​April 11 2021 Sunday
Gospel: Jn 20:19-31

Peace be with you

How beautiful is it that during the time when the disciples were hiding for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.”? Jesus today wants to teach us that we are no far different from the disciples then as he is the same God who was, is and will always be coming in the midst of our fears to give us the peace we need.

Oh dear Jesus Christ, thank you so much for the gift of Holy Spirit, for the gift of peace, for the gift of love you continue to shower us. May we continue to seek you in order for us to be able to seek peace too.
 
#PrayVD

​April 10 2021 Saturday
Gospel: Mk 16:9-15

Go out to the whole world; proclaim the gospel to all creation.

Jesus in the gospel today rebuked the disciples for their unbelief and hardness of heart by telling them to go out to the whole world and proclaim the gospel to all creation. In the same way, Jesus is calling you to still promptly GO, do and be the mission even and specially when doubt gets the best of you.

He wants to remind you today that the mission doesn’t change. The mission remains the same – through us as it works within us. A wounded healer, aren’t we?

Dear Jesus Christ, kindly grant us the wisdom to GO beyond even our own doubts, unbelief and hardness of heart in order for us to go out to the whole world to proclaim the gospel to all creation. Amen.

#PrayVD

​April 9 2021 Friday
Gospel: Jn 21:1-14

 'Haven't you caught anything, friends?'
 
In the Gospel today, the disciples listened to Jesus when He instructed them to throw the net on the right side of the boat. When they did, they were able to catch one hundred and fifty-three big fish in their nets.

To which side of the boat is Jesus telling you to throw your net? At which side of the boat is your net in? What is the one hundred and fifty-three big fish (and more) that Jesus wants you to catch? Are you ready to cast your net on the right side?

Dear Holy Spirit, please help us muster the courage to prepare for the big catch Jesus wants us to have in our lives – may we never be afraid to admit to Jesus when our own ways seem to not catch anything and embrace the new ways He is teaching us to do. Amen.

#PrayVD

​April 8 2021 Thursday
Gospel: Lk 24:35-48

They still could not believe, they were full of joy and wonder
 
Have you ever felt the same as the disciples have in the Gospel – not understanding the joy and wonder in your heart caused by the presence of Jesus? The Lord is saying this to you today: allow yourself to be in awe of His capacities. Allow yourself to be full of joy and wonder! Allow yourself to let Jesus into your heart and soul!

Dear Jesus, we pray that you help us not to completely understand Your ways but to completely trust in You. To embrace not the unknown but Your love – the only kind that can make us believe how we can be full of so much joy and wonder!

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​April 7 2021 Wednesday
Gospel: Lk 24:13-35

Jesus himself came up and walked by their side

Have you realized how many times just like in the Gospel Jesus was trying to include Himself in our normal day activities but because we’re too focused on ourselves (our feelings included), we tend to be blinded for the daily miracles He’s giving us?

Jesus wants you to take a moment today to simply recognize even the littlest indication that He is by your side. Jesus wants you to recognize how much He’s very happy and willing to come up and walk by your side today. Because he is – for always.

Dear God, thank You for being persevering to be with us no matter what the situation is. Thank you for being by our side not only to our walk to Emmaus but to our walk to our daily cross. Amen.

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​April 6 2021 Tuesday
Gospel: Jn 20:11-18

“Woman, why are you weeping?”

In the Gospel today, Mary was weeping as she was not able to immediately recognize Jesus until Jesus called her by her name: “Mary!”. Many times in our lives, we too are Mary – never realizing Jesus is right in front of us because we are too busy minding our worries and hurt. But how beautiful is it that no matter how oblivious we seem to be of Jesus’ presence, Jesus knows how to remind us who He is – by reminding us who we are. By calling us with our very names.

Lord Jesus Christ, help us recognize you beyond our tears and hardened hearts as we know you are the one who knows us best, as while we see ourselves sad, lonely, in pain; we remain to be ‘Mary’ to you.

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​April 5 2021 Monday
Gospel: Mt 28:8-15

Fearful yet overjoyed

Mary Magdalene, in the Gospel today went away quickly from the tomb, fearful yet overjoyed, and ran to announce the news to his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them.

Today is the first day after Easter Sunday – how are you so far? Do you also feel fearful yet overjoyed to announce the victory of Jesus to the people around you? When was the last time you felt inspired to do something as a result of the fear you have in your heart? Today, Jesus wants you to use this fear in order to find the joy in your heart which will push you to run and announce The Good News!

Dear Jesus, help us to always find you even in times of fear so we too can fulfill our mission. Amen.

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​Easter Sunday, April 4
Mk 16:1-7
 
He is risen, He is not here!
 
An empty tomb is what awaits us if we were to go and see the body of our Lord.  Easter reminds us that our Lord is the Lord of life!  In our world today filled with death and fear, the message of Easter is more important now than it has ever been.  If we are to live with Easter in our lives, we must choose to believe that the tomb is empty! We must believe that our Lord is truly alive and in our hearts we must allow our despair to give way to hope! And we are called to become messengers of this hope to others!

Happy Easter my dear brothers and sisters! Lord Jesus thank you for your precious gift of new life! Help us to be an Easter people filled with love and strength for a world that needs both!

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​Black Saturday, April 3
Lk 23:50-58
 
It was the day of Preparation
 
On this quiet day when our Lord is lain in the tomb, we are told the women were preparing to anoint his body.  It must have felt so devastating for them that the one they hoped in was dead.  When we are in despair over our lives, what is it that we are preparing for?  When we are waiting for the answers to our prayers, do we wait in hope for God’s promises?  Do we look to the future with confidence in the faithfulness of God?  

In the midst of our suffering, Jesus invites on this day:  prepare in hope!  Lord, help us to wait patiently for Your coming.

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​Good Friday, April 2
John 19
 
It is finished
 
One of my favorite movies is the Lord of the Rings. It never ceases to amaze me at the long journey that the hero Frodo Baggins had to undertake in order to fulfill his quest.  In the book, it says his journey took almost an entire year, walking a very long way and facing many dangers. 

Today is the culmination of an even longer journey.  God our Father had set the stage for thousands of years, through generation after generation.  And our Lord's death on the cross and his coming resurrection are the grand finale of a plan God has set in motion out of love for all of us.  What mission has been entrusted to us today? 

No matter how long the struggle has been, let us take our inspiration from Jesus Himself who declared that his mission, is at long last finished. We thank you God our Father, Jesus our Brother, for carrying out our salvation to the finish!

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