The empty tomb

IN the gospel of the Mass on Monday within the Easter Octave (cfr. Mt 28,8-15), we are given a vivid description of the immediate aftermath of the empty tomb that gave rise to different reactions. 

 When some holy women discovered the empty tomb where Christ was buried, they immediately went to inform the disciples, joyful yet also fearful. But along the way, they were met by the risen Christ himself who made them literally ecstatic, overwhelmed with joy. 

 But the guards of the tomb were deeply disturbed by what took place. They also went to report to the chief priests who bribed them to fabricate the story that the disciples stole the body while they slept. 

 All this simply shows that the things of God will always cause different if not conflicting reactions of belief and unbelief with disbelief playing in the middle. It shows how this supernatural gift of faith can be received by us. 

 We just have to know where and who to believe and who not to. The episode of the empty tomb is actually a test of where to base our faith. Would it just be anybody who can appear to us as reasonable, or would we look for the one with real authority? 

 We know that the authentic authority to teach the truths of our Christian faith belongs to the Magisterium of the Catholic Church which is the living teaching office entrusted by Christ to the apostles and their successors, the bishops in communion with the successor of Peter, the Pope. 

 This authority ensures the faithful transmission of the Gospel, guarding against error and providing definitive interpretations of Scripture and Tradition. No individual or community can claim this mandate for themselves. It comes from Christ through the sacrament of Holy Orders, empowering the ministers to “in persona Christi” (in the person of Christ). 

 The Pope, when he speaks “ex cathedra” (from the chair), that is, in fulfillment of his office as pastor and teacher of all Christians, possesses the infallibility promised to Peter when defining a doctrine of faith or morals to be held by the whole Church. 

 That is why, we should always make it a habit to refer ourselves to this teaching office of the Church to see if we are truly dealing with a truth of faith, and not something that is just a human invention. 

 Nowadays, we have to be wary of the flurry of false prophets and demagogues who make their own interpretation of the truths of Christian faith. They can appear and sound credible through a smart use of words and persuasive techniques. But if their teaching on truths of faith does not channel what the Church Magisterium teaches, then they can only be false. 

 A false doctrine can sound good and can come up with fair promises and assurances, but they actually lack the power to make things happen. They can contain many theoretical truths and can also be supported by a lot of data, facts and other so-called scientific findings, but they lack the most crucial element—the proper spirit. 

 A true doctrine is not some clever human wisdom that can yield at best some worldly results. It goes far beyond that, though it can be accessed and lived quite easily if one simply has faith. A true doctrine always requires faith! 

 Thus, in Psalm 119,100, we read these consoling words: “I discern more than the elders, for I obey your precepts, Lord!”

The best news of all time

HELLO! Happy Easter to all! 

 Once again, we are on this most resplendent and happy day when we commemorate and celebrate the final conquest of sin and death with the glorious resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

 It marks the fulfillment of God’s salvific plan and forms the very foundation of our Christian faith. Remember St. Paul saying: “If Christ has not risen, then our preaching is in vain, and your faith is also in vain.” (1 Cor 15,14) We come to believe what Christ teaches us because he conquered death through his resurrection. He must be God whose words we should believe. 

 This is the best news of all time. We are assured of victory in Christ as long as we show at least a little of faith in him and also a little of repentance for whatever mistake and sin we commit. 

 Let’s always remember that time when one of the thieves who was crucified with Christ expressed his desire to be with Christ in Paradise. He did not even explicitly say sorry for all the crimes he committed. But Christ did not delay in saying, “This day you will be with me in Paradise.” (Lk 23,43) That’s how magnanimous God is with his mercy for us! 

 But we should avoid tempting God by getting ourselves spoiled by his ever-available mercy. Rather, we should make use of that assurance of his love that can conquer whatever evil there is in the world, to do a lot of good, to fill ourselves with the love that is nothing other than the love of God for all of us. Tempting God would just be fooling ourselves and would surely earn us harsh punishments. 

 Let us process slowly this truth of our Christian faith that with Christ’s resurrection we have been made a new creation. His resurrection unites us with his death and resurrection, enabling us to die to our old sinful selves and live a new life in Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit for transformation, purpose and hope in God’s coming new world. 

 As a new creation through Christ’s resurrection, we are given a fresh start where the old ways of sin pass away and are replaced by a divine life that is made possible by acquiring anew our identity in Christ. 

 We, indeed, need to meditate and process slowly this tremendous transformation that is given to us because, for sure, we would most likely consider these effects of Christ’s resurrection on us as just incredible. 

 We need to realize that Christ’s resurrection which came as a result of his passion and death on the cross can also take place in our life if we also experience the cross of Christ. St. Paul said something pertinent to this when he said: “If we have been united with him (Christ) in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his.” (Rom 6,8) 

 The death referred to in his regard is our death to sin. This means a spiritual transformation where we are no longer controlled by sin by identifying ourselves with Christ’s death and resurrection through faith and repentance. Death to sin means we offer ourselves to God as instruments of righteousness, actively putting our sinful desires to death while living only for God. 

 Of course, struggles with sin can continue. Death to sin does not mean an instant sinless perfection. It simply gives us a new direction in life. Thus, as a new creation, we should live our life, with all its drama, only with Christ and for Christ.

