THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER: YEAR A EMMAUS: STAY WITH US LORD

THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER: YEAR A

EMMAUS: STAY WITH US LORD

ENTRANCE ANTIPHON

♥ The entrance antiphon of today uses phrases: “…JOY, SING…”

♥ when the Lord is [stays] with us, we cannot but be joyful, we sing for joy.

COLLECT

♥ Today’s collect uses the phrase: “…May your people EXULT forever in renewed YOUTHFULNESS of Spirit… REJOICE now… REJOICE in heave…”

PRAYER OVER THE GIFTS

♥ “….offering of your EXULTANT Church….You have given her cause of for such GRATE GLADNESS…”

PRAYER OVER THE GIFTS

♥ “… the INCORRUPTIBLE GLORY of the Resurrection…”

FIRST READING (ACTS: 2:14, 23-33)

♥ “ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST”: The Holy Spirit is playing a great role in the life of peter and his apostles. And one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit is JOY

♥ We sing a hymn: “If the SPIRIT OF THE LORD is in my soul like David the victor I will sing…”

♥ PETER STOOD UP WITH THE ELEVEN: When Jesus was arrested Peter was hiding. Now he is COURAGEOUSLY, with LOUD VOICE telling the people of Israel about JESUS.

♥ ARE WE AFRAID to proclaim Christ in words and action? Here Peter is preaching FEARLESSLY and in the Gospel we will find TWO DISCIPLES, after recognizing the Lord, INSTANTLY GO AT NIGHT to tell about Jesus to their friends.

♥ SHEMA: HEAR O ISRALE (Dt 6:4-5): it is connected with listening: it is more than sound waves entering our ears. It means pay ATTENTION to or FOCUS on, it means RESPONDING to what you hear. Listening to God means keeping the COVENANT God made with us. That means to LISTEN and to OBEY. In Hebrew there is no word for DOING. SHEMA means both LISTENING and DOING.

♥ In the Gospel Reading we find two disciples LISTENING to JESUS all along the way. As a FAITHFUL how do I LISTEN to the WORD OF GOD and as a PASTOR how do I BREAK the word of God. Jesus is breaking the Word of God so beautifully. Do I break it piece by piece? Peter is preaching Christ so courageously. Do I listen to God speaking to me through various people and events. Do I respond to him.

♥ JESUS WAS PUT INTO THEIR POWER BY DELIBERATE INTENTION AND FOREKNOWLEDGE OF GOD. The same thing happened to Job. Do we grumble when something wrong goes into our life. How do we respond to our pain, suffering, trials and temptations?

♥ …YOU KILLED HIM… yes we kill Jesus through our sins, bad examples, or make him alive in by LISTENING to his WORD and living it in our life.

♥ DAVID: I SAW THE LORD BEFORE ME ALWAYS: Jesus is always with us in the EUCHARIST. He himself said: “I am with you ALWAYS till the end of life” (Mt 28:20) He said: “I am the ALPHA and the OMEGA- the beginning and the end” (Rev 1:8). Do we go for FREQUENT VISITS to the BLESSED SACRAMENT as told to us by Don Bosco?

♥ DAVID: he too speaks about= gladness, joy, hope, being filled with gladness through GOD’S PRESENCE. In the EUCHARIST we have the REAL PRESENCE, the ARK OF THE COVENANT, which was always with the people of Israel, CLOUD BY DAY AND FIRE BY NIGHT, the alpha and omega, I am with you always till the end of life…JESUS is also called the SON OF DAVID.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

♥ KEEP THE LORD EVER IN YOUR SIGHT: This is the same language that David uses in the first reading who said I SAW THE LORD BEFORE ME ALWAYS.

♥ “There is FULLNESS OF JOY IN YOUR PRESENCE:” Do we find our joy in God’s presence or in money, wealth, sex, clothing, material possession, pornography, blue films, drugs, drinks etc.. The Psalmist says: ONE DAY WITHIN YOUR COURT IS BETTER THAN THOUSAND ELSEWHERE (Ps 84:10) Do we come for SUNDAY SERVICE [EUCHARIST] to find fullness of joy in our life.

