“We…” “They …” We often use these words to refer to different groups of people. “We” usually refers to the group which I personally can identify with. I’m a member of this group. This group of mine shares common interest and are like-minded. This group of people are my friends and my loved ones.
“They” is often used to refer to people who do not belong to that special group of ours. These people are outside my group of friends and loved ones. These people are considered different – whether it be a different opinion, a different language, a background or a different religion. Very often the “we” are against “them.” They are not our friends. We distrust them. We don’t like them.
Very often, we tend to think like this. We tend to make distinctions. We tend to see our differences rather than to recognize what is common between us. “Why are we helping the Mandarin or Tamil speaking?” “Why are we taking care of the needs of the migrants?” “We should only take care of our own.”
Today, Jesus reminds us that on this world there are no ‘we’ and ‘they.’ All of us are God’s children. All of us are recipients of the saving grace of Jesus. All of us are called to be that One family of God. There is no room for division and distinction in this one family of God. The poor will not be separated from the rich. The educated will not be separated from the uneducated. People of different languages and different cultures will not be separated and placed in different rooms.
This is the prayer of Jesus during the last supper just before his death. He was concerned not only for his disciples, those that the Heavenly Father had given into his care, but also for the others – the unconverted, those who rejected him and would put him to death, his greatest enemies. And so Jesus prayed: “Holy Father, I pray not only for these, but for those also who through their words will believe in me. May they all be one. Father, may they be one in us as you are in me and I am in you.”
This is the reason why we cannot only be praying for our loved ones and friends. We cannot only be helping people who are close to us. We are also called to pray for the “others” – for our enemies, for people who hurt us, for those speak ill of us, for those who think differently, for those who are of a different skin colour or language. Filled with the Holy Spirit, Stephen did exactly this. As he was being stoned by his enemies, he prayed that God would forgive them their sins.
One day, we will all walk hand in hand into the gates of heaven. We will hear the voice of Jesus inviting us to enter into the new Jerusalem. If we are unable to face our enemies and people whom we dislike now, how can we possibly live with them for eternity after death. In heaven, there can be no division, hatred or unforgiveness. There is only unity and love. While we are still alive in this world, let us begin to work for unity and reconciliation because heaven is only a perfect reflection of the way we have lived here on earth. May our robes be washed clean by the time we stand before Jesus, the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. May we be one as Jesus, the Father and the Holy Spirit are one.
Tomorrow, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord. It is the fortieth day after Easter Sunday, commemorating the Ascension of Christ into heaven, according to Mark 16:19, Luke 24:51, and Acts 1:2.
In the Eastern Church this feast was known as analepsis, the taking up, and also as the episozomene, the salvation, denoting that by ascending into His glory Christ completed the work of our redemption. The terms used in the West, ascensio and, occasionally, ascensa, signify that Christ was raised up by His own powers. Tradition designates Mount Olive near Bethany as the place where Christ left the earth.
The feast always falls on a Thursday (40 days after Easter). It is one of the Ecumenical feasts ranking with the feasts of the Passion, of Easter and of Pentecost among the most solemn in the calendar. Belief in the Ascension of Jesus is found in the Nicene Creed, and is affirmed by Christian liturgy and, in the West, by the Apostles' Creed.
The observance of this feast is of great antiquity. Although no documentary evidence of it exists prior to the beginning of the fifth century, St. Augustine says that it is of Apostolic origin, and he speaks of it in a way that shows it was the universal observance of the Church long before his time. Frequent mention of it is made in the writings of St. John Chrysostom, St. Gregory of Nyssa, and in the Constitution of the Apostles. Representations of the mystery are found in diptychs and frescoes dating as early as the fifth century.
In Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox theology, the Ascension is interpreted as the culmination of the Mystery of the Incarnation, in that it not only marked the completion of Jesus' physical presence among his apostles, but consummated the union of God and man when Jesus ascended in his glorified human body to sit at the right hand of God the Father. The bodily Ascension into heaven is also understood as the final token of Christ's two natures: divine and human. The Orthodox doctrine of salvation points to the Ascension to indicate that the state of redeemed man is higher than the state of man in Paradise before the fall.The Orthodox understand Christ's physical presence to continue in the Church, which is the "Body of Christ".[1 Cor 12:12-27] Jesus' promise that he will be "with you always" is understood not only in terms of his active, divine grace, but also in the divine institution of the church (human sinfulness notwithstanding).
Christ's Ascension into heaven is understood as a necessary prerequisite for the sending of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost,[Jn 14:15-20] [14:25-28] [15:26] and especially [16:7].
Seventh Sunday of Easter Year C May 16 “Unity with God”
1. Lectio John 17:20-26 20 “I pray not only for them, but also for those who believe in me because of their message. 21 I pray that they may all be one. Father! May they be in us, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they be one, so that the world will believe that you sent me. 22 I gave them the same glory you gave me, so that they may be one, just as you and I are one: 23 I in them and you in me, so that they may be completely one, in order that the world may know that you sent me and that you love them as you love me. 24 “Father! You have given them to me, and I want them to be with me where I am, so that they may see my glory, the glory you gave me; for you loved me before the world was made. 25 Righteous Father! The world does not know you, but I know you, and these know that you sent me. 26 I made you known to them, and I will continue to do so, in order that the love you have for me may be in them, and so that I also may be in them.”
Comments Today, we hear a part of the prayer which is known as Jesus’ ‘High priestly prayer’. This is the jewel and the final part of Jesus’ teaching for his disciples before his passion. Unity is at the heart of this prayer. Jesus prays repeatedly that his disciples will experience the same unity that he enjoys with the Father. And this prayer is not just for those disciples that were with him that evening. This unity isn’t limited in any way by time or space. It is for all his believers for all time. It is a mystery of God’s grace that sinful and weak human beings can be in such unity. Two things however seem to be essential. Firstly, to be in relationship and unity with God the Father and with Jesus: ‘may they be in us’ (verse 21). Secondly, to have God’s unconditional love in us: ‘that the love you have for me may be in them’ (verse 26). This unity has a glorious purpose - to draw others to God the Father through Jesus. Through this unity people will believe that God loves them and sent Jesus to save them.
2. Meditatio 1. Spend time reflecting on your relationship with members of this community. Is there unity? How have you contributed or not contributed to the building of unity in your community? (Pause 3 minutes) 2. Spend time reflecting on your relationship with others, who are not part of this community? Is there solidarity with them or hostility? How have you contributed or not contributed in reaching out to them? (Pause 3 minutes) 3. Spend time reflecting on your relationship with the Church. How have you contributed or not contributed to the unity of the Church? (Pause 3 minutes) 4. Spend time reflecting on your relationship with God. How is your relationship at this present moment? Have you grown closer to him or you have grown distant from God? (Pause 3 minutes)
3. Oratio Sit down and spend a while in silence. Let God speak to you and lead you to respond to him in prayer. He may encourage you to be daring and ask something that you’ve not had the courage to ask before because humanly speaking it seems impossible. He may direct you to pray about a relationship that needs reconciliation or for someone to believe in Jesus and know that God loves them.
