Catholic

by

Monday, 1 April 2013 : Monday of the Easter Octave (Gospel Reading)

Matthew 28 : 8-15

The women left the tomb at once in fear, yet with great joy, and they ran to tell the news to Jesus’ disciples. Suddenly, He met them on the way and said, “Rejoice!” The women approached Him, embraced His feet and worshiped Him. But Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid! Go and tell My brothers to set out for Galilee; there they will see Me.”

While the women were on their way, the guards returned to the city, and some of them reported to the chief priests all that had happened. The chief priests met with the elders, and decided to give the soldiers a large sum of money, with this instruction, “Say that His disciples came by night while you were asleep, and stole the body of Jesus. If Pilate comes to know of this, we will explain the situation and keep you out of trouble.”

The soldiers accepted the money and did as they were told. This story has circulated among the Jews until this day.

by

Monday, 1 April 2013 : Monday of the Easter Octave (Psalm)

Psalm 15 : 1-2a and 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11

Keep me safe, o God, for in You I take refuge. I say to the Lord, “O Lord, my inheritance and my cup, my chosen portion – hold secure my lot.”

I bless the Lord who counsels me; even at night my inmost self instructs me. I keep the Lord always before me; for with Him at my right hand, I will never be shaken.

My heart, therefore, exults, my soul rejoices; my body too will rest assured. For You will not abandon my soul to the grave, nor will You suffer Your Holy One to see decay in the land of the dead.

You will show me the path of life, in Your presence the fullness of joy, at Your right hand happiness forever.

by

Monday, 1 April 2013 : Monday of the Easter Octave (First Reading)

Acts 2 : 14, 22-33

Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, and, with a loud voice, addressed them, “Fellow Jews and all foreigners now staying in Jerusalem, listen to what I have to say. Fellow Israelites, listen to what I am going to tell you about Jesus of Nazareth. God accredited Him and through Him did powerful deeds and wonders and signs in your midst, as you well know.”

“You delivered Him to sinners to be crucified and killed, and in this way the purpose of God from all times was fulfilled. But God raised Him to life and released Him from the pain of death, because it was impossible for Him to be held in the power of death. David spoke of Him when he said: ‘I saw the Lord before Me at all times; He is by My side, that I may not be shaken. Therefore My heart was glad and My tongue rejoiced; My body too will live in hope.'”

“‘Because You will not forsake Me in the abode of the dead, nor allow Your Holy One to experience corruption. You have made known to Me the paths of life, and Your presence will fill Me with joy.'” Friends, I don’t need to prove that the patriarch David died and was buried; his tomb is with us to this day. But he knew that God had sworn to him that one of his descendants would sit upon his throne and, as he was a prophet, he foresaw and spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah.

So he said that ‘He would not be left in the region of the dead, nor would His body experience corruption.’ This Messiah is Jesus and we are all witnesses that God raised Him to life. He has been exalted at God’s right side and the Father has entrusted the Holy Spirit to Him; this Spirit He has just poured upon us as you now see and hear.

by

Eighth Anniversary of the death of Blessed Pope John Paul II the Great

Blessed Pope John Paul II, also called the Great, passed away in Rome at the Apostolic Palace, on 2 April 2005 at 9.37 pm Rome time (21.37) or 9.37 pm UTC+1.

It has been 8 years since his passing, and therefore let us join in the moment of prayer, in our own homes and at the time of his passing wherever we are. Pray for his Canonisation as a Saint, and most importantly, pray for our Catholic Church and all of God’s beloved people.

by

(Easter Sunday) Sunday, 31 March 2013 : Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, Holy Week, Easter Octave (Scripture Reflection)

Alleluia! The Lord is Risen! He had conquered death through His glorious Resurrection, and victory over death. He triumphed over Satan, who had tried to end His mission on this world by condemning Him to death through the people and crucifying Him, but all to no avail. Satan failed to realise that in crucifixion lay the very key to our redemption by Christ, who became our Paschal Lamb, through whom we are made whole and worthy of God.

Yes, just as the lamb was sacrificed and the blood marked the doorposts of the people of Israel in Egypt, Christ had shed His blood on the cross, and this blood marked all of us as His chosen people, whom He would protect against certain death, and bring into life in Him. For the blood marked the people of Israel apart from their Egyptian masters, so that the angel of the Lord passed over them when they killed the firstborn sons of the Egyptians, animals and humans alike.

Therefore, in Christ, lie our new Christian Passover, for all of us deserved death for our sins and our sinful ways, and through the rebellion of our forefathers, since the days of Adam and Eve, who disobeyed the Lord and ate the fruits of the tree of knowledge. But although we deserved death, God loves us so much that, He could not bear us to face death and separation from Him.

That is why, God sent His only Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who became man like us, and was born in the flesh through Mary, His mother. He is the Lamb of God, that became the Paschal Lamb, that is the lamb of sacrifice for our sins, but not like any other lamb. Being divine, and yet lowering Himself as a human, He alone is worthy to redeem all mankind from their sins. His Precious Blood that flowed down from the cross washed down evil and sin in those who believed in Him, and who has faith in Him and believe in His Resurrection.

