For your easy reference, the following is a list of weeks and years with their corresponding date:
19 April 2015 - 3rd Sunday of Easter Year B
20 April 2015 - Monday of the 3rd Week of Easter
21 April 2015 - Tuesday of the 3rd Week of Easter
22 April 2015 - Wednesday of the 3rd Week of Easter
23 April 2015 - Thursday of the 3rd Week of Easter
24 April 2015 - Friday of the 3rd Week of Easter
Saturday, 7 February 2015
Friday of the 3rd Week of Easter
Who would have thought that a person, after having been so wicked, mean and nasty towards Christians, could be converted? Who would have imagined that such a person could be transformed from being an ardent persecutor of the Way to an ardent promoter and defender of the Way? Some of us would have thought that such a person was beyond hope or redemption, and some would have been quite hesitant to believe when they hear that such a person had been converted. After all, news of such a person being converted could have been a trap, designed to flush Christians out from their hiding places so that they could be easily captured and imprisoned.
However, today's reading shows us that such a conversion is possible. Before Saul could enter Damascus to carry out his evil plan, God intervened and caused Saul to fall onto the ground and became blind. Then Ananias (whose name means that the Lord is gracious or that the Lord is compassionate) was commanded by the Lord to go to Saul, lay his hands on him and give Saul back his sight. Ananias was naturally quite hesitant to do so, since he had heard the terrible things and horror stories of what Saul had done. But the Lord replied, "You must go all the same, because this man is my chosen instrument to bring my name before pagans and pagan kings and before the people of Israel; I myself will show him how much he himself must suffer for my name." With this assurance from God, Ananias did what he was told. He trusted in God's care and providence and because of this, we see the depths of the graciousness and compassion of God, and we also see the beginnings of an amazing preacher and defender of the Way, Saul who became St. Paul of Tarsus.
What does this incident tell us? Some of us may think that those who persecute us or created tremendous problems for us would get their just rewards. But sometimes the kind of reward such people would get could be quite different from what we expect. Who knows? Such people may be converted just like Saul, and become champions of the Christian faith. We just need to trust in God's care and providence, since He work wonders far beyond what we could ever imagine.
However, today's reading shows us that such a conversion is possible. Before Saul could enter Damascus to carry out his evil plan, God intervened and caused Saul to fall onto the ground and became blind. Then Ananias (whose name means that the Lord is gracious or that the Lord is compassionate) was commanded by the Lord to go to Saul, lay his hands on him and give Saul back his sight. Ananias was naturally quite hesitant to do so, since he had heard the terrible things and horror stories of what Saul had done. But the Lord replied, "You must go all the same, because this man is my chosen instrument to bring my name before pagans and pagan kings and before the people of Israel; I myself will show him how much he himself must suffer for my name." With this assurance from God, Ananias did what he was told. He trusted in God's care and providence and because of this, we see the depths of the graciousness and compassion of God, and we also see the beginnings of an amazing preacher and defender of the Way, Saul who became St. Paul of Tarsus.
What does this incident tell us? Some of us may think that those who persecute us or created tremendous problems for us would get their just rewards. But sometimes the kind of reward such people would get could be quite different from what we expect. Who knows? Such people may be converted just like Saul, and become champions of the Christian faith. We just need to trust in God's care and providence, since He work wonders far beyond what we could ever imagine.
Thursday of the 3rd Week of Easter
If you are given the opportunity to do something to your life which would enable you to live forever, would you seize such an opportunity? Some people in the past had turned to different sorts of medicine, elixers, and meditation techniques, in an attempt to live forever. But the fact of the matter is, our bodies are not designed to live indefinitely. Humanly speaking, it does not matter what we try to do, we will die one day. Seeing that physical death is inevitable, what sort of death should we focus on instead?