4. Contemplatio Pick out a word or a short phrase from the passage above and use it in your contemplation.
5. Actio 1. Personal Life: During this month or week, pray for unity in your family, BEC, the Church and Malaysia. Pray especially for reconciliation where relationships have been injured or weakened. 2. Communal Life: Brainstorm and discuss a project which could be done together as a community during this month.
Making decisions can be very difficult especially when everyone seems to have their own opinion. You and I know that each of us always think that our own opinion is always the most important of all. That is the reason why we have disagreements which may even lead to conflict and later to disunity.
That was also the problem of the early Christians. Some of the early Christians believed that they should still follow the Jewish customs, for example circumcision and prohibitions towards certain foods. For them, Jesus was a Jew and had also followed Jewish ways and rituals. But there was also another group of Christians who were able to recognize the newness brought about by Jesus. Jesus was not merely another Jewish teacher who wanted to reform his religion, but he was the Son of God who came to announce the good news of the kingdom of God. And within this kingdom, customs and rituals which separated one race from the other could no longer be barriers to Christian brotherhood.
And so a problem was presented to the Council of Jerusalem, the assembly of Christian leaders, who came together to decide on this critical matter – whether non-Jewish (Gentiles) converts to Christianity should adopt the practices of the Jews. After long discussion a decision was made – the Gentile converts should “not be saddled with any burden beyond certain essentials.”
Throughout the centuries, the Church has also experienced many crisis that threatened to break its very foundation and unity. In the early centuries, many Church leaders were divided as to whether Jesus was God; and if he was God, was he equal to God the Father. In later centuries, there were also disagreement about many church teachings and practices. In the 15th and 16th century, the Church also faced the crisis of the Reformation where many Protestants broke away from the Catholic Church. In the last century, faced with the rapid development of society and new problems emerging there from, the Church’s bishops came together in Rome to decide on the future of the Church – and so we had the famous Second Vatican Council which has affected the lives of everyone.
Throughout all these centuries, throughout all these years of crisis and trials, the Church has continued to survive and grow, only because of the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the gift of the Father and the gift of Jesus to the Church and to each of us who are believers. He is sent to as to “teach you everything and remind you of all (Jesus) have said to you.” His presence guarantees that we will experience peace in our decisions even in the midst of chaos and problems. His guidance ensures that in spite of all our personal opinions and ways of thinking, we can still come to a common decision that reflects the will of God. In other words, he is the guarantee of unity within the Church. Without the Holy Spirit, the Church and unity would not be possible.
We must therefore always remember that our decisions must always be made with reference to the Church and the community as a whole. It is that same Spirit which will inspire each of us. There is always the temptation to think that my opinion is the best and the most important of all. But what matters most is not this or that opinion or even the opinion of the majority, but it is the will of God that we must always search for with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Let us continue to treasure the gift of the Holy Spirit and give thanks to God because the Holy Spirit is the sure hope and promise that God has not and will never abandon us.
Sixth Sunday of Easter Year C May 9 “Trusting Jesus”
1. Lectio John 14:23-29 23 Jesus answered him, “Whoever loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and my Father and I will come to him and live with him. 24 Whoever does not love me does not obey my teaching. And the teaching you have heard is not mine, but comes from the Father, who sent me. 25 “I have told you this while I am still with you. 26 The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and make you remember all that I have told you. 27 “Peace is what I leave with you; it is my own peace that I give you. I do not give it as the world does. Do not be worried and upset; do not be afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, ‘I am leaving, but I will come back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father; for he is greater than I. 29 I have told you this now before it all happens, so that when it does happen, you will believe.
Comments This week we continue to read about the teaching Jesus gave to his disciples in the context of the Last Supper (John 14-17). Jesus emphasises again his relationship to God the Father. He stresses that his teaching comes direct from the Father and that the critical point is for each one to put his teaching into action. But Jesus makes it plain he doesn’t expect us to be able to do this on our own. God the Father is going to send us a helper. The Holy Spirit is going to teach us everything we need to know to live, love and serve Jesus. Jesus tells them he will be leaving them to go to the Father. He doesn’t reveal just how soon this will be or explain the shocking nature of his death. But he does seek to reassure them. He promises them he will come back for them, that they won’t be left on their own but will have the Holy Spirit to help them and he leaves his peace with them. Jesus wants them to trust him. Even though they don’t understand everything now, later they will see what he was saying and believe in him.
2. Meditatio 1. Do we have problems with obedience? Do we find it easy to follow God’s commandments and the laws of the Church? What are some of the obstacles that prevent us from obeying? (Pause 3 minutes) 2. Do we find it difficult to listen to others, to their suggestions, their comments and sometimes their criticisms? Do we experience peace when we receive feedback from others? (Pause 3 minutes) 3. Spend time reflecting on the role of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit teaches us to remember everything Jesus has taught us. The Holy Spirit teaches us to obey God’s laws. The Holy Spirit teaches us to love. The Holy Spirit brings peace to our hearts. (Pause 3 minutes)
3. Oratio Thank God for sending Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Ask God to speak to you and show you how he wants you to respond to him today. This may be out of a word or phrase from the Scripture passage or it maybe something prompted by one of the questions above. Take your time.
4. Contemplatio Think about how much God loves you and how he has shown his love for you.
5. Actio 1. Personal Life: Spend time this week with a family member or a friend trying to listen to this person without having to interrupt with your own stories. 2. Communal Life: Discuss the problems of communications you may have in your community. What can you do about this?
“I give you a new commandment: love one another; just as I have loved you, you must also love one another.” For many of us, the commandment of love has become so familiar to us that we may fail to recognize its ‘newness.’ What is so new about this commandment?
The commandment to love found in the Gospel of John is very different from the commandment to love found in the other gospels. In the gospels according to Matthew, Mark and Luke, the gospel writers have Jesus repeat the core teaching of the Old Testament covenant that is to love of God and love our neighbor as ourselves. The standard or comparison made there is that our love for neighbor must correspond to our love for ourselves.
But in the gospel of John, we are commanded by Jesus to love one another as he, Jesus, has loved us. Self-love no longer becomes the criteria but Jesus’ love for us. In the first letter of St. John, where he speaks so much of love and where he names God as Love, we find these beautiful words “In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins.” (1 Jn 4:10) Our weak, limited, imperfect and inadequate ‘love’ for ourselves no longer becomes the standard by which we should love others but rather Jesus’ love for us. Only God loves perfectly because God is LOVE himself! And this is the love of God – that he is prepared to become man, suffer and die for us. This is the love of God, that he is prepared to become one of us, to share our pains and sorrows, to experience our sufferings and give us hope and encouragement in the midst of all these. This is the love of God – that he will “wipe away all tears from (our) eyes”, destroy death and sadness. This is the love of God – that he will make all things new.
