From a Communitarian faith to a Personal Experience of Jesus
Today, as we conclude the octave of Easter – eight day celebration of this great feast – the Gospel passage of today concludes the series of events that we heard read on the morning of Easter, eight days ago. John 20: 1-10 was the Gospel of the liturgy of the Easter morning. It narrated to us how Mary Magdalene went to the tomb, found it empty and came to tell the apostles. On hearing this Peter and the Beloved disciple ran to the tomb, they saw the empty tomb and the linen; and the Beloved Disciple believed in the resurrection. The following section of the gospel of John (20:11-18), the one about Jesus’ appearance to Mary Magdalene was read during liturgy on Tuesday. Today we heard read the remaining sections of […]
Easter
Easter Homily: an Event or an Experience
The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia! Alleluia!
‘Alleluia’ is one expression that we hear so often during Easter. And when we hear a Catholic shouting out ‘Alleluia’ we think, they have become a Pentacostal. What does ‘alleluia’ mean? It simply means, ‘Praise the Lord’! But this praise is also filled with thanksgiving, joy and triumph. Several psalms begin and end with this expression. This is one of those expressions that has come to be used in Christian tradition in its original Hebrew expression, like ‘Amen’ and ‘Hosanna’. ‘Alleluia’ is an apt expression in the context of what we celebrate during Easter – it is simply to praise the lord for his triumph over death.
The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia! Alleluia!
The celebration of Resurrection is the first feast that early Christians ever celebrated. In fact it was such a powerful event that […]
3rd Sunday of Easter Sermon – Cycle B Homily
3rd Sunday of Easter – Year B
Peace be with you
One sentence that we hear repeated so often in the Eastertide is, “Peace be with you.” Every time Jesus appears to his apostles he greets them, “Shalom aleichem!”
Earlier, in the course of his farewell address to his apostles before his passion and death, Jesus had told them not to let their hearts be troubled at his going away: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you’; but he added ‘not as the world gives do I give to you” (Jn. 14:27). Again, he says to them, “I have said this to you so that you may have peace” (Jn. 16:33). In the gospel text of today, he says yet again, “Peace be with you” (Lk 24:36).
‘Peace’ is a word […]
Video: The experience of the Resurrection
The Resurrection – A meditation
I imagine that I am a seed:
a corn, or a bean, or a grain of paddy (rice).
I am buried beneath the soft soil.
I zoom-in to see a magnified image of myself under the soil.
I am surrounded by the grains of sand – the lid of the tomb.
I am embraced by Mother Earth.
It is dark.
It is quiet.
There is some moisture and plenty of warmth.
The seed is apparently dead, at least for now.
Yet, there is so much fecundity around.
Suddenly…
I see in slow motion how the seed begins to swell.
It sheds itself of its coat.
The cotyledons effortlessly split.
And gently from the core of the seed there is a movement of life.
New life.
A tender root germinates as if the seed wants to stand on its feet.
Then the seed rests to gather renewed strength.
Gradually a determined shoot springs up pushing aside the grains of […]