Scripture Reflection and Prayer : Journeying together

Thursday, 8 April 2021

FINDING ENCOURAGEMENT IN MISSION AND MINISTRY

20210409 FINDING ENCOURAGEMENT IN MISSION AND MINISTRY

09 April, 2021, Easter Friday

First reading

Acts 4:1-12 ©

The name of Jesus Christ is the only one by which we can be saved

While Peter and John were talking to the people the priests came up to them, accompanied by the captain of the Temple and the Sadducees. They were extremely annoyed at their teaching the people the doctrine of the resurrection from the dead by proclaiming the resurrection of Jesus. They arrested them, but as it was already late, they held them till the next day. But many of those who had listened to their message became believers, the total number of whom had now risen to something like five thousand.

The next day the rulers, elders and scribes had a meeting in Jerusalem with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, Jonathan, Alexander and all the members of the high-priestly families. They made the prisoners stand in the middle and began to interrogate them, ‘By what power, and by whose name have you men done this?’ Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, addressed them, ‘Rulers of the people, and elders! If you are questioning us today about an act of kindness to a cripple, and asking us how he was healed, then I am glad to tell you all, and would indeed be glad to tell the whole people of Israel, that it was by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the one you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by this name and by no other that this man is able to stand up perfectly healthy, here in your presence, today. This is the stone rejected by you the builders, but which has proved to be the keystone. For of all the names in the world given to men, this is the only one by which we can be saved.’

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 117(118):1-2,4,22-27 ©

The stone which the builders rejected has become the corner stone.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Give thanks to the Lord for he is good,

for his love has no end.

Let the sons of Israel say:

‘His love has no end.’

Let those who fear the Lord say:

‘His love has no end.’

The stone which the builders rejected has become the corner stone.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

The stone which the builders rejected

has become the corner stone.

This is the work of the Lord,

a marvel in our eyes.

This day was made by the Lord;

we rejoice and are glad.

The stone which the builders rejected has become the corner stone.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

O Lord, grant us salvation;

O Lord, grant success.

Blessed in the name of the Lord

is he who comes.

We bless you from the house of the Lord;

the Lord God is our light.

The stone which the builders rejected has become the corner stone.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Gospel Acclamation

Ps117:24

Alleluia, alleluia!

This day was made by the Lord:

we rejoice and are glad.

Alleluia!

Gospel

John 21:1-14 ©

Jesus stepped forward, took the bread and gave it to them, and the same with the fish

Jesus showed himself again to the disciples. It was by the Sea of Tiberias, and it happened like this: Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee and two more of his disciples were together. Simon Peter said, ‘I’m going fishing.’ They replied, ‘We’ll come with you.’ They went out and got into the boat but caught nothing that night.

It was light by now and there stood Jesus on the shore, though the disciples did not realise that it was Jesus. Jesus called out, ‘Have you caught anything, friends?’ And when they answered, ‘No’, he said, ‘Throw the net out to starboard and you’ll find something.’ So they dropped the net, and there were so many fish that they could not haul it in. The disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord.’ At these words ‘It is the Lord’, Simon Peter, who had practically nothing on, wrapped his cloak round him and jumped into the water. The other disciples came on in the boat, towing the net and the fish; they were only about a hundred yards from land.

As soon as they came ashore they saw that there was some bread there, and a charcoal fire with fish cooking on it. Jesus said, ‘Bring some of the fish you have just caught.’ Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the shore, full of big fish, one hundred and fifty-three of them; and in spite of there being so many the net was not broken. Jesus said to them, ‘Come and have breakfast.’ None of the disciples was bold enough to ask, ‘Who are you?’; they knew quite well it was the Lord. Jesus then stepped forward, took the bread and gave it to them, and the same with the fish. This was the third time that Jesus showed himself to the disciples after rising from the dead.

FINDING ENCOURAGEMENT IN MISSION AND MINISTRY

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ACTS 4:1-12; PS 118:1-2,4,22-27; JOHN 21:1-14 ]

We can imagine how Peter and John must have felt after healing the crippled man. They saw the power of God at work in their lives through Jesus. But for “an act of kindness to a cripple”, they were arrested and brought before the Sanhedrin who felt threatened by their teaching on the resurrection, particularly of someone whom they had just condemned to death. The Chief priests and the Sadducees did not accept the doctrine of the resurrection as it was not found in the Torah but in the oral traditions of their fathers, which the Pharisees accepted. In spite of being interrogated, they were not ready to give in to the obstacles placed by the authorities of doing good in the name of Jesus.