Love must therefore be the mark of our discipleship. “By this love you have for one another, everyone will know that you are (Christ’s) disciples.”
But we realize that we will always fall short of this high standard. We will never reach this perfect standard precisely because we are not God. And that is why we must continue to support, encourage and pray for each other. We must follow the examples of Paul and Barnabas, who in the first reading “put fresh hearts into the disciples.”
Fifth Sunday of Easter Year C May 2 "Love one Another"
1. Lectio John 13:31-35 31 After Judas had left, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man’s glory is revealed; now God’s glory is revealed through him. 32 And if God’s glory is revealed through him, then God will reveal the glory of the Son of Man in himself, and he will do so at once. 33 My children, I shall not be with you very much longer. You will look for me; but I tell you now what I told the Jewish authorities, ‘You cannot go where I am going.’ 34 And now I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 If you have love for one another, then everyone will know that you are my disciples.”
Lectio Comments What is so special about this ‘new’ commandment? The requirement to love God and to love our neighbour as ourself would already have been well known to the disciples from the Law of Moses (Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18). In the other three Gospels this teaching is often referred to as ‘The Great Commandment’ (Matthew 22:34-40, Mark 12:28-34, Luke 10:25-28). But the ‘new commandment’ is radically different from the Great Commandment to love God and neighbour. The new challenge Jesus lays before his disciples here is to love each other ‘as I have loved you’. Jesus now makes his love the standard of all love. The starting point is not human love but God’s love. Jesus’ love for his disciples, for us, and for all people reflects the unconditional mutual love that exists between God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Therefore, by obeying the new commandment, Christians make God’s love, the perfect love of the Trinity, present in the world.
2. Meditatio 1. What strikes you most from these verses? Ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you. 2. How do you feel about Jesus’ command to love others as Jesus loves us? 3. Does Jesus ask the impossible? How can we try to obey this command? 4. How does God want you to express his love to another others?
3. Oratio Let us pray Psalm 145:8-13 and reflect on the attributes of God:
The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in love. The LORD is good to all, compassionate to every creature. All your works give you thanks, O LORD and your faithful bless you. They speak of the glory of your reign and tell of your great works, Making known to all your power, the glorious splendor of your rule. Your reign is a reign for all ages, your dominion for all generations. The LORD is trustworthy in every word, and faithful in every work. Amen.
4. Contemplatio Contemplate the love God.
5. Actio 1. Personal Life – concretely express your love to a member of your family which you have not done so for a long time. 2. Communal Life – Brainstorm ways in which the community can reach out someone in need – a home for the elderly, Orang Asli village, a visit to a sick or elderly person in the BEC, squatters, migrants, refugees.
Being a Christian disciple can be disheartening. How much sorrow, trials and bitterness has life in store for everyone, especially for those who try to live good lives. How many innocent people suffer, are subjected to violence, injustice, betrayal and deceit. It is not easy trying to live Christian values in a world that promotes contrary values. In business, we are told that honest people will never be successful. In order to be rich, one must be prepared to lie, to be dishonest, to cheat and be involved in corruption. Is there a place in such a world for a Christian who is called to live and speak the Truth?
The world tells us that we must be nice to our friends and to those who can help us but we must be wary of our enemies. As a Christian, we know that we are not to make any distinction between friend and enemy. In fact, Christians are called to love their enemies. The world cannot accept this because it would appear that we are allowing our enemies to have the victory and to take advantage of us. Is there a place for a Christian who is called to love and forgive?
Today’s readings give us the reassurance that we need. In the first reading, it may appear that the wicked are victorious. The enemies of Paul and Barnabas spread lies about them and opposed them. Finally, these enemies managed to get Paul and Barnabas expelled from the town. But the reading does not end on a disheartening note. Rather, it ends with a curious remark: “the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.” Instead of shedding tears of sorrow, the disciples are filled with joy. This is a sign that joy can go together with tears, as well as with the unfulfilled hopes and sorrow for suffering injustice. The wicked enemies of truth will never be able to experience this kind of joy; they fight the gospel, are proud like winners, but are in fact, so foolish.
In the second reading, we are given a picture of the destiny of those who have suffered or even died for the sake of the gospel. They are those who in this world went through sufferings, persecutions and gave their lives for their brothers like the Lamb. Other people looked on them as losers, but for God they are the winners. As a reward for remaining faithful, they will no longer experience suffering, hunger or thirst because the Lamb will be their shepherd and will lead them to springs of living water. God will wipe away all tears from their eyes.
Christians are not called to make every one happy. It is impossible to make everyone happy. There will always be someone who will disagree with you or with the things you are doing. Therefore the criteria is not whether others are happy or not with our actions but rather that we follow our conscience and do what is right. To follow our conscience in order to do the right and loving thing is what it means to listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd. This is the promise and reassurance given by Jesus the Good Shepherd to each of his disciples: “The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life; they will never be lost and no one will ever steal them from me.”
We cannot deny that it is difficult being a Christian. Jesus did not promise us that he will take away all our problems and sufferings in this life. If we want to be his disciple, then, we must be prepared to face the same fate as Jesus did, we must be ready to endure hardships and persecutions. What Jesus has promised, however, is that he will shepherd us with love. He will never allow us to despair. He will give us the courage and strength to bear the cross. And finally he will lead us to “restful waters” where our spirits will be revived.
Fourth Sunday of Easter Year C April 25 “The Good Shepherd”
1. Lectio John 10:27-30 27 The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life; they will never be lost and no one will ever steal them from my hand. 29 The Father, for what he has given me, is greater than anyone, and no one can steal anything from the Father's hand. 30 The Father and I are one.
Comments Jesus, the Good Shepherd, shows two important characteristics of leadership – “knowing” and “caring.” “Knowing” in the biblical sense goes beyond recognizing someone by name or characteristics. In the bible, “knowing” refers to the intimate loving relationship between a husband and a wife. And so Jesus wants to draw all us into the intimate loving relationship he has with the Father. Jesus also shows that he cares for his flock by feeding them and protecting them. He is prepared to lay down his own life to protect his sheep. We too are called to be shepherds like Jesus. We are called to be shepherds in our families, our BECs, our schools, our workplace and in society.
2. Meditatio 1. Choose a word or a phrase that touches you. Speak it out aloud three times in a prayerful manner. 2. Spend a moment of silence, remembering the word or phrase you have chosen or you have heard from others in the group. 3. Share the reason why you have chosen this word or this phrase with the other members of the group.
3. Oratio Jesus Good Shepherd, give us your heart. Inflame us with the desire for the glory of God and with a great love for our brothers and sisters. Make us sharers in your work. Help us to listen to your voice, To know you as you know us And be with in communion with you and the Father Through the power of the Holy Spirit, For ever and ever. Amen.
