THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER  – CYCLE C – 2019

The Lord asks us a question and gives us a mandate: Do you love me?   Shepherd, take care of, love… your sisters and brothers.   

FIRST READING  – Acts  5:27-32. 40-41b.

Ø  The apostles are happy because they have been worthy to suffer humiliation  for the sake of the “Name”, that is for Jesus, whom they acknowledge as God.  

Ø  The religious leaders had forbidden them to speak about Jesus, but as the leaders tell them, they have filled Jerusalem with the message about Jesus.   

Ø  The Apostles cannot be silent, they have to proclaim what they have seen and heard. We have also seen, with our inner eyes and ears. Does it happen to us as to them that we cannot be silent? That we need to proclaim with joy, enthusiasm and strength what has happened to us.  Or do we keep it for ourselves?   

Ø  They consider themselves witnesses to the wonders God has made in Jesus. They know that the Holy Spirit is also witness to these things.   

Ø  Let us be courageous and daring witnesses for the world to believe and convert to our Lord. May all of us be able to be converted from our sins, and may us live the strength of our baptism in a renewed world.  

RESPONSORIAL PSALM  Sal 30

I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
 
I will extol you, O LORD, for you drew me clear
and did not let my enemies rejoice over me.
O LORD, you brought me up from the netherworld;
you preserved me from among those going down into the pit.

I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
 
 Sing praise to the LORD, you his faithful ones,
and give thanks to his holy name.
For his anger lasts but a moment;
a lifetime, his good will.
At nightfall, weeping enters in,
 but with the dawn, rejoicing.
I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
 
 
Hear, O LORD, and have pity on me;
O LORD, be my helper.
You changed my mourning into dancing;
O LORD, my God, forever will I give you thanks.
I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me

Ø  This psalm invites us to sing, praise, give thanks to the Lord  

Ø  Because he has changed “my mourning into dancing.”     

SECOND READING  Rev. 5:11-14

Ø  The author of the Book of Revelation or Apocalypse, as it is also called, describes a majestic and magnificent scene of the heavenly liturgy.  

Ø  All creatures, he describes them as angels, living beings, old people…  

Ø  All sing aloud and repeat, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive glory and praise… “

Ø  The creatures on the earth, sea and abyss… the whole universe join their voices to this song.

Ø  What a beautiful picture, and what a wonderful invitation to us, to praise our God!  It is an invitation not so much to sing with our voices but with our whole life, with our deeds. It is an invitation to become a living praise of his glory for the world to believe.   

GOSPEL: Jn 21:1-19

This Gospel has several scenes.  

v  Peter is with some of his friends and decides to go back to his “normal” life, the life he had before encountering Jesus. He says, “I go fishing,” They answer “we too.”  

o   They catch nothing during the whole night. We can see in these words “they caught nothing…” something more than not catching fish; their lives cannot be the same anymore. 

o   The one who has encountered Jesus cannot continue to be the same, because this encounter with the Lord has changed him/her.   

o   If she or he wants to continue with the “normal” life, his or her life will be bare, will not give any fruit, will not catch any fish…  

v  When they come back, Jesus has prepared breakfast for them. They are not too sure that it is Jesus, but they do not ask, as always.  John is the one who knows that it is the Lord.

o   After breakfast Jesus has some questions for Peter  

o   Do you love me more than these? To these questions on his love for the Lord, Peter answers quickly the same to the first two questions, “yes, you know that I love you,” but the third time he hesitates remembering his experience during the Lord’s Passion  “Lord you know everything, you know that I love you.”   

v  Yes, the Lord knows that we love him, in spite of our weaknesses, and thus weak, poor, doubting about  what we are able to do, he sends us to shepherd, care for, love with tenderness and compassion.   

v  He says with power and tenderness “Follow me” His word makes our following possible.  

CLARETIAN CORNER

... the next day… our Lord told me: “My second apostles must be a living copy of the first Apostles, so as to the name as to the work. With the torch of the Gospel in one hand they must enlighten the wiser and ignorant men”. This God told to Fr. Claret and to the Order.  Venerable María Antonia París, Foundress of the Claretian Missionary Sisters.  Autobiography 31.

I learned the catechism so well that whenever I was asked to I could recite it from beginning to end without a mistake. Three of the other boys learned it as well as I had, and the teacher presented us to the pastor, Dr. Joseph Amigo. This good man had the four of us recite the whole catechism on two consecutive Sunday nights. We did it without a single mistake before all the people in the church. As a reward he gave each of us a holy card, which we have treasured ever since. Saint Anthony Mary Claret, Founder of the Claretian Missionary Sisters. Autobiography 23.

SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER –   2019

«  The Church celebrates the Resurrection of Jesus   during 7 days  as if it were Easter Sunday itself.

