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RELIGION LITURGY AND LIFE

Archive for the month “April, 2025”

26 Apr 2025

Divine Mercy Sunday

This Sunday we celebrate the Second Sunday of Easter Divine Mercy Sunday we pray for our Holy Father Pope Francis who died on Easter Monday and whose funeral took place earlier today. As Catholics we feel like sheep without a shepherd as we have lost our spiritual Father. The umbrella over the cross keys in the icon above indicates that the pope has died and we are in a period of mourning called sede vacante.  In the days ahead we are asked to pray that the Holy Spirit will inspire the Cardinals when they meet in conclave to elect a new pope that they will  make the right decision by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

The season of Lent, Holy Week and  Easter  Sunday have come and gone so quickly  and are now a distant memory. Many people think that Easter begins and ends on Easter Sunday but it doesn’t end there the celebration of the season of Easter goes on for 50 days and ends on Pentecost Sunday. I wonder what the Apostles would think if they were to come down to us these days and find that we are celebrating the Death and Resurrection of Jesus that took place over 2000 years ago, they would be amazed especially as they thought everything was over with the Crucifixion on Good Friday but that first Holy Week and Easter Day was only the beginning of the story and here we are all these years retelling the story once again.  In the First Reading  The apostles, performing signs and wonders, gathered in Solomon’s portico, held in high regard despite others’ hesitance. Their number grew rapidly, and the sick were brought to them; even Peter’s shadow was sought for healing. All who came wee healed. In the Second Reading  John, exiled on Patmos for his faith, receives a vision from Jesus on the Lord’s day. Instructed to write, he sees Christ among lampstands, falls down, but is reassured by Christ, the eternal, resurrected one holding keys to death and Hades.

 In this Sundays Gospel reading the Apostles were still huddled together behind locked doors, pondering the shocking experience from the week before when all seemed to be lost. Then Jesus appeared  to them and to assure them that he was alive. His message must have troubled them as well when he told them: “As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.”   In the same way as the apostles were sent out we are sent out to bring the  message of god’s mercy hope  and love to other people wherever we are. Then of course there is doubting Thomas who heard the witness of the those who saw Jesus but, like so many of us today he wanted more proof.  Jesus says to Thomas, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me?  Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” That is a favorite quote for many who have not “seen” the risen Christ in person as the disciples did. We have come to believe though we have not seen him in the flesh but he is with us in the midst of our communities through so many different people. The gospel tells us how Jesus gave his followers peace because they trusted him. In spite of the skepticism of Thomas and so many others, Jesus  offers us the same peace of heart mind and soul.  When Jesus says to the Apostles Peace be with you the Peace he is talking about is much more than the lack of conflict. True peace, gives us happiness, since it is built on trust in God and one another. 

As we celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday we remember the joy, the hope, the grief and the anxieties of the people in our time those we know and those unknown to us and we bring them to the merciful Lord. Our world is hurting so much because of the things that are happening within it with people at each other’s throats for so many reasons.   May all of us be witnesses to the Hope, love  and mercy of the Gospel as we try to bring the caring face of God’s love to the people wherever we are.

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19 Apr 2025

HOLY SATURDAY AND EASTER SUNDAY

Having  completed our Lenten observance and after the liturgies of Holy Thursday and Good Friday we  are now getting ready to celebrate the Easter Vigil on the day of resurrection that is Easter Sunday. The Church and its people have  only one thing to do today: to pray through the emptiness of Holy Saturday. Holy Saturday is the day when we experience watching and waiting at the tomb as we await the celebration of the Resurrection which we celebrate in the Easter Vigil, easter Sunday and the season of Easter.Holy Saturday is about emptiness, the cross is empty and Jesus lies in the tomb everything around us is still.  It’s not hard for us to share Mary’s sense of emptiness and bewilderment when she arrives at the tomb.