Unlike the apostles, many of us give up easily in witnessing for Christ or serving Him when we are opposed and challenged. This is true for priests and religious even. We are disillusioned that for the sacrifices we make, the good we do freely and generously without counting the cost, we are met with persecution from without, and from within, jealousy, competition, betrayal and slander because of politicking and the desire for recognition and power. In many situations, our lay volunteers would just step down and resign, wipe the dust off their feet and move on to serve in other religious and charitable organizations. For priests, they would retreat and just do the minimum, and give up their zeal in serving the Lord and His people.

But sometimes we give up our mission and ministry because of the mistakes and follies we committed. We feel sinful, guilty and inadequate to continue. We cannot forgive ourselves and feel unworthy to continue serving God. This was the case of Peter. He had betrayed the Lord when He was arrested, denying Him three times before the Chief priest’s servants. He was utterly ashamed of himself. When the Lord turned and looked at Peter, he remembered the words of the Lord, “Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times”, and “he went out and wept bitterly.” (Lk 22:61f) Since then, he could not forgive Himself and he was not too sure whether the Lord had forgiven Him for his betrayal, more so when he was appointed to be the leader of the Twelve.

Many of us cannot forgive ourselves for the mistakes we made, and the sins we committed. The devil will remind us that we are no longer worthy to serve Him. Just like the world today, when someone in office or anyone does something wrong, he or she is condemned by the social media, and his or her name will forever be sullied in the minds of the people. Condemned, that person would never be given a chance to redeem himself or herself. This is how the devil works in the world today, driving people who made mistakes to hell by causing them to be rejected by society and then falling into deep depression, and eventually suicide.

How, then, can we find the strength to resist persecution and opposition, and encouragement to deal with our own failures in leadership? Like Peter, we must take time out by going to where we are most comfortable and do what we are good at doing. That was what Peter did. He told his close friends, “I’m going fishing.” Indeed, this was what he was doing before he dropped the nets to follow Jesus. Perhaps he felt unfit to be a disciple, much less a leader of the Twelve. So going fishing would be the best option. We too must do that as well. We need to take a break and go to a quiet place to be with ourselves or to do things that will uplift us whilst we spend time thinking through our unsettled issues, fears and brokenness.

But what was also very significant was the response of his friends. They replied, “We’ll come with you.” In such moments as these, sometimes we need to bring our close friends along with us. Such friends must not be too intrusive and over reaching. Just sitting quietly by our side, feeling with us in our pain and struggles may be all that is needed. At other times, we may need them to give us a listening ear, and offer some wise counsel at the opportune time.

When we withdraw from the world, the Lord will come to meet us. Indeed, we must never think that the Lord is absent when we are down. The Lord was watching Peter without him knowing of His presence, just as He watched Peter when he denied Him three times. So even when it was night, as the gospel mentioned, Jesus was present with Peter. For Peter, it was darkness and shame. He could not see the Lord in his guilt and sorrow, just like Magdalene in her grief. How true that when we are in pain, we often feel that the Lord is far away and that He does not care. But in truth He does. He is waiting for an occasion to reach out to us.

The gospel noted that when it was light, the Lord once again reached out to Peter. “Jesus called out, ‘Have you caught anything, friends?’ And when they answered, ‘No’, he said, ‘Throw the net out to starboard and you’ll find something.'” By so doing, He reminded Peter of His mercy and love for Him when he was first called. Repeating the same miracle when Peter could not find any catch even though he was an experienced fisherman, Peter’s memories returned. But it was John who was able to recognize the Lord, exclaiming, “‘It is the Lord.’ At these words ‘It is the Lord,’ Simon Peter, who had practically nothing on, wrapped his cloak round him and jumped into the water.” In jumping into the water, a symbol of being cleansed of his guilt and sin, he had the courage to return to Him.

“As soon as they came ashore they saw that there was some bread there, and a charcoal fire with fish cooking on it.” Jesus prepared a meal for the disciples. Jesus then said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Having meals means fellowship. So the act of calling them to have breakfast with Him was a sign of reconciliation and forgiveness. More importantly, it was the beginning of healing for Peter because the fire of betrayal was healed by the fire of mercy. By preparing breakfast over the charcoal fire, Jesus was healing the memory of Peter who denied Him three times at the charcoal fire that night. Indeed, we need to overwrite our bad memories with positive memories. By serving them bread and fish, Jesus was also reminding them of the Eucharist that He celebrated for them at the Last Supper. This Eucharist, we call the “breaking of bread.” The identity of Jesus was confirmed when they saw Him doing what He did when He multiplied bread for the 5000 and at the Last Supper. The evangelist noted that “none of the disciples was bold enough to ask, ‘Who are you?; they knew quite well that it was the Lord. Jesus then stepped forward, took the bread and gave it to them, and the same with the fish.”

