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Armour Up

30/4/2019

A Reflection on the First Reading for May 5th, 2019:
Third Sunday of Easter

Acts 5.28-32, 40b-41

In those days: The high priest questioned the Apostles, saying, “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you are determined to bring this man’s blood on us.”

But Peter and the Apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than human beings. The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Saviour that he might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”

Then the council ordered the Apostles not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. As they left the council, they rejoiced that they were considered worthy to suffer dishonour for the sake of the name.

I often wonder if I would rejoice and be glad to suffer for the sake of Jesus; to be persecuted and know that my life was constantly in danger because I am a Christian and I’m bold in spreading the Gospel. I’ve been ridiculed because of my faith on occasion, often within my own family. I was spit on when I stood in front of the local hospital, praying during 40 Days for Life. In all these instances I felt an overwhelming peace; not anger or a need to take revenge… just peace. Christ’s peace isn’t understandable to us. We trust and it comes. But, I have yet to be stretched to the extent that my job or my life would be endangered.

The apostles were flogged, and that method of punishment at that place and time was not a slap on the wrist. Flogging could cripple a person and even kill them. And they were super delighted that they had the golden opportunity, the honour no less, of being flogged… for Jesus sake! Why? Because Peter and the apostles had seen the resurrected Jesus, the risen Lord, the Way and the Word of God made whole again, and that not only opened their eyes, it left them in awe and wonder and they knew that they’d been changed forever. All over the world since that day and time, even to the present 21st century, our brothers and sisters in Christ are being tortured and murdered, thrown into prisons, scorned and mocked because they serve the Messiah. How do they do it? They do it with and through The Holy Spirit! Jesus told the apostles and still tells us today that if we receive Him we will be given His Holy Spirit and that means I can “do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).

"Soldiers prepare for battle in every aspect of their lives, from the physical to the emotional, from the big to the mundane. We are called to do the same."

Soldiers prepare for battle in every aspect of their lives, from the physical to the emotional, from the big to the mundane. We are called to do the same. The spiritual battle is even more important because its outcome is life eternal with God… or hell. Therefore, we must continue in our preparations; Eucharist, scripture, prayer, growing in love for our neighbours and our enemies, forgiveness, confessing and being absolved and growing deeper and deeper in faith and ruthless trust in the King of Heaven and Earth. If I am tested to the extreme, I want to say, with joy, “not my will but Yours”.

Judy Savoy

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Pax Vobiscum

26/4/2019

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A Reflection on the Gospel for April 28, 2019:
2nd Sunday of Easter: Divine Mercy

John 20:19-31
When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.  Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’

When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.  If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.’

But Thomas, who was called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.  So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord.’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.’

A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.’  Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!’  Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.’

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book.  But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

I can only imagine the feelings that would have been in the room that day the disciples were gathered together after Jesus had died — defeat, disappointment, anxiety, sadness, anger, betrayal, embarrassment, fear. They had locked the door. It’s interesting that the very first thing Jesus says to them speaks directly to those feelings. When He stood among them He said, “Peace be with you.” It was so important He actually said it twice. Of course, peace is one of Jesus’ trademarks. Long before He was born the prophet Isaiah said that He would be called “Prince of Peace.” I once heard a Christmas homily where the priest talked about how desperately we need a Prince of Peace — in our world, in our countries, in our communities, in our homes, and in our hearts. We need one at Easter-time too — or at least I do. It’s so telling that when the risen Jesus first came to reveal Himself to his disciples that day He identified Himself as the Prince of Peace.

I think when Jesus approaches us today He still often leads with saying, “Peace be with you.” When God has revealed Himself to me in my life it has often been with and by His peace. I’ve never heard an audible voice from God. I think He probably knows I wouldn’t do well with that. But I do believe God has spoken to me directly at times. When it has happened my thoughts have been spiralling — into negativity, into doubt, into fear, into self-criticism — and they are going from dark to darker. In the middle of that spiral a centering, calming, comforting thought will break through and pop into my head with something like, “You are loved,” or “You are a child of God,” or a Bible verse. Sometimes what breaks through cannot be articulated, but is simply a deep sense of peace. I am confident that those thoughts are not from me. They are Jesus reaching out to me saying, “Peace be with you.”

