden hue. It did make me feel a tinge of sadness. Like Mom, I didn’t want to be on my own as darkness overshadows light.

       The two disciples who invited Jesus to stay with them must have felt the same way. Even if they didn’t recognize Him, dusk was upon them and maybe they were concerned about their guest having to continue His journey at night. Then at the breaking of the bread, it dawned upon them. It was Jesus. He stayed and kept the two disciples company.

       In darkness and in light, at dusk until dawn, Jesus is with us. We only have to look closely to see Him in the dark moments of our sorrows and in the stark brightness of our joys. True to His name, Emmanuel, He promises to stay with us every moment of our lives. Dina Pecaña

Easter Wednesday

1^ST READING

There are times in our Christian lives when we do not know how to respond to a particular situation. This is OK as long as we do not despair. I am sure the Apostles faced impossible situations all the time. Here, Peter and John demonstrate what we should do — have faith and call on the Holy Spirit to transform the situation. If we learn to do this more often, we will begin to see more miracles, as it will be the grace of God at work and not just our own strength and power.

Acts 3:1-10

1 Peter and John were going up to the temple area for the three o’clock hour of prayer. 2 And a man crippled from birth was carried and placed at the gate of the temple called “the Beautiful Gate” every day to beg for alms from the people who entered the temple. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked for alms. 4 But Peter looked intently at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” 5 He paid attention to them, expecting to receive something from them. 6 Peter said, “I have neither silver nor gold, but what I do have I give you: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, rise and walk.” 7 Then Peter took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles grew strong. 8 He leaped up, stood, and walked around, and went into the temple with them, walking and jumping and praising God. 9 When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 they recognized him as the one who used to sit begging at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, and they were filled with amazement and astonishment at what had happened to him.

P S A L M 

Psalm 105:1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8-9

R: Rejoice, O hearts that seek the Lord.

1 Give thanks to the Lord, invoke his name; make known among the nations his deeds. 2 Sing to him, sing his praise, proclaim all his wondrous deeds. (R) 3 Glory in his holy name; rejoice, O hearts that seek the Lord! 4 Look to the Lord in his strength; seek to serve him constantly. (R) 6 You descendants of Abraham, his servants, sons of Jacob, his chosen ones! 7 He, the Lord, is our God; throughout the earth his judgments prevail. (R) 8 He remembers forever his covenant which he made binding for a thousand generations—9 which he entered into with Abraham and by his oath to Isaac. (R)

GOSPEL

The death of Jesus without His resurrection is cause for despair. There is no reason to have any hope if death has the final say. But it does not. This is what we celebrate at Easter. No matter how hidden Jesus may be in our life experience, He is there in His resurrected form. Do you believe this? If you do not, then you will easily fall into despair. If you believe that Jesus rose from the dead, then you need never despair again as you will know that God has everything in the palm of His hand.

Luke 24:13-35

13 That very day, the first day of the week, two of Jesus’ disciples were going to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus, 14 and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred. 15 And it happened that while they were conversing and debating, Jesus himself drew near and walked with them, 16 but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him. 17 He asked them, “What are you discussing as you walk along?” They stopped, looking downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know of the things that have taken place there in these days?” 19 And he replied to them, “What sort of things?” They said to him, “The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over to a sentence of death and crucified him. 21 But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel; and besides all this, it is now the third day since this took place. 22 Some women from our group, however, have astounded us: they were at the tomb early in the morning 23 and did not find his Body; they came back and reported that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who announced that he was alive. 24 Then some of those with us went to the tomb and found things just as the women had described, but him they did not see.” 25 And he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are! How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them what referred to him in all the Scriptures. 28 As they approached the village to which they were going, he gave the impression that he was going on farther. 29 But they urged him, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 And it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. 31 With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight. 32 Then they said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?” 33 So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem where they found gathered together the Eleven and those with them 34 who were saying, “The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

REFLECTION

WHILE THEY WERE CONVERSING

A poster, which became a popular item for people looking for a gift to give friends and relatives for their housewarming, goes: “Jesus Christ is the Unseen Guest of This House, the Unseen Listener in Every Conversation.” In a way, this statement applies to the experience of the two disciples in today’s Gospel. The Risen Lord Jesus was the mysterious companion in their journey and the unrecognized guru in their walking conversation.