Recognizing His Lordship is the key to finding salvation, as what Peter and John said to the Sanhedrin. Recognizing His Lordship of course presupposes that we have faith in His resurrection. The apostles reaffirmed that only because Jesus is alive and risen, that the miracle could have been performed. They said in no uncertain terms, “It was by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the one you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by this name and by no other that this man is able to stand up perfectly healthy, here in your presence today. This is the stone rejected by you the builders, but which has proved to be the keystone. For all the names in the world given to men, this is the only one by which we can be saved.” To recognize His Lordship means that we will submit to His Word in all things. This was what the disciples did. It is important to take note that Jesus commanded Peter to throw the net out to starboard and then to bring some of the fish they had just caught to Him. They obeyed. Obedience to the Lord is the key to finding salvation. Indeed, the apostles later on would tell the Sanhedrin, “We must obey God rather than any human authority.” (Acts 5:29)

CHRIST THE FULFILLMENT OF THE SCRIPTURES

20210408 CHRIST THE FULFILLMENT OF THE SCRIPTURES

08 April, 2021, Easter Thursday

First reading

Acts 3:11-26 ©

You killed the prince of life: God, however, raised him from the dead

Everyone came running towards Peter and John in great excitement, to the Portico of Solomon, as it is called, where the man was still clinging to Peter and John. When Peter saw the people he addressed them, ‘Why are you so surprised at this? Why are you staring at us as though we had made this man walk by our own power or holiness? You are Israelites, and it is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our ancestors, who has glorified his servant Jesus, the same Jesus you handed over and then disowned in the presence of Pilate after Pilate had decided to release him. It was you who accused the Holy One, the Just One, you who demanded the reprieve of a murderer while you killed the prince of life. God, however, raised him from the dead, and to that fact we are the witnesses; and it is the name of Jesus which, through our faith in it, has brought back the strength of this man whom you see here and who is well known to you. It is faith in that name that has restored this man to health, as you can all see.

‘Now I know, brothers, that neither you nor your leaders had any idea what you were really doing; this was the way God carried out what he had foretold, when he said through all his prophets that his Christ would suffer. Now you must repent and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, and so that the Lord may send the time of comfort. Then he will send you the Christ he has predestined, that is Jesus, whom heaven must keep till the universal restoration comes which God proclaimed, speaking through his holy prophets. Moses, for example, said: The Lord God will raise up a prophet like myself for you, from among your own brothers; you must listen to whatever he tells you. The man who does not listen to that prophet is to be cut off from the people. In fact, all the prophets that have ever spoken, from Samuel onwards, have predicted these days.

‘You are the heirs of the prophets, the heirs of the covenant God made with our ancestors when he told Abraham: in your offspring all the families of the earth will be blessed. It was for you in the first place that God raised up his servant and sent him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways.’

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 8:2,5-9 ©

How great is your name, O Lord our God, through all the earth!

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

How great is your name, O Lord our God,

through all the earth!

What is man that you should keep him in mind,

mortal man that you care for him?

How great is your name, O Lord our God, through all the earth!

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Yet you have made him little less than a god;

with glory and honour you crowned him,

gave him power over the works of your hand,

put all things under his feet.

How great is your name, O Lord our God, through all the earth!

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

All of them, sheep and cattle,

yes, even the savage beasts,

birds of the air, and fish

that make their way through the waters.

How great is your name, O Lord our God, through all the earth!

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Gospel Acclamation

Ps117:24

Alleluia, alleluia!

This day was made by the Lord:

we rejoice and are glad.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Luke 24:35-48 ©

It is written that the Christ would suffer and on the third day rise from the dead

The disciples told their story of what had happened on the road and how they had recognised Jesus at the breaking of bread.

They were still talking about all this when Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you!’ In a state of alarm and fright, they thought they were seeing a ghost. But he said, ‘Why are you so agitated, and why are these doubts rising in your hearts? Look at my hands and feet; yes, it is I indeed. Touch me and see for yourselves; a ghost has no flesh and bones as you can see I have.’ And as he said this he showed them his hands and feet. Their joy was so great that they still could not believe it, and they stood there dumbfounded; so he said to them, ‘Have you anything here to eat?’ And they offered him a piece of grilled fish, which he took and ate before their eyes.

Then he told them, ‘This is what I meant when I said, while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses, in the Prophets and in the Psalms has to be fulfilled.’ He then opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, ‘So you see how it is written that the Christ would suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that, in his name, repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be preached to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses to this.’

CHRIST THE FULFILLMENT OF THE SCRIPTURES

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ACTS 3:11-26; PS 8:2,5-9; LK 24:35-48]

Emmanuel Kant wrote, “Experience without perception is blind. Perception without experience is empty.” In the case of the Jews during the time of Jesus and the primitive Church, they had the experience but they lacked the perception. They had seen Jesus before He was crucified, healing the sick, casting out demons and performing miracles such as calming the storm and multiplying bread for the multitude. Yet, many seeing the signs could still not perceive His true identity. So too in today’s first reading when Peter healed the crippled man at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple. They were amazed that the man was healed. “Everyone came running towards Peter and John in great excitement, to the Portico of Solomon, as it is called, where the man was still clinging to them.”