In today's Gospel, Jesus tells us: "I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the desert and they are dead; but this is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that a man may eat it and not die. I am the living bread which has come down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever; and the bread that I shall give is my flesh, for the life of the world." When we eat this living bread, we are actually nourishing our souls and letting God sustain our spiritual lives. It is this spiritual life which we should watch out for, since our bodies will perish but our soul will live on. Are we neglecting our souls and heading towards a spiritual death away from God? Or have we been doing our part to receive the living bread that Jesus is offering us, and giving us spiritual life that lives forever?
In today's Gospel, Jesus tells us: "I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the desert and they are dead; but this is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that a man may eat it and not die. I am the living bread which has come down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever; and the bread that I shall give is my flesh, for the life of the world." When we eat this living bread, we are actually nourishing our souls and letting God sustain our spiritual lives. It is this spiritual life which we should watch out for, since our bodies will perish but our soul will live on. Are we neglecting our souls and heading towards a spiritual death away from God? Or have we been doing our part to receive the living bread that Jesus is offering us, and giving us spiritual life that lives forever?
Friday, 6 February 2015
Wednesday of the 3rd Week of Easter
Bread is an essential part of a meal for many people. People eat bread, sometimes with different kinds of vegetables, meat and fruits. Sometimes, bread is eaten with different kinds of jam, butter, margarine, peanut butter and other types of spreads. In some cases, bread could be eaten on its own, and some even dip pieces of bread into a cup of coffee, milo, chocolate or some other beverage, or even dip into some form of mixture or sauce. In Malaysia, we can find bread in other forms, such as chapati, roti canai (also known as "roti prata"), naan and thosai. When dipped in dal curry, fish curry or other kinds of curry and sauces, the taste and flavour is enhanced further.
But as we would notice, the kind of bread we eat is nourishing only to our bodies. What about the kind of bread which would nourish our spiritual side, our soul? In today's Gospel, Jesus tells us: "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never be hungry; he who believes in me will never thirst. But, as I have told you, you can see me and still you do not believe." The bread which we get for a meal will never satisfy and nourish us completely, since we would become hungry and thirsty again after a while. Jesus is offering us Himself, the bread of life, the kind of bread which would satisfy us both body and soul, provided that we come to Him and believe in Him.
Each day, Jesus is inviting us to partake in this bread of life, the Eucharist, His body, which is real food and real drink, to strengthen us and help us progress in our spiritual journey. It seems strange that there are some who make so much effort to find other forms of bread which satisfies us only temporary, when Jesus is offering us the best bread available and moreover, free of charge. Are we still insisting in going after only worldly bread, or are we making more effort to regularly partake in that heavenly bread for the betterment of our soul?
But as we would notice, the kind of bread we eat is nourishing only to our bodies. What about the kind of bread which would nourish our spiritual side, our soul? In today's Gospel, Jesus tells us: "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never be hungry; he who believes in me will never thirst. But, as I have told you, you can see me and still you do not believe." The bread which we get for a meal will never satisfy and nourish us completely, since we would become hungry and thirsty again after a while. Jesus is offering us Himself, the bread of life, the kind of bread which would satisfy us both body and soul, provided that we come to Him and believe in Him.
Each day, Jesus is inviting us to partake in this bread of life, the Eucharist, His body, which is real food and real drink, to strengthen us and help us progress in our spiritual journey. It seems strange that there are some who make so much effort to find other forms of bread which satisfies us only temporary, when Jesus is offering us the best bread available and moreover, free of charge. Are we still insisting in going after only worldly bread, or are we making more effort to regularly partake in that heavenly bread for the betterment of our soul?
Thursday, 5 February 2015
Tuesday of the 3rd Week of Easter
How many of us are willing to put our lives in danger, or even face death, to uphold the truth? Sometimes we come across wrongdoings, slander, rampant bribery, corruption, crimes being committed, exploitation and enslavement among the weak, the poor and the migrants, and many other heinous acts being committed around us. Are we willing to do all we can to uphold the truth, even if it means that we could end up being ridiculed, persecuted, imprisoned or even murdered or assassinated? Or are we more interested in preserving our lives, afraid or reluctant to get involved, and look the other way?
