Tuesday in the Octave of Easter
Lectionary: 262
Lectionary: 262
On the day of
Pentecost, Peter said to the Jewish people,
“Let the whole house of Israel know for certain
that God has made him both Lord and Christ,
this Jesus whom you crucified.”
Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart,
and they asked Peter and the other Apostles,
“What are we to do, my brothers?”
Peter said to them,
“Repent and be baptized, every one of you,
in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins;
and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
For the promise is made to you and to your children
and to all those far off,
whomever the Lord our God will call.”
He testified with many other arguments, and was exhorting them,
“Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.”
Those who accepted his message were baptized,
and about three thousand persons were added that day.
“Let the whole house of Israel know for certain
that God has made him both Lord and Christ,
this Jesus whom you crucified.”
Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart,
and they asked Peter and the other Apostles,
“What are we to do, my brothers?”
Peter said to them,
“Repent and be baptized, every one of you,
in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins;
and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
For the promise is made to you and to your children
and to all those far off,
whomever the Lord our God will call.”
He testified with many other arguments, and was exhorting them,
“Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.”
Those who accepted his message were baptized,
and about three thousand persons were added that day.
Responsorial PsalmPS 33:4-5, 18-19, 20 AND 22
R. (5b) The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Upright is the word of the LORD,
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.
R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.
R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Our soul waits for the LORD,
who is our help and our shield.
May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us
who have put our hope in you.
R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Upright is the word of the LORD,
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.
R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.
R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Our soul waits for the LORD,
who is our help and our shield.
May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us
who have put our hope in you.
R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
AlleluiaPS 118:24
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
This is the day the LORD has made;
let us be glad and rejoice in it.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
This is the day the LORD has made;
let us be glad and rejoice in it.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelJN 20:11-18
Mary Magdalene
stayed outside the tomb weeping.
And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb
and saw two angels in white sitting there,
one at the head and one at the feet
where the Body of Jesus had been.
And they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”
She said to them, “They have taken my Lord,
and I don’t know where they laid him.”
When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there,
but did not know it was Jesus.
Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?
Whom are you looking for?”
She thought it was the gardener and said to him,
“Sir, if you carried him away,
tell me where you laid him,
and I will take him.”
Jesus said to her, “Mary!”
She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni,”
which means Teacher.
Jesus said to her, “Stop holding on to me,
for I have not yet ascended to the Father.
But go to my brothers and tell them,
‘I am going to my Father and your Father,
to my God and your God.’”
Mary went and announced to the disciples,
“I have seen the Lord,”
and then reported what he had told her.
And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb
and saw two angels in white sitting there,
one at the head and one at the feet
where the Body of Jesus had been.
And they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”
She said to them, “They have taken my Lord,
and I don’t know where they laid him.”
When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there,
but did not know it was Jesus.
Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?
Whom are you looking for?”
She thought it was the gardener and said to him,
“Sir, if you carried him away,
tell me where you laid him,
and I will take him.”
Jesus said to her, “Mary!”
She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni,”
which means Teacher.
Jesus said to her, “Stop holding on to me,
for I have not yet ascended to the Father.
But go to my brothers and tell them,
‘I am going to my Father and your Father,
to my God and your God.’”
Mary went and announced to the disciples,
“I have seen the Lord,”
and then reported what he had told her.
Meditation: "I have seen the Lord!"
Do you recognize the Lord's presence when you
hear his word? How easy it is to miss the Lord when our focus is on ourselves!
Mary did not at first recognize the Lord because her focus was on the empty
tomb and on her own grief. It took only one word from the Master, when he
called her by name, for Mary to recognize him. Mary's message to the disciples, I
have seen the Lord, is the very essence of Christianity. It is not
enough that a Christian know about the Lord, but that we know him personally.
It is not enough to argue about him, but to meet him. In the resurrection we
encounter the living Lord who loves us personally and shares his glory with us.
The Lord gives us "eyes of faith" to see the truth of his
resurrection and victory over sin and death (Ephesians 1:18).
The resurrection of Jesus is the foundation of
our hope - the hope that we will see God face to face and share in his
everlasting glory and joy. "Without having seen him you love him; though
you do not now see him you believe in him and rejoice with unutterable and
exalted joy. As the outcome of your faith you obtain the salvation of
your souls" (1 Peter 1:8-9). Do you recognize the Lord's
presence with you, in his word, in the "breaking of the bread," and
in his church, the body of Christ?