«  And each Sunday of the Easter Season is called FIRST SUNDAY OF EASTER, SECOND….. 

¡ALLELUIA,  JESUS, THE LORD IS RISEN!!!!

FIRST READING . Acts of the Apostles 5, 12-16    

As we have said last week, during the liturgical season of Easter the first Reading is taken from the book of the Acts. 

Today’s reading describes what the apostles were doing and how the people looked at them:   

Ø  They did wonderful things and they healed the people. This is what all of us seek, we are vulnerable, limited, and we do not like to suffer.  

Ø  The reading says that they were all together under one of the porticoes of the Temple

Ø  That nobody wanted to join them, probably the author means while they were at the temple. 

Ø  Because a little bit, further it says that everyday more followers were joining them.  

Ø  People put their sick on the street wishing that, at least, the shadow of Peter may cover them and so be healed.  

Ø  What a wonderful description of Peter, like his Master and Lord, his shadow does well to people.  

Ø  As it happened when Jesus lived among us, people brought from everywhere their sick ones to be cured, now they do the same with the vicar of Christ, Peter to whom Jesus has given the keys of the Church.  

RESPONSORIAL PSALM   Ps. 118 2-4; 13-15; 22-24

«  We continue the Reading of Psalm 118. 

«  It is a thanksgiving hymn to the God of Israel, we sing it in the liturgy to give thanks and praise to Jesus, victor over death and hell.  

R. Alleluia.
Let the house of Israel say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
Let the house of Aaron say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
Let those who fear the LORD say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
 R. Alleluia.
I was hard pressed and was falling,
but the LORD helped me.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
The joyful shout of victory
in the tents of the just:
 R. Alleluia.
The stone which the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
By the LORD has this been done;
it is wonderful in our eyes.
This is the day the LORD has made;
let us be glad and rejoice in it.
R. Alleluia.

 SECOND READING  Rv  l,9-11a. 12-13. 17-19

ü  The book of the Apocalypse is called also Book of Revelation. Revelation of the glorified  Christ, Lord and King of Kings    

ü  The Gospels are books that tell us about Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ and Messiah, during the days of his earthly life among us.  

ü  The book of Revelation tells us about the risen Lord Jesus, the glorified Christ, who is God, the Second Person of the Trinity.  

ü  This book does not speak of the future as the seers do, but using symbols and images the author wants to help us understand the meaning of today’s  history. 

ü  Thus, it is called Revelation, which means to lift up the curtain.  Through the different chapters, our brother John inspired by God removes little by little the curtain so that we may be able to see what is behind it. Thus, we may be able to understand the meaning of  history.   

ü  I read once an author who said that this book was written to give hope to the people who suffer.  

ü  That one of its messages, probably the most important one, is that we find God in the events of history, not beyond them. Let us thing a little bit on this sentence and it will probably help us to deepen our faith, as Jesus asked Thomas to do “doubt no more, believe”.  

LET US SEE THE MESSAGE FROM THIS SUNDAY’S READING

      The author introduces himself as John, our brother, who shares with us the events of life and the persecution because of his fidelity to Jesus.  

       Because he has chosen to be faithful,  he is exiled in the isle of Patmos.  

       There he has a revelation of the heavenly Christ. Jesus, risen and glorified,  presents himself and speaks to him to give a message for him and for all his brothers.   

       This happens on a Sunday, the day of the Lord, from the latin   dominum = Lord. It is the first time that this Word is used in the New Testament.   

       Jesus presents himself as a “son of man” name that Jesus used many times during his earthly life among us. This Word comes from the book of Daniel, where the son of man is someone with  authority. 

      This son of man dresses priestly vestments, and is among seven golden chandeliers, symbol of the Church.   

      John is terrified on seeing this majestic being, but Jesus touches him and says “do not be afraid.” 

      And continues saying:  

o   I am the First and the Last   

o   The Living one, I was dead, but now I live forever.  

o   He has the keys of death and life. Paul will tell us that the Father has given him a name above every other name, thus at the name of Jesus every knee shall bend on earth and under the earth and in the netherworld.

o   Christ orders John to write what he sees now and in the future.  

  GOSPEL OF JOHN 20:19-31

      On this second Sunday of Easter,  the liturgy puts before the eyes of our faith the manifestation of the Risen Lord to the eleven.   

      Jesus comes in their midst suddenly,  all can see him.   

o   He says his usual greeting   “Shalom=Peace” The Risen Christ is our peace, his presence fills us with an overwhelming joy and we experience a deep peace that nobody can take from us.  

o   Jesus tells them that they have to continue the work he began with the Incarnation;  they are called to be his visible presence in the world.  

