EASTER SUNDAY, MASS OF THE DAY-Year A,B,C

I Reading: Acts 10: 34, 37-43: Peter’s testimony-We have eaten and drunk with him after his resurrection.

II Reading: Colossians 3:1-4: Life with Christ-You must look for the things that are in heaven, where Christ is.

Gospel: John 20:1-9: He must rise from the dead.

 

The Great Discovery-The Empty Tomb, 20:1-10

In studying John’s account, it must be remembered that John was writing an historical account. He was not interested in giving insurmountable evidence for the resurrection. His interest was twofold:

(1) To give the evidence that led him to immediately understand and believe.

(2) To give enough evidence to lead anyone to immediate belief-if a person is willing to believe.

He was interested in giving enough evidence to make anyone’s faith viable and respectable. Now having said this, John’s record of Jesus’ resurrection is a strong historical account of the event. To an honest, objective and good heart, the evidence is convincing (Lk 8: 15).

1.    John’s gospel eliminates any possibility of his fabricating a lie, especially a lie of such immoral proportions.

2.    The phenomenal event actually took place. Peter and John’s running and John’s outrunning Peter; Mary’s human response of frantic bewilderment; the author’s fearing and hesitating to enter a tomb; the author’s believing without physical fact and admitting that his belief was not based upon an understanding of Scripture.

3.    The head wrapping is strong evidence for the resurrection. Only the head piece is actually said to be folded up by itself. The other pieces are assumed to be still folded up because of the phrase “separate from the linen.”

4.    The changed lives of the Lord’s disciples are indisputable evidence. It is psychological evidence. They were propelled by a dynamic power and bold courage. They preached and proclaimed the risen Christ to the very people who were seeking to arrest and execute them because the Lord had indeed risen, and He had planted within them a dynamic new power never before experienced by man.

In discussing evidences, we must remember that God through inspiration has not formulated the Scripture that He is (exists), that He is love and that He has shown His love supremely by sending His own Son to save a lost and dying world. What God wants from us is to love and belief, love for the Lord Jesus and belief in the supreme power of a loving God. This is just the point of the resurrection account. We are to believe because we love even as Mary and John loved (Mt 28:1; Jn 20:7-10; Heb 11:6; 1Jn 3:23).

1.    Mary’s unquestioning discovery: The unsealed tomb (v.1-2)

a.    She visited early

b.    She saw the stone rolled back

c.     She ran to Peter

d.    She revealed unquestioning love: “They have taken the Lord”

2.    Peter and John’s shocking discovery: The strips of linen (v.3-6)

a.    They ran to the tomb

b.    John glanced in: Saw the strips of linen

c.     Peter entered: Saw the strips of linen

3.    John’s thoughtful discovery: The undisturbed strips of linen (v.7-10)

a.    The strips of linen

1)    They were lying “undisturbed”

2)    The head wrapping was still folded

b.    The immediate belief

1)    John saw and believed

2)    He finally understood the Scripture

Thought: It is because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, there is an empty tomb and not the other way.

WISHING YOU A HAPPY EASTER & PEACE OF THE RISEN CHRIST!

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THE EASTER VIGIL-C

I Reading: Romans 6:3-11

Gospel: Luke 24:1-12

JESUS’ EMPTY TOMB: ITS DISCOVERY, 24:1-12

None of the synoptic accounts agree in the details of the empty tomb. Luke, for instance, records two angels, as also does John. These apparent discrepancies rather tend to be proofs of historicity. The information by those who were present, the source material of the evangelists, was bound to vary for they had witnessed the most stupendous event in human history, the event without which the Christian faith would have no meaning.

The empty tomb was empty. Discovering the empty tomb was the greatest discovery in human history. However, the great tragedy is that most people either are not aware that Jesus arose or do not believe that He arose. Every person has to discover the fact for himself. The empty tomb and the risen Lord have to become a personal discovery for every person.

1.    The first day of the week (v.1)

2.    The first witness of the resurrection (v.1)

3.    The great stone rolled away (v.2)

4.    The body missing from the tomb (v.3)

5.    The two angels and their unbelievable message (v.4-8)

a. Their dazzling clothes

b. Their question

c. Their proclamation

d. Their reminder of Jesus’ prophecy

6. The immediate unbelief of the apostles (v.9-11)

a. The message of the resurrection is carried by women-initially

b. The message of the resurrection is accepted as nonsense

7. The continued unbelief of Peter (v.12)

a. He ran to see-hopefully

b. He saw evidence: Linen clothes folded and off to the side

c. He wondered

Thought: What is needed is to do as Peter did: run to the tomb to see what really did happen.