St Peter took the occasion to explain to them that the healing happened all because of Christ. “When Peter saw the people he addressed them, ‘Why are you so surprised at this? Why are you staring at us as though we had made this man walk by our own power or holiness?” Peter made it clear that it was not him who healed the crippled man. He denied any power or credit for the healing of the man. He could heal only in the name of Jesus whom the Father had raised from the dead. “It is the name of Jesus which, through our faith in it, has brought back the strength of this man whom you see here and who is well known to you. It is faith in that name that has restored this man to health, as you can all see.” In Hebrew thinking, the “name” of a person signifies the power of the person. Peter sought to help the Jews understand that Christ was the center of all that was happening. The focus should not be on him nor on the healed cripple but on Christ. God was using this event as a lesson to instruct them on the truth about Jesus, His person and identity.

Salvation is through Christ alone because He is the One appointed by God as the Messiah. Peter described the role of Jesus using a cluster of significant titles from the Old Testament to show that Jesus was not someone that came from nowhere and then claimed to be the Savior of the world, like some cult leaders today. Neither was Jesus known through some kind of esoteric knowledge, as in the New Age Movement today. Jesus was the One predestined by God for the salvation of humanity since the beginning of time after the fall of Adam and Eve. Indeed, it was important for the early Church to establish that Jesus was in continuity with the Old Testament and the scriptures and therefore with the salvific plan of God.

The Old Testament is fulfilled in Christ and given full meaning in Christ. In the resurrection triptych, Luke the evangelist underscored how Jesus in His appearance would always instruct those who saw Him that His death and resurrection was part of God’s plan in fulfillment of the scriptures. When the women were at the Tomb, the two men in dazzling clothes told the women, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.” (Lk 24:5-7) Then at Emmaus, the Lord reprimanded the two disciples, “‘Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?’ Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.” (Lk 24:25-27)

And today’s appearance to the Twelve was again followed by His reiteration of this fact of continuity and fulfilment of the scriptures. “‘This is what I meant when I said, while I was still with you, that everything written about me, in the Law of Moses, in the Prophets and in the Psalms, has to be fulfilled.’ He then opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, ‘So you see how it is written that the Christ would suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that, in his name, repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be preached to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses to this.'”

That was what Peter and John did after healing the crippled man. They took pains to enlighten the Jews about how Jesus was truly the fulfillment of the scriptures that they believed in. He began by saying to them, “You are Israelites, and it is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our ancestors, who has glorified his servant Jesus.” Indeed, they all believed in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. God had promised that through Abraham, “in your offspring all the families of the earth will be blessed.” This promise is now fulfilled in Christ. St Paul, writing to the Ephesians said, “In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory.” (Eph 1:11f)

Jesus is also the fulfillment of the prophets as well. Moses did say, “The Lord God will raise up a prophet like myself for you, from among your own brothers; you must listen to whatever he tells you. The man who does not listen to that prophet is to be cut off from the people.” (cf Dt 18:15-19) The prophet Samuel prophesied the everlasting reign of the Davidic dynasty. “When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” Jesus, precisely, as the Son of David established His everlasting Kingdom by His death and resurrection. Jesus is called the servant of God in reference to His role as the Suffering Servant of Isaiah where the servant was called to be the light of the nations and also the One who would carry the sins of His people in His body. (cf Isa 42:1-9, 53)

Jesus is also the fulfillment of the psalms when God raised Him from the dead, which Peter cited earlier on, “Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices; my body also rests secure. For you do not give me up to Sheol, or let your faithful one see the Pit.” (Acts 2:25-32) Then His sufferings were also recorded in Psalm 22. His eternal kingship and divine sonship were hinted in Psalm 110:1 “The Lord says to my lord, ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.” Indeed, as the Lord said, “everything written about me, in the Law of Moses, in the Prophets and in the Psalms, has to be fulfilled.”

It was their ignorance of the scriptures that led them to kill the author of life. “It was you who accused the Holy One, the Just One, you who demanded the reprieve of a murderer while you killed the prince of life. God, however, raised him from the dead, and to that fact we are the witnesses; and it is the name of Jesus which, through our faith in it, has brought back the strength of this man whom you see here and who is well known to you. It is faith in that name that has restored this man to health, as you can all see.” But Peter did not fault them as they did not know what they were doing, as judged by the Lord when He was being crucified. Rather, it was all foreseen in God’s plans. “Now I know, brothers, that neither you nor your leaders had any idea what you were really doing, this was the way God carried out what he had foretold, when he said through all his prophets that Christ would suffer.”

