Sunday
March 31st

Easter Sunday, the Resurrection of the Lord

1st Reading: Acts 10:34a, 37-43:
Peter proceeded to speak and said: “You know what has happened all over Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached, how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power. He went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree. This man God raised on the third day and granted that he be visible, not to all the people, but to us, the witnesses chosen by God in advance, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commissioned us to preach to the people and testify that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness, that everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.”

2nd Reading: Col 3:1-4:
Brothers and sisters: If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Think of what is above, not of what is on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory.

Gospel: Jn 20:1-9:
On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.” So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in. When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place. Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed. For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead.

Reflection:
Does darkness prevail over light? Does death kill life? The forces of death (lies, corruption, injustice, oppression, calumny, hate, deceit, malice, jealousy…) will never overcome life, although it may seem they get the better of it for some time. Christ shows us how to win life over death. As we often say, “There is always resurrection after death!” So, brothers and sisters do not get tired of doing what is right. Keep your gaze on Jesus! Lord, fill my heart with the experience of your most passionate love so that when things go wrong and things may seem obscure and confusing, the light of your love will prevail. May we learn to stand up for what is right; and do things pleasing in your sight. Amen. Promote life, protect our mother earth and fight against corruption!

Monday
April 1st

1st Reading: Acts 2:14, 22-33:
On the day of Pentecost, Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and proclaimed: “You who are Jews, indeed all of you staying in Jerusalem. Let this be known to you, and listen to my words. “You who are children of Israel, hear these words. Jesus the Nazorean 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. This man, delivered up by the set plan and foreknowledge of God, you killed, using lawless men to crucify him. But God raised him up, releasing him from the throes of death, because it was impossible for him to be held by it. For David says of him: I saw the Lord ever before me, with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.

“Therefore my heart has been glad and my tongue has exulted; my flesh, too, will dwell in hope, because you will not abandon my soul to the nether world, nor will you suffer your holy one to see corruption. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence. 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. 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, he foresaw and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was he abandoned to the netherworld nor did his flesh see corruption. God raised this Jesus; of this we are all witnesses. Exalted at the right hand of God, he poured forth the promise of the Holy Spirit that he received from the Father, as you both see and hear.”

Gospel: Mt 28:8-15:
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went away quickly from the tomb, fearful yet overjoyed, and ran to announce the news to his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them. They approached, embraced his feet, and did him homage. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.” While they were going, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had happened. The chief priests assembled with the elders and took counsel; then they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him while we were asleep.’ And if this gets to the ears of the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” The soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has circulated among the Jews to the present day.

Reflection:
The fight-flight or acute stress response occurs if a stimulus becomes a threat and produces physiological changes, such as fear. Humans and animals react to threats with a general discharge of the sympathetic nervous system in preparation for fighting or fleeing. Adam and Eve fled out of fear and shame after they sinned. After the crucifixion, the followers of Jesus hid out of fear. They did not know if they are next. Their fear was rattled further by doubt, if he’s truly the Messiah. The guards were fearful too. They could be tried for dereliction of duties. Jesus’ message as always is, “Do not be afraid!” It was the same message delivered to Bethlehem’s shepherds. “Do not be afraid.” The same message has been heard both in the Old and New Testament. Why? A Child, Son of the Most High, is born for you and with you today. He is the Emmanuel, God-is-with-us. If God is with us who can be against us? “For good times and bad times, I’ll be on your side forever more.” (That’s What Friends Are). God is forever with

Tuesday
April 2nd

St. Francis of Paola

1st Reading: Acts 2:36-41:
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.” 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?” 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. For the promise is made to you and to your children and to all those far off, whomever the Lord our God will call.” He testified with many other arguments, and was exhorting them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand persons were added that day.

Gospel: Jn 20:11-18:
Mary Magdalene stayed outside the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb and saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet where the Body of Jesus had been. 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.” When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there, but did not know it was Jesus. 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.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni,” which means Teacher. 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.’” Mary went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and then reported what he had told her.