4. Contemplatio “The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me.” Picture the face of Jesus. Do we hear his voice?
5. Actio 1. Personal Life – Spend time during your personal prayer time to pray for more vocations to the priesthood and religious life. Join our Vocation Prayer Vigil this Friday, April 23 at 7.00 pm (Church of Visitation) 2. Communal Life – Make a list of priests that you know. Assign each person of your group with the task of praying for at least one of these priests.
April 18 (Sunday) -- The Tamil Youth organised a special gathering-fellowship for its members and the Tamil speaking youth of Visitation, Seremban. 32 participants celebrated the Easter season with prayer, fun-filled games, group dynamics, food, and testimonies. A special segment of this gathering was the appreciation ceremony for senior members of the Youth group who are now on the threshold of married life. Thus, this Easter gathering served as a farewell to these senior members. Each of these senior members were presented with a special gift from the committee. During this last session, the senior youth members shared their own personal testimonies and gave words of encouragement to the new members.
The next project/activity of the Tamil Youth would be a visit to a welfare home. Stay tuned for further updates and announcements.
If we examine the sources of our unhappiness, if we take a closer look at the reasons behind our feelings of anger and impatience, then we will discover a characteristic that is often common to all of us – the need to be control.
From the moment that we are born, each individual human person struggles to take control of his own life, his surrounding circumstances and even the people around him. The baby cries as a way of controlling his parents to feed him or give him security. As the child grows up, it learns new ways of controlling his situation- throwing tantrums, screaming, refusing to do as he is told, or even doing something nice for others so that he can get something in return. We adults are no different. We have developed different ways of controlling others – through our words and actions. We want others to change and when they don’t change, we get frustrated and angry. We can either scream at them or we can choose to give them the silent treatment.
We want to control our own lives, our destiny. We want to control the lives of our children. We want to choose the best jobs and the best spouses for them. We even want to control God through our prayers and penances.
The real truth of the matter is that we are not in control – we were never in control- and we shall never be in control. Only God is in control and we must allow God to take control of our lives and the lives of others.
These were the words of Jesus to Peter: “when you were young, you put on your own belt and walked where you liked” – in other words, Peter thought that he was in control of his own life. When he began to follow Jesus, he thought that he was responsible for this decision all by himself. His sense of independence/ self-reliance was shattered when he saw himself betray Jesus three times after Jesus was arrested. Discouraged and feeling as if he was a failure, Peter decided to go back to that same job which he thought he could do best – fishing. He still thought that he was in control. But even in this job, he fares badly – he fails to catch any fish. Only with the help of Jesus could he manage to catch fish.
It is the same with us. We must not grow to become so egoistic as to think that we can achieve everything all by ourselves. We must not be so proud to think that we are in control of our lives and our future. The fact is that we are not in control. The sooner we learn this, the better. We need the grace and strength of God. All that we do is done only with the grace of God. We must never forget this.
This is the true meaning of discipleship. We must put ourselves at the service of the Master. We must listen to Jesus and be always ready to do God’s will, not ours. We are called to follow him, to place our entire lives into his hands and let him take control of our lives.
During this mass, let us pray for the grace to be able to let go – to let go of the need to be control of our lives, to let go of the need to be in control of others, to let go of the need to control God and our destiny.
The Divine Mercy is a Roman Catholic devotion focused on the mercy of God and its power, particularly as a form of thanksgiving and entrusting of oneself to God's mercy.
The devotion as known today can be traced to Polish nun and canonized saint, Sister Faustyna Kowalska, known as the "Apostle of Mercy", who lived from 1905-1938. It is based upon the biblical verse: Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you in that anyone who seeks God's mercy will not be turned away. According to Kowalska, Jesus, in inner speakings to her, requested her to commission a picture of him with the words Jezu Ufam Tobie (Jesus I Trust In You) inscribed on the bottom.
In 2000, Pope John Paul II officially instituted the Feast of the Divine Mercy universally for the Catholic Church on the same day that he also canonized St. Faustina. THE FEAST OF MERCY
Among all of the elements of devotion to The Divine Mercy requested by our Lord through Sr. Faustina, the Feast of Mercy holds first place. The Lord's will with regard to its establishment was already made known in His first revelation to the saint. In all, there were 14 revelations concerning the desired feast.
In fact, Jesus Himself dictated the intentions for each day of the novena which he desired to be celebrated as a preparation for the solemn observance of this feast. Once after insisting, "Do all you possibly can for this work of mercy," Jesus added: "My Heart rejoices on account of this feast." Sister Faustina concluded: "After these words, I understood that nothing can dispense me from the obligation which the Lord demands of me" (Diary, 998).
Our Lord's explicit desire is that this feast be celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter. He joins the feast to the designated Sunday in eight revelations: Diary, 49, 88, 280, 299, 341, 570, 699, and 742. He also implies a connection between the feast and that Sunday on some other occasions recorded in the saint's Diary (see Diary, 420, 89).
The "First Sunday after Easter" ‑ which is designated in "The Liturgy of the Hours and the Celebration of the Eucharist" as the "Octave Day of Easter" ‑ was officially called the Second Sunday of Easter after the liturgical reform of Vatican II. Now, by the Decree of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, the name of this liturgical day has been changed to: "Second Sunday of Easter, or of Divine Mercy."
Pope John Paul II made the surprise announcement of this change in his homily at the canonization of Sr. Faustina on April 30, 2000. There, he declared: "It is important then that we accept the whole message that comes to us from the word of God on this Second Sunday of Easter, which from now on throughout the Church, will be called 'Divine Mercy Sunday.' "
By the words "the whole message," the Holy Father was referring to the strict connection between the "Easter Mystery of the Redemption" ‑ the suffering, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Christ, followed by the sending of the Holy Spirit ‑ and this Feast of Divine Mercy, the Octave Day of Easter.
In this regard, the Holy Father also said, citing the Responsorial Psalm of the Liturgy, "The Church sings ... , as if receiving from Christ's lips these words of the Psalm" [that is, Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His steadfast love (=mercy) endures forever, Ps 118:1]. And then, the Holy Father developed the connection further: "[This comes] from the lips of the risen Christ, who bears the great message of Divine Mercy and entrusts its ministry to the Apostles in the Upper Room: 'Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, even so I send you. ... Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained' " (Jn 20:21‑23).
By what the Holy Father continued to say, it becomes clear why Jesus insisted that the sacred image of Himself as The Divine Mercy is to be venerated throughout the world in connection with the observance of this Sunday (see Diary, 49, 88, 299, 341, 570, 742). The Holy Father said: "Before speaking these words, Jesus shows His hands and His side. He points, that is, to the wounds of the Passion, especially the wound in His Heart, the source from which flows the great wave of mercy poured out on humanity.
