Acts 2:42-47 / 1 Pt 1:3-9 / Jn 20:19-31
A man bought the very last seat for the Superbowl. It was a rotten seat, closer to the blimp than to the field, but early in the first quarter, he noticed an empty seat on the 50 yard line. He scrambled down and somewhat furtively sat in the seat. “Excuse me,” he asked, “is anyone sitting here?”
“No,” said the man on his right.
“That’s incredible. Who in his right mind would pass up a seat like this for the Superbowl?”
“Well, actually,” said the man, “the seat belongs to me. I was supposed to be here with my dear wife, but she passed away. This is the first Superbowl in twenty years that we haven’t been together.”
“How sad!” said the other fellow. “But couldn’t you find someone to come with you, a relative or a close friend?”
“No,” said the man, “they’re all at the funeral!”
+ + +
That fellow was missing something — in the head and the heart — and he didn’t even notice. It happens all the time. It happened to the apostles.
For three years, Jesus had tried in hundreds of different ways to prepare them to face his death and not be afraid of what came next. Think of all the miracles: Raising Lazarus from the tomb, silencing the storm at sea, feeding the 5000, healing countless lepers. All that and so much more should have made them confident that Jesus was bigger than death and that death would have no final power over him. But it didn’t work that way.
On Easter morning Peter and John had seen the empty tomb and Mary Magdalene had talked with Jesus nearby. But still they didn’t get it. Paralyzed with fear and despairing of the future, they hid in a locked and darkened room and did absolutely nothing.
And so, on Easter night, Jesus came to them and tried yet again to free them from their fears. “Here,” he said, “look at my wounds. Touch them. It is I: Jesus. I’m not a ghost. I’m alive, and whoever believes in me, even though he die, will live with me forever. So don’t ever be afraid again!”
Jesus has spoken those very words to each one of us. But have we heard him in our hearts? The patterns of our lives can give us an answer: Are we serene, hopeful, and of good spirit even when our troubles come in large doses? Sometimes we are, but often we’re not. So how deeply do we really believe in the Resurrection and what it promises us?
What stories do our faces tell? Stories of crushed spirits or frightened hearts? Hearts untouched by our risen Lord whom we haven’t dared to trust or hope in? Sometimes that’s what our faces reveal. Isn’t it a mystery how many sad and grouchy faces find their way into churches? How can that be if we really believe Jesus is risen?
Remember the old story about the grandpa who asked his grouchy twelve year old granddaughter, “Are you happy, dear?”
“Oh yes, grandpa,” she replied.
“Then why don’t you tell your face!”
+ + +
Jesus is risen, to walk with us till our journey is done and then to carry us home. If we dare to trust him, every day of our journey can be a happy one – no matter how rocky the road. That’s the wonderful life God wants for us here and now. So why not tell your face and your heart!
HE IS MY SONG THAT I SING
HE IS THE JOY THAT A NEW DAY BRINGS
HE IS MY STRENGTH WHEN I AM WEAK
HE IS MY VOICE WHEN I SPEAK
HE IS MY FRIEND WHEN I NEED A HUG
HE IS MY LOVER, WHEN I NEED REAL LOVE
HE IS THE LAWYER WHO PLEADS MY CASE
HE IS THE ONLY RIGHTEOUS JUDGE WHO FORGIVES ME,
HE IS THE DOCTOR WHO HEALS MY WOUNDS
HE IS MY REDEEMER, AND HE'S COMING BACK SOON
