TUESDAY - April 21, 2020
“Jesus
loves hidden souls. A hidden flower is the most fragrant. I must strive to make
the interior of my soul a resting place for the Heart of Jesus.”
~Maria
Faustina Kowalska
TODAY'S READINGS
April 21 2020
Tuesday of the Second Week of Easter
Lectionary: 268
Reading 1ACTS 4:32-37
The community of believers was of one heart and mind,
and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own,
but they had everything in common.
With great power the Apostles bore witness
to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus,
and great favor was accorded them all.
There was no needy person among them,
for those who owned property or houses would sell them,
bring the proceeds of the sale,
and put them at the feet of the Apostles,
and they were distributed to each according to need.
and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own,
but they had everything in common.
With great power the Apostles bore witness
to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus,
and great favor was accorded them all.
There was no needy person among them,
for those who owned property or houses would sell them,
bring the proceeds of the sale,
and put them at the feet of the Apostles,
and they were distributed to each according to need.
Thus Joseph, also named by the Apostles Barnabas
(which is translated Ason of encouragement”),
a Levite, a Cypriot by birth,
sold a piece of property that he owned,
then brought the money and put it at the feet of the Apostles.
(which is translated Ason of encouragement”),
a Levite, a Cypriot by birth,
sold a piece of property that he owned,
then brought the money and put it at the feet of the Apostles.
Responsorial Psalm93:1AB, 1CD-2, 5
R. (1a) The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD is king, in splendor robed;
robed is the LORD and girt about with strength.
R. The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
or:
R. Alleluia.
And he has made the world firm,
not to be moved.
Your throne stands firm from of old;
from everlasting you are, O LORD.
R. The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Your decrees are worthy of trust indeed:
holiness befits your house,
O LORD, for length of days.
R. The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
or:
R. Alleluia.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD is king, in splendor robed;
robed is the LORD and girt about with strength.
R. The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
or:
R. Alleluia.
And he has made the world firm,
not to be moved.
Your throne stands firm from of old;
from everlasting you are, O LORD.
R. The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Your decrees are worthy of trust indeed:
holiness befits your house,
O LORD, for length of days.
R. The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
or:
R. Alleluia.
AlleluiaJN 3:14-15
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Son of Man must be lifted up,
so that everyone who believes in him
may have eternal life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Son of Man must be lifted up,
so that everyone who believes in him
may have eternal life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelJN 3:7B-15
Jesus said to Nicodemus:
“‘You must be born from above.’
The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes,
but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes;
so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
Nicodemus answered and said to him,
‘How can this happen?”
Jesus answered and said to him,
“You are the teacher of Israel and you do not understand this?
Amen, amen, I say to you,
we speak of what we know and we testify to what we have seen,
but you people do not accept our testimony.
If I tell you about earthly things and you do not believe,
how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?
No one has gone up to heaven
except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man.
And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,
so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”
“‘You must be born from above.’
The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes,
but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes;
so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
Nicodemus answered and said to him,
‘How can this happen?”
Jesus answered and said to him,
“You are the teacher of Israel and you do not understand this?
Amen, amen, I say to you,
we speak of what we know and we testify to what we have seen,
but you people do not accept our testimony.
If I tell you about earthly things and you do not believe,
how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?
No one has gone up to heaven
except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man.
And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,
so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”
******************************
Preparing for Pentecost: Our Amazing Mission
The empty tomb is only half of the Easter story. Jesus conquered death, not only to open the door to heaven for his disciples, but to build a Church that would throw open the doors for everyone everywhere every time.
In the Gospel reading for today, Jesus emphasizes being "born of water and spirit." Why? Because once the disciples received the Holy Spirit, their own spirits became enlivened to continue Christ's mission of redemption. This mission of the Church has been passed to us. We all have the same vocation as those first disciples (we call it "the common priesthood"). We all have the same Spirit.
The word "Mass" has the word "mission" at its root. Another word that sprang from this root is "missal", i.e., the book that contains the scriptures, songs and prayers of the mission. To attend Mass means to get renewed for our mission. This is why presiding priests often end Mass with a prayer that sends us forth. Oh how important it is to stay until the very end of Mass! In those final moments, we are given a powerful blessing, a renewed anointing to go forth, to leave the church building and be the Church.
In today's first reading, we read a "homily" that Peter and John gave to the early Church. They enthusiastically shared how the Gospel (the Good News) was experienced in their lives. The congregation responded in praise, in song, in a trust-filled plea for help against the threats of the world, and in a faith-filled request for miracles. It's the essence of our modern liturgies.
God participated in their worship: The place shook as they prayed. Why don't our churches shake today? Since God's ways never change, it should happen to us today. Why doesn't it? Because we've forgotten what it means to be, as this scripture recounts, a community that's "filled with the Holy Spirit". How many people receive the Sacrament of Confirmation without requesting the awesome power of the Holy Spirit? How few Christians honestly and consciously say yes to a full relationship with the Spirit of God? And with active participation?
We first received the Holy Spirit in baptism. Confirmation, in which the bishop "confirms" this gift, should bring us into full awareness of what it means to us personally and to the mission of the Church. Sadly, the passing of the mission onto our confirmands has been underplayed and neglected. It's a sin of omission, an ignorance that has far-reaching ramifications.
We're all supposed to have a fully alive friendship -- a life-shaking relationship -- with the Holy Spirit. Let's ask for this as we prepare for Pentecost, which is the day that we celebration our mission. Between now and then, my Good News Reflections will focus on increasing this powerfully holy friendship within each of us.
Today's Prayer
I seek the encounter with You, Lord Jesus. I want to believe in You and receive Your Spirit in fullness. I long for my life to be a praise to Your Holy Name. Amen.
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God Bless You.....
The mother of Jesus promised St. Dominic that, “one day
through the rosary & the scapular I shall save the world!”
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