       Through the conversation, which the two disciples have with Jesus, they later came to realize that their hearts were burning within them. Indeed, Jesus, who is Himself “The Word Incarnate,” served during His years of public ministry with words — words that gave back life, words that brought healing, words that restored peace, words that forgave, words that even nature obeyed. But even in our day and age, Jesus continues His ministry through His Word (biblical and liturgical) and through the sacraments. This is one way that He lives among us even today. When His Gospel is read and proclaimed, the Lord Jesus — whom we profess — is Himself present.

       Two things then:

       1. Let us every day and in various occasions of life — pleasant or unpleasant — read and proclaim the Gospel. Through the Gospel narrations and teachings, Jesus becomes a guest in our joys and in our moments of sorrow. Let us draw comfort, strength, healing and inspiration from Him who is risen and alive among us.

       2. Let our conversations be Spirit-filled. Let us invoke Jesus’ abiding presence in our meetings, in our table fellowships, in our dialogues. Let us invite Jesus to draw near us, so that peace and joy may always be a fulfilling fruit of every human encounter. Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

 "Lord, help me to take every occasion as an opportunity to proclaim Your Word."

Source: http://kerygmafamily.com/modules/dailyreadings/read.php?date=2014-04-23

April 22, 2014 - Tuesday Mass Readings and Reflection - Jesus' Appearance (Easter Tuesday)

Then she turned around and saw Jesus standing there; but she did not know that it was Jesus. – John 20:14

GOD IS THERE

          How often have you found yourself in such a dire situation, to the point that your vision of the future is bleak and hopeless? To the point that you’re blinded by confusion, not knowing what to do?

       I’ve been there. Several times. And like Mary Magdalene, I was so paralyzed by my own fears and doubts that I failed to see the presence of God during those dark moments. Like her, I failed to see God who was standing right in front of me, wanting to let me know that He is there for me. He’s asking me why I am so afraid and what solution I am looking for. He is asking me these questions simply because He wants me to know that He is ready to give me the answers to my questions, the solutions to my problems.

       So the next time you find yourself enveloped in darkness again, remember to listen. I even dare you to ask. Because I’m sure that God is there — ready to answer. Orange V. Garcia 

Easter Tuesday

1^ST READING 

The crucified one has become both Lord and Christ – these two titles are very important. That Jesus is “Lord” is indicative of His divinity and that He is “Christ” indicates that He is the true Messiah. This is what we celebrate in the resurrection of Jesus – that He, the Son of God, died and rose for us in order to become not just our Messiah but our Redeemer as well! This is how much He loves us – He does not want to leave us to experience the fullness of death as our sins deserve.

Acts 2:36-41

36 On the day of Pentecost, Peter said to the Jewish people, “Let the whole house of Israel know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” 37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and they asked Peter and the other Apostles, “What are we to do, my brothers?” 38 Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is made to you and to your children and to all those far off, whomever the Lord our God will call.” 40 He testified with many other arguments, and was exhorting them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand persons were added that day.

P S A L M 

Psalm 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22

R: The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.

4 Upright is the word of the Lord, and all his works are trustworthy. 5 He loves justice and right; of the kindness of the Lord the earth is full. (R) 18 See, the eyes of the Lord are upon those who fear him, upon those who hope for his kindness, 19 to deliver them from death and preserve them in spite of famine. (R) 20 Our soul waits for the Lord, who is our help and our shield. (R) 22 May your kindness, O Lord, be upon us who have put our hope in you. (R)

GOSPEL

We may well weep for the death and suffering of Jesus. However, this weeping should not be our enduring experience of Easter. Rather, it should be joy in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead; joy that we are no longer captive to the powers of sin and are now free to return to God and His presence. Let us be an Easter People, rejoicing in Jesus’ resurrection by living in the fullness of grace He has won for us on the cross.

