DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY.

"On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

"When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.

"The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.

 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” 

"And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”

"Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

"Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said,

“Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.”

"Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”

"Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name. (John 20: 19 - 31).

The universal Church celebrates today the Solemnity of Divine Mercy. (Always 2nd Sunday of Easter).

Jesus is the Face of Mercy of Abba Father.  Mercy is the name and essence of God the Father revealed to us through His Only Son, Jesus the Christ. The open Heart of Jesus is the symbol and seat of Mercy.  Mercy is promised to all.

To demonstrate that the powerful gift and message of Mercy that Jesus shared in His public ministry will remain in the Church after His Ascension, Jesus instituted the Sacrament of Penance or Reconciliation and gave His Apostles and their successors the power to forgive sins. 

To prepare ourselves to receive and retain Mercy, the ABC OF MERCY is very useful.  It is called  ABC because, it is an acronym that can be remembered easily and secondly it is as simple as ABC.

A:  Ask for Mercy.

B:  Be Merciful.

C:  Completely Trust Jesus for Mercy.

God is rich in mercy and is waiting for us to turn to Him to blot out all our sins and receive us in His merciful love.

Mercy, mercy. Nothing but mercy!

"Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy! I look to you for protection.

I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings until the danger passes by."  (Psalm 57: 1)

"Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself." (The Diary of St Maria Faustina, #950).

To learn how to recite the Divine Mercy Rosary, click the link below:

"On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

"When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.

"The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.

 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” 

"And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”

"Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

"Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said,

“Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.”

"Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”

"Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name. (John 20: 19 - 31).

The universal Church celebrates today the Solemnity of Divine Mercy. (Always 2nd Sunday of Easter).

Jesus is the Face of Mercy of Abba Father.  Mercy is the name and essence of God the Father revealed to us through His Only Son, Jesus the Christ. The open Heart of Jesus is the symbol and seat of Mercy.  Mercy is promised to all.

To demonstrate that the powerful gift and message of Mercy that Jesus shared in His public ministry will remain in the Church after His Ascension, Jesus instituted the Sacrament of Penance or Reconciliation and gave His Apostles and their successors the power to forgive sins. 

To prepare ourselves to receive and retain Mercy, the ABC OF MERCY is very useful.  It is called  ABC because, it is an acronym that can be remembered easily and secondly it is as simple as ABC.

A:  Ask for Mercy.

B:  Be Merciful.

C:  Completely Trust Jesus for Mercy.

God is rich in mercy and is waiting for us to turn to Him to blot out all our sins and receive us in His merciful love.

Mercy, mercy. Nothing but mercy!

"Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy! I look to you for protection.

I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings until the danger passes by."  (Psalm 57: 1)

"Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself." (The Diary of St Maria Faustina, #950).

To learn how to recite the Divine Mercy Rosary, click the link below:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2020/10/how-to-recite-divine-mercy-rosary.html?m=1

THE EUCHARIST IS THE CHURCH. THE CHURCH IS THE EUCHARIST. 

The Church learns more and honors the HOLY EUCHARIST in APRIL. 

For Teachings, Prayers and Prayer intentions click the link:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2024/03/the-holy-eucharist_31.html?m=1 

THE EUCHARIST IS THE CHURCH. THE CHURCH IS THE EUCHARIST. 

The Church learns more and honors the HOLY EUCHARIST in APRIL. 

For Teachings, Prayers and Prayer intentions click the link:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2024/03/the-holy-eucharist_31.html?m=1 

THE TIME FOR NEW EVANGELIZATION IS NOW!

GO INTO THE WHOLE WORLD & PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL.

"When Jesus had risen, early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. She went and told his companions who were mourning and weeping. When they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.

After this he appeared in another form to two of them walking along on their way to the country. They returned and told the others; but they did not believe them either.

But later, as the Eleven were at table, he appeared to them and rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart because they had not believed those who saw him after he had been raised. He said to them, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every ­creature.” (Mark 15: 9 - 15).

Easter Saturday 6th April, 2024 in the Octave of Easter.

Jesus said to them, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature." (Mark 16: 15). 

I like the way the AMPC translation renders the Great Commission, our key Scripture for today.

"And He said to them, Go into all the world and preach and publish openly the good news (the Gospel) to every creature [of the whole human race]." (AMPC).

Preaching and publishing become two sides of one coin.  A lot of evangelization today is done through all types of non-verbal communication through publishing media: blogs, podcasts, videos and zoom apps, newspapers and magazines, radio and television. All are necessary to bring the Good News to everyone, everywhere in the world. 

Our task is not done until the whole human race has heard the amazing grace of Jesus Christ, the Good News. This task has become more urgent today than ever. 