The Last Supper

THE Mass of the Lord’s Supper, celebrated in the evening of Maundy Thursday, commemorates the Last Supper, the institution of the Eucharist and the priesthood. It also marks the beginning of the Easter Triduum. It’s a joyful Mass, distinct from the somber services on Good Friday, and includes unique elements like the washing of the feet and a procession of the consecrated host. 

 It is held in the evening to align with the Jewish Passover tradition. In includes some unique rituals like the washing of the feet of twelve persons to symbolize Jesus’ command to serve and to be humble always. There is also an Altar of Repose where the consecrated hosts are carried in procession for adoration, somehow replaying Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane. Then the altar is stripped bare, and the church becomes quiet, leading into the silence of Good Friday. 

 And thus begins the Easter Triduum, a three-day liturgical celebration, beginning with the Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Maundy Thursday, continuing through Good Friday (Passion of the Lord), and culminating in the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday, ending with the Evening Prayer on Easter Sunday that commemorates Jesus’ Passion, Death and Resurrection. 

 All these celebrations are considered as one continuous liturgy. And while everyone is encouraged to participate as actively as possible in all of them, there is no obligation for us to attend, except the one of the Easter Sunday. 

 We just have to remember that the Easter Triduum is the most solemn three-day Christian observance that marks the core of our Christian faith and the culmination of the liturgical year. Its significance lies in reliving Christ’s redemptive sacrifice, beginning with Last Supper, moving through his crucifixion, and culminating in the triumph of the Resurrection at the Easter Vigil. 

 In all of these, what is shown is God’s tremendous love for all of us that is able to conquer whatever evil we may commit. But, of course, with at least a trace of our cooperation. This Easter Triduum is a great occasion for us to savor this love of God for us which is not meant to spoil us but rather to prod us to correspond as best that we can. 

 The principle to follow here is that God’s love for us should be repaid also by our love for him and for everybody else. We are called to respond to God’s total, gratuitous, and merciful love with a similar total self-giving, even it involves great sacrifice. We should avoid responding to that love with ingratitude or indifference. 

 This, of course, means that we have to learn to give ourselves entirely to God and to others without counting the cost or expecting any reward, trusting that God will never fail to provide us with what we truly need. 

 This also means that we should learn to love with a universal scope, extending our love to everyone, including enemies, since God is kind even to the ungrateful and gives special attention to the lost, as dramatized in the parables of the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin and the Prodigal Son. 

 This definitely would require us to go through a lifelong process of developing virtues with the view of becoming more and more like Christ and assuming the very spirit of love of God in whose image and likeness we have been created. 

 Let’s hope that these considerations are not lost as we go through the celebration of the Easter Triduum that starts in the Evening Mass of the Last Supper on Maundy Thursday.

God always knows what is in our heart

THAT’S why we have no reason at all to keep things to ourselves alone. Everything we have in our mind and heart is known by God. We would be fooling ourselves if we think we can keep things from God. What we should rather do is to learn how to always be with God, especially in our thoughts and desires, from where all our words and deeds would spring. 

 This truth of our faith was highlighted in that episode where Christ told his disciples who among them would betray him. (cfr. Mt 26,21-25) “Amen I say to you, that one of you is about to betray me,” he said. Then Judas asked: “Is it I, Rabbi?” To which Christ simply said, “You have said it.” 

 Let’s always remember that we by nature are not only rational, but also relational. The mere fact that we have intelligence and will can only mean that we are rational beings meant always to enter into relation with others. Of course, in our relation with others, the most important and indispensable one should that with God who, being the Creator, is the very essence and personification of truth. He knows everything. 

 This is where we have to consider more deeply certain duties that we have. We cannot be passive and indifferent to our relationships. Our growth, our maturity and perfection depend on how well we take care of this essential aspect. Otherwise, we would end up not only in error but, worse, also betraying and denying God himself. 

 We have to actively purify our mind and heart so as to put them in proper relation with God, and from God with everybody and everything else. We just cannot allow them to drift in any direction, blindly obeying the forces and impulses of the flesh and the world. They have to be directed. 

 We have to understand then that we are made to enter into relations with God and with everybody else. Having relations is not a marginal or optional aspect of our life. It is essential to us. Even in our conception and birth, we need parents, we need a family, then a community, and all sorts of persons, both individually or collectively considered. And most especially, we need God. 

 We need to understand therefore that truthfulness can only start with our proper relationship with God. Other than that, our truthfulness, even in what we may consider as its best form, would always be suspect and vulnerable to elements that undermine the truth. 

 In short, we can only be truthful and sincere when we are with God who revealed himself in fullness insofar as we are concerned in his Son who became man, Jesus Christ. 

 Thus, Christ clearly said that he is “the way, the truth, and the life. No one goes to the Father except through him.” In other words, we can only be truthful through him. We can only find the proper way for whatever is good for us through him. We can only have the real life, proper to us, in him. 

 Christ said it very clearly. “Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ Anything more is from the Evil One.” (Mt 5,37) 

 Truthfulness therefore starts with our relationship with God, and with how well we maintain that relationship. This is something we have to realize more deeply, since very often we get contented with mere human criteria for truthfulness, that are often subjective, incomplete, imperfect, and vulnerable to be maneuvered and manipulated. And with that, the next thing to happen is to betray God, like Judas.