John 20:11-18

11 Mary Magdalene stayed outside the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet where the Body of Jesus had been. 13 And they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken my Lord, and I don’t know where they laid him.” 14 When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there, but did not know it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” She thought it was the gardener and said to him, “Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni,” which means Teacher. 17 Jesus said to her, “Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18 Mary of Magdala went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and then reported what he had told her.

REFLECTION

“DO NOT HOLD ON TO ME...”

These words of Jesus to Mary Magdalene are, at first, shocking and, in the long run, enigmatic. Jesus, in His entire earthly ministry, went about touching people whom He in turn allowed to touch Him. Jesus touched persons with fever like Peter’s mother-in-law. He touched the blind men to restore their sight. He touched even the dead, like the daughter of Jairus and the son of the widow of Naim. Jesus Himself was touched by the crowd that gathered around and followed Him. He was touched by the children. He allowed Himself to be touched and caressed by the woman who came and poured perfume at His feet while He reclined at a meal. Even among the stories of the appearances of the Risen Jesus, the Apostle Thomas would be asked by the Lord to run his fingers into His hands and His side. We reflect on two connotations of Jesus’ statement: “Do not hold on to Me.”

       * A new mode of life. Jesus probably wanted to indicate to Mary Magdalene that His new life meant a radically different form of existence, and not one which simply continues the life that He had lived on earth for 33 years. The resurrected body of Jesus is a glorified and transformed body — one that cannot be held and limited by material space and time. Jesus’ resurrected body, though truly a body and not a phantom, can go through closed doors and windows. It can appear and disappear in an instant. It is not simply a resuscitated earthly body.

       * A call from discipleship to apostleship. Mary Magdalene, so much a follower of Jesus at death and beyond death, exemplified a disciple who really was after the Master. This was her way of showing her deep gratitude to Jesus, who has given her a new meaning to life (cf Luke 8:2). But with His resurrection, Jesus would like now to indicate that the time has come for the disciples not to simply cling to Him. They are now to go and scatter to different towns and cities to be witnesses and proclaimers of the Good News of Jesus. From being followers, they are now “sent.” Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

 "Open the eyes of my heart, Lord. So that I may always see You in every situation."

Source: http://kerygmafamily.com/modules/dailyreadings/read.php?date=2014-04-22

April 21, 2014 - Monday Mass Readings and Reflection - The Resurrection of Jesus (Easter Monday)

You have made known to me the paths of life… – Acts 2:28

DAD'S LAST WORDS

   A few days before my father passed away, we had our last serious conversation. It was the most meaningful talk I’d ever had with him. I kept silent as I absorbed his loving advice, summarized in three parts.

     He taught me about life. “Eat less. Temper your shopping. Drive slowly. Don’t come home late unless it’s really necessary. Don’t talk ill about other people personally. Always speak in principles. Remember our household helpers, even if they’re not with us anymore. Keep sending them money.”

       Next, he taught me about family. “Take care of the girls — your mom, Geegee (my older sister) and Giselle (our youngest). And make sure that Dinah (my wife) knows that she’s the most important person in your life.”

       Lastly, he taught me about service. “Always thank God for the people you serve with. Treat them well and love them. They’re God’s gift to you. Be grateful to Bo (Sanchez) for bringing you to where you are now. Never stop serving the Lord.”

       At his funeral, I made him three promises. “Dad, I will try to be like you — wise, generous, forgiving and loving. I will take care of the girls — Mom, Geegee, Giselle and Dinah. And I will never stop serving the Lord.” George Tolentino Gabriel 

1^ST READING

 

 

 

Peter confidently proclaims the truth of the resurrection of Jesus. This is the heart of the Gospel message of the Early Church, and it should be the same today. We must make sure that we never lose sight of it as it is truly the inspiration and source of grace in living the Gospel. We need to call each other to repent for our sins, but the greater truth is that God has forgiven us.

