Sunday, March 31, 2013

Gospel Reflection



March 31, 2013
Easter Sunday – Year of Faith
The Resurrection of the Lord
by Rev. Fr. Wilfredo del Parto, SVD, Chaplain, Lourdes Chapel, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Sta. Mesa, Manila
5:00PM Mass, Lourdes Chapel, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital
                         
Reading 1 Acts 10:34a, 37-43

Peter proceeded to speak and said: “You know what has happened all over Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power. He went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. 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, not to all the people, but to us, the witnesses chosen by God in advance, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commissioned us to preach to the people and testify that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness, that everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.”

Responsorial Psalm Ps 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23

R. (24) This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever.
Let the house of Israel say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
R. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.
or:
R. Alleluia.
“The right hand of the LORD has struck with power;
the right hand of the LORD is exalted.
I shall not die, but live,
and declare the works of the LORD.”
R. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The stone which the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
By the LORD has this been done;
it is wonderful in our eyes.
R. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Reading 2 Col 3:1-4

Brothers and sisters: If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Think of what is above, not of what is on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory.


Brothers and sisters: Do you not know that a little yeast leavens all the dough? 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.

Gospel Lk 24:13-35

That very day, the first day of the week,  two of Jesus’ disciples were going to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus, and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred. And it happened that while they were conversing and debating, Jesus himself drew near and walked with them, but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him. He asked them, “What are you discussing as you walk along?” They stopped, looking downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know of the things that have taken place there in these days?” And he replied to them, “What sort of things?” They said to him, “The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over to a sentence of death and crucified him. But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel; and besides all this, it is now the third day since this took place. Some women from our group, however, have astounded us: they were at the tomb early in the morning and did not find his body; they came back and reported that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who announced that he was alive. Then some of those with us went to the tomb and found things just as the women had described, but him they did not see.” And he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are! How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them what referred to him in all the Scriptures. As they approached the village to which they were going, he gave the impression that he was going on farther. But they urged him, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. And it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight. Then they said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?” So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem where they found gathered together the eleven and those with them who were saying, “The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!” Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way and how he was made known to them in the breaking of bread.  

HOMILY

Magandang hapon po sa inyong lahat. Happy Easter. Palakpakan po natin ang Panginoon (loud applause) 

The greatest and highest worship in our Church is the Easter Triduum. The Easter Triduum begins on Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil, and now. There is no other higher celebration of the Church than this. Christmas is celebrated, but the Easter Triduum is higher when it comes to the Liturgical celebration of the Church. 

My dear friends, we are gathered together today. It is not a dream, hindi po ito panaginip. As we heard in our Gospel today, it is true and historical that our Lord Jesus Christ has risen today. 

What is the meaning of this to all of us, especially in our modern times today? If you have experienced celebrating the Easter Triduum, especially when you attend the Easter Vigil, you will see a lot of activities during the Liturgical celebration. First, we start with the blessing of the New Fire, then there is the blessing of the New Water of Baptism, and the third would be the blessing and renewal of Christian vows. 

What is the importance of these activities in our Easter celebration? First and foremost, my dear friends, Easter is the beginning of new life. If the Resurrection of the Lord is the beginning of new life, then we also have to start a new life. Second, Easter is a celebration of change. Jesus Christ has risen from the dead; He has changed. As believers of Christ, we should also change. There should be renewal from all of us. 

Another highlight during the Easter Liturgical celebration is the lighting of the new candle - the Easter candle. The Easter candle symbolizes the light of Christ. Noon ay madilim ang simbahan, ngunit pagsindi ng ilaw ay napakagandang tignan, na ang lahat ng tao ay may dalang kandila. It is a very solemn scene of Easter. 

May isang magandang istorya ng dalawang magkapatid. Sabi ng bunso sa kanyang Tatay, "Kukunin ko na po ang aking kayamanan. I want to get my inheritance and I will travel around the world." So ibinigay ng Tatay ang mana ng bunso, at ito ay umalis na. 

After several hours, nalungkot 'yong Tatay dahil sa nangyari. "Ang aking anak ay pumunta sa mundo. But the world is so dangerous, the world is wild." Naisip ng ama na baka hindi na makabalik ang kanyang anak. Umakyat ang Tatay sa pinakamataas na bundok, at nakita nga niya na ang mundo ay magulo, maraming magnanakaw, maraming masasamang tao, kaya sabi niya, baka hindi na makabalik ang kanyang anak. 