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HOLY THURSDAY-YEAR –C

CELEBRATION OF THE LORD’S SUPPER

(THE LAST SUPPER OF JESUS)

I Reading: Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14

II Reading: 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

Gospel: John 13: 1-15

We have gathered this evening not as individuals but as a family to commemorate the Last Supper or the Last Meal of our Lord Jesus on earth before on the night he suffered. He is in our midst and we are around Him, as the twelve disciples were with Him. Jesus is already in our midst though we cannot see him with our eyes of flesh, he welcomes us at this very moment, repeating to us the very words he spoke to his twelve disciples on that occasion. “I have eagerly desired to eat this meal with you” (Lk 22:15).

On this Holy Thursday, Jesus instituted the two sacraments: The sacrament of the Holy Eucharist and the sacrament of the Holy Priesthood.

We are lucky to have the priests of the Lord to celebrate the Eucharist in this church daily and all over the world to eat and drink the Body and the Blood of Jesus Christ.

The readings of today speak to us about the three groups of people:

1.    The Jewish family: God gave instructions to the people of Israel through Moses to celebrate the most important event of the year: The Passover Meal. That meal was meant to remind them how their ancestors had been delivered from the slavery of Pharaoh in Egypt. In celebrating the Passover, the eyes of the Jews were set on their past: they praised God for the love he had shown to their ancestors.

2.    The group of the twelve disciples around Jesus: The Gospel speaks of a new family created by Jesus and his twelve disciples; who represent the new Israel and new people of God.

At this time Jesus was giving to the Passover Meal a new meaning. At his Last Supper, Jesus celebrated a new deliverance, one he would carry out the next day on the cross: the deliverance not just of one nation but of all mankind from the slavery of the devil; he would obtain it at the price of his own blood. Jesus anticipated the deliverance, so to say: he took bread, and by his power, he changed it into his Body. He took a cup filled with wine and changed the wine into his own Blood. He gave his Body and Blood to his disciples for them to eat and drink. He said to them “Do this in memory of me.”

 Jesus gave his twelve disciples the power to do what he had just done. They were to do it time and again till he would again, that is, until the end of time.

The word Eucharist means thanksgiving. Jesus instituted it both to carry out the deliverance of people from sin and to thank his Father for that same deliverance.

Jesus performed three main actions at his Last Supper:

i)                He washed the feet of his twelve disciples.

ii)              He instituted the Holy Eucharist.

iii)             He gave to his disciples the new commandment of love.

These three actions were meant to go inseparably together: service and love for the brothers and sisters in the community were to precede and to follow the celebration of the Holy Eucharist.

3.    The Christian community at Corinth: In the second reading of today Paul rebukes his Christians of Corinth in strong terms, because they did not celebrate the Eucharist the way the Lord had commanded. There was something very wrong with their mutual love and lack of concern for the poorer members of the community which was very harmful. That moved Paul to warn them in the strongest terms: if they went on celebrating the Eucharist without mutual love, their community was in very serious danger (1Cor 11:30).

The Eucharist is essential to the life of the Christian community; without it, the Church would cease to exist. The readings of today provide precious guidance for the Christian community to celebrate the Eucharist the way Jesus wanted it celebrated.

When celebrating the Eucharist we should keep our mind fixed on the past, which is on the Last Supper and on Jesus’ Passion, remembering that he saved us from the slavery of sin at the cost of his life. We should also keep in mind in the present that Jesus goes on with his work of setting us free of sin each time we celebrate the Eucharist. We should also keep our thought fixed into the future, waiting for his final coming when he will set us completely free, free for ever.

Christ wants us to celebrate the Eucharist not individually but as a family (Ex 12:11). On this day we must ask God to give us priests from our children in the believing Christian families to carry out the mission of Jesus on this earth and to establish the kingdom of God in the world especially in this parish church.

The Demonstration of Royal Service, John 13: 1-17

The disciples had been arguing over who would hold the leading positions in the government Jesus was about to set up (cp. Lk 22:24; Mk 10:35-45, esp.v.41). They were caught up in the ambition for position, power and authority. How the heart of Jesus must have been cut! He had so little time left for them to learn that the way to glory is through service and not through position and authority. it was this that led Jesus to wash the disciples’ feet and to demonstrate what true royalty is: serving others.

1.    In the Upper Room right before the Passover (v.1)

2.    The impetus for royal service (v.1-2)

a.    Knowing His time, His hour had come

b.    Loving His followers to the very end

c.     Knowing His enemies

3.    The extreme demonstration of royal service (v.3-5)

a.    Knowing His mission

b.    Laying aside His outer clothing

c.     Washing the disciples’ feet

4.    The prerequisite for royal service: washing and cleaning (v.6-11)

a.    Washing is misunderstood

b.    Washing has a deeper meaning: spiritual cleansing

c.     Washing is requested

d.    Washing is thorough and permanent

e.     Washing is not automatic nor by association

5.    The meaning of royal service (v.12-14)

a.    To serve Jesus as Teacher and Lord

b.    To serve other believers royally, sacrificially, leading them to be washed and cleansed

6.    The reasons for royal service (v.15-17)

a.    Because of Jesus’ example

b.    Because believers are not as great as the Lord

c.     Because of resulting joy

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WEDNESDAY, HOLY WEEK-YEAR -C

I Reading: Isaiah 50:4-9: I did not cover my face against insult.