 

 

Acts 2:14, 22-33

14 On the day of Pentecost, Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and proclaimed to them, “You who are Jews, indeed all of you staying in Jerusalem. Let this be known to you, and listen to my words. 22 You who are children of Israel, hear these words. Jesus the Nazarene was a man commended to you by God with mighty deeds, wonders, and signs, which God worked through him in your midst, as you yourselves know. 23 This man, delivered up by the set plan and foreknowledge of God, you killed, using lawless men to crucify him. 24 But God raised him up, releasing him from the throes of death, because it was impossible for him to be held by it. 25 For David says of him: ‘I saw the Lord ever before me, with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed. 26 Therefore my heart has been glad and my tongue has exulted; my flesh, too, will dwell in hope, 27 because you will not abandon my soul to the netherworld, nor will you suffer your holy one to see corruption. 28 You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.’ 29 My brothers, one can confidently say to you about the patriarch David that he died and was buried, and his tomb is in our midst to this day. 30 But since he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants upon his throne, 31 he foresaw and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was he abandoned to the netherworld nor did his flesh see corruption. 32 God raised this Jesus; of this we are all witnesses. 33 Exalted at the right hand of God, he poured forth the promise of the Holy Spirit that he received from the Father and poured it forth, as you both see and hear.”

 

P S A L M

 

 

Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11

R: Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.

1 Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge; 2 I say to the Lord, “My Lord are you.” 5 O Lord, my allotted portion and cup, you it is who hold fast my lot. (R) 7 I bless the Lord who counsels me; even in the night my heart exhorts me. 8 I set the Lord ever before me; with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed. (R) 9 Therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices, my body, too, abides in confidence; 10 because  you will not abandon my soul to the nether world, nor will you suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption. (R) 11 You will show me the path to life, fullness of joys in your presence, the delights at your right hand forever. (R)

 

GOSPEL

 

 

The victory is now ours. We have nothing to fear. There is nothing in the world that can stop us from living good and holy lives as long as we surrender all to the gift of salvation made available to us through faith in Jesus Christ. This is the truth of the Gospel. This is the Good News of our salvation that we are called to share with everyone we know and meet. Let us be open to any opportunity to share the Gospel with others.

 

 

 

Matthew 28:8-15

8 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went away quickly from the tomb, fearful yet overjoyed, and ran to announce this to his disciples. 9 And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them. They approached, embraced his feet, and did him homage. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.” 11 While they were going, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had happened. 12 The chief priests assembled with the elders and took counsel; then they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, 13 telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him while we were asleep.’ 14 And if this gets to the ears of the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” 15 The soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has circulated among the Jews to the present day.

REFLECTION

 

DO NOT BE AFRAID

 

      The Bible speaks of two kinds of fear: the holy fear of God, and fear of the works and consequences of evil and brokenness in the world. Of the fear of the Lord, Psalm 19:9 says: “The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever.” The holy fear of the Lord keeps us faithful to Him and His commands, and it leads us to always stand before Him in worship, in awe, and in adoration. It is fear that accompanies our encounter with God’s glory. This fear then is healthy and positive. The Mosaic teaching goes: What the Lord God asks is “to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul...” (Deuteronomy 10:12). Perhaps this holy fear is what the women first experienced as they saw the empty tomb and were greeted by an angel who explained the resurrection to them. Hence, their fear was also with joyfulness.

       As regards the other kind of fear — the one that may come as we face the ugly works of evil — the Psalmist (23:4; 91:5) tells us: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil...” and “You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day.” Now, this other fear challenged the women and the other disciples as they faced the detractors of Jesus and the guards who spread around their ill-intentioned stories and insinuations. Here, the words of Jesus Himself are clear: “Fear not.”

       We note that after the resurrection — and more so, after the Risen Lord sent the Holy Spirit in Pentecost — the followers and believers of Jesus were transformed into bold witnesses and were unswayed in their conviction. Peter would stand before the Jewish leaders and declare: “We must obey God rather than men!” (cf Acts 5:29) Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

 "Embolden me, Lord, so that I may not fear witnessing for You and proclaiming Your Word to the world.

Source: http://kerygmafamily.com/modules/dailyreadings/read.php?date=2014-04-21