"Lord Jesus, may I never fail to recognize
your voice nor lose sight of your presence in your life-giving word."
 From Tears of Sorrow to Tears of Joy |
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April 7, 2015.
Tuesday in the Octave of Easter
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John 20:11-18
Mary Magdalene stayed outside the tomb
weeping. And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb and saw two angels in
white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet where the body of
Jesus had been. And they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?"
She said to them, "They have taken my Lord, and I don´t know where they
laid him." When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus
there, but did not know it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are
you weeping? Whom are you looking for?" She thought it was the gardener
and said to him, "Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid
him, and I will take him." Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She
turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabboni," which means Teacher.
Jesus said to her, "Stop holding onto me, for I have not yet ascended to
the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, ´I am going to my Father and
your Father, to my God and your God.´" Mary of Magdala went and
announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord," and what he
told her.
Introductory Prayer: Lord, you are the source of all life because
you are life itself. Your resurrection gives me the hope of being raised from
the dead to rejoice with you in heaven forever. I need to reflect more often on
the good you have done for us and on your promises to those who put their
trust in you. Thank you, Jesus, for taking up your life again and leading the
way home to heaven. I love you, and I want to follow after you with all my
heart. I want to cooperate more fully with you in bringing many others there
with me.
Petition: Lord, grant me a faith that is alive,
operative and fruitful.
1. Blinded by Love, Mary Stayed
Weeping: St. John observes
that “they did not know the scripture, that he must rise from the dead” (John
20:9). Because the reality of the Resurrection had not yet entered into the
mind, and much less the heart, Mary stayed weeping outside Christ’s tomb.
Take this moment to contemplate this moving scene which shows Mary’s deep
love for Our Lord. Even angels could not persuade her with their questioning:
“Why are you weeping?” Admire her love; imitate her love; want what she
wanted – to be with her Lord, always! May our love for Our Lord give us the
same fortitude in love that Mary showed at the tomb.
2. They Had Taken Her Love Away: Poor Mary! The sorrows of her life were so
mean and pitiful. One sad day, desperation had led her into a life of
prostitution. With her dignity gone, her empty soul seemed suited only to be
a haven for roaming devils (cf. Luke 8:3; Mark 16:9). The world, the flesh
and the devil saw her only with contempt and selfish opportunity. But Our
Lord had seen her differently and loved her differently. The love that he had
restored to her life, however, was now trampled upon as she contemplated his
empty tomb. See her heart, already heavy with grief and horror as she had
witnessed her Lord mistreated, beaten and crucified. All these thoughts
welled up in her mind and caused her to conclude, “They have taken my Lord.”
Feel the depths of her helplessness as she finished her thought: “And I don´t
know where they laid him.”
3. “Why Are You Weeping?” Mary’s love was at the right time, in the
right place and for the right person. Her tears were for her Lord. Jesus,
moved by Mary’s expression of love, would not let her remain in such a state.
It is now Christ who asks her, “Why are you weeping?” In effect, Jesus is
saying, “The sins of your past will no longer have power over you. Nor will
those cruel men, or the devil. I am here and I am the Resurrection, the Way,
the Truth and the Life! Sin, evil men, the devil, and death itself might
stake their claim on you, but they cannot have you, for you are mine! I have
bought you with the price of my own blood; I have laid down my life for you,
my friend!” Our Lord sums up this great truth with but a simple, tender
utterance of her name: “Mary”. Yes, Jesus knows us personally and
loves us in a personal way. We must come to our senses and believe in the
truth of the Resurrection. We must believe in Jesus.
Conversation with Christ: Lord, you lead me to life everlasting. Let
me draw ever closer to you, trusting always in your ways and never fearing
the cross. May I love you from the little cross of my life, whatever its form
or character may be.
Resolution: I will seek out a friend I may have
alienated by my bad example or lack of self-control, and I will strive to be
reconciled through a generous act of charity and understanding.
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SOLEMNITY OF EASTER TUESDAY, JOHN 20:11-18
(Acts 2:36‑41; Psalm 33)
(Acts 2:36‑41; Psalm 33)
KEY VERSE: "I have seen the Lord." (v.18)
TO READ: After Peter and John inspected the empty tomb, Mary Magdalene was left alone in the garden. As she wept, Jesus appeared to her and she mistook him for the gardener. The keeper of this garden of the new creation conversed, not with the fallen, but with a redeemed daughter of the Lord. Mary failed to recognize Jesus at first, but when he spoke her name, she knew that he was her dear master (Rabbouni). As she grasped him, Jesus told her not to cling to him as he had a mission for her, which was sharing her joy with his "brothers." Sent as an "apostle to the Apostles," Mary announced that she has seen the risen Lord!