But now that they know the truth, how should they respond? “Now you must repent and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, and so that the Lord may send the time of comfort. Then he will send you the Christ he has predestined, that is Jesus, whom heaven must keep till the universal restoration comes which God proclaimed, speaking through his holy prophets.” What about us? Are we convinced that the One we believe to be Lord and Savior is the One destined by God as confirmed by the scriptures? Indeed, our faith in Christ is well founded not just in continuity with the Old Testament but strengthened by His death and resurrection. Truly, our faith is based not just in what the apostles testified about seeing the Risen Lord but also confirmed by the extension of Jesus’ healing works through them. Faith in Christ is all that is required to find salvation. We must strengthen our faith by reading the bible so that we can appreciate the beauty of God’s plan of salvation in Christ.

Wednesday, 7 April 2021

RECOVERING OUR LOST HOPE

20210407 RECOVERING OUR LOST HOPE

07 April, 2021, Easter Wednesday

First reading

Acts 3:1-10 ©

I will give you what I have: in the name of Jesus, walk!

Once, when Peter and John were going up to the Temple for the prayers at the ninth hour, it happened that there was a man being carried past. He was a cripple from birth; and they used to put him down every day near the Temple entrance called the Beautiful Gate so that he could beg from the people going in. When this man saw Peter and John on their way into the Temple he begged from them. Both Peter and John looked straight at him and said, ‘Look at us.’ He turned to them expectantly, hoping to get something from them, but Peter said, ‘I have neither silver nor gold, but I will give you what I have: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, walk!’ Peter then took him by the hand and helped him to stand up. Instantly his feet and ankles became firm, he jumped up, stood, and began to walk, and he went with them into the Temple, walking and jumping and praising God. Everyone could see him walking and praising God, and they recognised him as the man who used to sit begging at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple. They were all astonished and unable to explain what had happened to him.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 104(105):1-4,6-9 ©

Let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Give thanks to the Lord, tell his name,

make known his deeds among the peoples.

O sing to him, sing his praise;

tell all his wonderful works!

Let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Be proud of his holy name,

let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice.

Consider the Lord and his strength;

constantly seek his face.

Let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

O children of Abraham, his servant,

O sons of the Jacob he chose.

He, the Lord, is our God:

his judgements prevail in all the earth.

Let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

He remembers his covenant for ever,

his promise for a thousand generations,

the covenant he made with Abraham,

the oath he swore to Isaac.

Let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Gospel Acclamation

Ps117:24

Alleluia, alleluia!

This day was made by the Lord:

we rejoice and are glad.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Luke 24:13-35 ©

They recognised him at the breaking of bread

Two of the disciples of Jesus were on their way to a village called Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking together about all that had happened. Now as they talked this over, Jesus himself came up and walked by their side; but something prevented them from recognising him. He said to them, ‘What matters are you discussing as you walk along?’ They stopped short, their faces downcast.

Then one of them, called Cleopas, answered him, ‘You must be the only person staying in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have been happening there these last few days.’ ‘What things?’ he asked. ‘All about Jesus of Nazareth’ they answered ‘who proved he was a great prophet by the things he said and did in the sight of God and of the whole people; and how our chief priests and our leaders handed him over to be sentenced to death, and had him crucified. Our own hope had been that he would be the one to set Israel free. And this is not all: two whole days have gone by since it all happened; and some women from our group have astounded us: they went to the tomb in the early morning, and when they did not find the body, they came back to tell us they had seen a vision of angels who declared he was alive. Some of our friends went to the tomb and found everything exactly as the women had reported, but of him they saw nothing.’

Then he said to them, ‘You foolish men! So slow to believe the full message of the prophets! Was it not ordained that the Christ should suffer and so enter into his glory?’ Then, starting with Moses and going through all the prophets, he explained to them the passages throughout the scriptures that were about himself.

When they drew near to the village to which they were going, he made as if to go on; but they pressed him to stay with them. ‘It is nearly evening’ they said ‘and the day is almost over.’ So he went in to stay with them. Now while he was with them at table, he took the bread and said the blessing; then he broke it and handed it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognised him; but he had vanished from their sight. Then they said to each other, ‘Did not our hearts burn within us as he talked to us on the road and explained the scriptures to us?’

They set out that instant and returned to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven assembled together with their companions, who said to them, ‘Yes, it is true. The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.’ Then they told their story of what had happened on the road and how they had recognised him at the breaking of bread.