SECOND READING

♥ Today’s second reading uses the word RANSOM= it means, “a WRITTEN NOTE OF MY PUNISHMENT IS CANCELLED. I don’t have to go to the court. It is as though a potential bomb has been defused. And we commemorate this event in the EUCHARIST= body broken for you, blood shed for you. He did this for our USELESS WAY OF LIFE. Peter said in the first reading: YOU KILLED HIM. Our useless way of life killed Jesus sinless though he was. ARE WE STILL LIVING A USELESS WAY OF LIFE.

GOSPEL READING

♥ The TWO DISCIPLES in the Gospel reading are you and I. we too get DISCOURAGED with life and try to RUN AWAY FROM OUR PROBLEMS, pains and suffering. It is so sad to know that so many young people have COMMITTED SUICIDE out of discouragement.

♥ On the way, they were unburdening their pain, discussing what happened with them, with their master, how injustice was done to Jesus, how he was killed. How some women told them that his body was not found. At this moment Jesus himself comes up, HE JOINS THEM and WALKS by their side. CAN YOU SEE JESUS WALKING WITH YOU IN YOUR LIFE, IN YOUR ORDINARY, DAILY LIFE.

♥ Jesus asks: WHAT MATTERS are you discussing= this show that Jesus is interested in our life. Do we go often to meet him, to be with him, to spent time with him.

♥ SOMETHING PREVENTED THEM FROM RECOGNIZING THE LORD. What prevents us from recognizing the Lord, from meeting the Lord in the daily EUCHARIST, in the CONFESSIONAL, in our DAILY LIFE while encountering our neighbours, in our work place =, is it our pride, sin, money, wealth, sinfulness…  

♥ CLEOPAS’ KNOWLEDGE OF JESUS: that Jesus is = Jesus of Nazareth, great prophet, said the did good things and FOUND FAVOUR in front of God and people. This is not enough. Jesus is not yet the “LORD AND SAVIOR OF CLEOPAS”. What is our knowledge of Jesus.

♥ CLEOPAS’ HOPE: That he would set Israel free. What is our hope. What are you hoping from the Lord? Is it eternal life/salvation or something lower than that like cleopas.

♥ WOMEN: Jesus showed himself to the women before than men. Why not men first. We were with him all the time.

♥ DID NOT FIND THE BODY: Jesus had told on the Cross to the good thief: TODAY YOU WILL BE WITH ME IN PARADISE. And how can you expect his body to be in the tomb. But the creed says: “ON THE THIRD DAY he rose again. How do struggle with this. For him THOUSAND YEARS ARE LIKE YESTERDAY and come and gone. “TODAY OR ON THE THIRD DAY” is our problem-problem of human beings. God is ALPHA AND OMEGA. He is the same YESTERDAY, TODAY AND FOREVER (Heb 13:8). 

♥ JESUS EXPLAINS TO THEM THE SCRIPTURE THAT TELLS ABOUT HIMSELF: Jesus is BREAKING THE WORD of God. He TAKES CARE to explain everything. Do we, PRIESTS the ministers of the Word of God, take that much of care to break the word of God? Do we prepare ourselves? If not than our people will be as Jesus said: FOOLISH MEN, SLOW TO BELIEVE. When people have weak faith, to some extend WE ARE TO BE BLAMED. We have not taken care to break the word of God properly. On the other hand as disciples/faithful people of God have we listened to/ SHEMA God’s word attentively like the two disciples. Some come late, after the word of God.

♥ STAY WITH US LORD: Do we ask the Lord to stay with us or we allow him to go away. After we go away from these TWO TABLES: TABLE OF THE WORD AND THE TABLE OF THE EUCHARIST, will Jesus continue to stay with us till the next Sunday or we let him go just after we leave this church.

♥ … AT THE BRAKING OF THE BREAD THEIR EYES WERE OPENED: at the breaking of the bread the yes of the disciples were opened. At the eating of the fruit, the eyes of Adam and eve were opened. Jesus has brought us new apple the Eucharist and when we eat this ‘new apple’ we don’t’ feel afraid, shy, like Adam and Eve but we are filled with joy, hope and courage like Peter who is preaching today in the first reading, we become courageous like the two disciples.

♥ JESUS VANISHED FROM THEIR SIGHT: Jesus had promised to stay with them. He did not simple VANISHED. The disciples could not see him because he was no more outside. JESUS WAS INSIDE IN THEIR HEART AND SOUL. Jesus not only ‘stays’ with them but he takes one more step: he stays in their soul and heart. Similar thing happens during the Eucharistic celebration. The priest consecrates the body and blood and the priest breaks it and shows it to the people HOLY COMMUNION/JESUS disappears physically and “STAY WITH US LORD” in our hearts and soul.

