April 13-18, 2020:
April 13 Monday: Mt
28:8-15: 8 So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and
great joy and ran to tell his disciples. 9 And behold, Jesus met them and said,
“Hail!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then
Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brethren to go to
Galilee, and there they will see me.” 11 While they were going, behold, some of
the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had taken
place. 12 And when they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel, they
gave a sum of money to the soldiers 13 and said, “Tell people, `His disciples
came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ 14 And if this comes to
the governor’s ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” 15 So
they took the money and did as they were directed; and this story has been
spread among the Jews to this day. USCCB
video reflections:
The context: Today’s
Gospel describes how the two Marys who had been at the foot of the cross – Mary
Magdalene and “the other Mary” – went to the tomb of Jesus early on Sunday
morning. They were shocked at seeing an open tomb without Jesus’ body in it. As
they ran back with fear and joy to report the news to the apostles, the risen
Jesus greeted them and told them to inform the apostles that he would meet them
in Galilee. The guards, too, went to the chief priests to report the
Resurrection of Jesus. But they were promptly silenced by the Temple
authorities who bribed them to spread the false news that Jesus’ body had been
stolen by his disciples.
Life messages: 1)
The Resurrection of Christ is the most sublime and foundational truth of our
Faith. It is the presence of the risen Lord everywhere that gives meaning to
our worship and prayers, because Jesus is present everywhere to hear our
prayers and grant our petitions.
2) In particular, the Risen Lord is present in the Holy
Eucharist, in the Bible, in the praying assembly and in believing Christians,
so we need never be out of contact with him.
3) Let us renew this fundamental belief of our Faith every
day and let us recognize and serve the risen Christ in everyone around us. (Fr.
Tony) (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/20
April 14 Tuesday: Jn
20:11-18: 11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she
wept she stooped to look into the tomb; 12 and she saw two angels in white,
sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet.
13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because
they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid
him.” 14 Saying this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing, but she did not
know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom
do you seek?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you
have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him
away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Hebrew,
“Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, “Do not hold me, for I
have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brethren and say to them, I
am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” 18
Mary Magdalene went and said to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she
told them that he had said these things to her. USCCB video reflections:
The context: Today’s
Gospel presents the great recognition scene in the New Testament in which Mary
Magdalene, at the tomb early in the morning, was not able to recognize the
Risen Jesus until he called her by name. Gradual recognition, or misunderstanding,
as a stage on the path to belief and understanding, frequently occurs in the
narratives of John’s Gospel. [See, for example, the conversations Jesus had
with Nicodemus (ch. 3), and the Samaritan woman (ch. 4).] In today’s
passage, we find it once again: Mary thought at first that Jesus was the
gardener.
Mary Magdalene failed to recognize Jesus because of her
false assumption that his body had been stolen. Her attention was concentrated
on the empty tomb. Her tears of intense grief could also have blurred her
vision. Once Mary had recognized Jesus, he gave her a message to be conveyed to
his Apostles about His plan to leave them and ascend to his Father. Mary’s
message to Jesus’ disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” became the
basis and essence of later preaching and Christians’ witness-bearing. St Thomas
Aquinas said that one old lady (una vetera), might have more Faith than
a host of learned theologians.
Life messages: 1)
We can be open to experience the presence of the Risen Lord in our lives
through our prayer, our Sacramental life, and our meditative reading of the
Bible. These all enable us to bear witness to the Risen Lord in our daily
lives.
