Daily Catholic Reflection: Thursday, April 21, 2022, Thursday in the Octave of Easter, Year C

Acts 3 : 11-26,

Psalm  8:2ab and 5.6-7a.7b-9 ,

Luke 24:35-48)                            Full Readings

Saint Anselm

Peace be With You

Brethren, Jesus after appearing to various groups of people, we see him today appearing to his disciples in the room they were hiding and greeted them "Peace be with You." They were all astonished and thought they were seeing a ghost but Jesus proved by showing himself, the wounds, the flesh and by eating with them so that they may come to believe. Why did Jesus really had to appear to different groups of people and did every thing to prove that he is alive with his body and soul?

Daily Catholic Reflection: Wednesday, April 20, 2022, Wednesday in the Octave of Easter, Year C

Acts 3 : 1-10,

Psalm 105:1-2.3-4.6-7.8-9,

Luke 24 :13-35                                Full Readings

Saint Conrad of Parzham

 Recognising Jesus in the Eucharist

Brethren, we continue to celebrate Easter and Jesus is appearing to different groups of people while on the other hand the Apostles are using the gifts of the Holy Spirit and the light of the Risen Lord to perform miracles and show that really the Lord who was crucified died and was buried is indeed alive. Do we ourselves believe in this Resurrection, if Yes, let us take that light of resurrection to others.

Daily Catholic Reflection: Thursday, April 14, 2022, Holy Thursday Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper, Year C

Exodus 12:1-8. 11-14,
Psalm 116: 12- 13,
1 Corinthians 11:23-26,
John 13: 1-15               Full Readings        See also Chrism Mass Reflection
Blessed Peter Gonzalez

Extra Ordinary Humility and Service

Brethren, today we start the Easter Triduum, meaning the three days of intense prayer and  commemorating the crucifixion, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Triduum is the three great celebrations of our Catholic Faith; the heart of our faith and are the culmination of all of our worship.  It begins on Holy Thursday evening (today) with the Lord'ss greatest teaching of loving one another and service and more importantly with the celebration of the Lord’s gift of the Most Holy Eucharist given through the priesthood He instituted.  On Good Friday, we enter into the mystery of the Lord's Crucifixion. On Holy Saturday, after sundown, we enter into the glory of His Resurrection and it culminates with Easter Sunday, the celebration of the resurrections of our Lord Jesus. Let us take these days serious, and benefit from the gifts they offer to us.

Daily Catholic Reflection: Thursday, April 14, 2022, Holy Thursday Chrism Mass, Year C

Isaiah 61: 1-3a, 6a, 8b-9

Psalm 89:21-22, 25, 27

Revelation 1:5-8

Luke 4: 16-21                  Full Readings   See also Evening Mass Reflection

Blessed Peter Gonzalez

                   Special Service to God by Priests

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we celebrate the Chrism Mass which is the time when all the holy oils are blessed and made ready for the use in the diocese. On this day also all priests ordained to serve the Lord in sacred ordination renew their commitment to God and are called to remember the sacred vow and promise they have made before God and their bishops, to obey the laws of the Church and to be dedicated in their works and ministry of the Sacraments to the people of God.

Daily Catholic Reflection: Wednesday, April 13, 2022, Wednesday of Holy Week, Year C

Isaiah 50:4-9a,

Ps 69:8-10.21-22.31,

Matthew 26: 14-25            Full Readings

Saint Martin I

What will you give me if I hand him over to you?

Today we reflect on the third servant song of Isaiah presented in the first reading. It has a darker yet more confident tone than the others. Although the song gives a first-person description of how the servant was beaten and abused, here the servant is described both as a teacher and learner who follows the path God places him on without pulling back. Echoing the first song's "a bruised reed he will not break," he sustains the weary with a word. His vindication is left in God's hands. Isaiah 50:4–7 is seen by New Testament commentators to be a Messianic prophecy of Jesus Christ. Isaiah 50:6 is quoted in Handel's "Messiah" of Jesus. There is an allusion in Luke 9:51 to Isaiah 50:7 ("Therefore I have set my face like a flint"), as Jesus "set His face steadfastly" to go to Jerusalem. all these point to Jesus as the servant of God to whom all these prophesies were pointing.

Daily Catholic Reflection: Tuesday April 12, 2022, Tuesday of Holy Week, Year B

Isaiah 49: 1-6,

Psalm 71:1-2.3-4a.5-6ab.15ab,

John 13:21-33.36-38                        Full Reading

Saint Teresa of Los Andes

Perfection is Less Important than Repentance

Brethren, from Palm Sunday, we have been reflecting on the four servant songs in the book of Isaiah. Today we reflect on the second song, which is an account of the servant's prenatal calling by God to lead both Israel and the nations. The servant is now portrayed as the prophet of the Lord equipped and called to restore the nation to God. His success will come not by political or military action, but by becoming a light to the gentiles. Ultimately his victory is in God's hands (Isaiah 49:1-6). Isaiah 49:6 is quoted by Simeon in Luke 2:32 concerning the infant Jesus Christ, as the light to the Gentiles, during the time of His mother Mary's purification, meaning that the Servant Isaiah was talking about is Jesus Christ himself, and indeed he restored nation of Israel (all people to God), the mysteries we are celebrating in this Holy Week.

Daily Catholic Reflection: Monday, April 11, 2022, Monday of Holy Week, Year C

Isaiah 42: 1-7,

Psalm 27: 1.2.3.13-14,

John 12.1-11                      Full Readings

Saint Stanislaus

 Doing Charity to Jesus 

Brethren, as we enter fully into the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ through our observance of this Holy Week and walking with him, let us stop and reflect: where has Jesus done great wonders in my life, and how have I really shown gratitude to him? Of course the biggest sacrifice is still to come, that's, to die for us on the cross, but there are also many things he has done in our lives by which he deserves our gratitude. This is an invitation not to be like Jews who were seeing what Jesus had done as a son of God, but could not be grateful and finally killed him; it's an invitation to be like Mary who anointed Jesus with the most expensive ointment one can ever think of in those days, as a sign of gratitude for what Jesus had done for him, even raising Lazarus, her brother from the dead. Today, let us Reflect on the actions of Mary, Jesus and Judas as presented in the Gospel.