♥ DID NOT OUR HEART BURN WITHIN US AS HE TALKED AND EXPLAINED THE SCRIPTURES?: Word of God has that property of making our hearts burn. There is light in the word of God. “Thy word is a LAMP unto my feet and LIGHT unto my path” (Ps 119:105). Walk by this light. That is way the RESPONSORIAL PSALM says: “SHOW ME the path of life” 

Jeremiah 5:14 Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of hosts: “Because they have spoken this word, behold, I am making my words in your mouth a fire, and this people wood, and the fire shall devour them.”

 ♥ INSTANTLY THEY SET OUT THAT NIGHT: it was already dark, after re aching Emmaus they might have taken time to cook the bread, there was no gas cylinder at that time. It must have got very late and yet they went out to tell their friends. At the end of the Mass [after breaking the bread] the priest says “Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord” we too after having encountered the Lord, need to go courageously and shared this good news with others.

♥ There is the presence of God in the Eucharist and in the Community. Where two or three are gathering in my name I am there. The two disciples went to Jerusalem. In the community.

♥ The Lord says: Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood I will be in you and you will be in me.

♥ John 6:54 Anyone who does eat my flesh and drink my blood has ETERNAL LIFE, and I shall raise that person up on the last day. (Joh 6:54 NJB)

♥ How many Priest celebrate Mass shabbily

♥ Some come with MOBILE NUMBER written in their palms.

♥  John 6:51 “I am the LIVING BREAD which has come down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will LIVE FOR EVER; and the bread that I shall give is my flesh, for the life of the world.” (Jn 6:51 NJB)

♥ What is the difference between animals and us if our life does not last forever. There is no use of living this life if it is going to end at the graveyard. St. Augustine says: we become what we eat.

♥ John 6:35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not HUNGER, and he who believes in me shall NEVER THIRST” (Jn 6:35 RSV)

♥ in the Retreat centers some can be in front of the blessed sacrament only by drinking water.

♥ We have HUNGER FOR WEALTH, money: it does not go away. No matter how much we make money, this hunger does not go away.

♥ Some have got the HUNGER FOR LUST. They are married, have husband/wife, have children but the hunger and thirst of this lust does not go away. It makes them restless. But when we begin to rest in front of the Blessed Sacrament he frees us from this.

♥ From today whenever you come to the Eucharistic table, consider it as your most important duty. We prepare a lot for going to PARTY, OFFICE but for SUNDAY MASS prepare much more than that. Teach others as well, teach your children. Some parents PRINT CARD FOR THE FIRST COMMUNION of their children. They are passing a very important message to their children. Teach our young people about the body and blood of Christ.

Second Sunday of Easter: Year A Believing Thomas: Divine Mercy Sunday

Second Sunday of Easter: Year A

Believing Thomas: Divine Mercy Sunday

Entrance Antiphon

♥ The entrance antiphon of today uses phrases: “…You must long for the pure, spiritual, milk, that in him you may grow to salvation (1 Pet 2:2)

♥ The Pure, spiritual milk gives nourishment to the soul and the soul learns to recognize the mercy and love of God, grows into the healthy relationship with God and is able to practice the corporal and spiritual works of Mercy

Collect

♥ Today’s collect uses the phrase: “… God of everlasting Mercy…”

♥ God’s love and mercy is everlasting. He is a just God but his mercy is everlasting. it is so much matching for the divine mercy Sunday.

Acclamation

♥ The acclamation of today says: “Thomas, you have believed because you have seen me. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believed.”

♥ Thomas is also doubly blessed because he has not seen God. Jesus says no one has seen God and yet he believes in the divinity of God in Jesus by saying: “My Lord and my God.”

♥ We don’t call him ‘doubting Thomas’ but we calling him ‘believing Thomas’ because we usually delete the photos that are not well taken. We usually keep the photo that is well taken.

First Reading (Acts: 2:42-47)

♥ First reading gives us the picture of the corporal and spiritual works of mercy because the new converts devoted themselves to

♥ 1) APOSTLES’ TEACHING

♥ 2) to FELLOWSHIP,

♥ 3) to the BREAKING OF THE BREAD,

♥ 4) to PRAYER,

♥ 5) they had EVERYTHING IN COMMON,

♥ 6) SOLD their things and SHARED with the NEEDY,

♥ 7) Attending the TEMPLE TOGETHER [But Thomas was not together with the Group]

♥ The Lord added to their number because they lived a life of FAITH, HOPE, LOVE AND MERCY that is why God added to their number. People were inspired. Does it happen today? If it does not happen that means that we are not living our life as the early Christians.

