“Clear out the old yeast, so that you may become a fresh batch of dough, inasmuch as you are unleavened. For our paschal lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed. Therefore, let us celebrate the feast, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” (1 COR 5: 7-8)
Our Lord was born in Bethlehem – the House of Bread, and He gave Himself to us during the Last Supper as bread, and He wants us to be “the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” Our Polish Saint Albert Chmielowski used to say that we should be like bread for our brothers and sisters: “be good like bread.” We are newborn–we are cleansed because “our paschal lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed.” So, “let us celebrate” our new life with joy, sincerity and true concern for the good of others.
“Christ, our paschal lamb, has been sacrificed; let us then feast with joy in the Lord.” (Gospel Acclamation)
We enclose our best Easter wishes of Our Lord’s continual blessings for you, your homes, families and work.
Thank you for being with us. This gives us joy, which we can share with you, faith that this work matters, and strength to go on.
The Family Support Foundation’s Team
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope”… (1 Ptr 1:3)
You know how happy we are today, especially Poles. This Feast came from Poland through a Polish nun, Saint sister Faustina Kowalska and blessed Fr. Michael Sopoćko, was proclaimed by the Polish Pope (John Paul II), on this Sunday of Divine Mercy in 2011 that Pope was announced blessed, and today will be proclaimed Saint (with another Pope, John XXIII).
Our Lord, who asked sister Faustina to paint the vision of his Merciful Divinity being poured from His sacred heart also asked for a feast of Divine Mercy to be established on the first Sunday after Easter, so that mankind could take refuge in Him: “I want the image solemnly blessed on the first Sunday after Easter, and I want it to be venerated publicly so that every soul may know about it.” (Jesus’ words, Diary 341)
“I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain the complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On that day all the divine floodgates through which grace flow are opened. Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet.” (Diary 699).
We are also invited to practice mercy. St. Faustina reminds us three ways how we can do it: first—prayer, second—word, third—action. Let us celebrate!!! 🙂
“It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:20)
“Impossible … not to speak about what we have seen and heard.” But the beginning was so different. “When they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.” “They returned and told the others; but they did not believe them either.” “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 16:11. 13. 14-15).
Without the earlier unbelief, without the “hardness of heart,” without doubts and questioning – “proclaiming the Gospel to every creature” would be impossible.
In 1975 our beloved pope Paul VI made the powerful comment: “Modern man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, and if he does listen to teachers, it is because they are witnesses.” We are invited to be in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. When we know Him only from books or we heard about him from others – we can’t speak about Him.
“All of you who have been baptized in Christ have put on Christ, alleluia” (Communion Antiphon).
“Mary went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and then reported what he had told her.” (J 20:18)
St. John wrote about Mary Magdalen that she “stayed outside the tomb weeping.” When she found the tomb empty, she started looking for the body of Jesus. Instead of the body – she encountered Him. When “Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!’,” she recognized Him. She became an apostle for the Apostles by proclaiming Good News to them: “I have seen the Lord.”
Jesus called her by name. He also calls us by our names. I like to imagine how my name sounds when He calls me and where He sends me today.
“This is the day the Lord has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it.” (Verse before the Gospel)
“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)
This is the nature of Good News: you would like to spread the news immediately. This time is so special. We greet even strangers with “Happy Easter” because we wish everybody to be touched by God’s Love and experience His Redemption. Everyday Mass readings are the Good News itself. It is so good to receive Our Lord’s message and find a way how we can “announce the news” to our family, friends, co-workers or neighbors.
“This is the day the Lord has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it.” (Verse before the Gospel)
“The Lord is truly risen, alleluia. To him be glory and power, for all the ages of eternity, alleluia, alleluia.” (Entrance Antiphon)
The Church has only one news to spread. It was the subject of the first speech of Peter, it is the same subject of Pope Francis’ message: “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth
with the Holy Spirit and power… They put him to death by hanging him on a tree. This man God raised on the third day and granted that he be visible… everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name” (Acts 10, 38. 39. 40. 43). We will celebrate this joy for the next 50 days. And we will enjoy this message “for all the ages of eternity.” We would like to bring this joy to every home and to every person. Your sins were forgiven, your wounded life can be healed, your relations – not only restored but beautifully improved, you yourself are God’s beloved child.
“Alleluia, alleluia. Christ, our paschal lamb, has been sacrificed; let us then feast with joy in the Lord. Alleluia, alleluia.” (Verse before the Gospel)
And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence.(Luke 24: 41-43)
The disciples were not left to themselves. But they must have been emotionally upset by the events of the recent days. And when Jesus appears to them as risen, they do not believe in who they see, even when they can touch Him. Only a meal with Him puts them at peace so that the Lord opens their minds and explains the Scriptures.
A blessed time at the table.
In our Family not always are we able to eat together. However, when it happens it turns out that it is a very important moment. At the table we are closer to each other and there is an opportunity for a conversation. Sometimes it is serious and sometime full of humour. During a meal together we can ask each other questions and explain many difficult things, especially when we invite Jesus, too.
A blessed time at the table.
Thank you, Jesus, that you do not us alone now but that you invite us to Your table, that You are present there so that we can touch You and that You constantly and very patiently explain the Scriptures to us.
Thank you for this blessed time at Your table.
Dorota