Reflection:
Ancient Jewish women, though considered equal to men, had limited privileges. “Women should remain silent in the churches … as the law says.” (1 Cor 14:34–35) In modern times, women were discouraged from serving as synagogue presidents and performing roles traditionally and exclusively done by men. (Rabbi J. B. Soloveitchik) A woman who perseveringly sought Jesus was the first one to report that he had risen. Just as death came through a woman, there is life through a virgin. A woman saw first Jesus in a garden, a woman lost God in Eden. (Augustine,Sermon 232, # 1; Sermon 229L, # 1) Why did Jesus tell her, Noli Me Tangere? Mary saw Jesus’ humanity only. Her faith must go beyond that. He’s divine too. He told her, “Do not touch me: so as to believe that I am only a man. Don’t by touching earth, lose heaven; don’t by remaining with me as man, fail to believe I am God.” (Augustine, Sermon 244, 3) Jesus as human understands our cross and as divine helps us to carry it. Let our feet touch the earth, but always gaze upward to heaven.

Wednesday
April 3rd

1st Reading: Acts 3:1-10:
Peter and John were going up to the temple area for the three o’clock hour of prayer. 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. When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked for alms. But Peter looked intently at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” He paid attention to them, expecting to receive something from them. 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.” Then Peter took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles grew strong. He leaped up, stood, and walked around, and went into the temple with them, walking and jumping and praising God. When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 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.

Gospel: Lk 24:13-35:
That very day, the first day of the week, two of Jesus’ disciples were going to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus, and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred. And it happened that while they were conversing and debating, Jesus himself drew near and walked with them, but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him. He asked them, “What are you discussing as you walk along?” They stopped, looking downcast. 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?” 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, how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over to a sentence of death and crucified him. 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. Some women from our group, however, have astounded us: they were at the tomb early in the morning 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. 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.” And he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are! How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?”

Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them what referred to him in all the Scriptures. As they approached the village to which they were going, he gave the impression that he was going on farther. 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. And it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight. 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?” So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem where they found gathered together the Eleven and those with them who were saying, “The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!” 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:
The life of the two disciples was overshadowed by a cloud of brokenness. Their dream of a “liberating” Messiah was shattered and hope was dashed. Their eyes fogged by tears were downcast. When a person is sad, everything and everyone look lifeless. The trees look bare. The sky is dark. Stay with us. Mane nobiscum. It was an eye opener. Because the disciples treated the “stranger” not with hostility (Lat. hostis, enemy) but with hospitality, they were rewarded with grace of enlightenment. The great Odysseus respects and treats unknown strangers like gods, according to Greek custom, because strangers might be gods in disguise.

“Men always talk about the most important things to total strangers. It is because in the total stranger we perceive man himself; the image of God is not disguised by resemblances to an uncle or doubts of the wisdom of a moustache.” (G. K. Chesterton, The Club of Queer Trades. The Noticeable Conduct of Professor Chadd) The two disciples were not only hospitable, but they did not also close their heart to God, thus, they saw the Light. Ex umbris et imaginibus in veritatem—“ Out of shadows and phantasms into Truth.” (J. H. Cardinal Newman)

Thursday
April 4th

St. Isidore

1st Reading: Acts 3:11-26:
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.” 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? 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. You denied the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you.

“The author of life you put to death, but God raised him from the dead; of this we are witnesses. 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. Now I know, brothers and sisters, that you acted out of ignorance, just as your leaders did; but God has thus brought to fulfillment what he had announced beforehand through the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer. Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away, and that the Lord may grant you times of refreshment and send you the Christ already appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the times of universal restoration of which God spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old.

“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. Everyone who does not listen to that prophet will be cut off from the people. “Moreover, all the prophets who spoke, from Samuel and those afterwards, also announced these days. 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. For you first, God raised up his servant and sent him to bless you by turning each of you from your evil ways.”

Gospel: Lk 24:35-48:
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. While they were still speaking about this, he stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” But they were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a ghost. Then he said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts? 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.” And as he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed, he asked them, “Have you anything here to eat?”

They gave him a piece of baked fish; he took it and ate it in front of them. 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.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. And he said to them, “Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.”