Let us firmly reject Satan and his lies, and reject his temptations on us with worldly goods and desires, just as our Lord rejected his approaches in the desert. Remain true to our mission just as Christ was obedient unto death on the cross. That through our faith we will be rewarded with resurrection into life just as Christ was resurrected. Let us renew our commitment to serve the people of God and make the Holy Spirit that God had given us through baptism and confirmation to bear much fruit in both ourselves and in our fellow men.

Let us strive to become truly the people of God in this blessed Easter season. Let us make full use of this season of Easter, both in our great joy in the resurrection of our Lord, and as well as to share this joy that we have, with others around us, that they too will learn of the great joy of all Christians, that is the Lord crucified had been risen from the dead, and through that resurrection, all of us are saved, and had our life restored to us.

Therefore, dear brothers and sisters in Christ, let us keep on praying that God will continue to bless us everyday of our lives, and may He guide us as we embark on the new year after this Easter season, that from today onwards till the next year when we celebrate Easter again, we can make this year a truly fruitful and blessed year. Also in the spirit of the Year of the Faith, let us also strive to strengthen our faith in the remaining half a year of the celebration of this Holy Year.

I wish everyone a happy and blessed Easter, and may the Risen Christ our Lord shine His face upon all of you, to share in the glory of His Resurrection. Amen!

by

25,000 views. Another milestone had been passed on Holy Thursday. Praise to God and pray for me

My blog has received its 25,000th view on this past Holy Thursday. Since I had been very busy during the Easter Triduum, I had not been able to update this blog with this news earlier. Nevertheless, I thank God who has guided me all these while, and allowing me to persevere, and still be able to update my blog as best as I can, despite my busy Holy Week schedule.

Pray for me, dear brothers and sisters in Christ, and pray for our Holy Catholic Church!

 

Statistics (As of Sunday, 31 March 2013 at 4.32 pm Singapore time)

Total view : 27,170

Total visitors : 17,377

Days since beginning : 74

 

View Statistics by Country (Total listed : 26,697)

