I have risen. And now I am with you always.

"I have risen, and I am with you still, alleluia.
You have laid your hand upon me, alleluia." (Psalm 138: 18, 5 - 6).

Today is Easter Sunday! The Day of Easter joy. "This is the morning on which the Lord appeared to men who had begun to lose hope and opened their eyes to what the Scriptures foretold: that first He must die, and then He would rise and ascend into His Father's glorious presence."

On this day, Jesus conquered death and unlocked for us the path to everlasting life.

Happy Easter to you all.

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This is our Passover Feast.

“God raised up Jesus, freeing him from the pains of death” (Acts 2:24).

My brothers and sisters, we celebrate tonight the Great Easter Vigil. The Church allover the world will be trembling with excitement and joy when the great Easter Proclamation (Exsultet) rings out. I want to offer for our reflection some key truths from the Easter Proclamation:

#1 "This is our Passover feast, when Christ, the true lamb is slain, whose blood consecrates the homes of all believers."

#2 "What good would life have been to us if Christ had not come as our Redeemer?"

#3 "The power of this holy night dispels all evil, washes guilt away, restores lost innocence, brings mourners joy; it casts out hatred, brings us peace and humbles earthly pride."

#4 "Therefore heavenly Father, in the joy of this night, receive our evening sacrifice of praise, your Church's offering."

#5 "May the Morning Star which never sets find this flame still burning:
Christ, that Morning Star, who came back from the dead, and shed his peaceful light on all mankind, your Son who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen."

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Good Friday of the Lord's Passion.

"But he was pierced for our sins,
crushed for our iniquity.
He bore the punishment that makes us whole, by his wounds we were healed." (Isaiah 52: 5).

We celebrate today GOOD FRIDAY of the Lord's Passion.

We adore You O Christ and worship You. Because of Your holy Cross, You have redeemed the world.

One Savior: Jesus.
One means of salvation: Cross.
No Cross. No Salvation.

Did you experience greater clarity and understanding about the Cross? Or what it means in your life during Lent 2019?

"Glory and praise to you, O Christ!
Christ was humbler yet, even to accepting death, death on a cross.
But God raised him high and gave him the name which is above all names.
Glory and praise to you, O Christ!" (Philippians 2: 8 - 9).

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Holy Thursday, Memorial of the Institution of the Eucharist.

“This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”  For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes." (1 Corinthians 11: 25 - 26).

Until He comes.....

The Church celebrates today the memorial of the institution of the Eucharist, the Mass of the Lord's Supper. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, "By celebrating the Last Supper with his apostles in the course of the Passover meal, Jesus gave the Jewish Passover its definitive meaning. Jesus' passing over to his father by his death and Resurrection, the new Passover, is anticipated in the Supper and celebrated in the Eucharist, which fulfills the Jewish Passover and anticipates the final Passover of the Church in the glory of the kingdom." (CCC 1340).

"Grant, almighty God,
that, just as we are renewed
by the Supper of your Son in this present age,so we may enjoy his banquet for all eternity.
Who lives and reigns for ever and ever." (Prayer after Communion).

"Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus!
I give you a new commandment:
love one another just as I have loved you, says the Lord.
Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus!" (John 13: 34).

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Accept your cross.

"At the name of Jesus, every knee should bend of those in heaven and on the earth and under the earth,
for the Lord became obedient to death, death on a cross: therefore Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Cf. Philippians 2: 10, 8, 11).

It is the will of Abba Father that Jesus the Christ embrace the Cross for our salvation. The human race has One and Only One Savior: Jesus the Christ. There is Only One Means of salvation: The Cross. Make no mistake about it: The Cross is the Only Means of defeating and crushing evil in the world.

The power of the Cross is incalculable. Are you prepared to accept God's will in your life? This may be your greatest cross.
Accept your cross and obtain your crown. Accept your thorns and receive your triumphs.
Accept God’s plan for your life and be happy and enjoy the Christian revolution.

After Lent 2019, our greatest triumph should be:
"I have set my face like flint,
knowing that I shall not be put to shame." (Isaiah 50: 7). And to say:
"See, the Lord God is my help; who will declare me guilty?" (Isaiah 50: 9). Be firmly resolved to follow Jesus on the path of holiness.

Let us sprint with great confidence to the mercy and goodness of the Lord as we end Lent 2019.

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The Week of betrayal, denials and treachery.

"Do not leave me to the will of my foes, O Lord, for false witnesses rise up against me and they breathe out violence." (Cf Psalm 27: 12).

Tuesday in Holy Week 2019. Theme of betrayal, denials and treachery. Jesus is not a stranger to this experience. This became the experience of Peter and Paul and all the saints. It is the constant experience of the Church. If you are diligently following Christ, you will experience betrayal, denials and treachery.

"God did not spare his own Son,
but handed him over for us all." (Romans 8: 32).

God did not spare His own Son Jesus so that we shall have eternal life. God did not spare Peter, Paul, Popes, Mother St Teresa, Mother Angelica, Martin Luther King, etc.

We have one Savior: Jesus.
One means of salvation: Cross.

"Glory and praise to you, O Christ!
Hail to you, our King!
Obedient to the Father, you were led to your crucifixion as a meek lamb is led to the slaughter.
Glory and praise to you, O Christ!" (Gospel Acclamation).

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Give to the Poor what belongs to the Poor.

"You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me. [Jesus] ”  (John 12: 8).

We are now in Monday in Holy Week 2019. The Gospel is from the 12th chapter of St John where Judas, the keeper of the purse for the group of apostles opined:
 “Why was this oil not sold for three hundred days’ wages and given to the poor?” (John 12: 5). Judas was scandalized that Mary wasted an expensive perfume on the feet of Jesus.

Not everyone that cries "the poor, the poor!" cares for the poor. There is a true love of the poor and a fake love of the poor. Judas is a type of a Christian who talks of the poor and does little or nothing for the poor.

Give to Caesar what is Cesar's.
Give to the Poor what belongs to the Poor.
Give to God what belongs to God.

"You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.” (John 12: 8).

"Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus!
Hail to you, our King! You alone have had compassion on our sins.
Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus!" (Gospel Acclamation).

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