§  What is that work, that mission?: With the strength of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Jesus they will receive the strength and also the mission to forgive, to bind and unbind with the same authority of Jesus, who will accept what they bind or unbind here on earth.  

o   One of them, Thomas, is not with the others. He left the community, why? Probably because he is disappointed and  sad.  He has left the community when he needed it most, when he needed to share with his friends their sadness, their fear, their disappointment.        

      Jesus comes back 8 days later, he does not want to leave one of his intimate friends without seeing him. 

o   Jesus, who continues to love without limits, is going to give to Thomas a wonderful gift which will be a gift for us also.   

o   Thomas, look at me, I am Jesus, the one you love, with whom you were ready to go to Jerusalem to die. 

o   Do not allow the temptation of sadness   overcome you, do not go away from the community of your friends, who suffer like you.   

o   Touch my hands; enter into my wounded side that will always be open for you. 

o   You know, that now by the power of the resurrection, we are brothers, not only friends, or disciple and teacher.  

o   “My Lord and my God.” I love you my Lord, forgive my unbelief, my lack of trust.

§  HAPPY THOSE WHO WILL BELIEVE WITHOUT SEEING.  Thank you Lord for your words, because we belong to the group of those who struggle day by day   

·         To believe without seeing.   

·         To seek you in the midsts of our darkness.  

·         To allow your love to find us, your love who always forgets and forgives our lack of trust.   

·         WE BELIEVE LORD, BUT HELP OUR UNBELIEF, INCREASE OUR FAITH

	CLARETIAN CORNER

One day, our Lord showed me the beauty of his most Holy Law. He showed me a beautiful scene of a vast and beautiful meadow full of the most beautiful flowers of all kind; they had the most varied and exquisite fragrance. I saw that they all had stain, some more than the others. Some had only a little stain but it disfigured the beauty that exquisite scenery. Our Lord told me: “do you see my daughter the beauty of the flowers are breaking of my holy law. I had nobody to observe it, because there is no one who keeps the precept of charity. Venerable María Antonia París, Foundress of the Claretian Missionary Sisters, Autobiography 27.

I couldn't stand for anyone to make fun of them, as young boys are often wont to do, despite the exemplary punishment meted out to the boys who made fun of Elisha .

Moreover I remember that when I was seated in church and an old man would come in, I would stand up gladly and give him a seat. I would always greet old people on the street, and if I had the pleasure of talking with one of them, I enjoyed it immensely. God grant that I have known how to use the advice of these elderly gentlemen to advantage.

My God, how good you are! How rich in mercy you have been to me! If you had given others the graces you have given me, they would have cooperated with them so much more. Mercy, Lord: I'll begin to be good from now on, with the help of your grace.  Saint Anthony Mary Claret, Founder of the Claretian Missionary Sisters, Autobiography 20-21.

EASTER SUNDAY – CYCLE C – 2019

v  The resurrection is the high point of Jesus’ earthly life among us.  

v  The Lord has been faithful to his mission until the end, he has loved us and continues to love with an unfathomable love, too great and too selfless for us to understand.  

v  The Lord lives! He is risen as he said!  

v  Karl Rahner said once “God has become the eternal unrest of the world.”

FIRST READING

Ø  The reading is taken from the book of the Acts of the Apostles, whose author is the same as the author of the Gospel, Saint Luke.  

Ø  The book is about the history of the nascent Church, small, humble, sometimes afraid, sometimes courageous, sometimes faithful, sometimes unfaithful.   

Ø  Church persecuted.  From the very beginning of the book we read about the martyrdom of Deacon Stephen, and of James the son of Zebedee. Jesus called him one of the first and he promised him that he would drink from his same chalice.   

Ø  The book has many chapters about Paul, the great apostle. At the end of the book, Paul is in home arrest in Rome, he teaches freely, in spite of the chains that keep him in the house.

Ø  He is the image of what the church will be over the centuries. Persecuted but evangelizing.   

Acts 10:34.37-43

      Peter speaks at Cornelius home, a pagan soldier, in whose house Peter has come in response to the petition of Cornelius, who wants to know about Jesus.   

      He explains the events that have happened, not only in the last days, but since  John’s baptism.  

      He tells them that Jesus, anointed by the Spirit, went about doing good.
How good would it be if they can say that about each one of us! We still have time.    

      Afterwards Peter reminds them, how Jesus was condemned to death, how he was raised on the third day and how only some chosen witnesses saw him.   

      Jesus has been appointed by God, judge of the living and of the dead. Jesus has power over all, he is the Lord.   

      Whoever believes in him, will receive forgiveness of his/her sins.   

      To believe it is not only to say “I believe”, it is to live saying with our life, our choices, our actions… “I believe in you Lord” and I want to be like you, going about doing good  to all without distinction.   

RESPONSORIAL PSALM   Ps 118

This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.
 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever.
Let the house of Israel say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.
 “The right hand of the LORD has struck with power;
the right hand of the LORD is exalted.
I shall not die, but live,
and declare the works of the LORD.”
This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.
The stone which the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
By the LORD has this been done;
it is wonderful in our eyes.