Abba Father wills that everyone must come to the knowledge of truth and repentance. He equipped the Church for this mission by sending down the Awesome Holy Spirit to drive this mission.

We see the power of the Holy Spirit in the moving testimony of Peter and John before the entire Supreme Court of Israel in the first Reading:

"Peter and John, however, said to them [the Justices] in reply, “Whether it is right in the sight of God for us to obey you rather than God, you be the judges. It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4: 19 - 20).

With the presence and gifts of the Holy Spirit, we have all we need to fulfill the Great Commission. May the Lord grant us success. Amen.

THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THE SPIRIT OF EVANGELIZATION AND POWER. PRAYER IS THE ACTIVATOR OF POWER. FAITH AND PRAYER GO TOGETHER. I BELIEVE, THEREFORE I PRAY. I PRAY BECAUSE I BELIEVE. 

THE EUCHARIST IS THE CHURCH. THE CHURCH IS THE EUCHARIST. 

The Church learns more and honors the HOLY EUCHARIST in APRIL. 

For Teachings, Prayers and Prayer intentions click the link:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2024/03/the-holy-eucharist_31.html?m=1

FIRST FRIDAY IN APRIL 2024.

April 1st , 2024  First Friday in April in the Octave of Easter. 

Jesus promised 12 special favors to all those who will honor His Sacred Heart especially on the First Friday of every month by attending Holy Mass and receiving Holy Communion.  In the 4th month of the year 2024, we look at Promise #4. 

#4.  "They shall find in My Heart an assured refuge during life and especially at the hour of death."

The key phrase in this promise is THE HOUR OF DEATH.  Death is a divine appointment in which there is no negotiation. 

I consider Promise #4 a great Promise.  St Augustine says:  "If you pray well, you live well. If you live well, you die well. If you die well, all is well."  To die well therefore is what every human being must desire.  

The Church declared St Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin, patron saint of a Happy Death.  I believe in the Resurrection of the dead and life everlasting. The thought of dying no longer scares me. 

Honor the Sacred Heart of Jesus THIS First Friday by attending Holy Mass and receiving the Eucharist. 

For the 12 Promises of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Sacred Heart devotional prayers and prayer intentions click the link below:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2020/08/12-promises-of-sacred-heart-of-jesus.html?m=1

CHILDREN COME AND HAVE BREAKFAST.

CAST THE NET ON THE RIGHT SIDE.  

"Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. He revealed himself in this way.

"Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, Zebedee’s sons, and two others of his disciples.

"Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We also will come with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. 

"When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore; but the dis­ciples did not realize that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?”

"They answered him, “No.” So he said to them, “Cast the net over the right side of the boat and you will find something.”

"So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in because of the number of fish. So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.”

"When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad, and jumped into the sea. The other disciples came in the boat, for they were not far from shore, only about a hundred yards, dragging the net with the fish.

"When they climbed out on shore, they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread.

"Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you just caught.”

"So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore full of one hundred fifty-three large fish. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn.

"Jesus said to them, “Come, have breakfast.” And none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they realized it was the Lord.

"Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them, and in like manner the fish. This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to his disciples after being raised from the dead." (John 21: 1 - 14).

Easter Friday 5th April 2024 in Octave of Easter.

 FIRST FRIDAY IN APRIL!!! 

Our Gospel of today (John 21: 1 - 14) is one of my favorite passages in the Gospel. It is one of the post Resurrection appearances of Jesus to His brothers. He seeks them out everywhere to be with them and encourage them. He prepares a breakfast for His disciples. 

Why do I find this passage comforting?

#1. As a salesman, I knew what it means to toil a whole week and catch nothing. Isn't it comforting to know that Jesus knows the hideouts of all the fish? The fishermen obeyed the advice of the stranger on the shore and their disappointment was turned into comfort and joy.

#2. “Come, have breakfast.”

In the Gospels, a number of important teachings of Jesus happened around the dinner table. Good food and eating are essential to a healthy spirituality. 

 Jesus invited the Apostles to come and eat and there was an unforgettable party there at the shore.

Can thunder strike twice in the same place? Jesus reveals Himself to His disciples through familiar words and actions. John was the first to make the connection of this miraculous catch of fish to the earlier incident when Jesus called them to the ministry. "Come follow Me and I will make you fishers of men."

Jesus is constantly invading our spaces trying to catch our attention. He is the great Hound of Heaven. 

THE EUCHARIST IS THE CHURCH. THE CHURCH IS THE EUCHARIST. 

The Church learns more and honors the HOLY EUCHARIST in APRIL. 

For Teachings on the Eucharist, Prayers and Prayer intentions click the link:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2024/03/the-holy-eucharist_31.html?m=1