1. United States of America : 11,726

2. Singapore : 3,736

3. United Kingdom : 1,790

4. Canada : 1,357

5. Philippines : 1,271

6. Italy : 773

7. Australia : 543

8. Germany : 425

9. Poland : 307

10. Ireland : 295

11. France : 278

12. India : 253

13. Malaysia : 238

14. Netherlands : 231

15. Indonesia : 173

16. Belgium : 164

17. Hungary : 142

18. Brazil : 127

19. Austria : 119

20. Portugal : 115

21. Mexico : 115

22. Spain : 112

23. Switzerland : 108

24. Hong Kong : 100

25. New Zealand : 91

26. Sweden : 91

27. Croatia : 77

28. Finland : 76

29. South Africa : 73

30. Nigeria : 72

31. United Arab Emirates : 67

32. Slovakia : 65

33. Saudi Arabia : 65

34. Thailand : 64

35. Malta : 62

36. Japan : 61

37. Czech Republic : 61

38. Romania : 59

39. Norway : 57

40. Greece : 53

41. Russia : 51

42. Argentina : 47

43. Taiwan : 42

44. Vietnam : 41

45. Botswana : 38

46. Lithuania : 36

47. Puerto Rico : 36

48. Sri Lanka : 34

49. Colombia : 32

50. South Korea : 32

51. Lebanon : 27

52. Denmark : 27

53. Slovenia : 27

54. Trinidad and Tobago : 26

55. Israel : 25

56. Vatican City : 23

57. Ghana : 23

58. Mauritius : 21

59. Egypt : 19

60. Uganda : 19

61. Tanzania : 17

62. Costa Rica : 16

63. Bosnia and Herzegovina : 16

64. Kenya : 15

65. Latvia : 14

66. Senegal : 14

67. Cyprus : 13

68. Bulgaria : 12

69. Ukraine : 12

70. Guam (USA) : 12

71. Serbia : 12

72. Kuwait : 11

73. Dominican Republic : 11

74. Guatemala : 11

75. Luxembourg : 10

76. Brunei Darussalam : 10

77. Chile : 10

78. Cameroon : 10

79. Pakistan : 10

80. Panama : 10

81. Venezuela : 10

82. El Salvador : 9

83. Cambodia : 9

84. Jamaica : 9

85. Jordan : 9

86. Zimbabwe : 8

87. Belarus : 8

88. Qatar : 8

89. Turkey : 8

90. Rwanda : 8

91. Bolivia : 8

92. Bahamas : 8

93. Bangladesh : 7

94. Djibouti : 7

95. Namibia : 7

96. Gibraltar (UK) : 6

97. Nepal : 6

98. Moldova : 5

99. Peru : 5

100. Estonia : 5

101. Macau : 4

102. Northern Mariana Islands (USA) : 4

103. Nicaragua : 4

104. Albania : 3

105. Honduras : 3

106. Laos : 3

107. Ecuador : 3

108. Lesotho : 3

109. Ivory Coast : 3

110. Cayman Islands (UK) : 3

111. Haiti : 2

112. Fiji : 2

113. Mozambique : 2

114. Marshall Islands : 2

115. Sierra Leone : 2

116. Uruguay : 2

117. Bermuda (UK) : 2

118. Grenada : 2

119. Zambia : 2

120. Papua New Guinea : 2

121. Timor-Leste : 2

122. Martinique (France) : 2

123. Monaco : 2

124. Oman : 2

125. Turk and Caicos Islands (UK) : 2

126. Ethiopia : 2

127. Saint Lucia : 1

128. Guernsey (UK) : 1

129. Togo : 1

130. Iraq : 1

131. Belize : 1

132. Swaziland : 1

133. Iran : 1

134. Armenia : 1

135. French Polynesia (France) : 1

136. Dominica : 1

137. Greenland (Denmark) : 1

138. Macedonia : 1

139. Montenegro : 1

140. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines : 1

141. Libya : 1

142. Uzbekistan : 1

143. Isle of Man (UK) : 1

144. Paraguay : 1

by

(Easter Sunday) Sunday, 31 March 2013 : Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, Holy Week, Easter Octave (Gospel Reading)

John 20 : 1-9

Now, on the first day after the Sabbath, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning while it was still dark, and she saw that the stone blocking the tomb had been moved away. She ran to Peter, and the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and she said to them, “They have taken our Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have laid Him.”

Peter then set out with the other disciple to go to the tomb. They ran together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down and saw the linen cloths lying flat, but he did not enter.

Then Simon Peter came, following him, and entered the tomb; he, too saw the linen cloths lying flat. The napkin, which had been around His head, was not lying flat like the other linen cloths, but lay rolled up in its place.

Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in; he saw and believed. Scripture clearly said that He must rise from the dead, but they had not yet understood that.

Alternative reading

 

Luke 24 : 1-12

On the Sabbath the women rested according to the commandment, but the first day of the week, at dawn, they went to the tomb with the perfumes and ointments they had prepared. Seeing the stone rolled away from the opening of the tomb, they entered, and were amazed to find that the body of the Lord Jesus was not there.

As they stood there wondering about this, two men in dazzling garments suddenly appeared beside them. In fright the women bowed to the ground. But the men said, “Why look for the living among the dead? You won’t find Him here. He is risen. Remember what He told you in Galilee, that the Son of Man had to be given into the hands of sinners, to be crucified, and to rise on the third day.” And they remembered Jesus’ words.

Returning from the tomb, they told the Eleven and all the others about these things. Among the women, who brought the news, were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James. But however much they insisted, those who heard did not believe the seemingly nonsensical story.

Then Peter got up and ran to the tomb. All he saw, when he bent down and looked into the tomb, were the linen cloths, laid by themselves. He went home wondering.

by

(Easter Sunday) Sunday, 31 March 2013 : Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, Holy Week, Easter Octave (Second Reading)

Colossians 3 : 1-4

So then, if you are risen with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things that are above, not on earthly things.

For you have died and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, reveals Himself, you also will be revealed with Him in Glory.

 

Alternative reading


1 Corinthians 5 : 6b-8

Do you not know that a little yeast makes the whole mass of dough rise? Throw out, then, the old yeast and be new dough. If Christ became our Passover, you should be unleavened bread.

Let us celebrate, therefore, the Passover, no longer with old yeast, which is sin and perversity; let us have unleavened bread, that is purity and sincerity.

by

(Easter Sunday) Sunday, 31 March 2013 : Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, Holy Week, Easter Octave (Psalm)

Psalm 117 : 1-2, 16ab-17, 22-23

Alleluia! Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, His loving kindness endures forever. Let Israel say, “His loving kindness endures forever.”

The right hand of the Lord is lifted high, the right hand of the Lord strikes mightily! I shall not die, but live to proclaim what the Lord has done.

The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing and we marvel at it.

by

(Easter Sunday) Sunday, 31 March 2013 : Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, Holy Week, Easter Octave (First Reading)

Acts 10 : 34a, 37-43

Peter then spoke to them, “No doubt you have heard of the event that occured throughout the whole country of the Jews, beginning from Galilee, after the baptism John preached. You know how God anointed Jesus the Nazarean with Holy Spirit and power.

He went about doing good and healing all who were under the devil’s power, because God was with Him; we are witnesses of all that He did throughout the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem itself. Yet they put Him to death by hanging Him on a wooden cross.

But God raised Him to life on the third day and let Him manifest Himself, not to all the people, but to the witnesses that were chosen beforehand by God – to us who ate and drank with Him after His resurrection from death. And He commanded us to preach to the people and to bear witness that He is the One appointed by God to judge the living and the dead.

All the prophets say of Him, that everyone who believes in Him has forgiveness of sins through His Name.