Saturday - April 24, 2021
“I can have no other spouse, but Jesus Christ. I have considered myself content to live in poverty and misery for his love.”
~Kateri Tekakwitha
TODAY'S READINGS
April 24, 2021
Saturday of the Third Week of Easter
Lectionary: 278
Reading I
The Church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria
was at peace.
She was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord,
and with the consolation of the Holy Spirit she grew in numbers.
As Peter was passing through every region,
he went down to the holy ones living in Lydda.
There he found a man named Aeneas,
who had been confined to bed for eight years, for he was paralyzed.
Peter said to him,
“Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed.”
He got up at once.
And all the inhabitants of Lydda and Sharon saw him,
and they turned to the Lord.
Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha
(which translated is Dorcas).
She was completely occupied with good deeds and almsgiving.
Now during those days she fell sick and died,
so after washing her, they laid her out in a room upstairs.
Since Lydda was near Joppa,
the disciples, hearing that Peter was there,
sent two men to him with the request,
“Please come to us without delay.”
So Peter got up and went with them.
When he arrived, they took him to the room upstairs
where all the widows came to him weeping
and showing him the tunics and cloaks
that Dorcas had made while she was with them.
Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed.
Then he turned to her body and said, “Tabitha, rise up.”
She opened her eyes, saw Peter, and sat up.
He gave her his hand and raised her up,
and when he had called the holy ones and the widows,
he presented her alive.
This became known all over Joppa,
and many came to believe in the Lord.
Responsorial Psalm
R. (12) How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me?
or:
R. Alleluia.
How shall I make a return to the LORD
for all the good he has done for me?
The cup of salvation I will take up,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD
R. How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me?
or:
R. Alleluia.
My vows to the LORD I will pay
in the presence of all his people.
Precious in the eyes of the LORD
is the death of his faithful ones.
R. How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me?
or:
R. Alleluia.
O LORD, I am your servant;
I am your servant, the son of your handmaid;
you have loosed my bonds.
To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
R. How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me?
or:
R. Alleluia.
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life;
you have the words of everlasting life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Many of the disciples of Jesus who were listening said,
“This saying is hard; who can accept it?”
Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this,
he said to them, “Does this shock you?
What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?
It is the Spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail.
The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and life.
But there are some of you who do not believe.”
Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would not believe
and the one who would betray him.
And he said, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me
unless it is granted him by my Father.”
As a result of this,
many of his disciples returned to their former way of life
and no longer walked with him.
Jesus then said to the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?”
Simon Peter answered him, “Master, to whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life.
We have come to believe
and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”
******************************
A Story of Healing and Victory in the Worst of Times
May 2, 2020: "It has been rather challenging for me for the last 2 months as I struggle to keep my marriage. My wife wanted to end the marriage but I’ve been praying incessantly for a sign from God asking Him what’s His Will for us as I’m reluctant to give in to my wife’s impulsive and unreasonable demands.
To keep the peace I’ve had to move out and, as if the pandemic was not bad enough, I now face a most difficult decision to either end the marriage to regain my sanity and peace of mind or to trudge on in this marriage and try desperately to reconcile with my wife, knowing full well that reconciliation may only be temporary until her next outburst. It’s so tiring to try to fight a losing battle, and I need your prayers to see me through this challenging period in my life."
July 29, 2020: "Four years ago I was wrongfully charged for causing grievous hurt to a man who had been stalking me and my family for two years. All I did was to try to restrain him, while waiting for the police to arrive, by sitting on his buttocks, but unfortunately due to his health issues which I wasn’t even aware of, he died. I've been carrying this heavy cross and pray that justice will prevail, and I hope that you'll pray to God for me to give me the strength to pull through this crisis. Pray for me to have peace of mind and heart."
August 27, 2020: "In the most absurd world that we live in, the judge on the August 24th delivered a verdict of guilty. My heart sank as I heard the verdict being pronounced, and I felt like Jesus being wrongly accused and crucified for doing the Father's Will."
September 29, 2020: "Last night I received very disturbing news that the state prosecutors have recommended to the court that I serve at least 12 months of jail time. This was after telling me that they'll recommend a more lenient sentence in view of the aggravations my family and I went through. Everyone is shocked including my lawyer! Even he feels the sentences are excessive! I'm feeling lost and devastated at this moment. I'm mentally and physically exhausted. Jesus help me."
October 7, 2020: "The judge felt that the strong mitigating factors were in my favour as my family and I had suffered aggravations from the deceased for two long years leading to 59 police reports. He noted that I had clearly not sought out the deceased but had instead reacted when the deceased went over to my home to harass me and my family. He added that his provocative behaviour was a strong mitigating factor for me whose intentions were to hand him over to the police in our quest to put an end to our harassment."
Lawrence was sentenced to 8 months. His imprisonment began on October 20th.
October 8, 2020: "Thank you through the Precious Body and Blood of Christ for praying and supporting me as I'm about to journey into a new phase of my life, as I take refuge in knowing that, like St. Peter and St. Paul, God will give me His strength and courage to undergo whatever challenges I'll be facing."
April 6, 2021: "After 5 months and 12 days in prison, I was released last Wednesday the 31st of March. It felt really great to be back home again. God has always been with me throughout my journey in confinement."
April 8, 2021: "It's so appropriate that the last of my months in prison was during the Lenten Season. That was one of events that helped me overcome my ordeal of prison life, by recalling and meditating on Jesus' passion, death and resurrection.
God indeed had a reason for placing me in there, for I was given the opportunity and privilege to evangelise to my cellmates, both Christians and non-Christians. I didn't know I had the strength and courage to share my faith with them, but I can say for a fact that my daily prayer and quiet time was instrumental in helping me to remain calm amidst the turmoil I was going through.
We had Muslims, Hindus, Christians and lapsed Catholics in my cell, and yet most of them were amazed at my calmness, faith and persistence in praying everyday. In the early mornings when everyone is still asleep, I would sit up in the corner of my cell to pray the Rosary & read Scripture. In the afternoons I would pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet. I did all this everyday till the day I was released.
Meanwhile, God had healed my marriage. My wife became my source of inspiration as she constantly wrote to me and visited me. God showed both of us how special we are to each other, and He removed the pride and selfishness in us so that we are able see the good in each other and how we indeed love each other.
I shared this revelation with my cellmates and my family, especially those who were going through challenging marriages and family crises. I saw how God used me to comfort my cellmates and family.
This unusual experience has made me a stronger person and it has affirmed my faith in God that with Him everything is possible and I definitely would not survive without Him.
When I recall how Jesus was scourged, tortured and imprisoned, I realised what a privilege it was for me to experience a tiny portion of the suffering that He went through."
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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