25 April 2010-Fourth Sunday of Easter
Gospel : John 10 : 27 – 30 Year C I am the Good Shepherd …. The Prophet Ezekiel had challenged the Kings of Israel about their behaviour: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves instead of looking after their flock…. and God added : I will take care of the flock; I will look for the lost one… I will make the weak strong.. (Ez:34). In coming among us, You fulfil Your promise, Lord Jesus. I know My sheep … In order to tell us more clearly of Your love, You wanted to “be born among us”. At Your birth “in a stable”, Your first companions are shepherds. Your Apostolic life throughout Palestine was after their image. Seized with pity for the crowds who were like sheep without a shepherd (Mk.6:34), You shared our life on earth, our anguish and our suffering to lead us back to the sheepfold of Your love…. This concern for our wellbeing makes You “go to the end”, to climbing Calvary and dying on the cross to give us life: There is no greater love that to give his life for those he loves! I will pasture them in good pasturage … announced Ezekiel (34:14). This “good pasturage”, is Your Eucharist, the Table of Your Word and of Your Bread… a Table always set where You renew unceasingly Your invitation: Let them sit down! (Jn.6:10) … Come, take, all of you, and eat! My sheep listen to My voice Let us, Lord, be faithful sheep who follow you and listen to Your voice, who come to feed on Your Word and to drink in life in Your Eucharist …. And grant Your Church shepherds like You, to lead back to the sheepfold all the crowds of to-day...
Read More18 April 2010-Third Sunday of Easter
Gospel : John 21 : 1 – 19 Year C Jesus showed Himself again to His disciples on the shore of the Lake of Tiberias… The Lake of Tiberias …. it had all begun there. It is there that You had recruited Your first companions (Mt.4:18-22). You make it also the ultimate departure point, being sent out to the whole world. Your disciples are seven in number, the number of totality,. Put another way, You do not speak only to those who are named, but to all those You will call down through the ages…. down to me to-day. At the break of day, Jesus was there on the shore …. You are always there, Lord, on the shore of our life. But, like the Apostles, too often we do not know how to recognise You. Focused on our own concerns, we do not notice anything else… You, on the other hand, are always attentive to us, to everyone. You come to the help of fishermen who have worked in vain, all night long: Throw the net out to the right and you’ll find something! The have the simplicity to accede to the suggestion of a stranger…. then they make an extraordinary miraculous catch! For the disciple whom Jesus loved, the sign is clear. He recalls another similar catch, after which he had left all to follow You (Lk.5:11). It is the Lord! He proclaims his faith, his joy …. and he draws his companions to You. This is what he had to do, however, he and also his companions. This is what You want from us to-day: to lead to You the net filled with fish, the people of the whole world. Come and eat! You have prepared fish and bread for them: something to replenish their strength. This meal, You continue to offer to us: Take all of You and eat! May thanksgiving and trust increase constantly in our...
Read MoreSecond Sunday of Easter – 11 April 2010
Gospel : John 20 : 19 – 31 Year C It was after the death of Jesus …. Your death, Lord, what a shock for Your Apostles! However, repeatedly You had announced this terrible trial to them. But they were hardly listening to You; they didn’t like to hear You talking about this …. Also, everything has fallen apart for them! Everything has disappeared with You! The great adventure begun by following You leads to the tomb with Your lifeless body … Your companions now have no option but to go into hiding to avoid a similar end: they had locked the doors, for fear of the Jews! However a light had shone on that morning, but they had remained in their darkness. They didn’t believe the account of the women returning from the empty tomb ….. How difficult it is to believe in the light when one is in darkness! To believe in joy, when one is in mourning and distress! The doors of the heart are evenl more firmly locked than those of the house! Jesus came; He stood among them …. You do not want to leave your friends for too long in their darkness and fear. The locked doors are not an obstacle for Your risen Body, any more than are the doors of hearts for Your love. You are there, with them, like before these terrible days …. You still bear the signs of them however : He showed them His hands and His side …. The scars marked on Your flesh, traces of the wounds of our sin, have become the signs of pardon and of divine life which You wish to spread in us. Peace be with You! Peace, “Your peace” … that which You had promised to them during Your last supper …. Perfect happiness, the joy of being a child of God, here is Your resurrection gift! Not the slightest reproach to those who left You alone facing Your suffering and death! And this peace, You want us to bring it to others, to all: As the Father has sent Me, so I send you! You repeat it to each of us, as soon as we find You, every first day of the week, at the celebration of the...
Read More4 April 2010 – Easter Sunday
Gospel: Luke 24:1-12 (Vigil Mass) Year C The found the stone rolled away… The tomb is empty: they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. What a let-down for them! They didn’t know what to think notes the Evangelist. A stone obstructs their heart and plunges it into darkness and sadness. It is still there; it has not yet been rolled away! Who has not known these moments, these days, when life loses all its meaning, when all is dark, because the light which used to enlighten us has disappeared! Jesus, You were everything to these women: You had cleansed them of evil spirits and of sicknesses (Luke 8:2), and they knew You for a long time. What will become of them? The “rolled stone” opens the tomb but does not open their heart to hope! Is there a stone at the door of my heart, which closes me off from the light? To men appeared to them, in brilliant clothing…. You do not abandon Your friends, Lord. You send two messengers to tell them about the great news. Already through their brilliant clothing they are signs of joy, of life; thus they announce before having said a word, that You are risen! In the same way, You question me; I can hear You ask: And you, are you light for others? By your life, by your attitude, are you a sign that I am risen? Remember what He told you… The women are invited to “remember”, to recall the words that You said several times. These words which announced Your death and resurrection….they had heard them…. but they had not penetrated to the depth of their heart …. they hadn’t therefore enlightened the tragic events which had taken place. Everything changes when the women “remember”. They haven’t seen You, but they know nevertheless that You are there, alive, and set off to tell Your disciples. May Your Word, Lord Jesus, enlighten all my life to its depth and make me a messenger of Your light and Your...
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