Gospel: Matthew 26:14-25: The Son of Man is going to his fate, as the Scripture say he will, but alas for that man by whom he is betrayed.

The Messiah Betrayed by Judas: The Picture of a Ruined Life, Mt 26:14-16

Judas stands as a great warning to every person including the strongest believer. Judas was one of the original twelve apostles chosen by Jesus Christ. He was a man with so much potential that he was chosen to serve with God’s very own Son during his earthly journey, but he failed and came ever so short. Just why he failed needs to be closely studied and heeded by all.

1.    Picture 1: a great call rejected (v.14)

2.    Picture 2: the gnawing sin of greed and the love of money (v.15)

3.    Picture 3: deceit and intrigue (v.16).

Thought: Judas’ great potential and terrible tragedy teaches so much:

1)    It is not ability, but availability that counts.

2)    Gifts do not assure permanent success; Christ assures permanent (eternal) success.

3)    Walking alone godly people does not assure salvation; allowing Christ to enter one’s heart and life is the only assurance of salvation.

4)    Christ sees the potential of every person’s gifts. What is lacking is person’s seeing the necessity of Christ in the use of his gifts.

5)    Greed or lust is a growing sin and very dangerous sins.

6)    It is not money that is sinful. It is the love of money (1Tim 6:10).

7)    Judas allowed his strength to become his weakness. This is often true with us.

8)    Judas not only rejected but also sought to destroy Jesus.

9)    Finally Christ gave Judas an opportunity to repent but he still betrayed Jesus.

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TUESDAY, HOLY WEEK-YEAR -C

I Reading: Isaiah 49:1-6: I will make you the light of the nations so that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.

Gospel: John 13:21-33. 36-38: One of you will betray me...Before the cock crows you will have disowned me three times.

The Prediction of the Betrayer: A Picture of Apostasy, 13:18-30

This is a clear picture of betrayal and apostasy, of a man who turns away from Christ to the world. It stands as a strong warning to every man who professes to follow Christ.

1.    There is the heartbreak of betrayal (v.18)

a.    Betrayer is not chosen

b.    Betrayer is of the basest sort: Eats with, yet turns away

2.    There is the prediction of betrayal (v.19-20)

a.    To assure that Jesus is the Messiah

b.    To strengthen the dignity of the Lord’s call

c.     To give assurance of God’s indwelling presence

3.    There is the last chance given to the betrayer (v.21-26)

a.    The betrayer’s presence exposed

b.    Jesus’ distress

c.     The disciples’ perplexity, nervousness and self-consciousness

d.    Peter’s gesture for John to inquire further

e.     John’s inquiry

f.      Jesus’ indirect and merciful identification: The giving of a last chance

4.    There is the warning against betrayal (v.27-30)

a.    The evil possession

b.    The charge: Act now

c.     The deceiving of the disciples by the betrayer

d.    The judgement: Seen in the betrayer being separated immediately

Thought: To do sin is to be possessed by sin and by Satan himself.

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ANNUNCIATION OF THE LORD, 25^th March

I Reading: Isaiah 7:10-14, 8-10

II Reading: Hebrews 10:4-10

Gospel: Luke 1:26-38

Mary, the Mother of Jesus: Submission to God’s Will

Little information is given about Mary in the Bible. However, what is said is striking and sets before us a tremendous example of submissiveness to God’s will. Submissiveness to God is an absolute essential for every believer.

1.    The angel Gabriel (v.26)

a.    Was sent from God

b.    Was sent to the most obscure place

2.    Mary was pure, a virgin (v.27)

3.    Mary was highly favoured by God (v.28)

4.    Mary was very human (v.29-30)

a.    Greatly troubled

b.    Fearful

5.    Mary was told she was to bear the Messsiah (v.31-33)

a.    His name Jesus

b.    His great person

1)    Son of the Most High

2)    Son of David

c.     His eternal kingdom

6.    Mary was expected to believe the miraculous (v.34-35)

a.    Her perplexity

b.    Her conception: By the Holy Spirit and the Power of God

c.     Her child: The Son of God

7.    Mary was encouraged to believe: “For nothing is impossible with God” (v.36-37)

a.    God’s another miracle

b.    God’s great power

8.    Mary was submissive (v.38)

Thought: God expects us to believe in Him and His power, regardless of circumstances and our feelings of insignificance. Surrender to God is an absolute essential both for salvation and service (Mt 12:50)

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