It seems to me that if doubt isn’t an option, we are not talking about faith.

In the Gospel today we hear about Saint Thomas who doubts. Despite spending years of their lives following Jesus and witnessing His incredible miracles, the disciples are still so human. I find this endlessly reassuring when I think about my own faith. I’ve been a believer for a long time, but doubt has come along with faith for as long as I can remember. Honestly, I’ve never really been too scared of doubt. The letter to the Hebrews says “To have faith is to be sure of the things we hope for, to be certain of the things we cannot see.” (11:1) So when we are talking about faith we are talking about belief in something that is very difficult to measure or prove. It seems to me that if doubt isn’t an option, we are not talking about faith. In the reading today Jesus met Thomas exactly where he was, in his doubts, and provided him with the peace he needed. Jesus has done that for me too and I’m so grateful.

Morgan MacKenzie

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The Hope and the Promise

25/4/2019

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A Reflection on the Second Reading for April 28, 2019:
2nd Sunday of Easter: Divine Mercy

Revelation 1:9-13,17-19
My name is John, and through our union in Jesus I am your brother and share your sufferings, your kingdom, and all you endure. I was on the island of Patmos for having preached God’s word and witnessed for Jesus; it was the Lord’s day and the Spirit possessed me, and I heard a voice behind me, shouting like a trumpet, ‘Write down all that you see in a book.’ I turned round to see who had spoken to me, and when I turned I saw seven golden lamp-stands and, surrounded by them, a figure like a Son of man, dressed in a long robe tied at the waist with a golden girdle.
When I saw him, I fell in a dead faint at his feet, but he touched me with his right hand and said, ‘Do not be afraid; it is I, the First and the Last; I am the Living One, I was dead and now I am to live for ever and ever, and I hold the keys of death and of the underworld. Now write down all that you see of present happenings and things that are still to come.’ New Jerusalem Bible

Tucked between the Acts of the Apostles and the Gospel of John, both of which report the earliest days of the Church, is this introduction into a much later chapter in the life of the Church. John, the same apostle who is said to have written the Gospel for this weekend, is an old man. Mary has been assumed into Heaven, and he is exiled to the island of Patmos for his faithful witness. Of all the apostles, only John sees his old age. The rest of the apostles find their end through martyrdom for Christ.

How lonely must John have felt. At that time, Christianity had begun to seize on the hearts and minds of many, but it was also a time of terrifying persecution. So many brothers and sisters had perished and yet he remained. After the news of the last few weeks, I can’t help but identify with what John was likely feeling in the time between the Acts of Apostles and the book of Revelation. Hearing the news of out Sri Lanka, and the many other sites of Christian martyrdom around the world, it’s hard not to feel a certain amount of survivor’s guilt. We are still challenged and persecuted, but we are not being martyred during our worship. We arrived at our Sunday morning Mass last weekend and were able to shout our Alleluias, even though they were tempered by lamentation for our fellow disciples.

We will not always be in this tug and pull between good and evil.
God is coming with a promise of victory.

Yet, John wasn’t left untouched by martyrdom without any purpose. He was saved from that death for a reason. God had a purpose for him. God had promises He wanted to share with His children. In the midst of the terror and martyrdom of the early Church, God chose to proclaim through John a message of tremendous hope — these days are filled with evil, but the victory of Christ which began at Bethlehem will come to full fruition. We will not always be in this tug and pull between good and evil. God is coming with a promise of victory. The Resurrection of Christ broke the power of death. Death has no sting. Hell has no victory. Victory belongs to the Lamb who was slain.

Right now, I think we’re called to sit with John and hear the promise of God. We’re called to find out what our role is. If God has saved us from martyrdom, He can and will use us to trumpet His message of victory. As the Easter sequence reminds us…
…That Christ is truly risen from the dead we know. Victorious king, thy mercy show!

Stephanie Potter

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A Song of victory

24/4/2019

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A Reflection on the Psalm for April 28, 2019:
2nd Sunday of Easter: Divine Mercy

Psalm 118
verses 2-4, 22-27

R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his steadfast love endures for ever!
or Alleluia!