Responsorial Psalm

♥ “…Give thanks to the Lord for his love [mercy] endures forever.”

♥ The Hebrew word for ‘womb’ (rehem) indicates that it is the basic root for such words as ‘mercy’ and ‘merciful’. Rehem is a masculine word which means ‘compassion’. It refers to belly or womb of an animal/woman where fetus exists and develops (Gn 20:18; 29:31; Is 49:15).

♥ A ‘womb’ that miscarries could be a curse from God but not necessarily (Ho 9:14). This female imagery is employed to express God’s female compassion and feeling. This imagery speaks of a mother who provides for the child in her womb. And yet Israel proves to be stubborn even in the womb. Israelites celebrated God’s mercy by singing the psalms 117 and 135 in their prayer assemblies.

♥ At this moment I am compelled to think about the ABORTIONS that are being carried out in rampant in the world. Through abortion so many innocent lives are destroyed in the womb which is the very place and sanctuary of love and mercy.

 Second Reading

 ♥ Second reading says: “By his GREAT MERCY we have been born a new to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ….”

♥ It speaks about the TEMPORARY TRIALS AND SUFFERINGS and the IMPERISHABLE, UNDEFILED AND UNFADING INHERITANCE. It is possible because God is full of mercy and compassion slow to anger and abounding in love. We don’t deserve them at all.

♥ In contrast to Thomas’ faith, it also speaks about the GENUINENESS OF OUR FAITH that is tested by fire (1 Pet 1:7)

♥ Sirach 2:5 For GOLD IS TESTED in the fire, and those

found acceptable, in the furnace of humiliation.

 (Sir 2:5 NRS)

♥ Our faith journey is a wresting with God like Jacob. We are tried, tested, tempted in every side.

♥ When I look into my own personal life, I see that just before my ordination God gave me a “thorn in the flesh.” (2 Cor 12:7) It is no use of asking God to take it away. He will say “my grace is sufficient for you”. Because of that “thorn in the flesh” I come to understand spiritual realities little better than before. He has given me this to keep me humble. It is given to test my faith by fire so that the genuineness of my faith which is more precious than the gold will be seen.

♥ WITHOUT HAVING SEEN HIM YOU LOVE HIM: though you do not now see him you believe in him and rejoice with unutterable and exalted joy.

♥ The result of our faith is the salvation of our souls.

♥ Entrance antiphon: “…You must long for the pure, spiritual, milk, that in him you may grow to SALVATION (1 Pet 2:2). Pure, spiritual milk will make us grow in faith and win us salvation.

Gospel Reading

♥ …THE DOORS BEING SHUT…” are we also locked behind our sins, ego, own private plan/agenda AFRAID that Jesus’ encounter with us will be not that palatable. That we will be disturbed from our comfort zones. Are we closed up in our comfort zones not willing to go out from there?

♥ …JESUS CAME AND STOOD AMONG THEM…: Jesus can go through our problems, fears and anxieties. Be available to him. Don't be absent from his presence like Thomas.

♥ PEACE and joy are very much part of the Easter season. Do we experience Peace and joy in our daily life (relationship/family/community).

♥ This peace is not as the world gives, it was born from his suffering and struggle and death and resurrection of Jesus.

♥ In fact Jesus gives three times his peace by saying: “Peace be with you”

♥ HE SHOWED THEM HIS HANDS AND SIDE: instead of we trying to touch the wounds of Jesus, Let us allow Jesus to touch our wounds: wounds of lust, pride, indecency, immorality, ego…

♥ THE DISCIPLES WERE GLAD WHEN THEY SAW THE LORD: Seeing the Lord gives us joy. But it is a sad thing to know that there are so many Catholics who do not attend Sunday Mass regularly. How can they have peace and joy in their life because true joy and peace come from seeing the Lord, experiencing the Lord.

♥ AS THE FATHER HAS SENT ME SO I SEND YOU: Jesus is giving to the disciples exactly what the Father gave him with full authority and power.

