Whenever we open our spirits and hearts to Jesus, we allow Him to touch us inwardly and we respond to His invitation: “Touch me and see”. During this personal encounter with Jesus, our hearts burn within us, burn with love for one another, as our Risen King, the Living Word, through the power of the Holy Spirit, opens up the meaning of the Sacred Scripture to us and brings us to the fullness of truth.
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Divine Mercy Sunday, at the auditorium of Divine Mercy Parish, started with a loud chorus of Alleluias from the lambs, their shepherds and all who took part in LSS #44 this past weekend. The previous day, insightful teachings from Fr. Paul and sharings from both young and older community members touched many hearts, bringing tears to more than a few eyes. Then, during the Seminar’s Healing and Reconciliation, there were more tears which later turned into joyful tears as healing and reconciliation began for the lambs and their loved ones, even those who were only there in spirit. As for the Baptism itself, the Holy Spirit once again brought His awesome Power, making it seem like an early arrival of Pentecost.
"You will show me the path to life, bounding joy in your presence, the delights at your right hand forever." (Ps 16:11)
Some of us have a vision of our future, perhaps consisting of choosing the right college, where to spend summer vacation, which school to send our children, the type of job we will work in, or when we plan to retire. These are our short-term and long-term goals, which may include goals within a span of 1 year, 5 years, or 10 years. However, may I turn the question around and ask, “Where does God see us in 5 years?” What is a promise? Webster’s Dictionary defines it as “a pledge that one will or will not do something; a basis or cause for high hopes or expectation.” We often use that word in statements we make to our children or to other people to shore up or support what we say. And when we fail to keep our word or promise it reveals something about our character.
On the first Easter, Jesus Christ rose from the dead to a life that never ends, bringing God’s pure light to a world of darkness. This Sunday’s Gospel narrates how the Risen Lord broke into the darkness that enshrouded the Apostles’ faith, enlightening them to the truth of God in Christ.
During Holy Week, we turn attention to the Paschal Mystery, which “has two aspects: by His death, Christ liberates us from sin; by His Resurrection, He opens for us the way to a new life” (CCC 654). This article is meant to help us follow in Jesus’ footsteps “with all faith and devotion,” as Palm Sunday exhorts us to do.[1] Along the way, we will notice how in His living, dying, and rising again, Jesus reveals the depth of God’s love for us.
In Genesis 2:1-3a we read: “Thus the heavens and the earth and all their array were completed. On the seventh day God completed the work he had been doing; he rested... God blessed the seventh day and made it holy.” The Sabbath was created by God not for Himself but for man to know that he should stop working, turn to the Creator, and worship! Since seven is a deeply symbolic number in Scripture, signifying perfection, God wanted us to exercise our role as priest, as we are anointed at baptism. With the Third Commandment given through Moses on Mount Sinai, God calls us to “remember the sabbath day—keep it holy…You shall not do any work” (Ex 20:8,10a).
Jesus said to his disciples: “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful” (Lk 6:36).
Out of the ten synonyms of “mercy” cited in the Thesaurus, three words struck me: compassion, forgiveness, and sympathy. From these synonyms, how do we practice mercy in our daily encounters with our family, friends or strangers? When we encounter a homeless person, do we show contempt because the person does not meet our standards of being “human” or compassion, by going out of our way to offer money or food? When a loved one hurts us intentionally, do we easily accept the person’s request for reconciliation, or do we hold the person in contempt and continue to let bitterness rule our heart and mind? When an acquaintance or co-worker encounters a trial in life, do we reach out with compassion; or do we simply ignore what happened, thinking and even judging, that it was his fault and that he is deserving of such a fate. The first reading from Jeremiah shifts the focus of the covenant from the nation of Israel to the individual person’s heart. “I will place my law within them and write it upon their hearts; I will be their God and they shall be my people”(Jer 31:33b). The new covenant does not give a new set of rules, but it tells us that it is now written in our hearts. We will learn from and respond to God directly as He speaks directly and individually to each one of us.
In the Second Book of Chronicles, we read of God’s compassion and mercy towards His chosen people, despite their sinfulness and infidelity. Although God allowed the destruction of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans and the exile to Babylon of the Jews, He did not allow them to perish. By awakening in them a deep yearning for His love, He drew them back to Himself and called them to repentance. In forgiveness God inspired Cyrus, the King of Persia, to issue a decree permitting the exiles to return to Jerusalem and help rebuild the temple.
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To nurture and promote the love of the Gospel of Christ.
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