April 20, 2019 - Black Saturday
Gospel: Lk 24:1-12

He is not here, but is risen! - Lk 24:6

When we miss someone we love or close to us, we miss the most their physical presence. In the gospel today, after Jesus died in the cross, he was buried and placed inside a tomb. However, his body cannot be found. Life is not bounded in the physical world and life doesn’t end with death. Jesus invites us to reflect on our lives and how we focus ourselves with the material things that satisfy us. He wants us to reflect how we can live our life with newness in our heart.

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April 19, 2019 Good Friday
Gospel: John 18:1-19:42

Shall I not drink the cup that the Father gave me? - Jn 18:11

Today we reflect on the Passion of Jesus Christ on the way to the cross. In the gospel, Jesus clearly knows and is assured by the Father that everything that was happening, no matter how painful the betrayal and denial, it was because he was fulfilling a truth that must happen. Jesus life is a testimony of how God the Father showed his eternal love for us, His people.

As we reflect and pray on Jesus passion today, let us ask ourselves how have we drank the cup that God the Father gave us? How have we lived our Lenten journey walking with Jesus?

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April 18, 2019 - Maundy Thursday
Gospel: John 13:1-15

Do you know what I have done to you? - Jn 13:12

The Washing of the feet is one of the common traditions being done during Holy Week. In our gospel today, Peter wanted himself to be washed by Jesus for his own intentions. Today, we are invited to deeply reflect in the real intention of Jesus why he desires to wash our own feet. He wants us to do the same to other people. The experience of love from Jesus should reach other people who are needing it right now.
Mother Mary, we entrust to you concrete persons whom we want to experience and receive God’s gracious love and fullness of mercy. Amen.

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April 17, 2019 - Holy Wednesday
Gospel: Mt 26:14-25

Hail to you, our King; you alone are compassionate with our errors

Defensiveness or denial are some of the “defense mechanisms” humans do when one is guilty of committing wrongdoings. In the gospel today, the disciples were “deeply distressed” about Jesus talking about the betrayal involving one of the disciples. In our daily life, Jesus continuously invites us to go back to him and join him in the table despite our imperfections and errors. Jesus is a compassionate King of all.
Mother Mary, we pray for your accompaniment to light our path walking towards Jesus.

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April 16, 2019 Holy Tuesday
Gospel: John 12:21-38

Lord, who is it? - Jn 13:25

As we deepen our reflection in this gospel today, Jesus talks about betrayal. He told his disciples that he will be betrayed by the one who is closest to Him. In your Lenten journey, how close are you to Jesus? Are you close to follow Him or close enough to betray him? We are invited to examine our daily way of living. Let us be the disciples of Jesus who are conscious and awake of how they interact with Jesus. Let us ask Jesus in our prayer how to follow Him closely so as not to betray him.

Mother Mary, we pray for our faithfulness to follow Jesus on his way to the cross.

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April 15, 2019 Holy Monday
Gospel: John 12:1-11

The measure of love is to love without measure - St. Francis de Sales

As we enter into the Holy Week, we are invited to reflect on our motivation and intentions in our own Lenten journey. The gospel today speaks of how Mary anointed Jesus’ feet with expensive oil. Judas questioned Mary’s gesture. In our life, we can be influenced with our selfish intentions when loving and serving Jesus through our own ways. We might measure the way we serve and express our love towards Jesus and to other people. Jesus invites us to love without measure and to serve him without counting the cost.

May Mary’s act of devotion and love to Jesus be our inspiration to follow Him purely. Amen.
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​April 14, 2019 – Palm Sunday
Gospel: Luke 23:1-49

"We could be living very righteous lives but participating in the crucifixion happening in our time." – Fr. John Leydon, Columban Missionary

Though the passion of our Lord happened 2000 years ago, “crucifixion” is still happening in our time. With the welfare of the poor being tossed aside and people being unjustly condemned. – “crucifixion” is happening as if it’s usual.

If today you lived in the time of Christ in his passion, would you crucify him? Well today, we are gifted with faith to see Christ in our brothers and sisters. To see that everyone in our society is interrelated to one another; that the negligence of one’s responsibility could mean suffering for many. Let us not crucify Christ in the other.

As we enter Holy Week, let us reflect on how we could live righteous lives thinking for the welfare of many.
 
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April 13, 2019 – Saturday
Gospel: John 11:45-56

"He would die in order to gather into one the scattered children of God." (cf. John 11:52)

The death of Jesus in the Cross is like an image of bread that is broken. It is broken into many pieces and become all prepared to be distributed, the hungry children gather together to be fed.

The children of God is hungry, not of physical food, but of love. And Jesus is the manifestation of God’s love broken into many pieces to be given to His children. As Christians, we could also sacrifice something for the scattered children of God, filling their hearts with His love. 

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​April 12, 2019 – Friday
Gospel: John 10:31-42

"Know that the Father is in me and I in the Father" (cf. John 10:38)

Jesus is the loving face of the Father shown to men and it is through His good works that He has concretely shown the love of the Father. Though this is the truth, the Jews still did not believe Him thinking that He is only a man making Himself God.

Today, we are invited to deepen our faith into acknowledging the good works of Jesus in our lives and see the Father at work through Him.

May our hearts be open to His miracles so we could also testify that He is the Son of God.

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​April 11, 2019 – Thursday
Gospel: John 8:51-59

"I know Him and I keep His word." (cf. John 8:55)

Today’s Gospel continues to show us the scene of Jews throwing their questions of doubts to Jesus’ descent. They even wanted to throw stones at Him when they can’t fathom anymore His testimonies.

It might be unusual for others to know that one has a “personal relationship” with God as a Father. God being with us through Jesus aimed for us to know Him more and to have a personal relationship with Him as our Father. He wants us to hear His words and believe in the love that He has for us. 

May we be open to communication with God as our Father who wants to be closer to our lives.

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