The WORD
today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/041717.cfm)
reminds me that I should celebrate and proclaim God every day.
In the gospel, we see women
experiencing the risen Jesus. With their currently sad situation, this was
something unexpected. A gift. A pleasant surprise. Jesus did not just spend
time with them and told them what is happening, he involved them as well. He
made them act. Jesus told them to proclaim the good news that he is risen.
As we celebrate Easter, this
should be our task too - Proclaim Jesus to
others. Celebrate his life and victory over sin and death.
More importantly, celebrate and proclaim
his great love for us every
day!
Admittedly, it is not easy to
do so. We do not always feel happy and excited to start the day. Work.
Deadlines. Requirements. Quotas. Problems. These are some things making us
dread a new day. But despite all of these, we should never forget two words
that overpower them : God's love.
God’s love is greater than all
the challenges that we experience. God’s love is real, and was proven to us on
the cross. God’s love is alive and is reaching out to us everyday. God's love
and his great plans are greater and mightier than all the problems and
challenges we are encountering. As long as we allow God to love us, we will be
able to face challenges, for we would realize how small the challenges are, as
compared to God’s intense love for us.
What
am I feeling as I wake up today? Am I excited to work and proclaim God? Or am I
dreading the day and want to extend my holiday?
May
we remember to focus on God's love as we share and proclaim him through our
lives.
Father God,
Thank you for
today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another day to
experience your love. Thank you for another day to love and proclaim you. Thank
you for your love and greatness. Sorry for the times I feel too tired to
proclaim you. Sorry for the times I focus on my issues and hurts, not on your
goodness and greatness. Sorry for taking your love for granted. Help me
live every day proclaiming you to others. Make me more aware of your love, of
your presence, of your goodness in my life. May I always be filled with you, so
that you may naturally overflow to others through me. Amen.
Blessed
week!
In
Christ,
-g-
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
April 17, 2017
Monday in the Octave of Easter
Lectionary: 261
Reading 1 Acts 2:14, 22-33
raised his voice, and proclaimed:
"You who are Jews, indeed all of you staying in Jerusalem.
Let this be known to you, and listen to my words.
"You who are children of Israel, hear these words.
Jesus the Nazorean was a man commended to you by God
with mighty deeds, wonders, and signs,
which God worked through him in your midst, as you yourselves know.
This man, delivered up by the set plan and foreknowledge of God,
you killed, using lawless men to crucify him.
But God raised him up, releasing him from the throes of death,
because it was impossible for him to be held by it.
For David says of him:
I saw the Lord ever before me,
with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.
Therefore my heart has been glad and my tongue has exulted;
my flesh, too, will dwell in hope,
because you will not abandon my soul to the nether world,
nor will you suffer your holy one to see corruption.
You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence.
My brothers, one can confidently say to you
about the patriarch David that he died and was buried,
and his tomb is in our midst to this day.
But since he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn an oath to him
that he would set one of his descendants upon his throne,
he foresaw and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ,
that neither was he abandoned to the netherworld
nor did his flesh see corruption.
God raised this Jesus;
of this we are all witnesses.
Exalted at the right hand of God,
he poured forth the promise of the Holy Spirit
that he received from the Father, as you both see and hear."
Responsorial Psalm Ps 16:1-2a and 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11
or:
R. Alleluia.
Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge;
I say to the LORD, "My Lord are you."
O LORD, my allotted portion and my cup,
you it is who hold fast my lot.
R. Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I bless the LORD who counsels me;
even in the night my heart exhorts me.
I set the LORD ever before me;
with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.
R. Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices,
my body, too, abides in confidence;
Because you will not abandon my soul to the nether world,
nor will you suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption.
R. Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.
or:
R. Alleluia.
You will show me the path to life,
fullness of joys in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever.
R. Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Alleluia Ps 118:24
This is the day the LORD has made;
let us be glad and rejoice in it.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel Mt 28:8-15
fearful yet overjoyed,
and ran to announce the news to his disciples.
And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them.
They approached, embraced his feet, and did him homage.
Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid.
Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee,
and there they will see me."
While they were going, some of the guard went into the city
and told the chief priests all that had happened.
The chief priests assembled with the elders and took counsel;
then they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers,
telling them, "You are to say,
'His disciples came by night and stole him while we were asleep.'
And if this gets to the ears of the governor,
we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble."
The soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed.
And this story has circulated among the Jews to the present day.
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