♥ HE BREATH ON THEM: when I am with the parish community he will breathe on me his spirit.

♥ … IF YOU FORGIVE THE SINS OF ANY, THEY ARE FORGIVEN: Jesus gives them the power to forgive sins. Confessional is the place where we experience God’s mercy in a very tangible manner. It is a beautiful coincidence that Jesus gives the disciples the power to forgive sins on the divine mercy Sunday.

♥ THOMAS THE TWIN: Who is the other twin? It is I and you. Every time we don’t believe in the love and mercy of God we become the twins of Thomas.

♥ THOMAS WAS NOT WITH THEM: Thomas was looking for Jesus INDIVIDUALLY but God revealed to the COMMUNITY of disciples. It is easier to discover Jesus in a community than to discover him individually. How is my community life?

 ♥ WE HAVE SEEN THE LORD: The saying goes: “seeing is believing.” Faith is assurance of things hoped for and conviction of things not seen. How do you see the Lord today. We see him in others (1 John4:20). Mother Teresa saw Jesus in the poorest of the poor, the abandoned.

♥ UNLESS I SEE IN HIS HANDS THE PRINT OF THE NAILS: the resurrection was an extraordinary reality and so Thomas was looking for an extraordinary proof.

♥ THOMAS WAS WITH THEM: Thomas was with the community of disciples and Jesus revealed himself to Thomas.

♥ MY LORD AND MY GOD: It is like St. Augustine who said: “Too late have I known you Lord. Finally Thomas has managed to TOUCH THE FINGER OF GOD as in the picture of Adam and God the father trying to touch and live.

♥ BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO HAVE NOT SEEN AND YET BELIEVE: how many of us seek signs, vision, prophecies and miracles in our life?

♥ To believe is to have life in him.

♥ Divine Mercy prayer says: Jesus I Trust in you. We need to trust in Jesus. “JESUS I TRUST IN YOU” is equal to “MY LORD AND MY GOD”

 ♥ Jesus said: “DO THIS IN MEMORY OF ME” means that we also need to SHOW MERCY to others just as Jesus did on Calvary through his Paschal Mystery. The Cross is the culmination of Jesus’ mercy, love and humility.

♥ We need to be the MERCIFUL FACES OF THE FATHER here on earth.

♥ John Paul II visited 129 countries because he wanted all people to know that God loves them, no matter what is their culture or language. Thus, He became the Merciful face of the father specially by forgiving the young man Mehmet Ali Agca, the pope’s attempted assassin.

♥ Every priest has been touched by the wounds of Christ and he in turns touches the wounds of others in a healing way. Pope Francis said that: “God looked at me with mercy and chose me.” All Christians faithful are Baptitized priests. We belong to the royal priesthood of Christ. We need to touch the wounds of others in a healing way.

♥ MESSAGE of Divine Mercy Sunday: “ABC” stands for: Ask for mercy, Be merciful to others, completely Trust Jesus.

♥ SPREAD DEVOTION to DIVINE MERCY Through “FINCH” Stands for: Feast of DM, Image of DM, Novena to DM, Chaplet of DM, Hour of DM.

“…IN THE NAME OF JESUS” AND “…CHRIST SHOULD SUFFER”

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“…IN THE NAME OF JESUS” AND “…CHRIST SHOULD SUFFER”

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IN THE NAME OF JESUS

♥ All the readings of today speak about the ‘Name of Jesus’. The RESPONSORIAL PSALM says “How great is your name, O Lord.” The COLLECT of today also speaks about ‘confessing the name of Jesus’.

♥ In Palin (Miching, Lendigai, and Chambang area), I was asked few questions that helped me to meditate on the Word of God of today. Their questions were:

1. Should there vision, prophesy and miracle in the Catholic church? (It is because they see it in the revival church)

2. How is that people are cured from their sickness, pain and suffering when the revivals and people of other denominations pray but the same does not happen when a catholic priest prays.

♥ It is true like any other human beings; people of Arunachal Pradesh are also facing sicknesses, pain and suffering. There is no doubt about it.

♥ It is the NAME OF JESUS that makes all the difference. It is He who should get the merit and not the catholic or the revival who prays to Jesus. It is very clear in the readings of today. By this I am not telling that the Catholics and the revivals are same.

