05/04/2024
*Today's Inspirational Snippet:*“Lay all your cares about the future trustingly in God. God is our source of strength. Every believer must learn first of all to obey the Lord with the strength of faith. Forgiveness prevents revenge, calms the feelings, and purifies the memory. Christ's resurrection is the strength, the secret of Christianity. The light of Christ's Resurrection must pe*****te this world of ours, as a message of truth and life. When we accept Jesus Christ as our Saviour, it involves a recognition of His Lordship. Jesus has entrusted us with the mission of attracting other souls to sanctity. Proclaim the kingdom of God and resurrection of Jesus Christ with boldness and without hindrance.”
*Reflection for Friday within Easter Octave.* Year B. Cycle II. April 5, 2024
*Today's Readings:*
Acts 4:1-12
Psalm 118:1-2, 4, 22-27
John 21:1-14
*Today's Rosary: The Sorrowful Mysteries*
*Today's Saint Quote:*“A vain question deserves nothing but silence. So learn to be silent for a time; you will edify your brethren and silence will teach you, to speak when the hour is come. Once humility is acquired, charity will come to life like a burning flame devouring the corruption of vice and filling the heart so full, that there is no place for vanity.”- St. Vincent Ferrer
*SEEK FORGIVENESS, WIPE AWAY YOUR GUILT & FORGIVE OTHERS*
Today, we are all reminded that we must always be strong in our faith in the Lord, in being His disciples, witnesses and missionaries in our world today, so that in whatever challenges, trials and difficulties we may encounter throughout our lives, especially in living our lives faithfully as Christians and in proclaiming God’s truth and Good News, we will continue to be strong and be able to persevere through whatever trials and challenges that we may encounter in our respective paths in life. We should not easily be swayed to give up our struggles and commitments to God just because we encounter stubborn opposition and hardships in our journey of faith and life.
In the First reading, from the Acts of the Apostles of the moment when the two Apostles, St. Peter and St. John, who had performed a great miracle of healing on a crippled man at the Temple of God in Jerusalem, healing him in the Name of the Risen Lord, and afterwards they proclaimed with great courage and vigour the Resurrection of Christ. Psalm 118 God is praised for the divine mercy that endures forever. The Gospel presents another account of Jesus’ appearances to His disciples after His resurrection.
Many of us cannot forgive our own past mistakes; neither can we forgive that of others. We continue to live in guilt and pain. We are unable to let go of the negative events in our lives. Instead of dealing with them, we suppress our pains and drown them with other activities so that we are distracted from facing our past. We continue to dwell in our pains, in our shame and in our anger. This was the same case of St Peter who could not forgive himself for betraying the Lord. In the Gospel, we heard that Peter decided to take time out to drown his sorrows and guilt by doing what he always liked to do and what he was good at, namely, fishing, to boost his deflated ego. His shame and guilt continued to haunt him. If we feel this way, the gospel tells us that the light is dawning because the Risen Lord is with us. Only love can remove every obstacle in union and relationship. Love can see what reason cannot.
It is love that made Peter and John perform “an act of kindness to a cripple.” They saw the power of God at work in their lives through Jesus. The crippled man was able to walk again. Two groups of people reacted differently. One group was excited and astonished that the crippled man was healed. The priests and the Sadducees were oblivious to the great miracle that had just taken place. We cannot but admire their confidence, courage and firmness in confessing their faith in Christ before a board of powerful, influential and educated leaders. Secular society is pleased that the Church is providing humanitarian and social services to the poor. The Catholic Church is known not just for providing financial and material aids but also standing up and being the voice of the people, especially those suffering from social justice. The name of Jesus is a threat to secular society, especially when it is particularly hostile to the Christian Faith. We too must ask ourselves sincerely what is preventing us from submitting to faith in the resurrection. Unlike the apostles, many of us give up easily in witnessing for Christ or serving Him when we are opposed and challenged.
We often are impatient and focus our attention away from what is truly essential. We seek quick fixes to our earthly problems, including the present economic crises, and tension around the world. God promises to take care of us and to do it with divine graciousness. The gift of faith opens our eyes to recognize the risen Lord Jesus in our midst. We must stay focused on God’s work in our lives and we will experience what is truly remarkable. Then we will give witness to Jesus’s mighty deeds. We must be conscious that without Jesus, we can do nothing. We can be confident that in spite of oppositions, the gospel message is unstoppable. In the gospel, we have the apostles confessing Jesus is Lord.
Sisters and Brothers, let us not allow worldly temptations, challenges and difficulties to distract us and to persuade or coerce us to give up our faith in God. Let us through our words and actions proclaim that Jesus is always with us, as He offers Hope, Strength and Guidance. Let us all be the bearers of God’s Good News and also His fishers of men, encouraging more people to believe in God through our own faith and commitment from now on.
Today, let each and every one of us, deepen our relationship with Jesus and live out our faith with boldness and conviction.
*PRAY FOR THE CANONIZATION OF BLESSED MICHAEL TANSI, MICHAEL J. MCGIVNEY & NNADI MICHAEL*
*PRAY THE ROSARY & LITANY- THIS IS THE MOST POWERFUL SPIRITUAL WEAPON AGAINST EVIL FORCES.*
*Have you ever considered Total Consecration of yourself to Blessed Virgin Mary, grow your Spirituality?*
*PRAYER*
*-"Lord Jesus, you are the Resurrection and the Life. Increase my faith in the power of your resurrection and in the truth that you are truly alive! May I never doubt your life-giving word nor stray from your presence.*