2) It is our powerful conviction of the Real Presence of the
Risen Lord, both in the Eucharist and in our lives, which gives us the strength
to fight temptations and to serve our brothers and sisters in corporal and
spiritual works of mercy. (Fr. Tony) (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/20
April 15 Wednesday:
Luke 24:13-35: 13 That very day two of them were going to a
village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14 and talking with
each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking
and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 16 But
their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17 And he said to them, “What is
this conversation which you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they
stood still, looking sad. 18 Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are
you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have
happened there in these days?” 19 And he said to them, “What things?” And they
said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed
and word before God and all the people, 20 and how our chief priests and
rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21 But we
had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it
is now the third day since this happened. 22 Moreover, some women of our
company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning 23 and did not
find his body; and they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of
angels, who said that he was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the
tomb, and found it just as the women had said; but him they did not see.” 25
And he said to them, “O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe all that the
prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer
these things and enter into his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the
prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning
himself. 28 So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He
appeared to be going further, 29 but they constrained him, saying, “Stay with
us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to
stay with them. 30 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and
blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened and
they recognized him; and he vanished out of their sight. 32 They said to each
other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road,
while he opened to us the scriptures?” 33 And they rose that same hour and
returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven gathered together and those
who were with them, 34 who said, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared
to Simon!” 35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was
known to them in the breaking of the bread. USCCB video reflections:
The
context: The Emmaus episode, which is found only in Luke’s Gospel,
describes how Jesus shared the sorrow and frustration of the disciples at the
sad and shameful death of their Master. Their hopes of Jesus’ conquest of the
Romans and of his establishment of the glorious Davidic kingdom with his Divine
power had been shattered. The risen Lord, unrecognized, joined them as they
walked along. He explained the Scriptures and reminded them of the prophecies
about the Messiah’s death and Resurrection in order to show them how the events
that had happened were the fulfillment of Messianic prophecies. But it was only
at supper, when Jesus blessed and broke the bread and gave it to them, that
they recognized Jesus, who promptly vanished from their sight. The phrase, “the
Breaking of the Bread”, is used repeatedly in the Acts of the Apostles (also
written by Luke), to refer to the ritual meal of the Christian community, the
Eucharist (Acts 2:42, 46; 20:7; 27:35). Disciples in every century have
continued to recognize Jesus in “the Breaking of the Bread.”
Life messages: 1)
The risen Lord is with us in both the joyful and the sad moments of our lives.
Too often, we have our hopes and dreams shattered by the untimely deaths of our
dear ones, by a split in family relationships, by the worsening of our
illnesses, or by the loss of jobs. On such occasions, we have to learn to
experience the risen Lord’s consoling and supporting presence in our lives.
2) As the disciples met the risen Lord on their way to
Emmaus, we too must recognize and appreciate his presence in the Holy
Eucharist, in the Word of God, in the praying community, at home, and in our
Churches. Jesus is still beside his followers. Often, he is only dimly
recognized and only by few. “You were with me,” wrote St. Augustine some
centuries later, “but I was not with You” (Confessions, X, 27).
Let us learn to talk to Jesus whenever we are alone and listen to him when we
read the Bible, hear it preached or have it explained to us. (Fr. Tony) (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/20
April 16 Thursday: Lk
24:35-48: 35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how
he was known to them in the breaking of the bread. 36 As they were saying this,
Jesus himself stood among them. 37 But they were startled and frightened and
supposed that they saw a spirit. 38 And he said to them, “Why are you troubled,
and why do questionings rise in your hearts? 39 See my hands and my feet, that
it is I myself; handle me, and see; for a spirit has not flesh and bones as you
see that I have.” 41 And while they still disbelieved for joy, and wondered, he
said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of
broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate before them. 44 Then he said to them,
“These are my words which I spoke to you, while I was still with you, that
everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms
must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures,
46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on
the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance and forgiveness of
sins should be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
48 You are witnesses of these things. USCCB video reflections:
The context: Today’s
Gospel passage describes the first post-Resurrection appearance of Jesus to the
apostles while they were listening to the first-hand account of his appearance
by the two disciples who had gone to Emmaus and had met Jesus on the way. This
apparition is reported by both Luke and John.
The apostles could not believe that their Risen Lord was
before them. Hence, Jesus had to show them the marks of the wounds in his hands
and feet in proof. He also asked for a piece of broiled fish and ate it before
them. Thus, Jesus confirmed his apostles’ Faith in his Resurrection by inviting
them to touch Him, and by giving them these two proofs. Then Jesus explained to
them that all that had happened during the past week had been done to fulfill
the Messianic prophecies given in the Torah, by the Prophets and in the
Psalms. His suffering, death and Resurrection took place exactly as they
had been prophesied. (Throughout his account, St. Matthew cites the Old
Testament prophecies that have been fulfilled in Christ, because the
Evangelist’s immediate readers were Jews, who needed and would accept these fulfillments
as proofs that Jesus was indeed the promised Messiah). The next unfolding of
Jesus’ mission was to be the preaching of repentance and the forgiveness of
sins. That would be begun by the apostles; it would be carried on and finally
brought to completion by the Church before Jesus’ Second Coming and Final
Judgment of the living and the dead.
Life messages: 1)
We, too, are called to bear witness for all around us to the Resurrection of
Jesus Christ from the dead, just as the first apostles were commissioned by
Jesus to bring the Good News of salvation to all the nations.