This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.
 

ü  Today it is the day of the Lord’s triumph, the most wonderful day that the Lord has made.

ü  We sing his mercy and we repeat some phrases from Scripture about Jesus, the Lord, the Messiah.   

ü  Jesus can say “I will not die, I will continue living to sing what the Lord has done for me.”  

ü  He is the stone rejected by the builders.  The religious and political leaders of his people rejected him; they did not consider him useful.   

ü  How often we make mistakes, sometimes in good faith, others with ill intentions.   

ü  This rejected stone is the cornerstone of the church, the salvation, God’s work.   

ü  The psalmist exclaims:  This is wonderful, a real miracle!  

ü  So many miracles, wonderful works God does every day before our eyes, with the little ones, the despised, those considered a burden or non-useful: sick, older people, poor of all sorts,  foreigners, migrants, babies destroyed in their mother’s womb because they do not fit in our plans, prisoners tortured, abused women and children. With all of them and in all of them God does wonderful things, that confronts our self-sufficiency, our power, our knowledge…    

Below I put the paschal sequence and a reflection on it. I will omit the second reading and the Gospel.  

SEQUENCE

Christians, to the Paschal Victim Offer your thankful  praises!  A lamb the sheep redeems: Christ who only is sinless Reconcile sinners to the Father. Death and life have contended in that combat stupendous The Prince of life who died reigns immortal. Speak Mary declaring  what you saw wayfaring “The tomb of Christ, who is living. The glory of Jesus’ resurrection,

Bright angels attesting, the shroud and napkin resting Yes, Christ my hope is arisen! To Galilee he goes before you.” Christ indeed from death is risen, our new life obtaining  Have mercy, victor King ever reigning!   Amen, alleluia.

v  In the great solemnities, the Church has a sequence, which is recited or sung before de Reading the Gospel. 

v  They are a masterpiece of poetry and music.  

v  As we read this sequence of Easter we realize that it tells us the mystery of our redemption.  

v  Mary Magdalene is asked about her experience on the road, what she has seen on the way.   

v  She confesses her faith in the resurrection, I have seen the Risen Lord who invites his own to meet him in Galilee.

v  Galilee  

o   Concrete geographical place, but also a place in the geography of the spirit. 

o   Place of the first encounter.   

o   They have to go back there to encounter anew the enthusiasm, the joy, the energy and the strength to proclaim what eye has not seen and ear has not heard. 

o   Encounter that will  make them able to proclaim that our God has saved us, that he is in our midst, that he walks with each one of us and will be with us until the end of history. 

o   Galilee, place where Peter will be able to confess his love to his friend and Lord, after having experienced the depth of human misery denying to know the one he loved so much. 

v  Yes, let us also go back to our own Galilee, the place where we met the Lord for the first time. Hope, joy   and enthusiasm will come back into our life, our first experience will be renewed.  (Luis Alonso Schökel, comentario en La Biblia de nuestro Pueblo, 2015.)

CLARETIAN CORNER

When my spiritual director commanded me to write the outline that our Lord had indicated me for the formation of the new order, I had so much pain, that I confessed that if it were not for the grace of the Blessed Mother who comforted me and assured me of her aid in everything, I would have died of pain. I would have preferred to publish my big sins by the streets and plazas of the city rather even the stone would know the slightest benefits the Lord has showered on me. While I wrote these note (it took me along time because of the great repugnance I had to do it, for I had in mind more the great and many offences I committed against my sovereign creature, that the graces which I was receiving from His generous mercy). There were many nights that our Lord kept me company while I stayed up praying and writing on my knees.  Venerable María Antonia París, Foundress  of the Claretian Missionary Sisters. Autobiography 20

For my greater embarrassment I should like to quote the words of the author of the Book of Wisdom (8:19): "I was a boy of happy disposition. I had received a good soul as my lot." That is, I received a good nature or disposition from God, out of his sheer goodness .I remember that during the war of independence, which lasted from 1808 to 1814, the people of Sallent were so frightened of the French--and with good reason, since the French had burned the city of Manresa and the town of Calders, near Sallent -that everyone fled when they heard the news that the French army was on its way. During the first evacuation I recollect being carried on someone's shoulders; but during the last evacuation, when I was four or five, I went on foot and gave grandfather Clara, my mother's father, a helping hand . It was at night, and his eyesight was failing, and I guided him through the obstacles with such patience and kindness that the poor old man was very glad to see that I hadn't run off to join my brothers and cousins who had abandoned the two of us. I always showed him a great deal of affection until he died, and not only him but also all those who were elderly and disabled. Saint Anthony Mary Claret, Founder of the Claretian Missionary Sisters. Autobiography, 18-19.