Makatapos ang ilang araw na hindi pa bumabalik ang kanyang bunsong anak, sabi ng panganay na susundan niya at hahanapin ang kanyang bunsong kapatid. Subalit sabi ng Tatay, "Huwag na lang kasi delikado eh. Magulo ang mundo. Huwag mo nang sundan ang kapatid mo. Hayaan mo na lang na makabalik siya sa atin."

Ngunit di pumayag ang panganay niyang anak. Hahanapin niya ang kanyang kapatid. Sabi ng Tatay, "Paano kung makita mo siya, pero ayaw naman niyang sumama sa iyo? O kaya ay hindi mo siya makita? Ano'ng gagawin mo?" Ang sabi ng panganay na kapatid, "Lahat ng lugar na pupuntahan ko, pag hindi ko nakita ang aking kapatid ay magtitirik ako ng kandila na may ilaw. At least, kung ang kapatid ko ay hindi ko makita at ibig na niyang umuwi, kahit papaano ay alam niya kung ano ang daan patungo o pauwi sa ating bahay." 

Kaya 'yon ang ginawa ng panganay na kapatid. Hinubad niya ang kanyang mga kayamanan sa katawan at siya ay lumakad. Hinanap niya ang kanyang kapatid, kahit na siya ay nakaranas ng kabuktutan ng mundo. Siya ay nanakawan, nagulpi, subalit patuloy pa rin siyang naghanap sa kanyang kapatid. Sa madaling sabi, sa lahat ng napuntahan niya ay hindi niya nakita ang kanyang kapatid

Dahil hindi pa rin nakababalik ang kanyang dalawang anak, ang Tatay ay nalungkot sapagkat wala ang kanyang dalawang anak. Kaya't siya ay umakyat ulit sa bundok, at nakita niya na ang mundo ay magulo pa rin. Marami pa ring mga magnanakaw, marami pa ring masasamang tao. Subalit napansin niya na sa mundo ngayon ay may naiba. Kung noon ay nakita niya itong madilim, ngayon, ito ay maliwanag na. There is light in the world, kahit na nandiyan pa rin ang mga kaguluhan at ang mga masasamang tao. 

My dear friends, ang kwento ko po ay tungkol sa meaning of Easter, the meaning of the Resurrection of the Lord. We celebrate the meaning of Easter but the world is still the same. Marami pa ring kaguluhan, marami pa ring nanloloko, marami pa ring namamatay. But Easter is the Resurrection of the Lord, and the Lord is the Light of the world. Even if the world is dangerous, the Light of Christ shines on all of us, giving us hope, giving us direction in our lives. 

The Easter Candle is the symbol of the Light of Christ which is given to all of us. Kahit tayo ay may problema sa buhay, the Light of Christ will always shine on us, because He is our Lord, and His Resurrection is our hope. The Lord's Resurrection is a celebration new life. It brings new life, it brings change. 

In our celebration of Easter Sunday, and towards the end, let us welcome and love Jesus. Let us have faith in Him. The ultimate message of Jesus is that He has risen and that He is alive. Without the Resurrection of the Lord, wala po tayong lahat dito. We will not be celebrating the Eucharist now, if our Lord Jesus Christ had not risen from the dead. That is why in our Responsorial Psalm, we say, "This is the day that the Lord has made, let us be glad and rejoice." 

Indeed, my dear friends, let us be glad. Because through the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, we have the light, we have the hope, and we have new life. Let us pray that our faith in the Resurrection may be strengthened and that we may put Jesus above all else, as He comes as the Light of the world. 


Saturday, March 30, 2013

Gospel Reflection



March 30, 2013
Saturday – Year of Faith
Easter Vigil
by Rev. Fr. Rufino "Jun" C. Sescon, Jr. - Chaplain, Sto. Nino de Paz Chapel (Greenbelt Chapel), Makati
8:00PM Easter Vigil Mass at Sto. Nino de Paz Chapel, Greenbelt Makati
                         
Reading 1 Gn 1:1—2:2

In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless wasteland, and darkness covered the abyss, while a mighty wind swept over the waters.

Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw how good the light was. God then separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” Thus evening came, and morning followed—the first day.

Then God said, “Let there be a dome in the middle of the waters, to separate one body of water from the other.” And so it happened: God made the dome, and it separated the water above the dome from the water below it. God called the dome “the sky.” Evening came, and morning followed—the second day.

Then God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered into a single basin, so that the dry land may appear.” And so it happened: the water under the sky was gathered into its basin, and the dry land appeared. God called the dry land “the earth, “ and the basin of the water he called “the sea.” God saw how good it was. Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth vegetation: every kind of plant that bears seed and every kind of fruit tree on earth that bears fruit with its seed in it.” And so it happened: the earth brought forth every kind of plant that bears seed and every kind of fruit tree on earth that bears fruit with its seed in it. God saw how good it was. Evening came, and morning followed—the third day.

Then God said: “Let there be lights in the dome of the sky, to separate day from night. Let them mark the fixed times, the days and the years, and serve as luminaries in the dome of the sky, to shed light upon the earth.” And so it happened: God made the two great lights,  the greater one to govern the day, and the lesser one to govern the night; and he made the stars. God set them in the dome of the sky, to shed light upon the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. God saw how good it was. Evening came, and morning followed—the fourth day.

Then God said, “Let the water teem with an abundance of living creatures, and on the earth let birds fly beneath the dome of the sky.” And so it happened: God created the great sea monsters and all kinds of swimming creatures with which the water teems, and all kinds of winged birds. God saw how good it was, and God blessed them, saying, “Be fertile, multiply, and fill the water of the seas;  and let the birds multiply on the earth.” Evening came, and morning followed—the fifth day.

Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth all kinds of living creatures: cattle, creeping things, and wild animals of all kinds.” And so it happened: God made all kinds of wild animals, all kinds of cattle, and all kinds of creeping things of the earth. God saw how good it was. Then God said: “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and the cattle, and over all the wild animals and all the creatures that crawl on the ground.” God created man in his image; in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them, saying: “Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and all the living things that move on the earth.”
God also said: “See, I give you every seed-bearing plant all over the earth and every tree that has seed-bearing fruit on it to be your food; and to all the animals of the land, all the birds of the air, and all the living creatures that crawl on the ground, I give all the green plants for food.” And so it happened. God looked at everything he had made, and he found it very good. Evening came, and morning followed—the sixth day.

Thus the heavens and the earth and all their array were completed. Since on the seventh day God was finished with the work he had been doing, he rested on the seventh day from all the work he had undertaken.


R. (30) Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
Bless the LORD, O my soul!
O LORD, my God, you are great indeed!
You are clothed with majesty and glory,
robed in light as with a cloak.
R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
You fixed the earth upon its foundation,
not to be moved forever;
with the ocean, as with a garment, you covered it;
above the mountains the waters stood.
R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
You send forth springs into the watercourses
that wind among the mountains.
Beside them the birds of heaven dwell;
from among the branches they send forth their song.
R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
You water the mountains from your palace;
the earth is replete with the fruit of your works.
You raise grass for the cattle,
and vegetation for man’s use,
Producing bread from the earth.
R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
How manifold are your works, O LORD!
In wisdom you have wrought them all—the earth is full of your creatures.
Bless the LORD, O my soul! Alleluia.
R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.

Reading 2 Gn 22:1-18

God put Abraham to the test. He called to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am, “ he replied. Then God said: “Take your son Isaac, your only one, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah. There you shall offer him up as a holocaust on a height that I will point out to you.”Early the next morning Abraham saddled his donkey, took with him his son Isaac and two of his servants as well, and with the wood that he had cut for the holocaust, set out for the place of which God had told him.

On the third day Abraham got sight of the place from afar. Then he said to his servants: “Both of you stay here with the donkey, while the boy and I go on over yonder. We will worship and then come back to you.” Thereupon Abraham took the wood for the holocaust and laid it on his son Isaac’s shoulders, while he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two walked on together, Isaac spoke to his father Abraham: “Father!” Isaac said. “Yes, son, “ he replied. Isaac continued, “Here are the fire and the wood, but where is the sheep for the holocaust?” “Son,” Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the sheep for the holocaust.” Then the two continued going forward.