2) What is essential for the success of our preaching and
witnessing mission is our firm and lively awareness of the presence and support
of the Risen Lord in our lives. (Fr. Tony) (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/20
April 17 Friday: Jn
21: 1-14: Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathaniel of Cana in
Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. 3
Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go
with you.” They went out and got into the boat; but that night they caught
nothing. 4 Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the
disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus said to them, “Children, have
you any fish?” They answered him, “No.” 6 He said to them, “Cast the net on the
right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So, they cast it, and now they
were not able to haul it in, for the quantity of fish. 7 That disciple whom
Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was
the Lord, he put on his clothes, for he was stripped for work, and sprang into
the sea. 8 But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish,
for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off. 9 When they
got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish lying on it, and
bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just
caught.” 11 So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large
fish, a hundred and fifty-three of them; and although there were so many,
the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now
none of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord.
13 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. 14
This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he
was raised from the dead. USCCB
video reflections:
The context: Today’s
Gospel story is about our risen Lord’s persistent search for the apostles,
even when they had gone back to their fishing profession, trying, perhaps, to
forget the disastrous events leading to the crucifixion of their Master.
John presents this incident as the third of Jesus’ post-Resurrection
appearances. The incident proves that Jesus’ post-Resurrection
appearances were not mere hallucinations. In the first part of
today’s Gospel, the risen Jesus appears to the apostles and gives them a symbol
of their mission in a miraculous catch of fish, followed by a grilled fish
breakfast which Jesus had prepared for them. The second part is a dialogue
between Jesus and Simon where Simon is asked three times whether he loves Jesus
and answers that he does, as if in reparation for his triple denial of Jesus.
As his primary mission, Peter is given the care of the vulnerable lambs
and sheep, and he is told that fidelity to this mission will lead him to
martyrdom.
Life messages: We
need to open our eyes, ears and hearts wide to see, hear and experience the
risen Lord coming into our lives in various forms, circumstances and events.
These include: 1) The risen Lord blessing us with success and
achievements: We often fail to acknowledge the presence of the risen Lord
behind our unexpected successes, great achievements, promotions at work,
miraculous healings, and success in relationships. But the risen Lord is right
there at our parties, celebrations, and occasions of rejoicing. 2) The risen
Lord is present in our pains and suffering: Acts 9:1-13 tells us how the risen
Lord transformed the life of Saul by flattening him on the Damascus road, and
by making him temporarily blind, so that he would come to see that Jesus was
the Christ and the Son of God, and believe. The same Jesus often visits
us in the form of accidents, illnesses, the loss of dear ones, pain, suffering,
and problems in relationships. 3) The risen Lord visits us through our friends
and well-wishers: He is present in those who visit us and encourage us in our
sad and desperate moments. The risen Lord visits us in the form of
unexpected help from the least expected persons in our dire needs 4) The risen
Lord is present in our Christian worship: Jesus is present on our altars during
the Holy Mass to share his Divine life with us, in the words of the Holy
Scripture, in the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist, and wherever two or
three are gathered in his name (Matthew 18:20). (Fr. Tony) (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/20
April 18 Saturday: Mk
16: 9-15: 9 Now when he rose early on the first day of the week, he
appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. 10
She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept. 11 But
when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not
believe it. 12 After this he appeared in another form to two of them, as they
were walking into the country. 13 And they went back and told the rest, but
they did not believe them. 14 Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as
they sat at table; and he upbraided them for their unbelief and hardness of
heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen.
15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the
whole creation. USCCB video
reflections:
The context: Today’s
Gospel mentions the three appearances of the risen Lord and Jesus’ entrusting
to the apostles their mission to preach his Good News. According to Mark, Jesus
first appeared to Mary Magdalene. But Jesus’ apostles did not believe her.
Later, he appeared to two disciples during their trip to Emmaus. When they had
returned to Jerusalem and while they were explaining their experience, Jesus
appeared to the eleven apostles gathered there. After gently chiding them for
their unbelief and hard-heartedness, Jesus gave them his preaching mission or
the “universal Apostolic mandate.”
Life messages:
1) The preaching and witnessing mission of Jesus applies especially to the
successors of the Twelve Apostles, namely, the Bishops in communion with
Peter’s successor, the Pope. 2) However, Vatican II declared in the Decree on
the Apostolate of the Laity (Apostolicum Actuositatem), that
the whole “Church was founded to spread the Kingdom of Christ over all the
earth for the glory of God the Father, to make all men partakers in Redemption
and Salvation” (AA, 2). “On all Christians, accordingly, rests the
noble obligation of working to bring all men throughout the whole world to hear
and accept the Divine message of salvation” (AA, 3).
(Fr. Tony) (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/20