RECOVERING OUR LOST HOPE

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ACTS 3:1-10; PS 105:1-4,6-9; LUKE 24:13-35]

Two disciples of our Lord who had lost hope in Jesus “were on their way to a village called Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking together about all that had happened.” They had gone through a shocking and scandalizing weekend. How could “Jesus of Nazareth who proved he was a great prophet by the things he said and did in the sight of God and of the whole people” end up being handed over by their chief priests and leaders to the Romans who sentenced Him to death, and had Him crucified, they asked. Indeed, it was deeply disappointing and a great disillusion. They would have asked, “Where is God in all these?”

We too have gone through our own disillusionment in life. We spend years looking after our children, putting them first in our lives and sacrificing all we have for them. But now that they are grown up, are working and doing well in life, they have become ungrateful, uncaring and intolerant of us. We feel that all our sacrifices have gone to waste. Perhaps it could be that you have given your best, gone beyond your duty of service, and the organization you worked for all these years has betrayed you. We feel so disillusioned that the organization has repaid our dedication and hard work with evil.

So, like the disciples, we are downcast, and like the man in today’s first reading, we are crippled by life’s events. We feel that there is no more hope left. This was why the disciples were going from Jerusalem to Emmaus. They had given up hope in Jesus and their dream of being freed from the Romans. As they said, “Our own hope had been that he would be the one to set Israel free.” We no longer have much to look forward to in life except just to exist each day, like the crippled man who had been in that condition for so long that he did not expect anything more than some money so that he could survive each day. “When this man saw Peter and John on their way into the Temple he begged from them. Both Peter and John looked straight at him and said, ‘Look at us’. He turned to them expectantly, hoping to get something from them.” Indeed, when we have lost hope beyond mere existence, we are truly crippled.

Why did they lose hope in God and unable to recognize the Risen Lord in their lives? Firstly, because their sufferings made them look inwards towards themselves. They were downcast, wallowing in self-pity, licking their wounds. Instead of looking up and outwards, they were looking down and inwards. When we do that, we are not able to see where we are going and certainly unable to see far, beyond our disappointments, fears and challenges. Too much self-introspection leads to depression, which cannot help us to move out.

Secondly, they had false expectations. They had their own image of what our Lord was supposed to do. They were hoping for a political liberation. But what Jesus wanted was to give them the true liberation, which was freedom from sin and slavery to oneself. When Jesus did not live up to their expectations, their hopes were dashed. We too have our false expectations of how God should help us. We make our demands on God, as if God is there to fulfill our will and petty ignorant requests. We make God in our own image and when He fails to do what we want, we give up on Him. Instead of allowing God to be God and the Lord of our lives, we want to control God!

Thirdly, they lived in confusion and doubt. They had heard some astonishing reports that some women from their group “went to the tomb in the early morning, and when they did not find the body, came back to say, ‘they had seen a vision of angels who declared he was alive.'” Some of their friends went to the tomb “and found everything exactly as the women had reported, but of him they saw nothing.” We, too, are skeptical of testimonies of people encountering God. We do not believe in miracles. We dismiss all those who have spoken of their encounter with God or those who claimed healing of their emotional and physical illnesses; and those times when the Lord came to their help by making the way possible for them through others. When we are skeptical like the apostles, we will not be able to see the Risen Lord.

Fourthly, they were forgetful. In their sorrow and grief, they forgot what the Lord had told them earlier and forewarned them of His passion and resurrection. How true when tragedy strikes! This is why many so-called good and devout Catholics give up on God when they meet misfortunes in their life. Some might have even gone for theological studies or attend many scripture classes, but when trials come their way, they forget all that they had learnt or studied. The truth is that just mere academic knowledge about Jesus cannot save us when things are not in our favour. We need to encounter Him personally so that in times of trial, we can recall those events where we had met Him radically. Without a personal encounter with Him, we cannot remember His love and mercy for us.

How, then, can we recover our lost hope in life and in God? Firstly, we need to talk about our pains to our friends. This is the first step. Keeping our pains to ourselves will only cause us to be more depressed because we are imprisoned by our grief. We must articulate them first, so that we feel that we are understood even if there is no real help. Knowing that we are understood and that others are in solidarity with us in our pains and struggles gives us courage to take the next step, which is to find someone who can give us a different perspective of life, of God and of our sufferings.

The second step therefore involves seeking direction from a wise and holy man, and of course from our Lord Himself. We must have the receptivity to invite such people into our lives. If we are closed and push everyone out of our lives, no healing can take place. The disciples welcomed Jesus who “came up and walked by their side.” They did not reject sincere friendship and most of all, challenging questions that He asked, “What matters are you discussing as you walk along?” They were ready to share. Indeed, Jesus did give them a new perspective of looking at His passion and death. “Was it not ordained that the Christ should suffer and so enter into his glory?”

