Apr 5, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Easter Saturday
Gospel – Mark 16:9-15
“‘Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation”. Resurrection is not just a spectacle. It’s the beginning of the mission. It’s the beginning of the mission of the Church. Before the reality of resurrection, you can doubt, or you can believe. If you believe you have to pass to the next phase which is the mission to preach. The mission which arises from the encounter with the Risen Christ. This area of the mission is the entire world. And the object of mission is to proclaim the Good News. The subject of this mission is the entire creation. The entire world and the entire creation is before us who has encountered Jesus Risen to preach the Good News. The Good News is that the love of God is above all things. Nothing can be stronger than this love. This love is even stronger than death. That’s why this is the Good News because nothing can change it to bad news. Let’s reflect: Easter is recognizing the mission which evolves from our encounter with the Risen Christ.
Apr 4, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Easter Friday
Gospel – John 21:1-14
“At these words ‘It is the Lord’, Simon Peter, who had practically nothing on, wrapped his cloak round him and jumped into the water”. The moment Simon Peter hears that “It’s the Lord”, he jumped into the water. This is the kind of relationship which comes out of the heart in faith. This is not only a faith in Jesus Christ who is Risen but also a faith in the word of his brother John. This is double trust: The trust in the Lord who is Risen. It’s also trust in John who can testify the presence of Jesus. There are no more calculations or logical thinking. There is just the wish to reach to Jesus. He jumped into the water. The faith in Jesus Christ Risen is about the relationship of trust. It’s just trust, and action based on that trust. No mor questions or answers. Act according to the trust of your heart. Trust in the love of Jesus Christ to be present in our life and trust in the testimony of my brothers and sisters. Let’s reflect: Easter is the trust in the love of Jesus Christ to be present in our life and trust in the testimony of my brothers and sisters.
Apr 3, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Easter Thursday
Gospel – Luke 24:35-48
“Touch me and see for yourselves”. The resurrection of Christ is not a myth. It’s reality. It is a fact. Resurrection is not Jesus turning into a ghost. Resurrection is Jesus gaining victory over death which is the punishment of sin. It’s the victory over death. In Jesus, death becomes a transformation into a different form of existence. It’s transformation of earthly life into eternal life. In Jesus who is eternal, the entire humanity become eternal. There are popular beliefs that after death one becomes ghost. But the resurrection of Jesus is not Jesus becoming Ghost. Jesus continues to exist as the same person. That is why He is showing his hands and feet. The Apostles saw Him, and they believed Him. Then they offered Him a piece of grilled fish, which he took and ate before their eyes. This means, He is the same Jesus who can be present in the daily normal life of the disciples. Let’s reflect: Easter is accepting the fact that the resurrection of Jesus transformed the death as a transition and not an end.
Apr 2, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Easter Wednesday
Gospel – Luke 24:13-35
“Jesus himself came up and walked by their side”. These two disciples were walking away from Jerusalem. They were disappointed. They were in despair. The had great hopes about the things that they thought are going to happen. But everything changed with the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Their confusion increased with the testimony of the women. With all these despair and confusion, they decided to leave their place of hope, Jerusalem. They are walking away from Jerusalem, and we read, “Jesus himself came up and walked by their side”. Jesus came up to them and walked by their side. The Risen Christ is the God who comes up to us when we are walking away from faith and from hope. He comes up to us and walk by our side. Listen to whatever we want to say. Then He explains the plan of God for us. So, Risen Christ is not someone way, but He is the one who walks by our side when we walk away from Jerusalem. Let’s reflect: Easter is the faith in the Risen Christ who walks at my side when I am walking away from faith and hope.
Apr 2, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Easter Tuesday
Gospel – John 20:11-18
“But go and find the brothers, and tell them: I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God”. This is the joy of Easter. Jesus is Risen and He shares His life with us. His Father is now our Father. He is sharing his sonship with us. We become sons and daughters in the life of Jesus Christ. This life of Christ Risen is what we get in our baptism. This is the grace which we get in all sacraments. This is very symbolic also how Jesus is appearing to Mary of Magdala. She was weeping and Jesus went to console her with the truth of Resurrection. Whenever we are crying because we don’t find light, Jesus comes into our life with the truth of Resurrection. He shares His life with us. The only task for us to share this good news with others. We must find our brothers and share this experience of our encounter with Jesus. Let’s reflect: Easter is understanding that Father of Jesus is also our Father.
Apr 1, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Easter Monday
Gospel – Matthew 28:8-15
“Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers that they must leave for Galilee; they will see me there”. This is the message of Easter. We must tell others. We must give testimony. Those who are witness are called to testify. Each believer in Christ is called to testify for the joy which he or she finds in the faith in Jesus Christ. Our belief in Jesus Christ is a belief which calls to testify the joy which we find in Jesus Christ. The reason of our joy is the hope in Jesus Christ. Those who want to change that can try spreading the lie, but it will not last. The effect of the truth of Risen Christ will keep spreading all over the world. Let’s reflect: How far the truth of Jesus’ resurrection is affecting my life?
