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Showing posts with the label Easter

'Simon, son of John, do you love me?' Sunday Reflections, 3rd Sunday of Easter Year C

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St Peter , El Greco, 1610-13. [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Gospel  John 21:1-19. [or 21:1-14]  (Revised Standard Version – Catholic Edition) After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberi-as; and he revealed himself in this way. Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathana-el of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We will go with you." They went out and got into the boat; but that night they caught nothing. Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.  Jesus said to them, "Children, have you any fish?" They answered him, "No." He said to them, &quo

'If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven.' Sunday Reflections, 2nd Sunday of Easter (or of Divine Mercy)

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Christ and Doubting Thomas , Andrea del Verrocchio, 1476-83. [ Web Gallery of Art ] Zenit  carries  a review of this sculpture by Elizabeth Lev  in its bulletin of 4 April 2012. There is an article on it in Wikipedia  here . Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Readings    (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Gospel  John 20:19-31.  (Revised Standard Version – Catholic Edition) On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you." And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to

I met 'Pope John Paul III' on Easter Sunday

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On Easter Sunday afternoon in the chapel in the village where I live here in Bacolod City I baptized a girl born in January. At the celebratory dinner later a boy of nine, whom I'll call 'Carlos', approached me with a big smile on his face and told me that he wanted to be like me - a priest. But he had something even more in mind - he wanted to be Pope! And he knows the name he will call himself - Pope John Paul III. 'Carlos' is too young to have any real personal memories of Blessed John Paul but he must have heard, read and seen quite a bit about him for that pope to have made such an impression on him. He goes to Blessed Carmel Sall és School, named after the foundress of the  Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Conception of Mary  who run the school. She was canonized last October but there are 'hoops' to be gone through before the Conceptionist Sisters can change its name.  St Carmen Sall és   (1848 - 1911) The three Sisters at

A Life Lived Small and With Immeasurable Beauty

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When I checked my email this morning before work and opened the attachment from a colleague, I burst into tears. My colleague Mary, with whom I co-teach a Natural Science class, had put as the subject to the email "Aunt Eileen." "Aunt Eileen" was Eileen Jaqui Kuhn, 88, of Metuchen, who died on Holy Thursday at home with her family by her side. My husband and I have lived in this corner of New Jersey since 1995 and our lives have intersected with the Kuhn family's ever since. Tonight, Easter Monday, my husband and I attended Mrs. Kuhn's wake, which gave me a glimpse into the beauty of a life spent from start to finish within a three-mile pocket of friends, family, work and parish. Keep Reading....

'Do not let yourselves be robbed of hope' - Pope Francis to young prisoners. Sunday Reflections, Easter Sunday

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The Resurrection of Christ , Rembrandt, c.1639 [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings for Easter Vigil   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Readings for Easter Vigil   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Readings for Mass on Easter Sunday   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Readings for Mass on Easter Sunday   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Gospel for Mass on Easter Sunday  John 20:1-9.  (Revised Standard Version – Catholic Edition) Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran, and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid

Lenten Resources for the Entire Family

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Oftentimes the seasons of Lent and Advent are filled with our good intentions about what we will do, what we will read, and the changes we will make in our daily lives. The weeks stretch out ahead of us and we begin with great plans and an eagerness to experience the holy season in a new way. Then reality sets in and our original plans for a “different” experience evaporate. I can’t tell you how many Lenten books sit on my shelf partially read and how many Advent wreaths are in the closet, half finished. That all changed last year when I purchased  The Sacred Heart for Lent by Fr. Thomas Williams  and  33 Days to Morning Glory by Fr. Michael Gaitley.   I read  The Sacred Heart for Lent  on my own and cajoled my husband into the Marian Consecration by Gaitley. It was all such a blessing that this Lent I wanted to share those resources with others. Last Lent it quickly became obvious to me that a priest brings something very unique to a book: a priest brings to his work

'My Lord and my God!' Sunday Reflections, Second Sunday of Easter Year B

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From The Gospel of John (2003)   Directed by Philip Saville. Jesus played by Henry Ian Cusick; narrator, Christopher Plummer. Readings (New American Bible: Philippines, USA)   Gospel John 20:19-31 (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) In the evening of that same day, the first day of the week, the doors were closed in the room where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews. Jesus came and stood among them. He said to them, 'Peace be with you,' and showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were filled with joy when they saw the Lord, and he said to them again,      Peace be with you. 'As the Father sent me,  so am I sending you.' After saying this he breathed on them and said: 'Receive the Holy Spirit. For those whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven; for those whose sins you retain, they are retained.' Thomas, called the Twin, who was one of the Twelve

'Resurrexit sicut dixit, Alleluia - He is risen as he said, Alleluia!' Sunday Reflections, Easter Sunday

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From TheGospel of John (2003)   Directed by Philip Saville. Jesus played by Henry Ian Cusick; narrator, Christopher Plummer . Readings for Mass on Sunday (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel John 20:1-9 (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) It was very early on the first day of the week and still dark, when Mary of Magdala came to the tomb. She saw that the stone had been moved away from the tomb and came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved. 'They have taken the Lord out of the tomb' she said 'and we don't know where they have put him.'  So Peter set out with the other disciple to go to the tomb. They ran together, but the other disciple, running faster than Peter, reached the tomb first; he bent down and saw the linen cloths lying on the ground, but did not go in. Simon Peter who was following now came up, went right into the tomb,