I am the handmaid of the Lord

April 4, 2016 6:00 am

Annunciation of the Lord

„Mary said, ‚Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.’ Then the angel departed from her.” (LK 1: 38) 

The end of this dialog started the redemption of humankind. Mary was asked by the angel to accept the invitation from God to become His Son’s mother. Our Lady asked only one question, just to be sure that this message came from God, and finished with totally acceptance—„I am the handmaid of the Lord.” From this moment our lives changed. We are no more alone, abandoned or misunderstood. Our Lord came to take care of us with the humble assistance of Our Lady. „The Word of God became flesh and made his dwelling among us.”

„The Word of God became flesh and made his dwelling among us; and we saw his glory.” (Gospel Acclamation)

Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them

April 3, 2016 6:00 am

„Jesus said to them again, ‚Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’ And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‚Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.’” (JN 20: 21-23)

„He breathed on them”—we are witnessing the new life of the Apostles: the same way that God breathed on the first man and gave him life, so now the disciples’ new spiritual life comes from Jesus. This „breath of God” brings us the sacrament of penance: „whose sins you forgive are forgiven them.” With the Holy Spirit and forgiveness, we receive God’s grace and again and again new life. On this Divine Mercy Sunday, Our Lord comes to us with a new grace and a strong blessing: „blessed are they who have not seen me, but still believe.” Every sacrament of penance brings us closer to God, refreshes our relationship with Him and encourages us to be His witnesses.

„You believe in me, Thomas, because you have seen me, says the Lord; blessed are they who have not seen me, but still believe!” 

Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel 

April 2, 2016 7:38 am

„But later, as the Eleven were at table, he appeared to them and rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart because they had not believed those who saw him after he had been raised. He said to them, ‚Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.’” (MK 16: 14-15)

„Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature”—quite a strange conclusion after the beginning of this paragraph: „he appeared to them and rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart because they had not believed those who saw him after he had been raised.” Our Lord doesn’t look for mistakes or weaknesses; He always looks for places where we can grow, places where we can mature and be better. And He always trusts us—„go and proclaim,” not because we are perfect, but because the Gospel speaks about God’s love for us, and this is the most important message we need to share.

„This is the day the LORD has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

…in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean

April 1, 2016 6:00 am

“Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, answered them, ‚Leaders of the people and elders: If we are being examined today about a good deed done to a cripple, namely, by what means he was saved, then all of you and all the people of Israel should know that it was in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead; in his name this man stands before you healed.’” (ACTS 4: 8-10)

Peter, “filled with the Holy Spirit,” is a totally different person: wise, courageous, and humble. He spoke about Our Lord as a witness, as an Apostle and leader of this community. And whatever he said was about Jesus Christ: “in His name this man stands before you healed”—”all the people of Israel should know that it was in the name of Jesus Christ.” “Let us be glad and rejoice in it.” 

“This is the day the LORD has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it.” (Gospel Acclamation)

Clung to Peter and John

March 31, 2016 9:11 pm

“As the crippled man who had been cured clung to Peter and John, all the people hurried in amazement toward them in the portico called ‘Solomon’s Portico.’ ” (ACTS 3: 11)

The “crippled man who had been cured” needed a community of believers. He met in Peter and John not their „power or piety,” but the saving power of Jesus Christ, His love of people, especially in great need or in danger, and love of sinners—His love released him. “Clung to peter and John:” he will learn how to pray and how to praise the Lord. In the community he will grow.

“This is the day the LORD has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

walking and jumping and praising God

March 30, 2016 6:00 am

„Peter said, ‚I have neither silver nor gold, but what I do have I give you: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, rise and walk.’ Then Peter took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles grew strong. He leaped up, stood, and walked around, and went into the temple with them, walking and jumping and praising God.” (ACTS 3: 6-8)

The beginning of the Church, based on the words and actions of the Apostles, followed Our Lord’s example: „I have neither silver nor gold, but what I do have I give you: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, rise and walk.” And this powerful Name made „his feet and ankles strong.” „He leaped up, stood, and walked around, and went into the temple with them, walking and jumping and praising God.” When we are touched by God’s word, we also should „go into the temple with them” and praise God because when we are thankful, when we see and admire what Our Lord did for us, we touch God’s heart.

„This is the day the LORD has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

The promise is made to you and to your children

March 29, 2016 6:00 am

“’What are we to do, my brothers?’ Peter said to them, ‚Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is made to you and to your children and to all those far off, whomever the Lord our God will call.’” (ACTS 2: 37-39)

„What are we to do, my brothers?” This looks like our question so many times–questions about our faith and no time to pray, about our work-life balance or about our marriage which is (again) in crisis. The answer is simple: „repent and be baptized.” „Repent” (a change of mind and heart toward God reflected in the actual goodness of one’s life) is active and „be baptized” is passive. This is a good strategy for our daily lives: go back to our rituals, keep our relationship with God and our spouse vital, pray shortly but often, „and we will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” and He will lead us. We should remember that whatever we invest in our relationships (God and spouse), our „children” will be rewarded too.

„This is the day the LORD has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

Ran to announce the news to His disciples 

March 28, 2016 6:00 am

„Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went away quickly from the tomb, fearful yet overjoyed, and ran to announce the news to his disciples.” (MT 28: 8) 

The tomb is empty, so „Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went away quickly from the tomb.” They had many reasons to be sad, fearful or in despair. They were „fearful yet overjoyed.” That gave them a huge motive, and they „ran to announce the news to His disciples.” When we are overjoyed, we are focused on sharing with others our good news; when we are fearful, we are focused on our situation. When we decide to be a gift of self, we are looking where to serve and how to make people happy. After Our Lord’s resurrection, we see in a new way every „day the Lord has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it,” and we can run to announce and to share with others the good news.

„This is the day the LORD has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

He saw and believed 

March 27, 2016 6:00 am

„When Simon Peter arrived after him,  he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place. Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed. For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead.” (JN 20: 5-9)

This is the begging of our faith—the apostles who „saw and believed.” Even they, His closest companions, „did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead.” With them we are now one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church: apostolic—based on their faith. With them we can announce to the whole world the Good News—the death and the devil are defeated; our sins are forgotten; „Christ, our paschal lamb, has been sacrificed”; we are saved—„let us then feast with joy in the Lord.”

„Christ, our paschal lamb, has been sacrificed; Let us then feast with joy in the Lord.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

He will heal us, He will bind our wounds

March 26, 2016 6:00 am

“Come, let us return to the LORD, for it is he who has torn, but he will heal us; he has struck down, but he will bind our wounds. He will revive us after two days; on the third day* he will raise us up, to live in his presence.” (HOS 6: 1-2) [From Laudes]

Our Lord, who died for us and our salvation, who suffered from His own nation and was rejected and who was betrayed by His own disciple, never focused on Himself but always on us. What we can do is „return to the Lord.”