When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. Next he tied up his son Isaac, and put him on top of the wood on the altar. Then he reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son. But the LORD’s messenger called to him from heaven,“Abraham, Abraham!” “Here I am!” he answered. “Do not lay your hand on the boy,” said the messenger.“Do not do the least thing to him. I know now how devoted you are to God, since you did not withhold from me your own beloved son.” As Abraham looked about, he spied a ram caught by its horns in the thicket. So he went and took the ram and offered it up as a holocaust in place of his son. Abraham named the site Yahweh-yireh; hence people now say, AOn the mountain the LORD will see.”

Again the LORD’s messenger called to Abraham from heaven and said: “I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you acted as you did in not withholding from me your beloved son, I will bless you abundantly and make your descendants as countless as the stars of the sky and the sands of the seashore; your descendants shall take possession of the gates of their enemies, and in your descendants all the nations of the earth shall find blessing all this because you obeyed my command.”

Responsorial Psalm PS 16:5, 8, 9-10, 11

R. (1) You are my inheritance, O Lord.
O LORD, my allotted portion and my cup,
you it is who hold fast my lot.
I set the LORD ever before me;
with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.
R. You are my inheritance, O Lord.
Therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices,
my body, too, abides in confidence;
because you will not abandon my soul to the netherworld,
nor will you suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption.
R. You are my inheritance, O Lord.
You will show me the path to life,
fullness of joys in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever.
R. You are my inheritance, O Lord.

Reading 3 Ex 14:15—15:1

The LORD said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to go forward. And you, lift up your staff and, with hand outstretched over the sea, split the sea in two, that the Israelites may pass through it on dry land. But I will make the Egyptians so obstinate that they will go in after them. Then I will receive glory through Pharaoh and all his army, his chariots and charioteers.The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I receive glory through Pharaoh and his chariots and charioteers.”

The angel of God, who had been leading Israel’s camp, now moved and went around behind them.The column of cloud also, leaving the front, took up its place behind them, so that it came between the camp of the Egyptians and that of Israel. But the cloud now became dark, and thus the night passed without the rival camps coming any closer together all night long.Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the LORD swept the sea with a strong east wind throughout the night and so turned it into dry land. When the water was thus divided, the Israelites marched into the midst of the sea on dry land, with the water like a wall to their right and to their left.

The Egyptians followed in pursuit; all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and charioteers went after them right into the midst of the sea. In the night watch just before dawn the LORD cast through the column of the fiery cloud upon the Egyptian force a glance that threw it into a panic; and he so clogged their chariot wheels that they could hardly drive. With that the Egyptians sounded the retreat before Israel, because the LORD was fighting for them against the Egyptians.

Then the LORD told Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the water may flow back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots and their charioteers.” So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at dawn the sea flowed back to its normal depth.The Egyptians were fleeing head on toward the sea, when the LORD hurled them into its midst. As the water flowed back, it covered the chariots and the charioteers of Pharaoh’s whole army which had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not a single one of them escaped. But the Israelites had marched on dry land through the midst of the sea, with the water like a wall to their right and to their left. Thus the LORD saved Israel on that day from the power of the Egyptians. When Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the seashore and beheld the great power that the LORD had shown against the Egyptians, they feared the LORD and believed in him and in his servant Moses.

Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the LORD: I will sing to the LORD, for he is gloriously triumphant; horse and chariot he has cast into the sea.

Responsorial Psalm Ex 15:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 17-18

R. (1b) Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.
I will sing to the LORD, for he is gloriously triumphant;
horse and chariot he has cast into the sea.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
He is my God, I praise him;
the God of my father, I extol him.
R. Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.
The LORD is a warrior,
LORD is his name!
Pharaoh’s chariots and army he hurled into the sea;
the elite of his officers were submerged in the Red Sea.
R. Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.
The flood waters covered them,
they sank into the depths like a stone.
Your right hand, O LORD, magnificent in power,
your right hand, O LORD, has shattered the enemy.
R. Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.
You brought in the people you redeemed
and planted them on the mountain of your inheritance—
the place where you made your seat, O LORD,
the sanctuary, LORD, which your hands established.
The LORD shall reign forever and ever.
R. Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.

