EASTER SUNDAY

Acts 10 :34.37-43 
Psalm117 
1Corithians 5 :6-8 
John 20 :1-9

HE HAS RISEN INDEED

This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. For we celebrate the foundation of our faith: the resurrection of Jesus Christ (cf. 1Cor. 15:13-14).

However, from the gospel reading, we understand that the Lord's resurrection is not a scientific fact to be proven. It is to be believed in. No one saw Jesus coming out of the tomb. But some "facts" and events indicate that something extraordinary happened: the empty tomb, the appearances of the Risen Lord, and the witness of the apostles.

From what happened on Good Friday and these indicators, we come to believe that Jesus was dead, but now he is alive. On Good Friday, our hopes were shattered. But today, our hope has come alive. We now know our Redeemer lives. Easter is therefore a period of joy and hope.

This is the Good News we must carry. Let us bring this joy and hope to those around us. Let us show by our way of life that we are Easter people. Let us celebrate this Easter not with the old leaven of malice and wickedness, unforgiveness and self-pity, but with sincerity, truth, and self confidence (1Cor. 5:6-8). May the Risen Lord bless and keep all of us.
Amen

PASCHAL TRIDUUM, HOLY SATURDAY

Genesis 1:1-2:2 ; Psalm 104

Exodus 14:15-15-1; Exodus 15

Ezekiel 36: 16-17a, 18-28; Psalm 42

Romans 6:3-11

Mark 16:1-7

THE EASTER VIGIL, THE NIGHT OF ALL NIGHTS

This day is the third day of the Sacred Triduum. The focal point of today’s celebration is the empty tomb. The liturgy of the Easter Vigil is made up of four parts, namely, the service of night, the liturgy of the Word, the liturgy of baptism, and the liturgy of the Eucharist. It is the celebration of the passage from death to life, from darkness to light.

The liturgy of the Word invites us to meditate on the Salvation History, how God has been so close to mankind since creation. The great events that mark this history have been wrought in the night. The first act of creation was the victory of light over darkness: “let there be light” (Gen. 1:3). It was at night that God saved the Israelites from slavery through the Passover meal, liberating them from the power of Pharaoh. It was at night that he led them dry-shod through the red sea (Ex. 14). It was at night that Jesus rose from the dead, breaking the chains of death.

One thing that Holy Saturday teaches us is that no matter how deep and how long the night is the day will surely come. Jesus himself had to go through the terrible experience of being in the tomb for three days. Yes, he was crucified, died and was buried; but now he has risen.

This day therefore invites us to hope against all hope. There is no situation so desperate that God cannot change, for he always makes a way where there is no way. So, do not be afraid.

May the power of the  Resurrection roll away every stone or obstacle that stands on your way. And may the rising of our Lord Jesus Christ dispel every darkness in our life and give us the grace to be true witnesses of the resurrection.
Amen

PASCHAL TRIDUUM, GOOD FRIDAY

Isaiah 52:13—53:12
Psalm 30
Hebrews 4:14-16.5:7-9
John 18:1—19:42

THE CELEBRATION OF THE LORD’S PASSION

Today is the second day of the Sacred Triduum. Apart from the stations of the cross that characterizes the day, today’s liturgy is made up of three parts, namely, the liturgy of the Word which helps us understand the true meaning of the suffering and death of Jesus Christ, the veneration of the cross and the liturgy of the Pre-sanctified or Holy Communion. The focus of today’s liturgy is the cross.

In Jewish understanding, the cross was the emblem of shame, curse, punishment, condemnation, torture, suffering and death. The imagery of a cross was something absurd and resentful. It pointed to anger and bitterness, hatred and violence.

But Jesus changed the perspective of the cross. With Jesus the cross has become the emblem of friendship, redemption and glory. It has become the symbol of triumph and not defeat, life and not death, forgiveness and not condemnation. As the Suffering Servant, Jesus was thought of as someone cursed, punished by God. He was despised, rejected, humiliated, a man of sorrow and acquainted with grief, finally crucified. And yet, through his Passion and death, he has become the source of salvation, healing and wholeness for mankind.