Thirdly, we must go back to the scriptures to remind us of God’s plan for humanity. Our Lord, “starting with Moses and going through all the prophets… explained to them the passages throughout the scriptures that were about himself.” We must always go back to the scriptures to find out God’s plan for us. The scriptures would have to be fulfilled. Reading, studying and praying the scriptures will help us to understand our sufferings and challenges in the context of God’s redemption for humanity. We must pray the scriptures until, as the disciples said, “our hearts burn within us as he talked to us on the road and explained the scriptures to us”.

Fourthly, there is no better place to encounter the Lord than in the Eucharist, for there He is present to us sacramentally in the breaking of the bread and in our fellow brothers and sisters. This is the privileged place to encounter the Risen Lord, so that we will find strength from Him and support from our brothers and sisters. Indeed, it was at the breaking of bread that the eyes of the disciples were opened. “Now while he was with them at table, he took the bread and said the blessing; then he broke it and handed it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognised him.”

Finally, when our vision and hope are restored, we must go back to our vision and share with everyone, this time with passion, enthusiasm and faith. “They set out that instant and returned to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven assembled together with their companions, who said to them, ‘Yes, it is true. The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” We too must go and share with our fellow Catholics and non-Catholics how we have encountered the Risen Lord in the scriptures, in the Eucharist and in our brothers and sisters.

A NEW RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD

20210406 A NEW RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD

06 April, 2021, Easter Tuesday

First reading

You must repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus

On the day of Pentecost, Peter spoke to the Jews: ‘The whole House of Israel can be certain that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ.’

Hearing this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the apostles, ‘What must we do, brothers?’ ‘You must repent,’ Peter answered ‘and every one of you must be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise that was made is for you and your children, and for all those who are far away, for all those whom the Lord our God will call to himself.’ He spoke to them for a long time using many arguments, and he urged them, ‘Save yourselves from this perverse generation.’ They were convinced by his arguments, and they accepted what he said and were baptised. That very day about three thousand were added to their number.

Responsorial Psalm

The Lord fills the earth with his love.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

The word of the Lord is faithful

and all his works to be trusted.

The Lord loves justice and right

and fills the earth with his love.

The Lord fills the earth with his love.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

The Lord looks on those who revere him,

on those who hope in his love,

to rescue their souls from death,

to keep them alive in famine.

The Lord fills the earth with his love.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Our soul is waiting for the Lord.

The Lord is our help and our shield.

May your love be upon us, O Lord,

as we place all our hope in you.

The Lord fills the earth with his love.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Gospel Acclamation

Ps117:24

Alleluia, alleluia!

This day was made by the Lord:

we rejoice and are glad.

Alleluia!

Gospel

'I have seen the Lord and he has spoken to me'

Mary stayed outside near the tomb, weeping. Then, still weeping, she stooped to look inside, and saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had been, one at the head, the other at the feet. They said, ‘Woman, why are you weeping?’ ‘They have taken my Lord away’ she replied ‘and I don’t know where they have put him.’ As she said this she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, though she did not recognise him. Jesus said, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?’ Supposing him to be the gardener, she said, ‘Sir, if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and remove him.’ Jesus said, ‘Mary!’ She knew him then and said to him in Hebrew, ‘Rabbuni!’ – which means Master. Jesus said to her, ‘Do not cling to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go and find the brothers, and tell them: I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ So Mary of Magdala went and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord and that he had said these things to her.

A NEW RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ACTS 2:36-41; PS 32:4-5,18-20,22; JN 20:11-18]

St Peter’s first sermon on the Feast of Pentecost took pains to illustrate “how Jesus a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs which God did through Him, then delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. But God raised him up, having loosed the pangs of death.” (Acts 2:22-24) The conclusion is that “The whole House of Israel can be certain that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ.” Upon hearing these words, the Jews “were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the apostles, ‘What must we do, brothers?’ ‘You must repent.’ Peter answered ‘and every one of you must be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Indeed, the fact of having killed the Messiah out of ignorance and that God endorsed Him as Lord and Christ, repentance would be the right and sincere response to the truth revealed to them. Repentance simply means a change of heart because of the realization that one has been wrong, not just with respect to the identity of Jesus, as for the Jews, but always wanting to live our way of life in defiance of the Word of God. We want to continue to live a life of sin in contradiction to the life of truth and charity.

Repentance is always in response to the Word of God as heard when proclaimed. Unless we open our minds and hearts to the Word of God, we will not be able to find repentance because our hearts would not be stricken. The Jews in Jerusalem were receptive to the preaching of St Peter. And as a consequence, their hearts were ready to receive the call to repentance, “they were convinced by his arguments, and they accepted what he said and were baptised. That very day about three thousand were added to their number.”

