Reflections
Psalm 118: 1-2, 16-17, 22-23 (Read)
“The right hand of the Lord
has struck with power.”
Our Easter Psalm celebrates
Our Easter Psalm celebrates
a great victory over death.
The victory is won by the
Lord’s 'right hand,' a clear
advance notice of the power
of the Son of God.
“I shall not die, but live, and
declare the works of the Lord.”
These could have been Jesus'
own words, speaking about His
resurrection and His food, which
is to do the work of the Father.
Our risen Savior has defeated
These could have been Jesus'
own words, speaking about His
resurrection and His food, which
is to do the work of the Father.
Our risen Savior has defeated
death and the power that sin has
over us. And we live on in His
kingdom. Having become yoked
to Jesus, we willingly praise God
and follow His direction in our lives.
We may ask, “Having been saved, what are we
obliged to do? What is our commission?”
In today's first reading, St Luke tells us what we
are commissioned to do – we are to preach to
over us. And we live on in His
kingdom. Having become yoked
to Jesus, we willingly praise God
and follow His direction in our lives.
We may ask, “Having been saved, what are we
obliged to do? What is our commission?”
In today's first reading, St Luke tells us what we
are commissioned to do – we are to preach to
the people and testify that Jesus is the one
anointed by God. (Acts 10:42)
We are an Easter people; Christ has become our
cornerstone. As the psalmist says, “The stone the
builders rejected has become the corner stone.”
The mystery is that Christ has become a source of
strength for us, despite His apparent weakness that
day on the cross, when He died a shameful death.
Only the Lord could have done this remarkable
thing – “This is the day the Lord has made;
let us rejoice and be glad.”
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. Our psalmist affirms, "I shall declare the works of the Lord." Tell what
anointed by God. (Acts 10:42)
We are an Easter people; Christ has become our
cornerstone. As the psalmist says, “The stone the
builders rejected has become the corner stone.”
The mystery is that Christ has become a source of
strength for us, despite His apparent weakness that
day on the cross, when He died a shameful death.
Only the Lord could have done this remarkable
thing – “This is the day the Lord has made;
let us rejoice and be glad.”
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. Our psalmist affirms, "I shall declare the works of the Lord." Tell what
this verse means to you. How are you going about doing the work
of the Lord?
2. The Psalm declares, "The stone which the builders rejected has become
the cornerstone." Speak about how our Savior is like a rock in your life and
how you build your life around Jesus.
We are an Easter people, indeed! Jesus became the perfect, once for all sacrifice so that we could escape sin’s power over us and some day taste victory in heaven. We must first accept His free gift with a faith-filled heart and recognize that His love is for all of us.
ReplyDeleteThe Pharisees, Sadducees and other Jewish elite had trouble understanding that God’s message of love and mercy would be for everyone... Jews and Gentiles alike. As the “chosen people,” they were looking for a Messiah who favored only them; additionally, many Jews did not seek a spiritual leader, but a military one, who would help them break free from Roman rule.
Interestingly, I have found that many modern Christians have the opposite problem of our spiritual ancestors. There is hesitation in claiming God’s promises for each of us personally, though the very same people are wonderful prayer warriors for OTHERS.
I heard a powerful homily this Holy Week, preached by the Archbishop of Denver, Samuel Aquila. His Excellency said we should be wary of not becoming like Judas. At first, I assumed that the teaching would be along the lines of: we should not betray Jesus in the way we live our lives. BUT... the sermon went way above and beyond my simple thoughts. The point was made that Judas repented. However... “He did not believe that it was possible for him to be loved and liberated by Jesus, by the Father. We must open our hearts to the truth that it is Jesus who frees us from every sin. From every vice. ...Allow yourself to be loved and liberated by God.“ (The Chrism Mass; 4/7/2020)
I was so struck after hearing these words — Would Jesus not have forgiven Judas, if he had been asked? Judas hangs himself out of misery and desperation — tragically, WITHOUT accepting the Savior’s sacrifice, Jesus’ Good News! Part of our role in trying to be holy and living out the Gospel is believing that Jesus died for us and wants to “love and liberate us.” Collectively. But also personally.
For you. For me.
I find myself actively trying to spread that message — reminding fellow brothers and sisters in Christ of this truth. In this way, I hope that I am “declaring the works of the Lord.”
ReplyDelete"I shall declare the works of the Lord.”
Because Jesus has become the corner stone which the builders, his own people, rejected, He is now the corner stone of the Church, the center stone in the top of an arch, holding the whole arch together.
He is my strength, helper, and my salvation. I take refuge in Him.
In my anguish I cried to him and he answered me. I give thanks to him for he is good
and his love endures forever. The Lord's right hand has done mighty things.
The Lord is God and he made his light shine upon me. And so I will not die but live.
He has given me the reason to rejoice in this day, to live, and to serve him.
His love for me is unchanging. And so I willingly praise him.
Surely He is my Savior who has defeated sin for me. He is a victor,
a conqueror over death. He is risen from the dead.
Therefore we are commissioned to preach and testify Jesus is the Lord anointed by God, He is the son of God.
I will give him thanks and I will exalt him for He is good to me and he protects
our family against the Corona Virus. What is God’s will for us, I wonder?
He wants us to depend on only him, no one else in our life. He holds our lives.
Without him I am nothing; I can not do anything without help from him.
I realized once again how helpless we human beings are through this outbreak of disease around the world. Is it God’s doing because of our sins? We need God’s intervention and forgiveness of our sins. First of all we need to repent during the Lent season.
Once again I have acknowledged the marvelous works of the Lord for
humankind, leading to our Salvation.