Reading 4 Is 54:5-14

The One who has become your husband is your Maker; his name is the LORD of hosts; your redeemer is the Holy One of Israel, called God of all the earth.The LORD calls you back, like a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit, a wife married in youth and then cast off, says your God. For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with great tenderness I will take you back. In an outburst of wrath, for a moment I hid my face from you; but with enduring love I take pity on you, says the LORD, your redeemer. This is for me like the days of Noah, when I swore that the waters of Noah should never again deluge the earth; so I have sworn not to be angry with you, or to rebuke you. Though the mountains leave their place and the hills be shaken, my love shall never leave you nor my covenant of peace be shaken, says the LORD, who has mercy on you. O afflicted one, storm-battered and unconsoled, I lay your pavements in carnelians, and your foundations in sapphires; I will make your battlements of rubies, your gates of carbuncles, and all your walls of precious stones. All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children. In justice shall you be established, far from the fear of oppression, where destruction cannot come near you.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 30:2, 4, 5-6, 11-12, 13

R. (2a) I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
I will extol you, O LORD, for you drew me clear
and did not let my enemies rejoice over me.
O LORD, you brought me up from the netherworld;
you preserved me from among those going down into the pit.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
Sing praise to the LORD, you his faithful ones,
and give thanks to his holy name.
For his anger lasts but a moment;
a lifetime, his good will.
At nightfall, weeping enters in,
but with the dawn, rejoicing.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
Hear, O LORD, and have pity on me;
O LORD, be my helper.
You changed my mourning into dancing;
O LORD, my God, forever will I give you thanks.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.

Reading 5 Is 55:1-11

Thus says the LORD: All you who are thirsty, come to the water! You who have no money, come, receive grain and eat; come, without paying and without cost, drink wine and milk! Why spend your money for what is not bread, your wages for what fails to satisfy? Heed me, and you shall eat well, you shall delight in rich fare. Come to me heedfully, listen, that you may have life. I will renew with you the everlasting covenant, the benefits assured to David. As I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander of nations, so shall you summon a nation you knew not, and nations that knew you not shall run to you, because of the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, who has glorified you.

Seek the LORD while he may be found, call him while he is near. Let the scoundrel forsake his way, and the wicked man his thoughts; let him turn to the LORD for mercy; to our God, who is generous in forgiving. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD. As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts.

For just as from the heavens the rain and snow come down and do not return there till they have watered the earth, making it fertile and fruitful, giving seed to the one who sows and bread to the one who eats, so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth;
my word shall not return to me void, but shall do my will, achieving the end for which I sent it.

Responsorial Psalm Is 12:2-3, 4, 5-6

R. (3) You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.
God indeed is my savior;
I am confident and unafraid.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
With joy you will draw water
at the fountain of salvation.
R. You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.
Give thanks to the LORD, acclaim his name;
among the nations make known his deeds,
proclaim how exalted is his name.
R. You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.
Sing praise to the LORD for his glorious achievement;
let this be known throughout all the earth.
Shout with exultation, O city of Zion,
for great in your midst
is the Holy One of Israel!
R. You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.

Reading 6 Bar 3:9-15, 32-4:4

Hear, O Israel, the commandments of life: listen, and know prudence! How is it, Israel, that you are in the land of your foes, grown old in a foreign land, defiled with the dead, accounted with those destined for the netherworld? You have forsaken the fountain of wisdom! Had you walked in the way of God, you would have dwelt in enduring peace. Learn where prudence is, where strength, where understanding; that you may know also where are length of days, and life, where light of the eyes, and peace. Who has found the place of wisdom, who has entered into her treasuries?

The One who knows all things knows her; he has probed her by his knowledge—The One who established the earth for all time, and filled it with four-footed beasts; he who dismisses the light, and it departs, calls it, and it obeys him trembling; before whom the stars at their posts shine and rejoice; when he calls them, they answer, “Here we are!” shining with joy for their Maker. Such is our God;
no other is to be compared to him: He has traced out the whole way of understanding, and has given her to Jacob, his servant, to Israel, his beloved son.

