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.
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
|
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.
No comments:
Post a Comment