TO REFLECT: Have I shared the good news with my brothers and sisters today?
TO RESPOND: Risen Lord, help me to recognize you in all those around me.
Tuesday 7 April 2015
Easter Tuesday.
ST JOHN BAPTIST DE LA SALLE.
Acts 2:36-41. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord—Ps 32(33):4-5, 18-20, 22. John 20:11-18.
ST JOHN BAPTIST DE LA SALLE.
Acts 2:36-41. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord—Ps 32(33):4-5, 18-20, 22. John 20:11-18.
‘I have seen the Lord and
he has spoken to me.’
As Mary Magdalene had the
courage to announce her encounter with the risen Jesus to a partly sceptical
group of disciples, let us proclaim our faith in the risen Jesus to a largely
sceptical and unbelieving world.
In the first reading, Peter
proclaims with certainty that, now that Christ is risen, he is indeed Lord. And
that fact demands that it be in his name that we be initiated into the
community of believers that is to enjoy the salvation ensured by the cross.
Jesus, your rising from the
dead is the source of the faith, hope and love that are active in the Christian
community. Increase my belief in the Easter event, so that I may spread its
faith, hope and love-bearing qualities among those who do not yet believe.
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
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The Power of Silence
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It’s hard to put your foot in your mouth...if it’s shut. Silence
can be powerful. Scripture doesn’t record one word from St. Joseph.
April
7
St. John Baptist de la Salle
(1651-1719)
St. John Baptist de la Salle
(1651-1719)
Complete dedication to what he saw as God's will for him dominated
the life of John Baptist de la Salle. In 1950, Pope Pius XII named him patron
of schoolteachers for his efforts in upgrading school instruction. As a young
17th-century Frenchman, John had everything going for him: scholarly bent, good
looks, noble family background, money, refined upbringing. At the early age of
11, he received the tonsure and started preparation for the priesthood, to
which he was ordained at 27. He seemed assured then of a life of dignified ease
and a high position in the Church.
But God
had other plans for John, which were gradually revealed to him in the next
several years. During a chance meeting with M. Nyel of Raven, he became
interested in the creation of schools for poor boys in Raven, where he was
stationed. Though the work was extremely distasteful to him at first, he became
more involved in working with the deprived youths.
Once
convinced that this was his divinely appointed mission, John threw himself
wholeheartedly into the work, left home and family, abandoned his position as
canon at Rheims, gave away his fortune and reduced himself to the level of the
poor to whom he devoted his entire life.
The
remainder of his life was closely entwined with the community of religious men
he founded, the Brothers of the Christian School (Christian Brothers, or De La
Salle Brothers). This community grew rapidly and was successful in educating
boys of poor families, using methods designed by John. It prepare teachers
in the first training college for teachers and also set up homes and schools
for young delinquents of wealthy families. The motivating element in all these
endeavors was the desire to become a good Christian.
Yet even
in his success, John did not escape experiencing many trials: heartrending
disappointment and defections among his disciples, bitter opposition from the
secular schoolmasters who resented his new and fruitful methods, and persistent
opposition from the Jansenists of his time, whose moral rigidity and pessimism
abut the human condition John resisted vehemently all his life.
Afflicted
with asthma and rheumatism in his last years, he died on Good Friday at 68 and
was canonized in 1900.
Comment:
Complete dedication to one's calling by God, whatever it may be, is a rare quality. Jesus asks us to "love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength" (Mark 12:30b, emphasis added). Paul gives similar advice: "Whatever you do, do from the heart..." (Colossians 3:23).
Complete dedication to one's calling by God, whatever it may be, is a rare quality. Jesus asks us to "love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength" (Mark 12:30b, emphasis added). Paul gives similar advice: "Whatever you do, do from the heart..." (Colossians 3:23).
Quote:
"What is nobler than to mold the character of the young? I consider that he who knows how to form the youthful mind is truly greater than all painters, sculptors and all others of that sort" (St. John Chrysostom).
