Tuesday 25 April
Saint Mark, Evangelist - Feast First reading - 1 Peter 5:5-14 “All wrap yourselves in humility to be servants of each other, because God refuses the proud and will always favour the humble.” This is a phrase in the Bible which summarizes many doctrines. This is a phrase which summarizes the concept of community life or family life. This is a phrase which makes our life heavenly on earth. First of all, it’s not about one person, it is about all, “All wrap yourselves”. Then it is not something others do to you, “All wrap yourselves”. It is about a personal decision. It is decision to wrap me myself in humility. To wrap up ourselves in humility. And the goal of this wrapping up is only one thing: to be servants of each other. It is not a humility to show up. It’s not a humility to retreat or to give up. It’s an active humility. It’s the humility to be servants of each other. And the motive to be humble is that God likes the humble. So, it is about knowing the heart of God and desiring to be like that. It’s about being to be what God wants. Let’s reflect: Am I wrapping myself in humility to be a servant of the other?
Monday 24 April
Monday of the 3rd week of Eastertide Saint Fidelis of Sigmaringen, Priest, Martyr First reading - Acts 6:8-15 “Stephen was filled with grace and power and began to work miracles and great signs among the people”. When you are filled with grace and power, you can begin to work miracle and great signs. We must be filled with grace and power. Grace of God which comes from the salvation achieved by the blood of Christ. And power which comes from the heart which is open to the Holy Spirit. Both Grace and power are necessary for the mission. Grace from the blood of Christ and power from the presence of the Holy Spirit. The grace and power make us miracles. The grace and power make us signs. Miracles of the grace and power of God. Signs of the grace and power of God. Let’s reflect: How much I am imbibing the grace of the blood of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit?
Sunday 23 April
3rd Sunday of Easter First reading - Acts 2:14,22-33 Today we read the speech of Peter. This transformation in Peter is the testimony of the arrival of Holy Spirit. This is the proof of Resurrection itself. The personal change in the person of Peter is the proof of the Risen Christ. This personal change in the person of Peter comes from his experience of the experience of Jesus. The relationship of Jesus Christ with His Father is the focal point of resurrection. The love of God the Father will give the Son the power to overcome the power of death. This love of God the Father experienced by the Son, Jesus Christ, is witnessed by Peter and other disciples. And based on this Peter and other disciples are basing their faith in the same God the Father who has promised the Spirit. “God raised this man Jesus to life, and all of us are witnesses to that. Now raised to the heights by God’s right hand, he has received from the Father the Holy Spirit, who was promised, and what you see and hear is the outpouring of that Spirit”. Our personal transformation is the best witness to the miracle of Resurrection. Our personal transformation is the best testimony of the Holy Spirit. Let’s reflect: How much my life is testifying the resurrection of Christ?