2nd Sunday of Easter - C (April 28, 2019)

“Peace Be With You”

John 20: 19-31

The disciples hide behind locked doors out of fear.

What are our fears that can paralyze us or put us into lockdown mode?

These fears can be personal and communal.  Sins and shame are often among the top causes of fear. 

We tend to rely on all kinds of things in the hope of dissipating fears. 

Here, while the disciples are hiding, as in throughout John’s Gospel, Jesus offers the disciples his peace, the peace that is the gift of his love and mercy.  

This peace alone can destroy fear.  

Easter - C (April 21, 2019)

True Life

Luke 24: 1-12

Why are you looking for the living among the dead? (Luke 24: 5, Gospel of the Easter Vigil)

How might this question apply to me?  Am I looking at things of this passing world, or even deadly and sinful things, with the false hope that they will give me life?

The people who came to Jesus’ tomb received a reminder of what Jesus had told them – that he would conquer death.  

St. Paul encourages us to "think of what is above." (2nd Reading, Colossians 3:2)

May Christ continue to remind us of his life and victory.

Image source:  http://clipart-library.com

 

Palm Sunday - C (April 14, 2019)

The King Who Died the Death of a Slave

Readings

The readings for the celebration of Palm Sunday call us to the mystery of God’s salvation.  Out of love, the Son of God who is a king, came to live among us.  He died the death of a slave to set us free from slavery to sins and death.  In this way, the Son of God makes us now all children of God. 

The Gospel for the Palm Sunday procession draws our attention to Jesus’ kingship.  The people of Jerusalem recognize Jesus as the King promised by God through Scriptures.  Luke refers to two details in Zechariah on the kingship of the Messiah – that Jesus enters city from the direction of Mount of Olives and he does so riding on a colt [1].  And the people’s acclamation “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord” is actually a quote of Psalm 118:26 [2]. 

This king is not just any king.  “Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God, … emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (2^nd reading, Philippians 2). 

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[1] “On that day God’s feet will stand on the Mount of Olives” (Zechariah 14:4) and

“Your king is coming to you, a just savior is he, humble, and riding on a donkey, on a colt” (Zechariah 9:9)

[1] & [2] from www.progressiveinvolvement.com

 

Image source:  www.agnusday.org

5th Sunday of Lent - C (April 7, 2019)

Knowing One’s Own Sins

John 8:1-11

Hearing Jesus’ words “let the one among you who is without sin …” the people all “went away one by one, beginning with the elders.”

Knowing one’s own sins, through the work of conscience, is a gift from God.

The people in this Gospel passage were challenged to look at their own sins.

In forgiving the woman, Jesus also helped her to recognize her sin.

Once we have known our sins then we can change. 

Besides, the awareness of our sins and that we are sinners help us to realize our needs for God’s mercy and forgiveness.  Moreover, this awareness can help us grow in appreciation for God’s mercy.  

 Image source:  Jacopo Tintoretto - Christ and the Woman Taken in Adultery, 

commons.wikimedia.org

 

4th Sunday of Lent - C (March 31, 2019)

“This Man Welcomes Sinners”

Luke 15: 1-3, 11-32

Those who oppose Jesus “complains” that he “welcomes sinners.”  

The Greek verb translated here as “welcome” also has the connotation of longing.  Luke uses this verb in a few other occasions usually to describe how people wait.  Two of such people are the two elderly prophets Simeon and Anna who spent their whole lives “await” the Messiah or “the fulfillment of God’s promise.”

No wonder the Pharisees and the scribes find it outrageous that Jesus “welcomes” sinners.

Can I accept the outrageous way that God welcomes me as a sinner?  And can I accept that same outrageous way with which God welcomes people I judge as sinners?

3rd Sunday of Lent - C (March 24, 2019)

“I Shall Cultivate the Ground & Fertilize It”

Luke 13: 1-9

Sometimes, we can become self-centered during Lent.  We can measure the success of Lent on how we keep the Lenten practices that we decide for ourselves.  If we do poorly, we feel the whole season is a failure.  If we do well, we can brag and credit ourselves for the achievements.  Of course, neither attitude is the purpose of the season. 

In this Gospel, Jesus reminds us that Lent, in fact our whole life, is a gift of God’s mercy.  The journey of conversion is a journey of a lifetime.  And it is not about our accomplishments or failures.  We do need to cooperate with God.  Yet, ultimately, like the gardener who cultivates the ground and fertilizes the fig tree, it is God’s grace and love that draw us ever closer to God. 

Image source:  www.agnusday.org

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2nd Sunday of Lent - C (March 17, 2019)

The Son of God – A Review

Luke 9: 28b–36  

As a good teacher, the Church gives us a timely review of the purpose of the Lenten journey as we get to the 2^nd week of Lent.

This journey, in fact the journey of our life, has one goal – to reach our destiny of being children of God. 

Last week, the Gospel told us of how Jesus, the Son of God, faced temptations.  Like Jesus, we, children of God, face temptations also.

This week, we are given a vision of what is to come.  Jesus will go to Jerusalem and will endure the cross.  Yet, here we have a vision of his glories of the “chosen Son” of God. 

On the journey, we will face temptations.  We have our own Jerusalem and our own crosses. 

But the journey does not end with death.  There is more to come.  

Image source:  www.agnusday.org