Since then she has appeared on earth, and moved among people. She is the book of the precepts of God, the law that endures forever; all who cling to her will live, but those will die who forsake her. Turn, O Jacob, and receive her: walk by her light toward splendor. Give not your glory to another, your privileges to an alien race. Blessed are we, O Israel; for what pleases God is known to us!

Responsorial Psalm Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 11

R. (John 6:68c) Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul;
the decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
the ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
They are more precious than gold,
than a heap of purest gold;
sweeter also than syrup
or honey from the comb.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.


The word of the LORD came to me, saying: Son of man, when the house of Israel lived in their land, they defiled it by their conduct and deeds. Therefore I poured out my fury upon them because of the blood that they poured out on the ground, and because they defiled it with idols. I scattered them among the nations, dispersing them over foreign lands; according to their conduct and deeds I judged them. But when they came among the nations wherever they came, they served to profane my holy name, because it was said of them: “These are the people of the LORD, yet they had to leave their land.” So I have relented because of my holy name  which the house of Israel profaned  among the nations where they came. Therefore say to the house of Israel: Thus says the Lord GOD: Not for your sakes do I act, house of Israel, but for the sake of my holy name, which you profaned among the nations to which you came. I will prove the holiness of my great name, profaned among the nations, in whose midst you have profaned it. Thus the nations shall know that I am the LORD, says the Lord GOD, when in their sight I prove my holiness through you. For I will take you away from among the nations, gather you from all the foreign lands, and bring you back to your own land. I will sprinkle clean water upon you to cleanse you from all your impurities, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you, taking from your bodies your stony hearts and giving you natural hearts. I will put my spirit within you and make you live by my statutes, careful to observe my decrees. You shall live in the land I gave your fathers; you shall be my people, and I will be your God.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 42:3, 5; 43:3, 4

When baptism is celebrated.

R. (42:2) Like a deer that longs for running streams, my soul longs for you, my God.
Athirst is my soul for God, the living God.
When shall I go and behold the face of God?
R. Like a deer that longs for running streams, my soul longs for you, my God.
I went with the throng
and led them in procession to the house of God,
Amid loud cries of joy and thanksgiving,
with the multitude keeping festival.
R. Like a deer that longs for running streams, my soul longs for you, my God.
Send forth your light and your fidelity;
they shall lead me on
And bring me to your holy mountain,
to your dwelling-place.
R. Like a deer that longs for running streams, my soul longs for you, my God.
Then will I go in to the altar of God,
the God of my gladness and joy;
then will I give you thanks upon the harp,
O God, my God!
R. Like a deer that longs for running streams, my soul longs for you, my God.

Responsorial Psalm Is 12:2-3, 4bcd, 5-6

When baptism is not celebrated.

R. (3) You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.
God indeed is my savior;
I am confident and unafraid.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
With joy you will draw water
at the fountain of salvation.
R. You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.
Give thanks to the LORD, acclaim his name;
among the nations make known his deeds,
proclaim how exalted is his name.
R. You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.
Sing praise to the LORD for his glorious achievement;
let this be known throughout all the earth.
Shout with exultation, O city of Zion,
for great in your midst
is the Holy One of Israel!
R. You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.


When baptism is not celebrated.

R. (12a) Create a clean heart in me, O God.
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
R. Create a clean heart in me, O God.
Give me back the joy of your salvation,
and a willing spirit sustain in me.
I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners shall return to you.
R. Create a clean heart in me, O God.
For you are not pleased with sacrifices;
should I offer a holocaust, you would not accept it.
My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit;
a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
R. Create a clean heart in me, O God.

Epistle Rom 6:3-11

Brothers and sisters: Are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus  were baptized into his death? We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life.

For if we have grown into union with him through a death like his, we shall also be united with him in the resurrection. We know that our old self was crucified with him, so that our sinful body might be done away with, that we might no longer be in slavery to sin. For a dead person has been absolved from sin. If, then, we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more; death no longer has power over him. As to his death, he died to sin once and for all; as to his life, he lives for God. Consequently, you too must think of yourselves as being dead to sin and living for God in Christ Jesus.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23 

R. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever.
Let the house of Israel say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
R. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
The right hand of the LORD has struck with power;
the right hand of the LORD is exalted.
I shall not die, but live,
and declare the works of the LORD.
R. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
By the LORD has this been done;
it is wonderful in our eyes.
R. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Lk 24:1-12