"From that Heart, Sr. Faustina Kowalska, the blessed whom from now on we will call a saint, will see two rays of light shining from that Heart and illuminating the world: 'The two rays,' Jesus Himself explained to her one day, 'represent blood and water' (Diary, 299).
"Blood and water! We immediately think of the testimony given by the Evangelist John, who, when a soldier on Calvary pierced Christ's side with his spear, sees blood and water flowing from it (cf. Jn 19:34). Moreover, if the blood recalls the sacrifice of the Cross and the gift of the Eucharist, the water, in Johannine symbolism, represents not only Baptism but also the gift of the Holy Spirit (cf. Jn 3:5; 4:14; 7:37‑39).
"Divine Mercy reaches human beings through the Heart of Christ crucified: 'Tell, My daughter, [all people] that I am Love and Mercy itself [personified]' Jesus will ask of Sr. Faustina (Diary, 1074). Christ pours out this mercy on humanity through the sending of the Spirit who, in the Trinity, is the Person‑Love. And is not mercy love's 'second name' (cf. Rich in Mercy, n.7), understood in its deepest and most tender aspect, in its ability to take upon itself the burden of any need and, especially, in its most immense capacity for forgiveness?"
From this teaching of the Holy Father on that most solemn occasion of his "presenting the life and witness of Sr. Faustina Kowalska. to the whole Church as a gift of God to our time," it can be deduced that the most opportune time, the most proper one, for the solemn honoring of The Divine Mercy falls immediately after the Paschal Feast of Easter, recalling the attaining of our Redemption.
St. Augustine called the eight days of Easter (which the Church liturgically considers as constituting a single day ‑ the day of the new creation) "days of mercy and pardon." He calls the Sunday of this Paschal Octave (which our Lord insisted with St. Faustina is the Feast of Mercy [Diary, 88]) "the summary of the days of mercy" (Sermon 156, Dom. In Albis). It is no wonder, then, that already during his pilgrimage to Blessed Faustina's tomb on June 7, 1997, Pope John Paul 11 declared: "I give thanks to Divine Providence that I have been enabled to contribute personally to the fulfillment of Christ's will through the institution of the Feast of Divine Mercy."
Veneration of the Image
The image of Jesus, The Divine Mercy, is to have a special place of honor on the Feast of Mercy, a visual reminder of all that Jesus did for us through His Passion, Death, and Resurrection ... and a reminder, too, of what He asks of us in return ‑ to trust Him and be merciful to others:
"I want the image to be solemnly blessed on the first Sunday after Easter, and I want it to be venerated publicly so that every soul may know about it" (341).
A Special Promise of Mercy
Our Lord's promise to grant complete forgiveness of sins and punishment on the Feast of Mercy is recorded three times in the Diary of Saint Faustina, each time in a slightly different way:
"I want to grant a complete pardon to the souls that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion on the Feast of My mercy" (1109).
"Whoever approaches the Fountain of Life on this day will be granted complete forgiveness of sins and punishment" (300).
"The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion will obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment" (699). Extraordinary Graces
Our Lord is emphasizing, through this promise, the infinite value of Confession and Communion as miracles of mercy. He wants us to realize that since the Eucharist is His own Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity, it is the "Fountain of Life" (300). The Eucharist is Jesus, Himself, the Living God, longing to pour Himself as Mercy into our hearts.
Why would Our Lord feel the need to emphasize this? Because so many people do not really understand it. They either see no need to receive Holy Communion, or they receive it simply out of habit. As St. Paul explains in his letter to the Corinthians, they eat the bread or drink the cup of the Lord unworthily, "without recognizing the body of the Lord" (I Cor 11:27‑29).
In His revelations to Saint Faustina Our Lord makes it very clear what He is offering us in Holy Communion and how much it hurts Him when we treat His presence with indifference:
"My great delight is to unite Myself with souls ... When I come to a human heart in Holy Communion, My hands are full of all kinds of graces which I want to give to the soul. But souls do not even pay any attention to Me; they leave Me to Myself and busy themselves with other things. Oh, how sad I am that souls do not recognize Love! They treat Me as a dead object" (1385) ...
"It pains Me very much when religious souls receive the Sacrament of Love merely out of habit, as if they did not distinguish this food. I rind neither faith nor love in their hearts. I go to such souls with great reluctance. It would be better if they did not receive Me" (1288) ...
"How painful it is to Me that souls so seldom unite themselves to Me in Holy Communion. I wait for souls, and they are indifferent toward Me. I want to lavish My graces on them, and they do not want to accept them. They treat me as a dead object, whereas My Heart is full of love and mercy. In order that you may know at least some of My pain imagine the most tender of mothers who has great love for her children, while those children spurn her love. Consider her pain. No one is in a position to console her. This is but a feeble image and likeness of My love" (1447).
So, Our Lord's promise of complete forgiveness is both a reminder and a call. It is a reminder that He is truly present and truly alive in the Eucharist, filled with love for us and waiting for us to turn to Him with trust. And it is a call for us all to be washed clean in His Love through Confession and Holy Communion ‑ no matter how terrible our sins ‑ and begin our lives again. He is offering us a new start.
Prepare Yourself Properly
Going to Confession is not the only way we should prepare ourselves for Divine Mercy Sunday. As Cardinal Francis Macharski, Archbishop of Krakow, Poland explains in a 1985 pastoral letter, we are not simply called to ask for God's mercy with trust. We are also called to be merciful:
"Our own merciful attitude is likewise a preparation. Without deeds of mercy our devotion would not be real. For Christ does not only reveal the mercy of God, but at the same time He places before people the demand that they conduct themselves in life with love and mercy. The Holy Father states that this requirement constitutes the very heart of the Gospel ethos (Rich in Mercy, 3) ‑ it is the commandment of love and the promise: "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy' (Mt 5:7). Let it be a mercy that is forgiving and true, and universal, with good words, deeds, and prayer for others!"
Our Lord's words to Saint Faustina about this requirement to be merciful are very strong and leave no room for misinterpretation:
"Yes, the first Sunday after Easter is the Feast of Mercy, but there must also be acts of mercy ... I demand from you deeds of mercy, which are to arise out of love for Me. You are to show mercy to your neighbors always and everywhere. You must not shrink from this or try to excuse or absolve yourself from it" (742).
Thus, to fittingly observe the Feast of Mercy, we should:
1. Celebrate the Feast on the Sunday after Easter;
2. Sincerely repent of all our sins;
3. Place our complete trust in Jesus;
4. Go to Confession, preferably before that Sunday;
5. Receive Holy Communion on the day of the Feast;
6. Venerate* the Image of The Divine Mercy;
7. Be merciful to others, through our actions, words, and prayers on their behalf.
How to say the Chaplet of Divine Mercy
Rosary beads are used to say the prayer, which is said in the following manner:
1. Begin with the Sign of the Cross, 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary and The Apostles Creed.
2. Then on the Our Father Beads say the following: Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.
3. On the 10 Hail Mary Beads say the following: For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
(Repeat step 2 and 3 for all five decades).