HE IS MY COMFORTER WHEN I'M FEELING DOWN
HE IS MY ANGEL THAT IS EVERPRESENT, ALWAYS AROUND
HE IS MY PROVIDER ALWAYS SUPPLYING WHEN I NEED HELP
HE IS MY WATER, MY BREAD, STORED UP ON THE SHELF
HE IS MY TEACHER, WHO SHOWS ME WHAT TO DO
HE IS MY ENCOURAGER, WHEN I REALLY DON'T WANT TO
HE IS THAT FIRE BURNING DEEP DOWN IN MY SOUL
HE IS MY FORTUNE-TELLER, FOR IN HIS HANDS, MY FUTURE HE HOLDS
HE IS THE REPAIRMAN WHO COMES TO FIX MY STUFF
HE IS THE EVERLASTING FATHER, WHO IS MORE THAN ENOUGH
HE IS THE PRINCE OF PEACE, YES A PEACEMAKER IS HE
HE IS MY EYES, MY LIGHT, MY PATHWAY, WHEN I CAN'T SEE
HE IS MY MIGHTY COUNSELLOR WHEN I NEED SOME ADVICE
HE IS MY DEBT CONSOLIDATOR, FOR HE PAID THE ULTIMATE PRICE
HE IS MY HOPE FOR TOMORROW
HE IS MY EVERFLOWING INCOME, SO I DON'T HAVE TO BEG, STEAL, NOR BORROW
HE IS THE MERCY WHICH HE RENEWS FOR ME EVERYDAY
HE IS MY TRUTH, MY LIFE, THE ONLY WAY
HE IS THE WARDEN, WHO UNLOCKS THE CHAINS AND SETS ME FREE
HE IS MY ROLE MODEL, FOR I ALWAYS LOOK UP TO THEE
HE IS THE AUTHOR, THE FINISHER OF MY FAITH
HE IS THE PATIENCE THAT ALWAYS TELLS ME TO WAIT
JESUS IS MY EVERYTHING, ALTHOUGH WITH MY NATURAL EYES, HIM, I CANNOT SEE
JESUS IS MY EVERTHING, MY EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING I WANT TO BE
JESUS IS MY EVERYTHING, THEREFORE, I DON'T WAIT UNTIL DECEMBER 25TH FOR HIM TO HEAR
HOW HE IS MY EVERYTHING, ALL THE TIME, EVERYDAY OF THE YEAR.
--CYPRA MARSHALL
LOVE
The Special Feeling That Makes You Feel
All Warm And Wonderful.
RESPECT
Treating Others As Well
As You Would Like To Be Treated.
APPRECIATION
To Be Grateful For All The Good Things
Life Has To Offer.
HAPPINESS
The Full Enjoyment Of Each Moment.
A Smiling Face.
FORGIVENESS
The Ability To Let Things Be
Without Anger.
SHARING
The Joy Of Giving
Without Thought Of Receiving.
HONESTY
The Quality Of Always
Telling The Truth.
INTEGRITY
The Purity Of Doing What's Right,
No Matter What.
COMPASSION
The Essence Of Feeling Another's Pain,
While Easing Their Hurt.
PEACE
The Reward For Living
The 10 Most Important Things.
~Author Unknown~
their families and friends to pray the Rosary..
WHY THE DAILY ROSARY?
Our Lady has 117 titles. She selected this title at Fatima:
"I am the Lady of the Rosary."
St. Francis de Sales said the greatest method of praying is
to Pray the Rosary.
St. Thomas Aquinas preached 40 straight days in Rome Italy
on just the Hail Mary.
St. John Vianney, patron of priests, was seldom seen without
a rosary in his hand.
"The rosary is the scourge of the devil" -- Pope Adrian VI
"The rosary is a treasure of graces" -- Pope Paul V
Padre Pio the stigmatic priest said: "The Rosary is THE
WEAPON"
Pope Leo XIII wrote 9 encyclicals on the rosary.
Pope John XXIII spoke 38 times about our Lady and the
Rosary. he prayed 15 decades daily.
St. Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort wrote: "The rosary is
the most powerful weapon to touch the Heart of Jesus, Our
Redeemer, who so loves His Mother."
MARY, QUEEN OF THE HOLY ANGELS -- PRAY FOR US!
O God, I know there is nothing so precious as friendship and nothing
so rich as love.
Thank you for all my friends.
Thank you for all the people I have met, with whom I have worked,
with whom I have talked, and with whom I ate.
Thank you for all the friends with whom I have listened
To music, played games or watched movies.
Thank you for those who are even closer to me than my friends,
those whom I love and those who love me.
Help me always to be loyal to my friends
and true to those who love me. Amen.