Let Israel say,
    ‘His steadfast love endures for ever.’
Let the house of Aaron say,
    ‘His steadfast love endures for ever.’
Let those who fear the Lord say,
    ‘His steadfast love endures for ever.

R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his steadfast love endures for ever!
or Alleluia!

The stone that the builders rejected
    has become the chief cornerstone.
This is the Lord’s doing;
    it is marvellous in our eyes.
This is the day that the Lord has made;
    let us rejoice and be glad in it.

R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his steadfast love endures for ever!
or Alleluia!

Save us, we beseech you, O Lord!
    O Lord, we beseech you, give us success!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.
    We bless you from the house of the Lord.
The Lord is God,
    and he has given us light.

R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his steadfast love endures for ever!
or Alleluia!

It’s Easter! Still! One of the things I love about our Church is that we live, worship, and praise our God in seasons, and not simply on a special day here and there. We prepare for 40 days through Lent. Then we celebrate the Resurrection for 50 days until the Feast of Pentecost when we recall the coming of the Holy Spirit and ultimately the sending out of the Apostles. There is a beginning and an end. After all nothing lasts forever. Or does it?

Several summers ago, I was in a museum and saw a painting by an artist named Eugène Burnand. Don’t worry, prior to seeing this painting I didn’t know who Burnand was either. What’s more important is the painting itself and its title: The Disciples Peter and John on the Morning of the Resurrection. The museum was the Musee D’Orsay in Paris — a world renowned museum that contains originals from Monet, Renoir, and Picasso. Yet my attention and my heart were totally captured by this painting by a relatively unknown artist — at least to me with my very minimal knowledge of art history. It felt like forever that I stood there just taking in the colours, the clarity, the expressions, and trying to read what the artist was trying to convey.

The first thing that struck me was the detail in the facial expressions of the Apostles. Upon hearing from the women of Christ’s resurrection they went running to the now empty tomb because of… curiosity? fear ? shock? worry? Burnand captures this mix of emotions so well. I’m assuming the older looking gentlemen is Peter and in his face are all those emotions. I can imagine the voice in Peter’s head saying, “Could it be? Did Jesus do as he said he would and rise from the dead? Is he still alive?” I can only imagine the dark places the Apostles and other disciples went to after Jesus’ crucifixion. Yet I see a sense of hope in Peter’s face, a hope in Jesus’ being forever present as he promised. This is the sense of forever that the psalmist means when he writes, “His steadfast love endures forever!”

Because we know how this “story” ends, we know Jesus DID rise from the darkness that is death. On that third day, that first Easter Sunday, there was great Light. The lack of darkness, or rather the brightness of the morning light conveyed in the painting, is the second thing that intrigued me about this painting. There is a hopefulness in that light. Night has faded and as the sun has risen, the Son has risen — Alleluia!

In some Bible translations Psalm 118 is titled: A Song of Victory. And appropriately so, after all what greater victory is there than the victory over death that Jesus won for all — then, now, and forever. Whether it be that very first Easter Sunday, Divine Mercy Sunday, any Sunday, or any day for that matter, let all the faithful say, “His steadfast love endures forever!”

Night has faded and as the sun has risen, the Son has risen — Alleluia!

Aurea Sadi

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Armour Up

A Reflection on the First Reading for May 5th, 2019:Third Sunday of Easter

Pax Vobiscum

A Reflection on the Gospel for April 28, 2019:​2nd Sunday of Easter: Divine Mercy

The Hope and the Promise

A Reflection on the Second Reading for April 28, 2019:​2nd Sunday of Easter: Divine Mercy

A Song of victory

A Reflection on the Psalm for April 28, 2019:​2nd Sunday of Easter: Divine Mercy

Archives

A Reflection on the First Reading for May 5th, 2019:
Third Sunday of Easter

A Reflection on the Gospel for April 28, 2019:
2nd Sunday of Easter: Divine Mercy

A Reflection on the Second Reading for April 28, 2019:
2nd Sunday of Easter: Divine Mercy

A Reflection on the Psalm for April 28, 2019:
2nd Sunday of Easter: Divine Mercy