"What is nobler than to mold the character of the young? I consider that he who knows how to form the youthful mind is truly greater than all painters, sculptors and all others of that sort" (St. John Chrysostom).
Patron Saint of:
Teachers
Teachers
LECTIO DIVINA:
JOHN 20,11-18
Lectio:
Tuesday, April 7, 2015
Easter Time
1) Opening prayer
Our God of life,
we profess our faith in Jesus
and recognize him as our Lord and Saviour.Make us listen to him
when he speaks his good news to us
for it is a message of life.
May we also hear his voice
when he cries out to us in people in need
or simply when he speaks to us
in people who express to us
their joys and hopes, their love and their faith.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
we profess our faith in Jesus
and recognize him as our Lord and Saviour.Make us listen to him
when he speaks his good news to us
for it is a message of life.
May we also hear his voice
when he cries out to us in people in need
or simply when he speaks to us
in people who express to us
their joys and hopes, their love and their faith.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
2) Gospel Reading - John 20, 11-18
Mary was standing outside near the tomb, weeping. Then, as she
wept, 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 realise that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, '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 turned round 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 to the brothers, and tell them: I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'
So Mary of Magdala told the disciples, 'I have seen the Lord,' and that he had said these things to her.
As she said this she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, though she did not realise that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, '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 turned round 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 to the brothers, and tell them: I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'
So Mary of Magdala told the disciples, 'I have seen the Lord,' and that he had said these things to her.
3) Reflection
• Today’s Gospel describes the apparition of Jesus to Mary
Magdalene. The death if her great friend urges Mary to lose the sense of life.
But she does not give up her search. She goes to the tomb in order to meet
again the one whom death has taken away. There are moments in our life in which
everything crumbles. It seems that everything is finished. Death, disasters,
pain and suffering, disillusions, betrayals! So many things which may cause us
to feel in the air, without standing on firm ground and which can lead us to
fall into a deep crisis. But other things also happen. For example, that
suddenly we meet a friend again and that can give us hope anew and can make us
discover that love is stronger than death and defeat.
• Chapter 20 in John’s Gospel, besides the apparitions of Jesus to Magdalene, it also speaks about diverse episodes which reveal the richness, indicate the richness of the experience of the Resurrection: (a) to the beloved disciple and to Peter (Jn 20, 1-10); (b) to Mary Magdalene (Jn 20, 11-18); (c) to the community of disciples (Jn 20, 19-23) and (d) to the Apostle Thomas (Jn 20, 24-29). The purpose of the writing of the Gospel is that of leading persons to believe in Jesus, and believing in him, to have life (Jn 20, 30-3).
• In the way of describing the apparition of Jesus to Mary Magdalene one perceives, one is aware of the different stages of the road that she had to follow, of the sorrowful search up to the time of the encounter at Easter. These are also the stages through which we all have to pass, throughout our life, seeking God and living the Gospel.
• John 20, 11-13: Mary Magdalene weeps, but she seeks. There was a very strong love between Jesus and Mary Magdalene. She was one of the few persons who had the courage to remain with Jesus up to the moment of his death on the Cross. After the obligatory rest on Saturday, she goes back to the tomb to be in the place where she had met her Beloved for the last time. But, surprisingly, the tomb is empty! The angels ask her: “Woman, why are you weeping?” and her response is: “They have taken away my Lord and I do not know where they have put him!” Mary Magdalene looked for Jesus, that Jesus whom she had known during three years.
• John 20, 14-15: Mary Magdalene speaks with Jesus without knowing him. The Disciples of Emmaus saw Jesus but they did not recognize him. She thinks that he is the gardener. And just as the angels had done, Jesus also asks: “Why are you weeping?” and he adds: “Who are you looking for?” The response: “If you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him and I will go and get him”. She was still looking for the Jesus of the past, the same one of three days before. And it is precisely the image of the Jesus of the past which prevents her to recognize the living Jesus, who is present before her.
• John 20, 16: Mary Magdalene recognizes Jesus. Jesus pronounces the name: “Mary!” This was the sign to recognize him: the same voice, the same way of pronouncing the name. She answers: “Master!” Jesus had returned the same, as the one who had died on the cross. The first impression was that death was only a painful incident on the journey, but now everything has again become as before. Mary embraces Jesus strongly. He was the same Jesus whom she had known and loved. And thus, is fulfilled what the Parable of the Good Shepherd said: “He calls them by name and they recognize his voice”. “I know my sheep and my sheep know me” (Jn 10, 3.4.14).