In today's reading, Stephen said some hard facts and truths to the people, the elders and the scribes which caused them to react in this way: "They were infuriated when they heard this, and ground their teeth at him." But Stephen did not back down or change his stance over the matter, he held his ground and the more he said, the more antagonised the people, the elders and the scribes became, leading to Stephen being sent out of the city and stoned to death. What was Stephen's response to all this? He merely followed what Jesus did on the cross: "'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.' Then he knelt down and said aloud, 'Lord, do not hold this sin against them.'"
It has been said that for evil men to accomplish their purpose it is only necessary that good men should do nothing. Are we willing to sacrifice ourselves and be bearers of truth, justice and fairness? Or are we only interested in saving our own skin? Let us choose our conduct wisely, for the consequences of our actions is far reaching, and our eternal future is at stake.
In today's reading, Stephen said some hard facts and truths to the people, the elders and the scribes which caused them to react in this way: "They were infuriated when they heard this, and ground their teeth at him." But Stephen did not back down or change his stance over the matter, he held his ground and the more he said, the more antagonised the people, the elders and the scribes became, leading to Stephen being sent out of the city and stoned to death. What was Stephen's response to all this? He merely followed what Jesus did on the cross: "'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.' Then he knelt down and said aloud, 'Lord, do not hold this sin against them.'"
It has been said that for evil men to accomplish their purpose it is only necessary that good men should do nothing. Are we willing to sacrifice ourselves and be bearers of truth, justice and fairness? Or are we only interested in saving our own skin? Let us choose our conduct wisely, for the consequences of our actions is far reaching, and our eternal future is at stake.
Monday of the 3rd Week of Easter
We need food to grow and survive each day. Even though we may be able to go without food for a certain period, eventually we would need to eat something to sustain ourselves. This is where we need to make a living so that we could continue surviving and prospering in this world. Our efforts are certainly not wrong, but sometimes we tend to forget who we really are and what is our ultimate purpose, our ultimate goal. Is this life all there is to us? The food we can taste in this world gives us pleasure and contentment only for a moment; after it has been processed in our stomachs, it becomes waste which we dispel.
This is why, in today's Gospel, Jesus reminds us: "Do not work for food that cannot last, but work for food that endures to eternal life, the kind of food the Son of Man is offering you, for on him the Father, God himself, has set his seal." Jesus is offering the kind of food which will satisfy us completely, not only physically, but spiritually as well. This food is found in His Body, the Eucharist, which we are encouraged to partake each day, so that our souls are nourished and our relationship with God is strengthened. Let us not take for granted or miss out on this precious and heavenly food which Jesus is offering us at no cost, food which has far greater effects and benefits on us as we journey towards our eternal future.
This is why, in today's Gospel, Jesus reminds us: "Do not work for food that cannot last, but work for food that endures to eternal life, the kind of food the Son of Man is offering you, for on him the Father, God himself, has set his seal." Jesus is offering the kind of food which will satisfy us completely, not only physically, but spiritually as well. This food is found in His Body, the Eucharist, which we are encouraged to partake each day, so that our souls are nourished and our relationship with God is strengthened. Let us not take for granted or miss out on this precious and heavenly food which Jesus is offering us at no cost, food which has far greater effects and benefits on us as we journey towards our eternal future.
Wednesday, 4 February 2015
3rd Sunday of Easter Year B
In ancient times, maintaining cleanliness and proper sanitation was not as simple or easy as today, but people still made effort to ensure that their homes and living quarters were kept clean as best as possible. Maintaining cleanliness also means taking out the garbage, lest the house itself ends up becoming a rubbish dump, which would then attract unwanted creatures like cockroaches, rats, mice and other creepy crawlies which either thrive on the rubbish or feed on the pests and vermin that thrive on the rubbish, which would then pose a danger to humans. We have read horrible accounts of diseases and other deadly forms brought by such unwanted creatures.