Repentance, of course, in its negative sense is to turn away from our sins and ignorance about God, but positively it calls for a turning towards God. This is why the corollary of repentance is faith in God. Turning towards God involves hearing God speaking to us in a personal way, as what happened to the Jews when they heard St Peter’s sermon. They felt God was addressing them and they felt guilty of being accomplices to the killing of the Messiah. They were grieved when their motivations, evil intentions and ignorance were exposed. But because they were receptive, they repented and accepted forgiveness.

So, too, in a similar manner, Mary Magdalene in today’s gospel was oblivious to her attachment to the earthly Jesus before His resurrection. Whilst it is true that she deeply loved the Lord, her love was not pure. She was attached to our Lord in such a way that her love was self-centered. It was about her losing her ability to see the Lord and touch Him as before His death. Mary was still living in the past. She was crying for herself, not so much for the Lord. In other words, she was attached to the Lord for her sake rather than loving the Lord for Himself. She was weeping for herself because she could no longer see the body of our Lord. So preoccupied with her sorrows and grief was she that she was not able even to recognize the presence of the angels, or our Lord who was standing behind her. When our love is not pure, our perception of Jesus, whilst better than those who do not recognize Him at all in their lives, will prevent us from growing in faith and deepening our relationship with Him. This is the greatest danger of those who think that they know God well and have a deep faith in Him but are unwilling to be open and be receptive to new ways of relating with Him and the new approaches in meeting Him. This is particularly true for those who are steeped in their devotional practices and spirituality, believing that theirs is the only way to encounter God.

Similarly, like the Jews, only when she heard the Lord addressing her personally by name, did she come to recognize the presence of the Risen Lord. In the final analysis, real conversion can only come about when we have a deep and personal encounter with the Lord. When we come to meet Him personally, then all the different methods of prayer do not matter because they are but means to bring about a personal encounter with Him. It is not a question of which devotion or spirituality is better but whether we are being led to experience Him deeply in our hearts and our minds. One can claim to have the right liturgy, right worship and the right practices, but unless they lead us to a personal relationship with God, there will be no change of life, no increase of charity.

But if we are willing to let go of our prejudices and narrow and fixed mindsets, we can have a new relationship with the Lord beyond our expectations. This was what the Lord said to Mary. “Do not cling to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father.” Mary was assuming that in her relationship with Him, she could just continue on as before. But Jesus made it clear that because of His resurrection, this relationship had to be transformed and move to a more transcendental dimension and not just remain earthly. When the Lord forbade Mary to touch Him, He was telling her to stop how she used to relate to Him. Mary needed assurance that Jesus would not leave her again. She needed to touch the Lord to assure herself that the Lord was real and truly there. However, Jesus invited her to go beyond just a tangible relationship with Him, and to a relationship with His Father in the Spirit.

Having returned to the Father, Jesus is now able to lead us to a greater unity with the Father in the Holy Spirit. His return to the Father means that we can now share His joy as well. This explains why our Lord did not say to Mary, “I have risen from the dead” but that He was returning to the Father. His Father had always been the reference point in all His teaching. He is the way to the Father. Returning to the Father after completing His mission on earth was His greatest joy. (cf Jn 14:28) For His return would allow us to receive His Holy Spirit. Our relationship with the Lord should ultimately lead to a Trinitarian relationship with God. When Jesus returned to His Father, He made it possible for us to be united with Him as well because He sent us the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of the Father and Himself. In other words, because of our relationship with Jesus, we now know who the Father is, and His Father becomes ours and His God is ours as well. It is our union with the Father through the Son in the Spirit that we will find our greatest happiness.

Clearly, this also means that by His death, resurrection and ascension, He founded a new community and a new family. Jesus instructed Mary to tell the disciples, “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” At the cross already, Jesus told Mary to take John as her Son and be the mother of the new family of God. (Jn 19:26f) At the cross when He was pierced by the spear of a soldier, blood and water flowed, (Jn 19:34) symbolizing the sacraments of baptism and the Eucharist, the way to enter into the Christian community and be a member of the family of God. This was what Peter said to the Jews, “You must repent and every one of you must be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Because we have a common Father and a common brother in our Lord and are united with them in Spirit, Jesus called His disciples the first time as “brothers.” He said to Mary, “But go and find the brothers, and tell them.” We are no more just slaves or even friends of our Lord, but we are now His brothers and sisters. This is the fulfillment of what our Lord taught earlier on when He praised Mary saying, “Here are my mother and my brethren! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, and sister, and mother.” (Mt 12:49f) As a consequence, St Paul wrote, “all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the spirit of sonship. When we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ it is the Spirit himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” (Rom 8:14-17) This is our joy and our hope in the final analysis, to be with God in Christ Jesus through His Spirit.