• John 20, 17-18: Mary Magdalene receives the mission to announce the resurrection to the Apostles. In fact, it is the same Jesus, but the way of being together with her is not the same as before. Jesus tells her: “Do not cling to me, because I have not as yet ascended to the Father!” He goes toward the Father. Mary Magdalene has to let Jesus go and assume her mission: to announce to the brothers that he, Jesus, has ascended to the Father. Jesus has opened up the way for us and thus, once more, God is close to us.
• Chapter 20 in John’s Gospel, besides the apparitions of Jesus to Magdalene, it also speaks about diverse episodes which reveal the richness, indicate the richness of the experience of the Resurrection: (a) to the beloved disciple and to Peter (Jn 20, 1-10); (b) to Mary Magdalene (Jn 20, 11-18); (c) to the community of disciples (Jn 20, 19-23) and (d) to the Apostle Thomas (Jn 20, 24-29). The purpose of the writing of the Gospel is that of leading persons to believe in Jesus, and believing in him, to have life (Jn 20, 30-3).
• In the way of describing the apparition of Jesus to Mary Magdalene one perceives, one is aware of the different stages of the road that she had to follow, of the sorrowful search up to the time of the encounter at Easter. These are also the stages through which we all have to pass, throughout our life, seeking God and living the Gospel.
• John 20, 11-13: Mary Magdalene weeps, but she seeks. There was a very strong love between Jesus and Mary Magdalene. She was one of the few persons who had the courage to remain with Jesus up to the moment of his death on the Cross. After the obligatory rest on Saturday, she goes back to the tomb to be in the place where she had met her Beloved for the last time. But, surprisingly, the tomb is empty! The angels ask her: “Woman, why are you weeping?” and her response is: “They have taken away my Lord and I do not know where they have put him!” Mary Magdalene looked for Jesus, that Jesus whom she had known during three years.
• John 20, 14-15: Mary Magdalene speaks with Jesus without knowing him. The Disciples of Emmaus saw Jesus but they did not recognize him. She thinks that he is the gardener. And just as the angels had done, Jesus also asks: “Why are you weeping?” and he adds: “Who are you looking for?” The response: “If you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him and I will go and get him”. She was still looking for the Jesus of the past, the same one of three days before. And it is precisely the image of the Jesus of the past which prevents her to recognize the living Jesus, who is present before her.
• John 20, 16: Mary Magdalene recognizes Jesus. Jesus pronounces the name: “Mary!” This was the sign to recognize him: the same voice, the same way of pronouncing the name. She answers: “Master!” Jesus had returned the same, as the one who had died on the cross. The first impression was that death was only a painful incident on the journey, but now everything has again become as before. Mary embraces Jesus strongly. He was the same Jesus whom she had known and loved. And thus, is fulfilled what the Parable of the Good Shepherd said: “He calls them by name and they recognize his voice”. “I know my sheep and my sheep know me” (Jn 10, 3.4.14).
• John 20, 17-18: Mary Magdalene receives the mission to announce the resurrection to the Apostles. In fact, it is the same Jesus, but the way of being together with her is not the same as before. Jesus tells her: “Do not cling to me, because I have not as yet ascended to the Father!” He goes toward the Father. Mary Magdalene has to let Jesus go and assume her mission: to announce to the brothers that he, Jesus, has ascended to the Father. Jesus has opened up the way for us and thus, once more, God is close to us.
4) Personal questions
• Have you ever had an experience which has given you the impression
of loss and of death? How was it? What is it that gave you new life and gave
you the hope and the joy of living?
• Which is the change that took place in Mary Magdalene throughout the dialogue? Mary Magdalene was looking for Jesus in a certain way and found him in a different way. How does this take place in our life?
• Which is the change that took place in Mary Magdalene throughout the dialogue? Mary Magdalene was looking for Jesus in a certain way and found him in a different way. How does this take place in our life?
5) Concluding Prayer
We are waiting for Yahweh;
he is our help and our shield,
for in him our heart rejoices,
in his holy name we trust.
Yahweh, let your faithful love rest on us,
as our hope has rested in you. (Ps 33,20-22)
he is our help and our shield,
for in him our heart rejoices,
in his holy name we trust.
Yahweh, let your faithful love rest on us,
as our hope has rested in you. (Ps 33,20-22)
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