4. Conclude with (three times): Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
What does the resurrection mean for each of us? For many of us, it means coming to Church on Sundays, because it is the day Jesus rose from the dead. For others, it means not having to fear death any more, because Jesus has now promised us that we will rise with him.
But today’s readings, give us another meaning and understanding of Easter. Easter is not only experienced personally by each of us but is something which must be experienced and lived out in the community.
Today’s gospel gives us the story of Thomas, one of the twelve apostles. When Jesus first appears to the apostles, Thomas isn’t there. We are not told the real reason for his absence. The death of Jesus has effected each of the apostles in a different way. Perhaps in the case of Thomas, the death of Jesus brought about his disillusionment with the community. There was no point hanging around with the others any more. Thomas has begun to doubt others, the community, the church, even perhaps God. He can only trust his own senses.
And so when Thomas insisted on seeing proofs of Jesus’ resurrection and return, he did not doubt Jesus nor the fact that he may have risen. He doubted the words of his brothers, the Christian community. Jesus appeared to the other apostles that very first day of his resurrection. He could have appeared to Thomas at any time throughout the week, but he chose not to. Jesus waited till Thomas had returned to the community. Jesus waited till Thomas was ready to accept his brothers in faith and to begin to listen to each of them. And so, it was only one week later when Thomas was with the others in that same room, that Jesus appeared and revealed himself to Thomas and to others.
For many of us, believing in God and in Jesus isn’t that difficult. But believing in the community is another matter. We often see the sinfulness, the hypocrisy and the weaknesses of others in the community. We may question whether God is really present in such a community. And so, for many us, we stay away from Church activities and from our BECs because we feel scandalized by the presence of persons living contrary lifestyles.
But, the truth of the matter is this – we can only find Jesus when we are able to see him in that community of ours. Its not a perfect community. No community is perfect. The Church is made up of sinners, just like you and I. But it is only in this broken and sinful community, that Jesus continues to be present. He is present to heal us in our sickness, to console us in our sadness, to strengthen us in our failures.
How can we see Jesus in this community? How can we recognize his presence in the Church? Our physical eyes will often deceive us as they only focus our attention on the weaknesses and sinfulness of others. We must see with the eyes of faith. This is the only way to see. Jesus tells us: “Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe.” Like the people in the first reading, many of them saw the wonders worked by the apostles and the early Christians, but it was only those who “believed” that came to join them.
As we share this Eucharistic meal, may our eyes of faith be opened too. Let us begin to see Jesus not only in the bread and wine of the sacrifice but also in our brothers and sisters. “Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe.”
Second Sunday of Easter Year C April 10 “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe”
1. Lectio John 20:19-31 19 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,' 20 and, after saying this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were filled with joy at seeing the Lord, 21 and he said to them again, 'Peace be with you. 'As the Father sent me, so am I sending you.' 22 After saying this he breathed on them and said: Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone's sins, they are forgiven; if you retain anyone's sins, they are retained. 24 Thomas, called the Twin, who was one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples said to him, 'We have seen the Lord,' but he answered, 'Unless I can see the holes that the nails made in his hands and can put my finger into the holes they made, and unless I can put my hand into his side, I refuse to believe.' 26 Eight days later the disciples were in the house again and Thomas was with them. The doors were closed, but Jesus came in and stood among them. 'Peace be with you,' he said. 27 Then he spoke to Thomas, 'Put your finger here; look, here are my hands. Give me your hand; put it into my side. Do not be unbelieving any more but believe.' 28 Thomas replied, 'My Lord and my God!' 29 Jesus said to him: ‘You believe because you can see me. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe. ‘ 30 There were many other signs that Jesus worked in the sight of the disciples, but they are not recorded in this book. 31 These are recorded so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing this you may have life through his name.
Comments This week’s reading continues the theme of “Seeing” with the “eyes of faith”. Here, the reader is not confronted with an empty tomb as on the First Sunday of Easter but with a broken community. Thomas was not expressing his doubt of the risen Lord. Thomas was expressing his doubt of his community. He did not believe their word that they had seen the Risen Lord. He had lost trust in them. Trust is lost when relationships are broken. That is the reason why Jesus breathes his Spirit upon them so that they may have the power to forgive one another and be reconciled. At the end of the story we are reminded that it is easy to believe that Christ is present in a community when it is perfect. But far more blessed are those who are able to recognise Christ’s presence in a community that that is weak, broken and far from perfection. “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.”
2. Meditatio 1. Are there times you doubt the sincerity of your brothers and sisters in your family, your BEC and community? What has brought about these doubts? Betrayal? Disappointment? 2. Try to picture the faces of every member of your BEC present here. Can you see Christ present in this person? How does Christ appear to you? What are the qualities of Christ that you see in this person?
3. Oratio Leader: With faith that Christ has risen and is present in our midst, we cry out:
(R.) WITHOUT SEEING YOU, WE LOVE YOU. WITHOUT SEEING YOU, WE BELIEVE.
1. Christ our Savior, when you rose again you brought to the holy women and the apostles the joyful news of a world redeemed. Make us witnesses to your risen life. (R.)
2. You promised to all people that we should rise up again to newness of life. Make us heralds of your Gospel. (R.)
3. You showed yourself to your apostles and breathed the Holy Spirit on them. Through the gift of the Spirit, help us to recognise You in one another. (R.)
4. You invited Thomas to put his finger on the mark of the nails in your hands and to put his hand into your side. Strengthen our feeble faith that we may believe even “without seeing”. (R.)
Leader: Father, by this Easter mystery you touch our lives with the healing power of your love. You have given us the freedom of the children of God. May we who now celebrate your gift find joy in it forever in heaven. Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
4. Contemplatio Memorise and use the following verse in your contemplation: ““Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”
5. Actio 1. Personal Life: Spend time before the Blessed Sacrament during the week or before mass. Speak to Jesus in your prayer. Address him like this: “My Lord and my God.” 2. Communal Life: Organise an Easter party and gathering. Spend time enjoying each other’s company and recognizing the Christ is in your midst.
The Migrant Ministry and Chinese Apostolate of the Church of Visitation jointly organised an Easter Fellowship and Gathering for its migrants from Indonesia and the Philippines. Lunch was followed by several performances, i.e. songs and dances etc.
This event has been an annual affair for the past few years. It usually takes place immediately after the Bahasa Malaysia Easter Sunday service for migrants.
Today Christians everywhere (both Eastern and Western) celebrate the great feast of Easter, commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ and his victory over death. Today, a small community of Orang Asli villagers also celebrated their chapel's feast day, Rumah Besar Kebangkitan Kristus (Chapel of the Risen Christ). Villagers from other Orang Asli villages in the district (Sebir, Tekir, Port Dickson) also joined in the festivities.
