“Experiencing the caring and intimate Love of the One Who is ‘always with us!’”

(Based on Acts 2:36-41 and Jn 20:11-18 – Tuesday of the Easter Octave)

One of the very beautiful verses in the Bible – not too known though – is from the book of the Psalms.

Psalm 56: 8, “Thou hast kept count of my tossings; put thou my tears in thy bottle! Are they not in thy book?”

Another translation would read, “…. You have collected my tears in a wineskin.”

This verse speaks volumes of a God who is so intimately related to a person and expresses a very personal and close association.

God is a God Who…
… is especially close to His people in their moments of pain and suffering
… is particularly near to His people in their times of affliction and tribulations.

The Gospel of the Day is a beautiful witness to this loving concern and tender affection of God, expressed by Jesus to Mary Magdalene.

We are still near the tomb of the Lord. Mary Magdalene, the soul who loved the Lord so profoundly, is still lingering around the tomb of the Lord.

She had experienced Divine Love in a significant manner.

Her heart could not fully accept that the Lord who had transformed her life was no more
Her mind could take in the fact that the One whom she loved so deeply had gone away.

And so she kept waiting.

True love always seeks…

True love always seeks to break boundaries, do away with hurdles and cast away any barriers

Finally, when she did encounter Him, her eyes were kept away from recognizing the Lord.

But the Lord did recognize her…
… not just her physical pains, rather also her mental agony and her spiritual longing!

And so He asks her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” (Jn 20:13)

Mary had been incessantly weeping over the loss of her Beloved

However, these tears were not in vain….
… these tears were not lost in futility.

Rather, the Lord was storing them up carefully in a vial… in a bottle… in a wineskin
“[O, Lord… You have] put my tears in your bottle” (Ps 56:8)

And these tears of affection, love and fondness was rewarded by the Lord, by calling her by name, “Mary!” (Jn 20:16)

The sweetness of that voice, calling out her name, wiped away every tear!

Her tears were turned to smiles
… her mourning to comfort
… her brokenness to immense joy!

Today, we are reminded the same…

We may be shedding many tears before the Lord

It could be due to many reasons…
… maybe some personal crisis in life
… maybe some brokenness in the family
… maybe some tragedy or calamity to our closed ones

All these may cause us to have tears – either externally or within the depth of our hearts

Some tears may be seen by others – most will go unnoticed, invisible

Yet, the One who loves us the most – the Lord – is storing up all our tears in His presence

Each one of our tears is precious to the Lord.

Just like Mary Magdalene, who continued to be faithful and longing for the Lord, let us also be steadfast to our God…
… despite our tears and pains and sadness.

This faithfulness to Him will surely win the reward for us
… the reward of our names being called out by the Lord!

St Peter, while addressing the people on Pentecost Day, invited them to experience the healing and merciful love of the Lord…
“Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to Him.’” (Acts 2:38-39)

Let us draw closer to the Lord – in sincerity and repentance – and experience His Caring and Intimate Love of the Lord of Who is “always with us!”

Happy Easter to all of you!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY ORDERS IN THE ECONOMY OF SALVATION – THE EFFECTS OF THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY ORDERS – The indelible character

This sacrament configures the recipient to Christ by a special grace of the Holy Spirit, so that he may serve as Christ’s instrument for his Church.

By ordination one is enabled to act as a representative of Christ, Head of the Church, in his triple office of priest, prophet, and king. (CCC # 1581)