DAILY HOMILIES #Jesus

Lent is finally over. Am I also in haste to move on with my life? No more Stations of the Cross, no more fasting and abstinence. Am I going to return to my old habits and vices? Mary Magdalene refused to move on. Her actions proved she was a true friend of Jesus. She was among the Women of Jerusalem who wept for Jesus while the crowd cheered and mocked, but when others moved on, she went to the tomb early in the morning

This is the night that, even now, throughout the world, sets Christian believers apart from worldly vices and the gloom of sin, leading them to grace and joining them with his holy ones. This is the night Christ broke the prison bars of death and rose victorious from the underworld…

Good Friday shows God understands our pains. He knows what it feels like to love and be rejected, to be betrayed, angry, hungry, insulted, dissatisfied, sick, weak, or sorrowful. Good Friday teaches us that Jesus once felt whatever you were going through today.

During the Easter Triduum, we go beyond retelling the stories of salvation to “re-creating” these events to deepen our reflection of what happened during those last days of Christ walking the face of the earth. Hence, our celebrations are marked with a lot of symbolism and deep historical relevance

Spiritual creativity is not a luxury; it is the essence of our faith. Either I am winning for Jesus or betraying (denying) him. I can only imagine Jesus's pain, knowing that those who shared the same plate with him would betray him. Nevertheless, Jesus said: “Woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”

Mary and Martha were among the few still on Jesus’ side. They invited Him to their home to express their appreciation for raising Lazarus. Meanwhile, Judas Iscariot represents many Christians today who are sitting on the fence. Outwardly, we pretend to love Jesus, but deep within, we only care about our selfish interests. Where do I belong?

Someone once said that even if Jesus Christ came again, we would kill him a second time. This is because, despite changing times, human beings have always remained the same. As we reflect on the major characters in the Passion Narrative, let us observe how we mirror them so that we can subsequently make the needed changes.

Why must we surrender to God instead of dealing with our enemies ourselves? God is a just judge – He alone knows how best to deal with everybody. On the other hand, some of those we consider enemies today may be blessings in disguise. God may have sent them to help us or tell us the truth.

Looking back at your life, has your name contributed positively or negatively to your current circumstances? The fact that God changed his name from Abram (meaning “like a father” or “honorary father”) to Abraham (meaning “father of multitude”) tells us that names are not merely means of identification.

The Bible describes Joseph as a just man. (Matthew 1:19). This means he was a man of integrity. He was well-respected in the community. He had a good name. He was a man of justice. He was not wayward and believed in always doing what was right. Can it be said about me that I am a just person? Do I practice selective integrity?

The story of Susanna tells of the courage of a well-trained woman who preferred death to sin. The judges thought they could blackmail her, but God came to her rescue. In today’s Gospel passage, the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman to Jesus whom they accused of adultery. Like the Judges in our first reading, they thought they had cornered Jesus. In the end, Jesus, God in human flesh, displayed a wisdom far superior to any human imagination.

Has my love for the world made me a sterile Christian? What things must die so I can bear the right fruits? Could it be my desire for comfort or pleasure? The book of Hebrews teaches: “In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.” (Hebrews 12:4).