Category: Daily Reflections

BELIEVE AND WITNESS

“This is the Jesus God has raised up, and we are His witnesses.” –Acts 2:32 Jesus once made the statement that even if a person should rise from the dead, some will not be convinced (Lk 16:31). He was referring to those who would not believe the Scriptures. The soldiers who took the money knew well Jesus had risen from the dead; they knew no one could have stolen the body. They also had been paralyzed with fear at the appearance of the angels. Even the chief priests knew the disciples had not stolen Jesus’ body; they simply chose to...

BELIEVE AND WITNESS

“This is the Jesus God has raised up, and we are His witnesses.” –Acts 2:32 Jesus once made the statement that even if a person should rise from the dead, some will not be convinced (Lk 16:31). He was referring to those who would not believe the Scriptures. The soldiers who took the money knew well Jesus had risen from the dead; they knew no one could have stolen the body. They also had been paralyzed with fear at the appearance of the angels. Even the chief priests knew the disciples had not stolen Jesus’ body; they simply chose to...

NEW AND NOW

“They killed Him, finally, hanging Him on a tree, only to have God raise Him up on the third day.” –Acts 10:40 Alleluia! Today is one of the greatest days in our lives. This is the first day of the fifty-day Sunday, the Easter season. Alleluia! When we believe in our hearts that Jesus is risen from the dead (see Rm 10:9), everything is transformed and made new. Death no longer overshadows Life. The fear of death no longer enslaves us (Heb 2:15). Death has lost its sting (1 Cor 15:55). Death is not our enemy but our friend; it...

A DAY WITHOUT JESUS

“I had rather one day in Your courts than a thousand elsewhere.” –Psalm 84:11 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 possibly 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 spent the first Holy Saturday waiting. She longed for the day to...

GOOD NEWS ON GOOD FRIDAY

“He became the Source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him.” –Hebrews 5:9 When we venerate the cross today and kiss the wounds of Jesus, may we be totally committed to Him, repentant of all sins, and zealous for everyone to know our crucified Savior’s love. If obedience, repentance, and evangelization are not our responses to Jesus’ sacrificial death, the cross of Christ is “rendered void of its meaning” (1 Cor 1:17). The Lord wants us to leave church today willing to suffer anything so as to lead as many as possible to Jesus (1 Cor 9:19). After what...