“Allowing the Risen Jesus to rekindle our hearts, and set us running – with joy – to proclaim His saving love!

(Based on Acts 3:1-10 and Lk 24:13-35 – Wednesday in the Octave of Easter)

In the vibrant summer of 2013, millions of young hearts from around the globe…
… gathered on the shores of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for World Youth Day.

The energy was electric.
The songs, the flags, the languages – all so different – yet all beating to the same rhythm of hope.

And in the centre of it all stood a newly elected shepherd of the Church
…. Pope Francis
… standing before the crowd of over three million, lifted his voice and thundered across generations:
Go, do not be afraid, and serve!”

Those words weren’t just a theme.

They were a summons.
A wake-up call.
A resurrection cry to a sleeping world.

One of the many hearts pierced that day was a young Italian actress named Beatrice Fazi.

She had left the Church years earlier, disillusioned, disappointed, and drifting.

She came to Rio curious, but carrying the weight of years spent walking away from God.

But that night… something happened.

In the Vigil under the stars, as Pope Francis spoke of Christ walking beside the young…
… calling them to live for others
… she wept.

And later, in an interview with Vatican News, she said:
“I came here lost, just walking through life.
But I leave here running – because I met Him again.”

(Source: Vatican News, World Youth Day 2013 Coverage)

Beatrice came to Rio ‘like the disciples to Emmaus’…
… wounded, wandering, weary.

But in the presence of the Risen Lord – through His Word, His Church, and His Vicar
… her feet caught fire.

And that, dear brothers and sisters, is the invitation before us today: Will we just keep walking through life… tired, disappointed, half-believing?

Or can we allow the Risen Jesus to rekindle our hearts, and set us running – with joy – to proclaim His saving love?

The Gospel of the Day presents two disciples who “walk away from home” in disinterest and dejection
… but later “who run towards home” with enthusiasm and passion!

The walk away…
… was a dull tale of being filled with disappointment and confusion
The walk towards…
… is an exciting story of being filled with immense joy and happiness

The encounter of Jesus to the two disciples on the way to Emmaus is one of the classic Resurrection encounters.

This incident appears only in the Gospel of St Luke.

The unnamed disciples have been shaken up very badly over the incidents over the last week in Jerusalem.

Like the Apostles, these disciples also would have been severely affected

Their Master, Jesus, in whom they had trusted, and they had followed, underwent a shameful death – that of a criminal.

It was humiliating…
… to be called as followers of a Criminal
It was abasing…
… to be called to as followers of a Blasphemer

Added to that, the accounts of some women who had seen the Empty Tomb of the Lord, added to greater confusion.

Life seemed to be dealing harshly with them

Gloom had descended into their hearts
Grim had taken over their lives.

And so they “walked” disappointed and dejected
… away from “home” – Jerusalem – to a village named Emmaus.

But this “walk” in sadness and gloom, was soon to become a life-transforming event!

Moments of hardships often become moments to encounter the deep love of the Lord!

Situations of dejections often become situations to experience the immense mercy of God!

Jesus met them, explained the Scriptures to them and finally in the house, broke the bread
… “and their eyes were opened!” (Lk 24:30-31)

Their gloom was taken away
Their mourning was converted
Their sadness was chased away

This experience “had to be shared”
… This experience “had to be recounted”

And so these disciples, who had “encountered” the Lord
… now “ran!”

The walk away…
… was a dull tale of being filled with disappointment and confusion

The walk towards…
… is an exciting story of being filled with immense joy and happiness

How is our life?

Are we merely “walking” through activities and works in life, in dissipation
… or are we “running” through our duties and responsibilities filled with joy and hope?

Are we merely “walking” passively in our spiritual life and our Christian witnessing…
… or are we “running” boldly and enthusiastically, overflowing with happiness and love?

The Lord walks with us…
… on our every journey, in our every activity

But seldom do we see Him
… seldom do we “feel” His presence!

Those disciples realised this “feeling” of the Lord being with them at the Breaking of the Bread…

There lies the key
… there lies the open secret

The realization of the Presence of the Lord is guaranteed and facilitated by a meaningful participation in the Lord’s Body and Blood – at the Holy Eucharist!

The Lord in the Holy Eucharist, calls and invites us – to experience Him, to encounter Him…
… to be transformed by Him!

May the Lord help us to overcome our “lethargic and uninterested walking” in spiritual life…
… and allow the Risen Jesus to rekindle our hearts, and set us running – with joy – to proclaim His saving love!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – GOD’S SALVATION: LAW AND GRACE – The Fourth Commandment – The Family and the society

The family must be helped and defended by appropriate social measures.
Where families cannot fulfill their responsibilities…

… other social bodies have the duty of helping them and of supporting the institution of the family. (CCC # 2209)

“Being steadfast to the Lord, despite our tears and pains… and 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 in the Octave of Easter)

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

Psalm 56: 8, “O Lord.. You have stored my tears in a bottle”

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

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

God is a God who…
… is specially 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 deeply, is still lingering around the tomb of the Lord.

