Category: Octave

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“THE LIGHT SHINES IN THE DARKNESS, AND DARKNESS COULD NOT OVERPOWER IT” (John 1:5)

⏰Easter Vigil (31 March 2018) 📖Gen 1:1 – 2:2; Ps 104:1-2a, 5-6, 10 and 12, 13-14 and 35c (R.v.30); Exod 14:15 – 15:1; Exod 15:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6, 17-18 (R.v.1b); Ezek 36:16-17a, 18-25; Ps 42:3, 5bcd, 43:3, 4 (R. 42:2); Rom 6:3-11; Ps 118:1-2, 15c-17, 22-23; Mark 16:1-7 My dear fellow pilgrim! I welcome you joyfully to this most sacred night, the mother of all nights, the night that gave way to our freedom. On this night, we celebrate symbolically, the victory of light over darkness. In our lives as believers, darkness means a lot. But in summary, we can summarize...

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THE DOUBTING THOMAS, COMMUNITY LIFE AND THE DIVINE MERCY

⏰SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER YEAR A (DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY) ????Acts 2:42-47; Ps 118:2-4, 13-15ab, 22-24 (R.v.1); 1 Pet 1:3-9; John 20:19-31 The three readings that we have in our Liturgy of today bring out the role of faith in the life of every Christian. The First Reading and the Gospel point out the influence of the Christian community in harnessing that faith. In the First Reading, the early Christian community lived a common life that helped them to grow in this faith. Four things characterized their community spirit: They devoted themselves to (a) the teaching of the Apostles Magisterium (b)...

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THE DOUBTING THOMAS, COMMUNITY LIFE AND THE DIVINE MERCY

⏰Second Sunday of Easter (Year C) 📖Acts 5:12-16; Psalm 118:2-4, 22-24, 25-27a (R.v.1); Rev 1:9-11a, 12-13, 17-19; John 20:19-31 🎤THE DOUBTING THOMAS, COMMUNITY LIFE AND THE DIVINE MERCY In the past two liturgical years – A & B – the liturgy of this very day, that is Second Sunday (Divine Mercy Sunday),L brought to our view the roles of faith and love in the life of every Christian. This year, while those roles are still kept in view, the centrality and primacy of the Word of God in Christian life are emphasized. This emphasis is made basically in the First...

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“GO INTO ALL THE WORLD AND PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE WHOLE CREATION” (Mark 16:15)

⏰Saturday Within the Octave of Easter (22 April 2018) 📕Acts 4:13-21; Ps 118:1 and 14-15ab, 15c-18, 19-21 (R.v.21a); Mark 16:9-15 If it was hard for the disciples, who were members of Jesus’ inner caucus to understand the resurrection of Jesus, imagine how harder it would be for those who were outside that circle. That is why evangelization is a necessity to them, and by extension, to us. To be able to bear true witness to the Gospel, we need to be authentic and humble. Imagine uneducated disciples performing miracles and teaching the people sound theology which the learned leaders of...

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“THERE IS NO OTHER NAME…BY WHICH WE MUST BE SAVED” (Acts 4:11)

⏰Friday Within the Octave of Easter (06 April 2018) 📕Acts 4:1-12; Ps 118:1-2 and 4, 22-24, 25-27ab (R.v.22); John 21:1-14 After the resurrection of Jesus, it was difficult for the disciples to fully understand what has taken place. In fact, some of them went back to their old business. Peter and some other members of the Twelve were part of these (cf. John 21:2-3). Jesus kept appearing to them to reassure them that he was real and his mission is true. At this instance, they had laboured in vain all night without catching anything but Jesus came up and He...

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BEARING TRUE WITNESS TO GOD…

⏰Thursday Within the Octave of Easter (05 April 2018) 📕Acts 3:11-26; Ps 8:2ab and 5, 6-7a, 7b-9 (R.v.2ab); Luke 24:35-48 “To God be glory for ever and ever” (Gal 1:5). After the healing of the lame man at the Beautiful Gate (Acts 3:1ff), the apostles must have become instant VIPs but that did not get into their heads. They still remembered that it was through the name of Jesus that they were able to do it and informed the people so (cf. Acts 3:12ff). How many times do we remember to channel back the glory sincerely to God after we...

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INVITE JESUS INTO YOUR HOME

⏰Wednesday Within the Octave of Easter (04 April 2018) 📕Acts 3:1-10; Ps 105:1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8-9 (R.v.3b); Luke 24:13-35 The name of Jesus is costlier than the costliest of all gold and silver. It is at this name that Peter healed the lame (Acts 3:6). Do you have any trust in that name? He is not far from you. He walks with you daily as he walked with the disciples on their way to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35). He always want to clarify your doubt and restore your hope. Will you give him a chance to heal you? This healing comes...

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JESUS I LOVE YOU

⏰Tuesday Within the Octave of Easter (03 April 2018) 📕Acts 2:36-41; Ps 33:4-5, 18-19, 20 and 22 (R.v.5b); John 20:11-18 Have you learnt anything yet from Mary Magdalene since the resurrection of Jesus? She has taught me what it means to be a faithful disciple of Jesus. In addition, she seems to know what it means to have hope against hope. She has taught me what it means to love Jesus. Her encounter with Jesus in John 20:14-16 confirms the saying of Jesus in the story of the Good Shepherd; the sheep knows the Shepherd and listens to his voice...

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“…WE ALL ARE WITNESSES” (Acts 2:32)

⏰Monday Within the Octave of Easter (02 April 2018) Acts 2:14, 22-33; Ps 16:1-2a and 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11 (R.v.1); Matt 28:8-15 My dear, we are constantly on a pilgrimage on earth. And our destination is heaven. We shall not look back until we get there. And the Church has given us formulae to reach that long-for destination. Not quite long, we ended the 40-day journey of Lent in which we celebrated the Passion of Christ. And now, we’ve already began another 50-day journey to celebrate his victory over death and sin. How do you join in celebrating this? After...