INTRODUCTION AND CONFITEOR
In today’s Gospel we meet Doubting Thomas. Each of us has something in common with him, for at times our minds are darkened by doubt.
The risen Jesus is with us now, and he says to us what he said to Thomas: ‘Cease doubting and believe.’ [Pause]
INTRODUCTION AND common
It is impossible to describe the greatness and joy of this day for Christians. This is the day Christ our Brother broke the chains of death and rose in triumph from the grave.
He did this, not just for himself, but for us too. He wants us to share in his great victory over evil and death. This is the heart of the GoOd News. Let us pause to reflect on it. [Pause]
Holy Week, which begins today, is the greatest week in the Church’s year. It is made holy by the death of Christ, the Good Shepherd who died for his flock. He died because of sin. Since we are all sinners, each of us can truthfully say that we had a hand in his death. [Pause]
In today’s Gospel we see a scene which is all too common in our own world – people weeping over the death of a loved one. Jesus is at the heart of this sad scene, for it is his good friend Lazarus who is dead.
Today’s Gospel tells about the cure of a man born blind. We all suffer from different forms of blindness. We all have many blind spots. But there is hope for us if we are willing to admit them. [Pause]
The Gospel today tells of a woman who was searching for a water that would quench her thirst for happiness.
Right out of the blue she encountered a person who told her that he could provide her with that water. The person was Christ.
INTRODUCTION AND CONFITEOR
On Mount Tabor Christ’s disciples got a glimpse of the glory that was his as the Son of God. Here we get a glimpse of our own glory, for we too are children of the Father. This should fill our lives with hope and meaning. [Pause]
In today’s Gospel we see Christ in the desert, struggling with the tempter. Through prayer, fasting, and fidelity to the word of God he emerges victorious.
At times we allow our problems to get us down. We fear, fret, and worry about many things, and lose sight of the one thing necessary, which is to live a life pleasing to our heavenly Father. Let us try during this Eucharist to place our lives in his hands, and to leave all other cares and worries to him. [Pause]
Love your enemies
In today’s Gospel Christ says to us: ‘Love your enemies. We tend to take these words with a grain of salt, as if they were meant for the saints, not for us. But they are meant for us but they are meant for us. We all have some enemies. Let us think about how we treat them. [Pause]
Christ shows us how to love, Let us turn to him.
Lord, you do not stop loving us when we sin against you and stray from you. Christ, have mercy
Lord, you do not stop loving us when we sin against you and stray from you. Christ, have mercy.
Lord, you love all without exception, the deserving and the undeserving alike. Lord, have mercy.
First Reading (Leviticus 19:1-2, 17-18). Moses is ordered by God to tell the people they must me holy. What does this imply? It means they are not to hate any one or bear a grudge against anyone.
Second Reading (1Cor 3:16-23. Paul reminds the Corinthians that the Holy Spirit Dwells among them. They are the temple of God and, therefore, should be holy.
Gospel (Matthew 5: 38:48). This contains one of the most revolutionary things ever said. All revolutionaries have said that enemies must be destroyed. But Christ said: You must not destroy your enemies, you must love them.
1 The LORD said to Moses,
2 “Speak to the whole Israelite community and tell them: Be holy, for I, the LORD, your God, am holy.
Many people, who confess their sins, confess only the things they have done wrong. But Christ tells us that we can sin even if we never commit the external act.
We can sin in our thoughts, desires, motives, and attitudes. Sin comes from within, and it has deep roots in each of us. Let us think about this for a moment. [Pause]
Salt adds flavour to food and keeps it from going bad. Light brightens up the world and shows people the way. In today’s Gospel Jesus tells his disciples that they are to be like light and salt.
In today’s liturgy we will see the values by which a Christian should live. While these present an enormous challenge, they offer great rewards in terms of peace, happiness, and integrity. Let us pause to examine the values we live by. [Pause]
INTRODUCTION AND CONFITEOR
St Matthew describes Christ’s mission like this: ‘The people who lived in darkness have seen a great light’. We too live in a world darkened by violence, injustice, hatred, war, and death. We desperately need the light of Christ, both in our individual lives and in the world as a whole.
INTRODUCTION AND CONFITEOR
In the Gospel of today’s Mass, John the Baptist points out Jesus to the people as the long-awaited Saviour. Jesus came to take away our sins. He came to heal our wounds. He came to renew us through the Holy Spirit.