If we were to read the next few verses from John’s Gospel, we would read a story of overwhelming joy as Mary Magdalen meets the risen Jesus. When Jesus speaks her name, Mary recognises him and sadness and emptiness give way to joyful reunion. It’s a story of transformation   how things can change when we meet the risen Jesus. The Psalm for Easter Sunday says, “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Above all days, Easter Sunday   is a day of hope filled joy. At Easter and throughout the Easter season we celebrate the kind of hopeful joy each of us longs for, when every tear is wiped away, and there is no sorrow and no more suffering. When we ourselves rise to meet our risen Lord, in that bright morning we will hear him say, “Come away, beloved. The winter is past; the rain is gone, and the flowers return to the earth” (Song of Songs 2:10-12).

In the loving union of that encounter, all the  brokenness  of our lives will be redeemed. That will be the perfect  joy we hope for.  Let us take fresh hope,  with Christ our Passover everything is possible!  Jesus Christ lives! He has Risen as he said he would and his light lights up our world.  During the Easter Vigil we light the Easter fire and from that fire we have light the Paschal Candle.  Our Gospel story for the vigil tells us that we should not look for Jesus among the dead for he has risen and the light of Christ lights up the darkness of our lives and our world.  The resurrection of Jesus is a proclamation that this outcast from Galilee is the beloved Son of God who cannot be held in the darkness of death because he was raised by God his father.

All of us believe that God’s work continues not least because we believe Jesus’ words: “I am the resurrection and the life.” Our celebration of the Easter Season begins with our celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday with the Vigil on Holy Saturday evening during which we welcome and baptize Adult converts to the faith   Then  on Easter morning  we celebrate our Easter masses as we renew our baptismal promises and don’t forget that the feast of Easter continues until Pentecost.  So full of gratitude for Christ’s passion, with joy in his resurrection and, strengthened by the Spirit, we continue our Christian journey of joyful hope this Easter time.

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18 Apr 2025

GOOD FRIDAY

The origin of this day is traced back to Jerusalem and the veneration of the relic of the true cross.  This act of veneration stressed the cross as a symbol of victory.  In our good Friday Liturgy it is not the veneration of a crucifix, which would narrow it down to the historical moment of Jesus’ suffering and death.  Instead we venerate the Cross it is the sign of Jesus death on Good Friday.  On this day in the liturgy we read St. Johns account of the passion, we pray for the needs of the Church and the world, we venerate the Cross and we receive the blessed Eucharist.  When we think of the death of Jesus on the cross we realise that his death was a result of the courage of his convictions. He lived his life with a message of compassion and love, Jesus was often critical of those who lorded it over those who were less well off or who had little or even nothing at all.

The cross of Good Friday is a sign that all of us recognise, it is a sign of the completeness of the love that God has for each one of us faults and failings included.  It is not accidental that the Passion according to John is always read on this day.  This account shows that Jesus is always in charge, in total command of his situation.  John’s Passion is an extended commentary on an earlier statement of Jesus found in John 10:17-18:  “I lay down my life that I may take it up again.  No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.”    The focus of the liturgy of Good Friday, is not primarily a meditation on Jesus’ pain, nor on our sinfulness, or our imitation of Jesus’ humility.  Instead  the focus on the cross as a reminder that we are beneficiaries of this event here and now in our own time. The final words of Jesus from the cross say it all for us, “It is accomplished!”  Jesus was not overcome. On the contrary!  He has overcome and the fact that we are celebrating Good Friday in 2025 bears witness to this.  When we go up to venerate the cross we should allow the cross to move us to be better people. Consoling, comforting and challenging the people we meet with the hope filled values of Jesus and the Cross.

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16 Apr 2025

Mass of the Lords Supper

Lent has ended and now we begin the Holy Week Triduum for the Holy Year of Hope. There is a saying that hope springs eternal and in the Holy Week Triduum we celebrate  the hope of Holy Thursday we go to the despair of Good Friday and then on Easter Sunday we  go back to the greatest hope that all of us have that is the resurrection. The word Triduum is the Latin for the three days Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday. We should not think of the liturgies of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter Vigil as three separate events, all three form part of one single extended liturgy. In fact at the end of the Mass on Holy Thursday there is no dismissal and blessing instead we accompany Jesus to the Altar of repose and then leave in silence. In the same way there is no formal beginning and end to the Good Friday liturgy we enter in silence and again we leave in silence.