♥ I told them that the visions, prophesy and miracles should not be forced upon. If God gives it is well and good. If he does not give it is also okay. Jesus scolded the Pharisees who were looking only for signs and miracles. He even scolded Thomas who wanted to put his finger in the holes made by the nails. God performs miracles, gives us vision when our faith becomes weak. We cannot control the Spirit for it blows wherever it wills. It can give gifts to anybody. Different gifts are given to different people. There is no doubt about it.

♥ In the first reading, Peter is telling the people of Israel that it is not because of their POWER or because of their HOLINESS that the man is cured but by the faith in the name of Jesus. (Acts 3:12-16)

♥ I would like to quote some passages that speak about the “NAME OF JESUS”

♥ Act 4:12 RSV “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is NO OTHER NAME under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Act 4:12 RSV).

♥Philippians 2:9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, ¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Phi 2:9-11 RSV)

♥ John 14:13 Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son; ¹⁴ if you ask anything in my name, I will do it. (Jn 14:13-14 RSV)

♥ Luke 10:17 The seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!" (Lk 10:17 RSV)

♥ Romans 10:13 For, "every one who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved." (Rom 10:13 RSV)

♥ Mark 16:17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; (Mar 16:17 RSV)

♥ Acts 3:6 But Peter said, "I have no silver and gold, but I give you what I have; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." (Act 3:6 RSV)

♥ Mark 9:38 John said to him, "Teacher, we saw a man casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him, because he was not following us." (Mk 9:38 RSV)

♥ So many songs/bhajans are composed on the name of Jesus, sacraments are administered in the name of Jesus. Joseph Mario says that when he took the name of Jesus a kind of ELECTRIC CURRENT passed through his body and he who was almost dead was able to run from his father and save himself. And today he is a great preacher; preaching in the name of Jesus. One of the prayers that I learned during my first communion is: “Thank you Jesus, praise you Jesus” I still use this prayer. It is so beautiful

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“ …JESUS WOULD SUFFER…”

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♥ The second part of my reflection is on suffering–Suffering of Jesus and our suffering.

♥ We all have suffering in our life.

♥ Buddha was disturbed with this reality. We are all disturbed with it. People of Arunachal Pradesh are disturbed with this reality.

♥ I am quite convinced that God gives us suffering with a purpose. He did not spare his own beloved son in this regard.

♥ Matthew 26:39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt” (Mt 26:39 RSV). Jesus had to drink it (Cross). We are quite fresh with this reality of Jesus suffering after the Lenten season.

♥ Matthew 16:23 When Peter told Jesus that he should not suffer he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me; for you are not on the side of God, but of men” (Mt 16:23 RSV).

♥ 2 Samuel 16:10 But the king said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the LORD has said to him, ‘Curse David,’ who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’” (2Sa 16:10 RSV)

♥ 2 Corinthians 12:7 And to keep me from being too elated by the abundance of revelations, a THORN was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to harass me, to keep me from being too elated. ⁸ Three times I besought the Lord about this that it should leave me; ⁹ but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (2Cor 12:7 RSV)

♥ God is ever close to those who suffer. He said that when you have fed the hungry you have fed me (Mt 25:35). Jesus is in the hungry, in those who suffer.

♥ Exodus 3:7 Then the LORD said, “I have seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters; I know their sufferings” (Ex 3:7 RSV).

♥ Job 2: 7-10  So Satan left the presence of Yahweh. He struck Job down with malignant ulcers from the sole of his foot to the top of his head. ⁸ Job took a piece of pot to scrape himself, and went and sat among the ashes.⁹ Then his wife said to him, “Why persist in this integrity of yours? Curse God and die.” ¹⁰ “That is how a fool of a woman talks,” Job replied. “If we take happiness from God's hand, must we not take sorrow too?” And in all this misfortune Job uttered no sinful word (Job 2:7-10 NJB).

♥ Being thrown to the Lions to be eaten, IGNATIUS OF ANTIOCH said: “I will become worthy bread in the sight of God.”

♥ Jesus is telling us today: Take up your daily cross and follow me.

♥ Moments of suffering, are moments of grace. May our daily suffering bring us closer to God and to one another.

♥ SICKNESS: It is a moment of grace for the parents. They get a chance to work out together (husband and wife); they get a chance to love the child/ member they could not do so. It is also a time for the child to experience that the parents really love him/her. It is also a moment of grace for the entire Christian community of a particular village. They get a chance to come together to pray for that sick member. Contribute financial help and so on and so forth.