Easter Octave, Thursday, Apr 16

Acts 3:11-26 / Luke 24:35-48 

Jesus instructs his disciples: “You are to be my witnesses.”

Jesus underscores three things in this reading:

(1) the reality of the resurrection,

(2) the necessity of the cross, and

(3) the urgency of the task of preaching the Good News to all nations.

Red Indian Prayer for the Earth

Red Indian Prayer for the Earth

1.     *Give us hearts to understand;*

Never to take from creation's beauty more than we give;

Never to destroy wantonly for the furtherance of greed;

Never to deny to give our hands for the building of earth's beauty;

Never to take from her what we cannot use.

Easter Octave, Tuesday, Apr 14

Acts 2:36-43 / John 20:11-18 

Jesus speaks to Mary of Magdala: “Stop holding on to me. ”

A mother had just returned from driving her only son to college. She walked into his empty room, clutching a note he had written her. She began to cry uncontrollably, realizing that his new world at college would never be her world—their world. Finally, after a long cry, she let go of the note and let it fall to the floor. In the months ahead, after the pain of separation had worn off, the mother discovered something remarkable. By “letting go” of her son, she found that they could love each other in a whole new way—an adult way that was far more fulfilling than the earlier mother-child relationship. Mary of Magdala (Magdalene) discovered the same thing after she let go of the earthly Jesus and began relating to the risen Jesus.

Easter 2 Sunday A - Divine Mercy

Mercy and Tenderness - Pope Sets Examples

Divine Mercy Practised by Animals

Easter Week - Reflections

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: 

Happy Easter

The churches are empty,
The schools are empty,
The shelves are empty.
But that’s OK because
The tomb is empty too!

This year, Easter Sunday - Covid

This year, Easter Sunday falls during the COVID-19 pandemic. A time when we are secluded in our homes and told to wrap our faces in cloth if we dare to go out for groceries or supplies. Walk into the grocery store, and you'll see people wandering quietly through the aisles with gloved hands and masked faces. Get too close, and you'll register a wide-eyed look of alarm on the face of that passer-by. We are in hiding from an invisible beast.

Easter - Entombed - Yet a Power Greater Than Us

Easter: Break Open My Tomb, Lord

Lord of Easter promise, I live in Faith of the Resurrection, but such is the nature of my Faith, that so much of me remains entombed. Come, Lord, Break open the tomb.

1.     Where I have buried my love for God due to my materialistic approach: come, Lord, break open the tomb.

2.     Where I have buried my life of prayer due to lack of regularity and interest, come, Lord, break open the tomb.