This three-day liturgy concludes with the solemn blessing at the end of the Easter Vigil or at the morning Mass on Easter Sunday.  On Holy Thursday In the first reading from exodus we hear about the blood sacrifice on the door posts a sign that the people inside would be spared, freed from slavery and death. The death of Jesus becomes the Christian Passover, the sign of gods liberating love. We hear Paul’s account of the institution of the Eucharist in the second reading when he tells us this is what I have learned from the Lord and I am passing it on to you.  These readings make us aware that the institution of the Eucharist is tied to the demand of mutual love  and respect for one another.  On this day  we act out Jesus’ command by participating in the foot washing.  When supper had ended, Jesus took water in a basin and a towel and began to wash his disciples’ feet. He then commanded his disciples to follow his example by giving such loving service to others. Following the celebration of the Eucharist, we move in procession  with the Blessed Sacrament to the  chapel Of reservation there we keep watch up to midnight.  

On Holy Thursday we all bring our different stories here to the table of the Lord.  And we know there will be times when we will be sore, hurt and wounded; when there will be no one to talk away the terrors of the night; when we will occupy the garden of grief alone.  But Jesus has already travelled that road and stands with us. The liturgy on Holy Thursday evening is a meditation on the essential connection between the Eucharist and Christian love expressed in serving one another. Christ is not only present in the Eucharist but also in the deeds of loving kindness offered to others through us. We are the ones who make ‘real’ the presence of Jesus in every smile, kind word and loving action. As I said at the beginning hope springs eternal and we are called to be people of hope filled faith who look out for one another, people who follow Jesus  example by giving such loving service to others. It’s not just about “me” It’s about “us” and our hopeful journey of faith during these days of Holy Week and Easter and beyond as we go on into the future.  

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11 Apr 2025

PALM SUNDAY

This Sunday is Palm Sunday when Jesus entered Jerusalem his own city. From the ashes of Ash Wednesday we have almost gone through our annual observance of Lent with three more days to come as we head towards Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday the Easter Triduum. On Palm Sunday, we celebrate our Lord’s triumphant entrance into Jerusalem where he was welcomed by crowds worshipping him and laying down palm leaves before him. In the Roman Empire people used palm branches and other greenery as a sign of welcome and respect as important people entered their towns and cities.  The Gospels record that this is what many people in Jerusalem did for Jesus as they proclaimed him as the messiah. Palm Sunday  also marks the beginning of Holy Week, with the hope of Holy Thursday the sorrow of Good Friday and then the triumph of the  resurrection  on Easter Sunday.

As we end the season of Lent it isn’t really the end as we all know that events of the first Holy Week were the beginning and here we are in 2025 remembering  the life changing events that took place during the first holy week.  So now in the context of faith we stop and ponder where our Lenten journey has taken us and what Holy Week is about.  It is simply not just about the death of Jesus on Calvary it is about a great deal more and the cross is one of the central parts of this week.  The first reading from Isaiah, speaks about prophet’s unwavering faith in God’s help and faithfulness in times of struggle, opposition and ridicule, and his determination to continue proclaiming God’s message despite the challenges he faced. “I have set my face like flint” set my face against the beatings and scourging that lie ahead, “knowing that I shall not be put to shame.”  The second reading highlights the humility and obedience of Jesus in his sacrifice for humanity, emphasizing his willingness to empty himself and become a servant, ultimately submitting to death on the cross. The passage calls for believers to follow Jesus’ example of humility and service, recognizing him as Lord and King of all. In the Gospel we hear the how the crowd goes from rejoicing and singing Hosanna to the Son of David to calling out crucify him, crucify him.