She had experienced Divine Love in a great 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

Mary had been continuously shedding tears for the Lover of her soul.

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 stored my tears in a 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 others, will go unnoticed, invisible

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

Each 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!

Happy Easter to all of you!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – GOD’S SALVATION: LAW AND GRACE – The Fourth Commandment- The Family and the society

There are many families who are at times incapable of providing this help.
It devolves then on other persons, other families, and, in a subsidiary way, society to provide for their needs:

“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” (CCC # 2208)

“Having the last laugh with Jesus, our Risen Saviour and Lord!”

(Based on Acts 2:14, 22-33 and Mt 28:8-15 – Monday in the Octave of Easter)

There’s a story of a little girl whose grandfather had passed away.

She stood beside his grave after the burial, quietly staring at the Cross.

The adults were weeping, but this child suddenly smiled and whispered to her mother, “Mamma.. Mamma… Grandpa is playing hide and seek with Jesus, right?”

And with a bigger grin, she said, “Wait and see… He’ll find him soon!”

The adults were stunned.

What seemed like a naïve comment carried a profound truth: Death is not the end.

For those who belong to Christ, it’s just a waiting game – until Resurrection comes calling.

The child had captured the essence of Easter.

The world might see the tomb as the end…
… but we know, it’s where the Risen Lord begins His greatest surprise!

Well… the three hours of the agonizing Death of Christ on the Cross, was seen as a sign of victory by Satan

The Kingdom of darkness had been conquered…
… so it was felt!
The world of misery had overcome all goodness…
… so it was felt!

But it was God who had the last laugh!

Jesus rose from the dead, and Life and Salvation became the last words.

God indeed made a fool out of satan!

The Resurrection – Jesus’ rising from the dead – was the most spectacular joke that God had pulled on Satan.

It was a reminder that whatever happens in life…
… when one has entrusted everything to the Lord, then ultimately: God Saves!

During His life, the Lord encountered many occasions, when He was subject to being in humiliating, mocking and testing situations

At the desert, Satan had sought to make Jesus a fool, by tempting and luring Him through many temptations. (Mt 4: 1-10)
In the Garden of Gethsemane, the Lord once again faced a trying time in battling to embrace God’s Will totally and completely (Lk 22: 41-44)
On the Cross, the soldiers and others who persecuted the Lord, mocked and challenged Him to come down from the Cross (Mk 15: 29-32)

At every stage of His Life, our Blessed Lord was put into situations of being the “butt of jokes” and the “laughingstock”…
… and a target for many a trial, tribulations and mockeries.

The Crucifixion was meant to be the greatest of all such “agonizing” mockeries!

But…
… Divine Wisdom always finds a way out to triumph!
… Divine Providence always regains the way to victory!

This is the message of the Resurrection.

The Gospel of the Day is the account of the encounter of Jesus with the women, who had come to the tomb of the Lord.

The women who saw the empty tomb and encountered the Lord, were filled with a holy fear, a tremendous joy and a deep devotion (Mt 28:8-9)

Divine Wisdom always, has the final laugh in every trial and tribulation!

Are we ready to share in the happiness of this “joyful” act of the Lord?

Life may bite us sharply with ensnaring temptations and evil tendencies…

Life may make a fool of us with mounting tensions and troubles…
Life may put us down badly with uncertainties and doubts…

We may often, find ourselves mocked.
We may often, find ourselves ridiculed.

But in all such situations, let us dare to look to our Crucified Lord…
… who Himself underwent painful mocking and unfair scorning…
Yet, had the final laugh, through the Resurrection from the dead!

The Resurrection gives us…
… every reason to rejoice, even in the midst of deadly trials…
… every cause to be joyful, even in the midst of heavy tribulations…

May the Risen Lord be the reason for us to rejoice and be joyful, thanking Him for the greatest joke ever – the crushing of Satan by the power of the Holy Cross!

Let us entrust all our works and deeds to the Safe Hands of Jesus…
… because “God always saves!”

As Christians, we can indeed rejoice and say, that “on Easter Day, Christ truly made a fool of sin and death!”

And we are reminded: “Life may often make you a fool!

But never be discouraged; with Jesus, we will always have the last laugh!”

Happy Easter to all of you!

“Let HALLELUJAH be the joyful song that we radiate in all our thoughts, words and deeds!”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – GOD’S SALVATION: LAW AND GRACE – The Fourth Commandment – The Family and the society

The family should live in such a way that its members learn to care…

… and take responsibility for the young, the old, the sick, the handicapped, and the poor. (CCC # 2208)