Reflection:
Jesus healed many miraculously by touch: a leper, Peter’s mother-in-law, a deaf, a blind, the woman with a discharge of blood, the twelve year old girl, the stooped woman, and the servant of the high priest in the garden of Gethsemane Shakespeare famously referred to a “mind’s eye,” but scientists at USC have found out a “mind’s touch.” They discovered that when looking at an object, the brain not only processes what the object looks like, but remembers what it feels like to touch it. This connection is so strong that a computer examining data coming only from the part of your brain that processes touch can predict which object you are actually looking at. (R. Perkins, USC) The disciples needed to see and touch Jesus’ side in order to believe. Their faith was terribly shaken. A woman touched the hem of Jesus’ garment and was healed. In contrast with the disciples, she had faith and needed to manifest it. “Faith is a knowledge within the heart, beyond the reach of proof.” (Khalil Gibran) “In faith there is enough light for those who want to believe and enough shadows to blind those who don’t.” (B. Pascal’s Introduction, Pensees)

Friday
April 5th

St. Vincent Ferrer

1st Reading: Acts 4:1-12:
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, disturbed that they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. They laid hands on Peter and John and put them in custody until the next day, since it was already evening. But many of those who heard the word came to believe and the number of men grew to about five thousand. On the next day, their leaders, elders, and scribes were assembled in Jerusalem, with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly class.

They brought them into their presence and questioned them, “By what power or by what name have you done this?” Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, answered them, “Leaders of the people and elders: If we are being examined today about a good deed done to a cripple, namely, by what means he was saved, 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. He is the stone rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. 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.”

Gospel: Jn 21:1-14:
Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. He revealed himself in this way. Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, Zebedee’s sons, and two others of his disciples. 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. When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore; but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?” They answered him, “No.” 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. 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. 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. When they climbed out on shore, they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you just caught.” 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. 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. Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them, and in like manner the fish. This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to his disciples after being raised from the dead.

Reflection:
“When Christ at a symbolic moment was establishing His great society, He chose for its cornerstone neither the brilliant Paul nor the mystic John, but a shuffler, a snob, a coward – in a word, a man … But this one thing, the historic Christian Church, was founded on a weak man, and for that reason it is indestructible. For no chain is stronger than its weakest link.” (G. K. Chesterton, Heretics, 1905, pp. 60-1) God qualifies the one he calls! Most of the apostles were simple, ordinary and unlearned but seasoned fishermen from Galilee. Judas Iscariot was from Judea. Galileans were courageous, quick-tempered and ready to follow a charismatic leader.

Jesus moved from Nazareth and started his ministry in Galilee. There are two accounts of miraculous catch of fish: 1) the occasion for the call of Peter, James and John; 2) the postresurrection event. In both events, though the apostles were experienced fishermen, they obeyed Jesus’ command and a miracle took place. “Only he who believes is obedient.” (D. Bonhoeffer) Only the humble is fit to follow the Lord. The humbler one becomes, the higher he goes up. When climbing up the stairs, we look down watching the steps.

Saturday
April 6th

1st Reading: Acts 4:13-21:
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. Then when they saw the man who had been cured standing there with them, they could say nothing in reply. So they ordered them to leave the Sanhedrin, and conferred with one another, saying, “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. 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.” So they called them back and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 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. It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard.” 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.

Gospel: Mk 16:9-15:
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. She went and told his companions who were mourning and weeping. When they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe. After this he appeared in another form to two of them walking along on their way to the country. They returned and told the others; but they did not believe them either. 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. He said to them, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.”

Reflection:
Christopher was a gifted man with many physical qualities, such as power and a kind heart. He was an agnostic. For him, the only reality was what he could physically see, feel and touch. Yet, he was kind and served others through his ferryboat. During a severe storm, the ferryboat capsized and Christopher dove into the raging waters to rescue a young child. Once on the shore, he looked at the child and saw the face of Christ. He was gifted with faith, for he had seen the face of Christ. (R. Rolheiser Living Beyond Doubt, 1997-11-12) “Rise and rise again until lambs become lions.” (Robin Hood) Don’t give up until the ordinary turns extraordinary. God could be found if one doesn’t stop loving his neighbor. “I sought my soul, but my soul I could not see. I sought my God, but he eluded me. I sought my brother, and I found all three.” (Wm. Blake) “When you are called from your prayers or the Eucharistic celebration to serve the poor, you lose nothing, since to serve the poor is to go to God. You must see God in the faces of the poor.” (Vincent de Paul)