The entrance into Jerusalem is one of the very few events in Jesus’ life which is mentioned in all four gospels.  It is the only time that Jesus accepts and encourages public acclaim as Messiah even at that time it wasn’t really about him it was about doing his father’s will.  He even goes as far as organising his entrance by telling the disciples to go and fetch the donkey.  The key moment in God’s great plan of salvation is about to begin and Jesus knows exactly how it will unfold and where he will end up.  As we reflect upon the story of Jesus going up to Jerusalem we recommit ourselves to Jesus and his message of salvation.  On Palm Sunday we feel a certain amount of embarrassment when we cry out “Crucify Him” with the palm branches still in our hands. It reminds us of our own fickle responses and our lack of courage in responding to Gods love for us. Yet as we know it was all our  sins that brought Jesus to Calvary. Holy Week is a time for us to realize what we are like, and to find that the only remedy for our fears is the love of God shown to us through Jesus his Son.   As we listen to the Passion story we are called to respond as God’s family, we are called to look out for one another. It’s not just about “me” It’s about “us” and our hope filled journey of faith. Our journey is one of hope and love so let us not be afraid to go into the hope and love of Holy Thursday and the sorrow of Good Friday so that we will be able to celebrate the bright light that is  Jesus resurrection at Easter.

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04 Apr 2025

5th Sunday of Lent

In the first reading God, who controls nature and armies, urges us to forget the past and see His new works: providing for His chosen people, made to praise Him. The exiled people of Israel felt that God had forgotten them, but the prophet Isiah was sent to assure them that God was still concerned for them and would rescue them. The Israelites returned to Jerusalem to make a new beginning in faithful service to God. In the second reading everything is considered a loss compared to knowing Christ. Righteousness comes from faith, not law. Striving to know Christ’s power and share His sufferings, we press on towards eternal life with Him. Paul had placed all his dependence on the Law of Moses until Christs call changed the foundations of his life. He began putting all his trust in Christ.

This Sunday in our Gospel story we hear about the woman who was caught in adultery and we hear Jesus telling us ‘If there is one of you who has not sinned, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.’ Jesus did not deny the Scribes and Pharisees the right to carry out this prescription of the Law, but he insisted on one condition, namely, that they have no sin on their consciences. “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” So many of us today are like the Pharisees in that we are prepared to lift the stone and be the first person to throw it despite our own shortcomings. This story is about so much more than throwing the stones it is really about God’s mercy towards the woman and by association God’s mercy to us. When Jesus and the woman were left alone, he looked up and said, “Woman, where are they?” Ironically, the self-righteous observers of the Law, so eager to throw stones, could not measure up to the requirement that Jesus had laid down and all of them had left.  After they had gone, Jesus lifted up his eyes to the woman looking at her with the eyes of gentleness; he asks her, ‘Has no one condemned you?’ She replies, ‘No one, Lord.’ And he says, ‘Neither do I condemn you.

What does this say to you and me today as so many of us are prepared to throw stones of condemnation at so many people and of course there are also people who would throw stones at us as well.  This gospel teaches us that we should consider what we say and do and their effect on other people. Sometimes the things that we say can be more hurtful than any stones we might throw especially in today’s world of Facebook, Twitter and instant communication. If we remember what Jesus tells us when he says let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw the stone then we won’t go far wrong. The simple truth whether we like it or not is all of us are sinners and none of us are in a position to throw the stone even though we might think we are! The woman caught in adultery expected to die as the Law of Moses prescribed. Through the mercy of Jesus she was able to make a new beginning, her sins forgiven. By the mercy of Jesus  we are also called to our own new beginning. Then, like Paul, we have to forget the past and put our trust in Jesus, crucified and risen again. This new beginning is often difficult, but our strength is in Christ in the eucharist the bread of life. The Gospels of the last two Sundays were parables about God’s forgiveness and tender care in nurturing us back to life. We are called, not to be judges, but people who show God’s compassion and mercy to others.  As we continue our Journey  of hope let us ask the Lord to show us his merciful hopeful way as we head towards the life giving events of Palm Sunday and Holy Week.

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