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.”
“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.
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
Psalm33:4-5, 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 Jesus 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.
The
Risen Lord Jesus reveals himself to us as we listen to his word
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 Jesus who loves us personally and shares his glory with us. The Lord Jesus gives us "eyes of faith" to see the truth of his resurrection and his victory over sin and death (Ephesians 1:18). And he opens our ears to recognize his voice as we listen to the "good news" proclaimed in the Gospel message today.
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 Jesus who loves us personally and shares his glory with us. The Lord Jesus gives us "eyes of faith" to see the truth of his resurrection and his victory over sin and death (Ephesians 1:18). And he opens our ears to recognize his voice as we listen to the "good news" proclaimed in the Gospel message today.
The
resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is the foundation of our hope - the
hope that we, too, who believe in him will see the living 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
as you open the Scriptures for me and speak your life-giving word."
A
Daily Quote for Easter season: The Easter Alleluia, by Augustine
of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"Because
there are these two periods of time - the one that now is, beset with the
trials and troubles of this life, and the other yet to come, a life of
everlasting serenity and joy - we are given two liturgical seasons, one before
Easter and the other after. The season before Easter signifies the troubles in
which we live here and now, while the time after Easter which we are
celebrating at present signifies the happiness that will be ours in the future.
What we commemorate before Easter is what we experience in this life; what we
celebrate after Easter points to something we do not yet possess. This is why
we keep the first season with fasting and prayer; but now the fast is over and
we devote the present season to praise. Such is the meaning of the Alleluia we
sing." (excerpt from commentary on Psalm 148, 1-2)
TUESDAY, APRIL 14, JOHN 20:11-18
TUESDAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF EASTER
(Acts 2:36-41; Psalm 33)
TUESDAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF EASTER
(Acts 2:36-41; Psalm 33)
KEY VERSE: "I have seen the Lord" (v.18).
TO KNOW: When Mary Magdalene told Peter and John that Jesus had risen from the dead, they hurried to inspect the empty tomb for themselves. When they returned to their homes, Mary Magdalene was left alone in the garden, Fearing that someone had taken away Jesus' body, she wept. When the Risen Christ appeared to her, she mistook him for the gardener. In truth, he was the new Adam, the keeper of the garden of the new creation. Through her tears, Mary failed to recognize her Lord, but when he spoke her name, she knew that he was her "dear master" (Hebrew, Rabbouni, teacher). Jesus told her not to cling to him in the joy of her discovery. He had a mission for her, that of sharing the good news with his "brothers," the rest of his disciples. The Church regards Mary Magdalene as an "Apostle to the Apostles," the redeemed daughter of the Lord," the first to see the Risen Christ.
TO LOVE: Do I give testimony of the Risen Christ to my brothers and sisters?
TO SERVE: Risen Lord, help me to recognize you in all those around me.
Tuesday 14 April 2020
Acts 2:36-41. The earth is full of the goodness of the
Lord – Psalm 32(33):4-5, 18-20, 22. John 20:11-18.
I have seen the Lord and he has spoken to me
Mary went back to the tomb, looking for Jesus. And Jesus
revealed himself to her, but she didn’t recognise him until he said her name.
Nonetheless, he was present even if she didn’t initially realise or understand.
Jesus is indeed the Good Shepherd who knows each of his sheep,
and calls us by name. Where has Jesus been calling us recently in our lives?
Are there any empty tombs we have visited recently, despairingly looking for
life when deep down we believe none can be found? Are we overcome with grief,
suffering, disillusionment, and struggling to see God in the midst of that
pain?
Can we hear the voice of Jesus call our name in the depths of
those places of hurt?
Blessed Peter Gonzalez
Saint of the Day for April 14
(1190 – April 15, 1246)
 |
| Statue of Saint Telmo (Pedro González Telmo) in Frómista, province of Palencia, Spain | photo by Lucien leGrey |
Blessed Peter Gonzalez’s Story
Saint Paul had a conversion experience on the road to
Damascus. Many years later, the same proved true for Peter Gonzalez, who
triumphantly rode his horse into the Spanish city of Astorga in the 13th century
to take up an important post at the cathedral. The animal stumbled and fell,
leaving Peter in the mud and onlookers amused.
