Category: Daily Promises

BODY LANGUAGE

“One was seated at the head and the other at the foot of the place where Jesus’ body had lain.” –John 20:12 Mass Readings: April 18 First: Acts 2:36-41;Resp: Psalm 33:4-5,18-20,22;Gospel: John 20:11-18 When two angels asked Mary Magdalene why she was weeping, she responded: “The Lord has been taken away” (Jn 20:13). She meant that the Lord’s body was no longer in His tomb. Mary Magdalene was so preoccupied with Jesus’ body that she seemed not to have paid much attention to the “two angels in dazzling robes” (Jn 20:12). When Jesus, Whom she thought was the gardener, asked...

WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING

“His disciples came during the night and stole him while we were asleep.” –Matthew 28:13 Mass Readings: April 17 First: Acts 2:14,22-33; Resp: Psalm 16:1-2,5,7-11;Gospel: Matthew 28:8-15 The soldiers guarding the tomb were the first witnesses to the Resurrection. As they guarded the tomb of Jesus, “there was a mighty earthquake, as the angel of the Lord descended from heaven…The guards grew paralyzed with fear of him and fell down like dead men” (Mt 28:2, 4). The chief priests instructed the soldiers to say that Jesus’ disciples came during the night and stole him when they were asleep (Mt 28:13)....

RISEN JESUS, I DO!

Have a Blessed and Meaningful Easter “Are you not aware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?” –Romans 6:3 To know the risen Christ in a life-changing, death-conquering way, we must be baptized in His name (Acts 2:38). If we are already baptized, we must renew our Baptisms and live them. In this way, we become aware that we “have been raised up in company with Christ” (Col 3:1). In Baptism, we know the risen Christ. Therefore, on this first day of the Easter season, at every Mass in the world, the Church calls...

A DAY WITHOUT JESUS

“I had rather one day in Your courts than a thousand elsewhere.” –Psalm 84:11 Mass Readings: April 15 First: Genesis 1:1–2:2; Second: Genesis 22:1-18; Gospel: Matthew 28:1-10 The first Holy Saturday was a day without Jesus. He was buried in the tomb, and, because of the Sabbath, His body could not be anointed (Lk 23:56–24:1) or even visited (Mt 28:1). Today the Church relives that first Holy Saturday without Jesus. The Blessed Sacrament does not reside in the tabernacle today. There is no Mass during the day. We identify with Jesus buried in the tomb (see Rm 6:3-4). Mary Magdalene...

HE DIED FOR ME

He was “smitten for the sin of His people.” –Isaiah 53:8 Mass Readings: April 14 First: Isaiah 52:13–53:12;Resp: Psalm 31:2,6,12-13,15-17,25; Second: Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9;Gospel: John 18:1–19:42 Jesus died for my sins, I who consider myself among the worst of sinners (1 Tm 1:15). He was pierced for my offenses, crushed for my sins (Is 53:5). In the face of such sacrificial, redeeming, committed, unconditional love, I have sometimes reacted selfishly and sinfully toward the One Who gave His life for me, instead of responding to His unconditional love with trusting abandon. Yet, Lord Jesus, instead of abandoning me when I...