It was very early on that first Easter morning and still dark. We see the first of the three characters in today’s gospel story. Mary of Magdala comes in the dark, which does not only refer to the physical darkness surrounding her but also the darkness of her faith. Mary loved Jesus while he was still alive. If she had no great love for him, she would not be the first to arrive at the tomb. She has come not only to see the body of Jesus but she has come to prepare the body properly for burial. The burial on Good Friday was too rushed. The followers of Jesus had no time to prepare his body for a proper burial because the Sabbath was starting. As you all know, no Jew would be seen working on the Sabbath day. But now on the first day of the week, as soon as the Sabbath was over, Mary arrives. But her faith is clouded by the darkness of fear. She sees the stone which covered the tomb has been moved away. She does not enter. Perhaps, she cannot bear to see the body of her beloved Jesus missing, stolen or desecrated.
At times, many of us are like Mary. We love Jesus and God but we are not prepared to go any further. We are not prepared to go deeper because we fear that we may not find what we were expecting. But unless, we take the risk and enter the tomb, we will always be standing outside speculating. Many people go through life without making important decisions. Many people stay clear of commitment. Many people fear going deeper into any relationship because they actually fear the changes that may take place. But unless, we are prepared to take the risk, unless we are prepared to make the commitment, unless we are prepared to make a deeper commitment, we will always remain outside fearful and uncertain. This question would constantly plague us: “What if …?”
The second character that we see is Peter. He is the elder of the two disciples who run to the tomb upon hearing the news from Mary of Magdala. He is slower than the other disciple. Perhaps it is his age or perhaps he is also afraid of what he may find at the tomb. Some of us are like him – we hesitate, we postpone, we procrastinate. We do this because we are afraid of the truth which may challenge our present lives. We are afraid of the pain it may bring because truth often reveals our faults and our limitations. We are afraid to face our weaknesses. Peter may have been thinking about that. What if Jesus had actually risen? Would Jesus then punish Peter for his infidelity? Would Jesus confront Peter with his betrayal? It is better to pretend that nothing had happened. Sometimes, when we are faced with the truth, we too choose to be blind to it. But unless we admit our faults and face up to our failures, there can never be growth.
The third and final character in the story is the disciple whom Jesus loved. He has no name because he represents the ideal disciple – the disciple who is prepared to take risks, the disciple who is willing to make a commitment, the disciple who is ready to face the truth about himself, even about his own weaknesses. We are told in the gospel that when he entered the empty tomb, “he saw and he believed.”
Today, we celebrate Easter Sunday. Jesus has risen. Yet many do not know this. Many are afraid to find out. Many are afraid to tell. How about you? Are you still crippled by your fears? Are you still afraid to enter the tomb? Or are you prepared to take the risks, make a commitment to follow Jesus and face the truth about yourself? Only then, can you become a real witness of the Easter story.
The Exultet (also known as the Exsultet or sometimes the Easter Proclamation) is the traditional Western Rite hymn of praise intoned by the deacon during the Easter Vigil. In the absence of a deacon, it may be intoned by the priest, or by the cantor. It is intoned after the procession with the Paschal Candle before the beginning of the Liturgy of the Word. It is used in the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church.
In the missal the title of the hymn is "Praeconium", as appears from the formula used at the blessing of the deacon: "ut digne et competenter annunties suum Paschale praeconium". Outside Rome, the use of the paschal candle appears to have been a very ancient tradition in Italy, Gaul, Spain, and perhaps, from the reference by St. Augustine (De Civ. Dei, XV, xxii), in Africa. The Liber Pontificalis attributes its introduction in the local Roman Church to Pope Zosimus. The formula used for the "Praeconium" was not always the "Exultet", though it is perhaps true to say that this formula has survived, where other contemporary formulae have disappeared.
The order is, briefly:
* An invitation to those present to join with the deacon in the invocation of the blessing of God, that the praises of the candle may be worthily celebrated. This invitation may be likened to an amplified "Let us pray ..." * "Dominus vobiscum" ("Lord be with you ..."etc. This section serves as the introduction to the body of the "Praeconium", cast in the Eucharistic form to emphasize its solemnity. * The "Praeconium , proper, which is of the nature of a Preface, or, as it is called in the Missale Gallicanum Vetus, a contestatio. First, a parallel is drawn between the Passover of the Old and the New Covenants, the candle being here a type of the Pillar of Fire. And here the language of the liturgy rises into heights to which it is hard to find a parallel in Christian literature." Through the outlines of ancient dogmas as through a portal we are drawn now into the "warmth of the deepest mysticism, to the region where, in the light of paradise, even the sin of Adam may be regarded as truly necessary and a happy fault". Secondly, the candle itself is offered as a burnt-sacrifice, a type of Christ, marked by grains of incense as with the five glorious wounds of His Passion. And, lastly, the Praeconium ends with a general intercession for those present, for the clergy, for the pope, and for the Christian rulers. For these last the text as it stands cannot now be used.
The Paschal Triduum, also called the Holy Triduum or Easter Triduum, begins the evening of Holy Thursday, and ends the evening of Easter Day. It commemorates the heart of our faith: the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Introduction
The Paschal Triduum, often called the Easter Triduum or simply the Triduum, begins during Holy Week, and consists of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday. This includes the Great Easter Vigil, the high point of the Triduum. The word Triduum comes from the Latin word meaning "three days." It begins the evening of Maundy Thursday and ends at Evening Prayer on Easter Sunday. Thus the Triduum consists of three full days which begin and end in the evening. The Triduum technically is not part of Lent (at least liturgically), but Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday are still reckoned as part of the traditional forty day Lenten fast. The Triduum celebrates the heart of our faith, salvation, and redemption: the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Thus, the Triduum commemorates the Institution of the Eucharist (the "sacrament of sacraments"), the passion, crucifixion, death of the Lord, his descent to the dead, and finally his glorious resurrection on Easter Sunday morning. Along with the Ascension, these important events make up the Paschal Mystery.
Thus, even though the liturgical year begins chronologically at Advent, it reaches its culmination during the Easter Triduum, particularly at Easter, the "solemnity of solemnities," the "Great Feast." The Catholic Catechism describes the importance of the Triduum:
"Beginning with the Easter Triduum as its source of light, the new age of the Resurrection fills the whole liturgical year with its brilliance. Gradually, on either side of this source, the year is transfigured by the liturgy. It really is a "year of the Lord's favor." The economy of salvation is at work within the framework of time, but since its fulfillment in the Passover of Jesus and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the culmination of history is anticipated "as a foretaste," and the kingdom of God enters into our time" (1168).