Today, let us reflect on the culture of death and violence that characterizes our world today. Innocent people are unjustly condemned, jailed or killed. Innocent lives are lost through abortion and war. Out of our selfish ambitions, we sell others. The love for power has taken over the power of love. We destroy the reputation of others through backbiting and blackmails. We break the hearts of those who love us and trust us; we reject and abandon them at the moments they need us most. And the culture of revenge and unforgiveness is growing even among Christians.

May the Lord forgive us! May he be the consolation and strength to those who are suffering. Amen

PASCHAL TRIDUUM, HOLY THURSDAY

Exodus 12:1-8.11-1
Psalm115
1Corinthians 11:23-26
John 13:1-15

MASS OF THE LORD'S SUPPER

Today's Mass in memory of the Last Super opens the "Pascal Triduum", a three day's journey that commemorates the events that led to our Redemption: the Passion, death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The focal point of today's liturgy is the Upper Room, where Jesus took the last Super with his disciples. Three events are celebrated:
- the giving of the new commandment of love, expressed in gestures of  humble service,
- the institution of the Eucharist as a symbol of his self giving for us,
- the institution of the priesthood to perpetuate his presence among his people. That which holds these three mysteries together is Jesus' love for us.

The first reading narrates the institution of the Jewish Passover, marked by the immolation of the lamb. The eating of the Passover lamb preceded the exodus event. The second reading explains the Eucharist as instituted by Christ himself during the super that preceded his Passion and death.

At the Last Super, Jesus stood among his disciples as one who serves. He washed his disciples' feet as a concrete example of serving one another. Such humility is an example for us to follow. Moreover, he gave his Body and Blood as a ransom for many. This act of self giving demonstrates Jesus' love for us. Thus, those of us who partake in the Eucharist must also give ourselves in serving others.

Today, let each of us spend some time in adoring the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. Amen

PALM SUNDAY/ PASSION SUNDAY, YEAR B

Procession: Mark 11:1-10
Mass: Isaiah 50:4-7
           Philippians 2:6-11
           Mark 14:1—15:47

THE LAST DAYS OF JESUS ON EARTH

Today marks the beginning of the Holy Week. Thus, we are called upon to follow Jesus and live with him the last events of his earthly life.

In today’s liturgy, we celebrate first the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem amid the jubilation and chants of Hosanna of the crowd. Jesus enters the holy city to accomplish his mission, the mission of our redemption.

Then, the readings for the Mass narrate the Passion of Jesus: his sufferings, crucifixion and death as the humble Servant of God.  From the hosanna chants of the triumphant entry, we pass to the “crucify him” of the Passion. But the attitude of Jesus remains the same: humility and silence. He bears the betrayal of Judas Iscariot, the abandonment of his close friends, the hatred of the Pharisees, chief priests and scribes, the unjust condemnation of Pilate, the scourging and beatings of the soldiers, the curses and insults of the crowd, and the shameful death of the cross in obedience to the Father for our sake.

After listening to these readings, we cannot but ask ourselves some questions. How many times have we not betrayed those who trusted us? How often have we not turned back to humiliate the same people we had appreciated? How many times have we not been accomplices to the atrocities against some people and to the condemnation of the innocents? How many times have we not exchanged justice and our integrity with the fear of losing our friends or our position? How often do we not sacrifice others on the altars of our pride and selfish desires?

In any case, whether we are agents or victims of such acts, we must always remember that God will surely save the just and the innocent. He will not put them to shame.

Amen

FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT, YEAR B

Jeremiah 31:31-34
Psalm 51:3-4.12-15
Hebrews 5:7-9
John 12:20-33

THE CHRISTIAN PARADOX

This is the Sunday that precedes Palm Sunday that ushers us into the Holy Week. We are told in the gospel that some Greeks wanted to see Jesus. But nothing is explicitly said if their request was granted. Nevertheless, Jesus indicates the way any person wanting to see him can do so: raising one’s eyes towards the cross. It is on the cross that we can recognize the Son of God. The hour of his crucifixion becomes the hour of his revelation, glorification and exaltation.