However, all this effort of maintaining cleanliness and proper sanitation is only for this world that we live in. What about the trash and junk which we may have picked up when we commit sin? We also need to put out that garbage for collection. If we don’t put out that trash for collection it will also become a dreadful mess, a mess inside us, affecting our entire self. The first reading reminds us: "Now you must repent and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out." Notice that the reading says "now" and not tomorrow, next week, next month, next year, or as and when we are free. The second reading further reinforces the urgency to put out the garbage within us and reminds us that "Jesus Christ, who is just; is the sacrifice that takes our sins away, and not only ours, but the whole world’s." But we must repent and turn to God, so that our sins would be wiped out. So if you have garbage or junk in your life, Jesus is waiting to take it from you; but He will not take it from you by force; He will wait for you to go to Him or open yourself to Him.
This is why we need to constantly remind ourselves of the importance of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. This Sacrament is there to remove the accumulated rubbish, garbage and junk from our souls. It is not the priest that you meet in Confession, it is Jesus you meet, and it is He who heals you during the Sacrament. It is not just a Sacrament that is meant only for the season of Advent and the season of Lent. It is a sacrament for use all year round, God's Grace is waiting for us all year round. God is inviting us to get rid of the rubbish which is dirtying and damaging our soul, so that we may have a clear and open channel for God to guide us and heal us. It is strange that people would make lots of effort to buy expensive perfumes and take regular baths to ensure that their bodies are clean and smell pleasant, but they do not see the necessity or urgency to keep their souls clean and smell pleasant too.
Are we still procrastinating and putting off this wonderful and helpful means of getting rid of our inner rubbish? Why allow ourselves to become a source of attraction to the evil vermin waiting to devour us, or infect us with deadly diseases and destroy our being? God is inviting us to get rid of the leprosy of sin within us; it is up to us to seize the many opportunities given to us to seek forgiveness through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and be clean once again as we grow closer to Him.
However, all this effort of maintaining cleanliness and proper sanitation is only for this world that we live in. What about the trash and junk which we may have picked up when we commit sin? We also need to put out that garbage for collection. If we don’t put out that trash for collection it will also become a dreadful mess, a mess inside us, affecting our entire self. The first reading reminds us: "Now you must repent and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out." Notice that the reading says "now" and not tomorrow, next week, next month, next year, or as and when we are free. The second reading further reinforces the urgency to put out the garbage within us and reminds us that "Jesus Christ, who is just; is the sacrifice that takes our sins away, and not only ours, but the whole world’s." But we must repent and turn to God, so that our sins would be wiped out. So if you have garbage or junk in your life, Jesus is waiting to take it from you; but He will not take it from you by force; He will wait for you to go to Him or open yourself to Him.
This is why we need to constantly remind ourselves of the importance of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. This Sacrament is there to remove the accumulated rubbish, garbage and junk from our souls. It is not the priest that you meet in Confession, it is Jesus you meet, and it is He who heals you during the Sacrament. It is not just a Sacrament that is meant only for the season of Advent and the season of Lent. It is a sacrament for use all year round, God's Grace is waiting for us all year round. God is inviting us to get rid of the rubbish which is dirtying and damaging our soul, so that we may have a clear and open channel for God to guide us and heal us. It is strange that people would make lots of effort to buy expensive perfumes and take regular baths to ensure that their bodies are clean and smell pleasant, but they do not see the necessity or urgency to keep their souls clean and smell pleasant too.
Are we still procrastinating and putting off this wonderful and helpful means of getting rid of our inner rubbish? Why allow ourselves to become a source of attraction to the evil vermin waiting to devour us, or infect us with deadly diseases and destroy our being? God is inviting us to get rid of the leprosy of sin within us; it is up to us to seize the many opportunities given to us to seek forgiveness through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and be clean once again as we grow closer to Him.
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