At daybreak on the first day of the week the women who had come from Galilee with Jesus took the spices they had prepared
and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb; but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.
While they were puzzling over this, behold, two men in dazzling garments appeared to them.They were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground. They said to them, “Why do you seek the living one among the dead? He is not here, but he has been raised. Remember what he said to you while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners and be crucified, and rise on the third day.” And they remembered his words. Then they returned from the tomb and announced all these things to the eleven and to all the others. The women were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James; the others who accompanied them also told this to the apostles, but their story seemed like nonsense and they did not believe them. But Peter got up and ran to the tomb, bent down, and saw the burial cloths alone; then he went home amazed at what had happened.

HOMILY

Happy Easter po sa inyong lahat. Batiin po natin ang bawat isa ng Happy Easter. At upang ipakita natin ang ating kaligayahan sa Panginoon sa Kanyang muling pagkabuhay, bigyan Natin ulit siya ng masigabong palakpakan. (loud applause)

Indeed, our applause signifies our hope, our joy, our faith in the risen Lord. Indeed, this is the most solemn of all nights, the most joyful of all celebrations, more than Christmas. Because on this holy night, salvation has dawned upon us. We were in darkness, but because Jesus rose from the dead, we have seen the light. 

There was once a couple who had a mushroom farm. And one time, they had such a bountiful harvest, they decided to throw a mushroom party for the whole neighborhood. After all, even if they have sold so much, they still have so much. So they said, "Let's have a mushroom party."

And so they invited everyone in the neighborhood. And to their surprise and joy, there was a huge turnout. The turnout was terrific. And they had a wonderful time eating mushrooms - mushroom soup, mushroom salad, mushroom burger, (laughs) mushroom crepe, mushroom soufflé - anything about mushrooms. And they all ate until they could not eat another bite. 

Then they scraped the leftover mushrooms and said, "Let's put it in the cat's dish." The couple host had a pet cat. So they allowed the cat to be part of the mushroom party, and placed the leftover mushroom in the cat's dish.

Around midnight, as the guests were getting ready to leave, someone went into the kitchen and noticed the pet cat. To their surprise, they saw that the pet cat was sprawled on the floor in convulsions, and next to the cat was an overturned dish of mushrooms. When they saw the cat convulsing, they panicked and they said, "Look at the cat. It must be because of the mushrooms." And they were so nervous because they knew that all of them took the mushrooms. 

Out of panic, one of the guests screamed and said, "The cat is dying because of the mushrooms!" And so everyone ran into the kitchen and saw what was causing all the commotion. And after seeing the cat in convulsion, they called the doctor and asked the doctor, "What should we do?" And the doctor said, "Well, just to be safe, go to my clinic, (mahusay siguro 'yong doktor, business-minded) and I will pump everything out from your stomach, because of the mushroom, just to be safe." So everyone went to the clinic, and everything was pumped out of their stomach. And you could just imagine all the guests so drained, so tired. 

Afterwards, the guests went back to the place, to the house, to get their belongings. Because in their hurry, they left everything in the house. As they were about to go out, they even made a sarcastic 'thank you' to the host, after everything that transpired. Siguro sabi nila, "Thank you ha. Salamat sa inyo. Latang lata na kaming lahat ngayon." (laughs) 

And as they were about to leave, someone said, "What happened to the cat?" So the group tiptoed into the kitchen and quietly opened the door. There they found the cat. And you know what they found out? They saw the cat asleep on the floor, with eight kittens with it. (gasps and laughs)


You know my brothers and sisters, at times, it is difficult to distinguish between dying and giving birth. The guests in the story thought that the cat was dying, when all along, the cat was just about to give birth. And that is very true with life, brothers and sisters. Sometimes, we hardly distinguish what is death-giving and what is life-giving. 

You would take that it is easy to tell the difference. However, experience shows us that the distance between death and birth is not very far. The distinction between death and birth is also like the distinction, they say, between an intelligent and a crazy person. Sometimes, it is hard to distinguish a very brilliant person - a genius - from a crazy person. And that is also very true between death and life. 

