6th Sunday of Easter (A)

(Edited) Sunday reflections: (From) Years 2014 (A), 2015 (B), and 2016 (C)

May 25, 2014

Liturgical readings

Acts 8:5-8, 14-17

Psalm 66

1 Peter 3:15-18

John 14:15-21

The Lord will not leave us orphaned.

Christ's death in the eyes of His followers made all the apostles and disciples feel discouraged and orphaned. They have experienced the loss of a leader responsible for what they have learned. However, the Resurrection event and the ensuing resurrection appearances gradually brought their courage and faith back. Christ Jesus performed many Risen appearances before ascending into heaven. With His earthly ministry completed, it was now time for His followers to go forth and continue His mission. Since Christ Jesus wanted the apostles to continue building the Kingdom, He did not leave them on their own. He promised the Holy Spirit - the Spirit of truth who will unite all His followers into one Body, the Church.

God has sent his Son Jesus that all may be one community in His name. Jesus is the bond of unity that gathers into one all who believe in Him. This truth is well expressed by St. Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 A.D.), in one of his commentaries for the Easter season (as can be found in the Breviary - Office of Readings, Non-Biblical Readings):

Christ is the bond of unity. If, in Christ, all of us, both ourselves

and he who is within us by his own flesh, are members of the same body,

is it not clear that we are one, both with one another and with Christ?

He is the bond that unites us, because he is at once both God and man.

St. Cyril of Jerusalem refers to Christ as the bond of unity in the Church, and through her Sacraments and mission. It is especially in the Eucharist where Jesus is "within us by his own flesh" and makes us "one, both with one another and with him".

Christ Jesus has not left orphaned all those who followed Him since the time of the apostles, and as the early Church was formed and grew in numbers. He continues to be with the Church in the present times. Christ lives in us as His will is done in every corner of the world. When His faithful members receive His body and blood, He truly becomes God-with-us until the end of time. The faithful become bonded to one another by His body and blood. It is the task now of every Christian to share the Lord and His gospel to all who experienced abandonment in its many forms. By His presence in every speech and work, many will know that God is always near and never ceases to provide for all.

Scripture quote from the Readings:

"Venerate the Lord, that is, Christ, in your hearts." (1 Peter)

5th Sunday of Easter (A)

(Edited) Sunday reflections: (From) years 2014 (A), 2015 (B), and 2016 (C)

May 18, 2014
Liturgical readings
Acts 6:1-7
Psalm 33
1 Peter 2:4-9
John 14:1-12

The Lord said to His disciples: "You know the way that leads where I go."

Christ Jesus teaches in the gospel last Sunday (Good Shepherd Sunday) that He is the Gate of the Sheepfold. This Sunday, He now teaches that he is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Also, in one of the weekday gospels this Easter season, the Lord teaches how He is the Bread of Life. Gate, Way, Truth, Life, Bread. These are all imagery that the world are familiar with in the level of the physical senses. But Christ is pointing to something beyond just that worldly perception. He transforms that worldly imagery to point to his own Person and Divinity. Christ refers to these realities on both a deeper and higher level - to his Person and Divinity as a path to eternal union with God.

This theme of eternal union was reflected upon by St. John Paul II in the book, "Go in Peace" - authored by Joseph Durepos. Durepos quotes the late pope to have said:

The way of Christ is the peaceful life we are called to love...
The truth of Christ is the eternal truth of God...
the life of Christ is the life he shares with us - enabling us to live
forever in his love."

In the book, the pope encourages the faithful to get to know Christ in one's spiritual readings, meditation and prayer. He says that knowledge of the gospel leads to an encounter with Christ. And an encounter with Christ can show well the spiritual path towards eternal union with God.

Modern living sometimes distracts one's attention to what is essential in life. This has been a reality since ancient times with the people Israel. So, nothing has really changed along the years. What was a temptation before, is also a temptation now. The idols that tempted Israel, also distracts and tempts us now: materialism, power or unjust acts. Desire for more material resources and power are worldly paths not evil in themselves. They become sinful only when they become ends in themselves or the center of all we work and live for. Christians need to remember not to remain only in the temporal order, but to rise above all worldly paths to follow a higher, a nobler way of work and life in Christ. As Christ becomes the center of one's work and life, His light can illumine one's path to Him and the greater good.

Scripture quotes for reflection:
"The eyes of the Lord are upon those who fear him...to deliver them from death and preserve them in spite of famine." (Psalm 33)

Mary in the New Testament

A Collaborative Assessment by Protestant and Roman Catholic Scholars

When Protestant and Roman Catholic scholars work together to study how Mary is perceived in the context of the New Testament, the resulting work is a good scriptural understanding of Mary - one that many Christians of different denominations can definitely agree upon.

Mary: Introduction

In the Catholic Church, Mary is often linked to a tradition of devotion and spirituality. This tradition goes way back to early Christianity and was handed down along the centuries to present times. When Martin Luther (a former Augustinian) led a movement that understood the Christian faith as "sola scriptura" [scriptures alone], his followers believed from then on that what is only in the Bible is what should be believed. This direction led to the final rift of understanding between how Mary is seen by Catholics and by Protestants. However, if Mary is understood in a scholarly manner by the study of her role as presented by scriptures, a common understanding of who Mary is in the context of the New Testament can be arrived at.

Mary in the New Testament

Such a study was made with the book "Mary in the New Testament". This book is a product of a team of Protestant, Anglican, and Roman Catholic scholars. All the scholars have reached an agreement as to how Mary was seen by the Christians of the first two centuries. They arrived at an understanding by studying the very text of the scriptures and the socio-historical factors of those first two centuries. This analysis and socio-historical examination is an excellent ecumenical achievement for a modern age where facts are given more emphasis.

Who can benefit from this book

Although the book is written by scholars, it is not meant only for scholars. The authors have presented this work in a manner that is intelligible to students, clergy, and the laity of Christian Churches who have done some of study in scripture. What is amazing to note is that the book has a sensitive respect for both readers of a more devotional temperament and those who are more scientifically-minded.

Chapters in the book

There are ten chapters in the book. These chapters are subdivided further into several specific topics. There is also an Index in the back part of the book which gives meaning to specific words or phrases related to the person of Mary:

• Chapter One: Origins of the Study
• Chapter Two: Presuppositions of the Study
• Chapter Three: The Birth of Jesus in the Pauline Writings
• Chapter Four: Mary in the Gospel of Mark
• Chapter Five: Mary in the Gospel of Matthew
• Chapter Six: Mary in the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles
• Chapter Seven: The Mother of Jesus in the Gospel of John
• Chapter Eight: The Woman in Revelation 12
• Chapter Nine: Mary in the Literature of the Second Century
• Chapter Ten: Conclusions from the Study