He therefore compares his death with a grain of wheat that falls into the ground. There is no harvest that is not preceded by the sowing of a seed. The seed that is buried in the ground goes through degradation before germination. If we wish to ne great and spiritually fruitful, we must be humble and accept humiliation.

It was by accepting the humiliating death on the cross with all its associated pains and torture that Jesus became the source of eternal salvation for us. He himself learnt to obey through suffering, tears and earnest prayer. We too can only bear fruits if we accept to suffer little.
It was by dying on the cross that Jesus fulfilled the promise of God as presented to us in the first reading. The blood he shed on Calvary became the blood of the new and eternal covenant.

If we wish to meet Jesus, we must go to Calvary. If we wish to have life, we must let our ego and old ways of life die in us. If we wish to be great, we must become little. If we wish to be transformed, we must first allow ourselves to be deformed.

FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT, YEAR B

2 Chronicles 36:14-16, 19-23
Psalm  136:1-6
Ephesians 2: 4-10
John 3:14-21

LAETARE SUNDAY

The fourth Sunday of Lent is usually called "Laetare Sunday" or Sunday of rejoicing. Why rejoicing in this time of penance and regret of our sins? Because we serve a God who is patient and loving. He never gets tired of loving us despite our sinfulness and weaknesses; for He does not take pleasure in the death of the sinner.

Hence, the first reading tells us that the Lord, the God of Israel tirelessly sent his prophets to the Israelites. But the people did not listen to them. Thus, God delivered them in the hands of the Babylonians. They went to exile, a bitter experience in the history of the Israelites. Even then, God delivered them by raising king Cyrus of Persia to liberate them from exile. This is how loving, how forgiving our God is!

In the second reading, St Paul says that “God so loved us with so much love that he was generous with his mercy, when we were dead through our sins, he brought us to life with Christ.” This is how immensely rich God’s saving grace is!

The gospel proclaims that God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten Son to us so that anyone who believes in him may be saved. He came not to condemn the world, but to save the world. To hepl us better appreciate the amazing grace and the love of God for us, Jesus makes a reference to the lifting up of the golden serpent by Moses in the desert (Num 21:6-9).

The serpent was a symbol of consolation and healing to the Israelites in thé desert. Jesus on the cross is the sign of our salvation, sign of God’s love for you and me. Yes, on that cross which is the emblem of humiliation and torture, death and condemnation, is found the emblem of love, forgiveness and liberation. By looking on the cross, we come to appreciate how our sins, transgressions and disobedience have nailed Jesus. We must believe in this love of Jesus and be obedient to his Word.
Amen.

THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT, YEAR B

Exodus 20:1-17
Psalm 18:8-18
1Corinthians 1:22-25
John 2:13-25

THE PASSION IN PERSPECTIVE

Today is the third Sunday of Lent, a time for conversion and coming back to God. But for some of us, Sunday has become like any other day for business, a day for morning jogging, recreation, shopping or enjoyment. And Christianity is becoming more of an entertainment industry, a means of making money. But Sunday must be for us a day holy to the Lord, a day of worship. This is what the third of the Ten Commandments asks of us as presented in the first reading (Ex. 20:1-17).

Today’s gospel speaks of the cleansing of the Temple. Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive away those selling and buying in the Temple. Why did Jesus do that? Because the people had turned the House of God into a market, the Temple into a supermarket, the house of prayer into a business center. Religion had become an enterprise.

Moreover, it was hard for the Jews to understand what Jesus meant when he said: “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” But the text explains that he was speaking of the temple of his body. This event therefore invites us to have in mind what lies before us in this Lenten season: the Passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (John 2:13-25).

This is the centre of Christianity: the cross and the empty tomb. We preach a crucified Christ, says Paul in the second reading. The drama of the cross, however, was nonsense for the pagans and a stumbling block to the Jews. But for us, it was and is still the power and wisdom of God. For on the cross hang the one who has saved us (1Cor. 1:22-25).

May the Lord help us to accept the reality of the cross and follow Christ carrying our own crosses.
Amen.