Humbled, Peter reevaluated his motivations—his bishop-uncle had
secured the cathedral post for him—and started down a new path. He became a
Dominican priest and proved to be a most effective preacher. He spent much of
his time as court chaplain, and attempted to exert positive influence on the
behavior of members of the court. After King Ferdinand III and his troops
defeated the Moors at Cordoba, Peter was successful in restraining the soldiers
from pillaging, and persuaded the king to treat the defeated Moors with
compassion.
After retiring from the court, Peter devoted the remainder of
his life to preaching in northwest Spain. Having developed a special mission to
Spanish and Portuguese seamen, he is considered their patron.
Peter Gonzalez died in 1246 and was beatified in 1741.
Reflection
How often we have heard stories about some misfortune or
disaster only to hear later on that it was now seen as a good thing. Not every
“disaster” is truly bad in its consequences for the Lord can bring good out of
what appears to be a misfortune. Such was the case for Blessed Peter. His being
dumped in the mud by a falling horse turned out to be a good thing in his life.
Blessed Peter Gonzalez is the Patron of:
Spanish and Portuguese sailors
Lectio Divina: John 20:11-18
Lectio Divina
Tuesday, April 14, 2020
Easter Time
1) Opening prayer
O God of life,
we profess our faith in Jesus
and recognize Him as our Lord and Savior. Make us listen to Him
when He speaks His good news to us
for it is a message of life.
we profess our faith in Jesus
and recognize Him as our Lord and Savior. 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. Amen.
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. Amen.
2) Gospel Reading - 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,
"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.
3) Reflection
• Today’s Gospel describes the apparition of Jesus to Mary
Magdalene. The death of her great friend prompts Mary to lose her 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, disillusionments, betrayals: so many things
which may cause us to feel lost, as if standing on firm ground, and which can
lead us to fall into a deep crisis. But other things also happen. For example,
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. The Lord allows desolation,
but He also provides consolation as we need it.
• Chapter 20 in John’s Gospel, besides the apparitions of Jesus to Mary Magdalene, also speaks about diverse episodes which 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 to lead people to believe in Jesus, and believing in Him, to have life (Jn 20:30-31).
• In the way of describing the apparition of Jesus to Mary Magdalene one is aware of the different stages of the road that she had to follow, of the sorrowful search until the time of the encounter at Easter. These are also the stages through which we all have to pass, throughout our life, in 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 seen 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 for three years.
• John 20:14-15: Mary Magdalene speaks with Jesus without knowing Him. The disciples at Emmaus saw Jesus but they did not recognize Him. She thinks that Jesus is the gardener. And just as the angels had done, Jesus also asks, “Why are you weeping?” and He adds, “Whom 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 from recognizing the living Jesus, who is present before her.
• John 20:16: Mary Magdalene recognizes Jesus. Jesus pronounces her name: “Mary!” This was the signal to recognize Him: the same voice, the same way of pronouncing her 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 Mary Magdalene, also speaks about diverse episodes which 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 to lead people to believe in Jesus, and believing in Him, to have life (Jn 20:30-31).
• In the way of describing the apparition of Jesus to Mary Magdalene one is aware of the different stages of the road that she had to follow, of the sorrowful search until the time of the encounter at Easter. These are also the stages through which we all have to pass, throughout our life, in 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 seen 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 for three years.
• John 20:14-15: Mary Magdalene speaks with Jesus without knowing Him. The disciples at Emmaus saw Jesus but they did not recognize Him. She thinks that Jesus is the gardener. And just as the angels had done, Jesus also asks, “Why are you weeping?” and He adds, “Whom 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 from recognizing the living Jesus, who is present before her.
• John 20:16: Mary Magdalene recognizes Jesus. Jesus pronounces her name: “Mary!” This was the signal to recognize Him: the same voice, the same way of pronouncing her 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 gave you the feeling of
loss and death? What was it like? What gave you new life and gave you back the
hope and joy of living?
• What 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?
• Do we also look for Jesus in the past, as a historical figure, when He is present right before us in the poor and outcast we meet every day? What can we do to be more aware of Him in those that we meet today?
• Has Jesus ever called to me as I faced someone who was poor and outcast? Did I recognize my name as He called me through that person and that opportunity to see Him?
• What 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?
• Do we also look for Jesus in the past, as a historical figure, when He is present right before us in the poor and outcast we meet every day? What can we do to be more aware of Him in those that we meet today?
• Has Jesus ever called to me as I faced someone who was poor and outcast? Did I recognize my name as He called me through that person and that opportunity to see Him?
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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