History
Christians have been commemorating the death and resurrection of Jesus since Apostolic times, because his death and resurrection are at the heart of Christian salvation. At least by the second century, Christians celebrated the Great Easter Vigil, an event which began the night of Holy Saturday, continuing until dawn on Easter morning. During this vigil, Christians commemorated salvation history, awaited the return of Jesus, and celebrated the resurrection of Jesus at dawn on Easter Sunday. It was at the vigil that catechumens, after a three year period of catechesis, were baptized and received first communion. The Easter Vigil was the most important day of the liturgical year. Eventually Christians expanded this celebration to a three-day commemoration of Jesus' passion, death, and resurrection, with the Easter Vigil being the high point of the three day commemoration. Nonetheless, over time, as the liturgical year expanded, the Easter Vigil lost its preeminence, although the three days celebrating the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus still held an important place in the Church Year.
Since the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council, the Easter Vigil, and the Triduum, have regained their position of prominence in the Western Catholic liturgical calendar. The General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar re-established the Triduum as a season following Lent in the Catholic Church Frequently Asked Questions
1. Since the Triduum is Separate from Lent, is Lent No Longer 40 Days? Does Lent Really End on Holy Thursday? Technically, according to current Catholic discipline, Lent lasts 44 days, from Ash Wednesday through the morning of Holy Thursday (including Sundays), until the Triduum begins on Holy Thursday evening. Nonetheless, the traditional Lenten fast runs from Ash Wednesday through Holy Saturday, and does not include Sundays, since it is not appropriate to fast on a Sunday, the weekly feast of the resurrection. This fast lasts 40 days.
Nonetheless, this has created some liturgical questions. The addition of the Triduum as a separate season from Lent has obscured the direct connection of Lent to the 40 day fast of Jesus. The question of when Lent ends liturgically is still somewhat confusing, since at the liturgy of the Easter Vigil, during the renewal of Baptismal vows, the priest says: "Now that we have completed our Lenten observance, let us renew the promises we made in baptism..." Many feel that the Holy See will need to clarify the relationship between Lent and the Triduum at some point in the future.
2. So, the Triduum is the Most Important Part of the Church Year? Isn't Christmas More Important? Christmas, the solemnity celebrating the birth and Incarnation of Jesus, is very important. Christmas and the Triduum are not in competition with one another, and are all a part of the same mystery of Christ's life, death, and resurrection. In fact, Christmas and Jesus' Conception constitute the mysteries of the Incarnation, essential to our salvation. However, in the early Church, Easter was considered the queen of all Christian feasts, the high point of the liturgical year. In fact, Easter seems to be an older feast than Christmas. This does not lessen the importance of Christmas, but the restoration of the Triduum to preeminence is actually a return to the more ancient practice of the Church.
3. Why Does the Church Celebrate the Triduum on a Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday? It is long-held Tradition, based on the Biblical texts, that Jesus died on a Friday and rose from the dead on a Sunday, which would place the Last Supper on a Thursday night. Scripture tells us that Jesus rose from the dead "early on the first day of the week" (Mark 16:2, RSV). It was on the same day (the first day of the week) that Jesus met his apostles on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:1). John also confirms that Jesus rose on a Sunday (John 20:1). The early Church Fathers universally held that Jesus rose from the dead on a Sunday, and worshiped on Sunday, "The Lord's Day." The Fathers also testify to the Institution of the Eucharist on a Thursday and a Friday crucifixion of Jesus. Even though Jesus tells us that he was to be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights, in ancient Jewish reckoning, this included partial days. Thus, Jesus was saying that his time in the earth would span three days (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday). Saint Justin Martyr (writing in 150 AD) testifies to both Sunday worship and a Friday crucifixion of Jesus.
The Didache (70-90 AD) also mentions Sunday worship, and fasting on Fridays (likely connected to Jesus' crucifixion that day.
The Apostolic Constitutions (late 4th century) verifies the same chronology. Note that, based on Scripture, this document provides the rationale for the dates of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday.
Virtually every Church Father who addresses the issue agrees with the traditional dating of a Thursday Last Supper, Friday Crucifixion, and Sunday resurrection. This includes those Church Fathers and writings mentioned above, but also Ignatius (105 AD), Pseudo-Barnabas (120 AD), Clement of Alexandria (195 AD), and many others. This chronology is firmly based on Scripture, and universally verified by Tradition.
(To make the teaching of Christ as the basis of our lives)
JANUARY: “I am the Way, I am the Truth and Life. No one can come to the Father except through Me.” JN 14: 6
FEBRUARY:“Treat others the way you would like them to treat you.” LK 6: 31
MARCH:“When you give alms, your left hand must not know what your right is doing.” MT 6: 3
APRIL:“... Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.” JN 20: 29
MAY: PARISH FEAST DAY – “The Visitation”
“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour.” LK 1: 46
JUNE:“As the Father sent me, so am I sending you.” JN 20: 21
JULY:“I am the bread of life; No one who comes to Me will ever hunger, no one who believes in Me will ever thirst.” JN 6: 35
AUGUST:“For wherever your treasure is, there is where your heart will be too.” LK 12: 34
SEPTEMBER:“Many who are first will be last, and the last, first.” MT 19:30
OCTOBER:“I am the light of the world; anyone who follows Me will not be walking in the dark, but will have the light of life.” JN 8:12
NOVEMBER:“I am the resurrection. Anyone who believes in Me, even though that person dies, will live.” JN 11:25
DECEMBER:“The Word became flesh, He lived among us...” JN 1: 14
Church of the Visitation, Seremban
Church of Visitation, Seremban
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur
We, the members of the Visitation Parish Family, aspire to become a Communion of Communities where ALL, whether poor or rich, young or old, migrant or citizen, irrespective of language, race or culture, are welcomed, valued and cared for. We strive to achieve this as disciples of Jesus Christ through a renewal of our faith, dialogue and cooperation with peoples of other faiths and genuine collaborative ministry among laity, religious and clergy
Mass Times
Saturday Sunset: 6.00 pm (English)
Sunday: 7.30 am (Tamil)
9.00 am (English/ B.M.)
10.30 am (Mandarin)
5th Sunday: 12.00 pm (B.M.)
Chapels:
Belihoi: Second Sunday, 10.30 am (BM)
Tekir: Fourth Sunday, 4.00 pm (BM)
St. Augustine, Titi, Jelebu
Our Lady of Lourdes, Sagga Estate
Our Lady of Vellangkanni, Gadong Jaya
Sacred Heart, Marjorie Estate
Carmelite Monastery, Jalan Rasah
Other Chapels, please enquire with Parish Office, Tel : 06-762 4468
Visitation Emmaus Centre for Counselling
If you wish to speak to our counsellor helpers, please contact us for appointments: Tel: 016-9132913 emmausvis@yahoo.com
We Want to Hear from You!
What's going on in your life, your BEC or ministry? We would also like to hear from all visitors to this blog. Tell us how you feel about it? We sincerely hope that this blog will serve you by providing regular news and photo updates of happenings and events in the parish and also be a resource for reflections, catechesis, trivia etc. Email Us Email the Parish Priest
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