And that is the unavoidable truth of Easter. Death must precede life. Yesterday, we commemorated the Passion and Death of the Lord. His enemies thought they have killed Jesus. They have put an end to Him. They have defeated Jesus. They thought all along that death was on their side. But tonight, we applaud. We are joyful, because it was not death all along. Yes, perhaps, Jesus breathed His last. But then we discover that it was a prelude to the Resurrection. A new life is born. And that is also a reminder for all of us, followers of Christ. The truth is - something in us must die in order to give birth to something new. 

This is the message of Easter. Yes, Jesus is risen. Jesus is alive. But let us remember that He is alive because He embraced the Cross. He is risen, because He obeyed the Father. He is the well-spring of life because He gave Himself up to death. Something in us must die in order for us to truly live. 

Experiencing something new, even when it is positive, can be as painful as dying. Every time we hear the scream of a newborn child, we remember that something must die in order that someone must live. Death to self is a prelude to life. 

Talk to a teenager how painful it is to move away and to be separated from old friends. Talk to a new graduate who now will venture to a new world in his profession. There is a lot of fear, a lot of anxiety, a lot of dread, a lot of death. But then only through that, can we experience something new. New life. Radical changes must occur in order for something new to be born. 



Brothers and sisters, this is the essence of all the stories we heard tonight. There was chaos, and then creation. There was the sacrifice of Abraham, and then abundance. There was slavery, and then freedom. There was dryness, before the streams of living water. There was a Cross, before the empty tomb. There was Good Friday, before Easter Sunday. There was death, before the Resurrection. 

Yes, God is creating something new. And sometimes, we think that it is destruction. Sometimes, we think it is just about hardship, about pain, about trials, about suffering. But today, Jesus, the Risen Lord, reminds us - no, there is something new. If you just open your heart, if you just obey the Lord, you will realize that we are being led to newness, grace and life. We are being led to Easter. But we can only appropriate the newness, the change that God is offering, if, like Jesus, we engage in a revolution of love. 

Sabi ko po kanina, minsan mahirap malaman kung namamatay ba o nanganganak na. Minsan, mahirap malaman kung kamatayan ba, o buhay ba, ang hinaharap natin. How can we determine, how can we distinguish, how can we know?

The secret of Jesus is love. When there is love in your heart, you will know that it is not just about death, but it is about life. When there is love in your heart, you will know that it is not just about destruction, but about creation. When there is love in your heart, you know that it is not about fear, but it is about courage. And that is why tonight, brothers and sisters, we pray for the grace of love. 

We heard in the Gospel that Mary Magdalene could not comprehend in the beginning. The disciples, Peter - they could not understand. They could not yet distinguish between death and life. But later on, they discovered Easter. Why? Because they allowed love to remain in their hearts. 

Brothers and sisters, in our lives right now, sometimes we think it's the end. Akala natin siguro kamatayan na. Pagdurusa lang, krus lang, kadiliman lang. Hindi natin makita 'yong liwanag, 'yong buhay, 'yong biyaya pang parating. Siguro nga, ang kailangan natin ay dagdagan 'yong pag-ibig sa puso natin, para sa wakas, makita nila, makita natin ang Muling Pagkabuhay.

Hindi nakita ni Hudas. Hindi nakita ni Pilato. Hindi nakita ng mga punong pari. Hindi nakita ng mga kalaban ng Panginoon ang Muling Pagkabuhay. Bakit? Hindi dahil nagbago si Hesus sa kanila. We will realize, and we will hear that later on, Jesus appeared to so many people. But how come not everyone believed in the Risen Lord? Because not everyone allowed love to remain in their hearts. 

Brothers and sisters, as we continue with this mass, we pray. Lord, grant us Your love, so that our eyes may see the Resurrection. Not just the Resurrection that took place two thousand years ago, but the Resurrection in our lives, the Resurrection in our homes, the Resurrection in our relationships, the Resurrection in our offices. Lord, teach us to let go, to die to self. 

Mga kapatid, ano ba 'yong dapat bitawan na natin? 'Yong dapat na kalagan na natin - patayin na natin sa puso natin? Galit, inggit, hidwaan, kasalanan. These things which blind us from love. Lord, teach us to let go of them, so that Your love may finally dwell in our hearts, so that in the end, we may behold You, the Risen Lord, Alleluia, Alleluia.