Daily Reflection | Gospel Reading | RVA

Gospel: Matthew 28:8-15
In fear, yet with great joy, the women left the tomb and ran to tell the news to his disciples.Suddenly, Jesus met them on the way and said, “Rejoice!” The women approached him, embraced his feet and worshiped him. But Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid! Go and tell my brothers to set out for Galilee; there, they will see me.”As the women proceeded on their way, some of the guards went into the city, and reported to the chief priests all that had happened. The chief priests met with the elders, and decided to give the soldiers a large sum of money, with this order, “Say that his disciples came by night while you were asleep, and stole the body of Jesus. If Pilate comes to know of this, we will explain the situation and keep you out of trouble.” The soldiers accepted the money and did as they were told. This story has circulated among the Jews until this day.

Reflections

“Do not be afraid!”Jesus is accessible to women. He appears to them along the way as they run to report to the disciples upon discovering that he is not in the tomb. Though they experience joy, Jesus still exhorts them to rejoice. The women spontaneously show their affection to him. He sends them to the disciples and announce his appearance, once they get to Galilee.Meanwhile, the soldiers guarding the tomb are in trouble. They report to the chief priests of the resurrection of Jesus. They in turn coach them to twist the story to discredit the miracle and to betray themselves saying they slept on the job. Again these priests bribe the soldiers, like Judas Iscariot.No matter what they do to cover up, the story will go on. We owe our faith to women who announced with joy Jesus’ victory over his enemies and death.A new story has just begun and there is no way of stopping it. Jesus resurrected only once but its story that can be told and retold many times. Its retelling is also our responsibility. It is not the monopoly of women. Stopping the talk is like being bribed by the chief priests.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2019

Gospel: John 20:1-9 (or Luke 24:13-35)
Now, on the first day after the Sabbath, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning while it was still dark, and she saw that the stone blocking the tomb had been moved away. She ran to Peter, and the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and she said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb and we don’t know where they have laid him.” Peter then set out with the other disciple to go to the tomb. They ran together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down and saw the linen cloths lying flat, but he did not enter.Then Simon Peter came, following him, and entered the tomb; he, too, saw the linen cloths lying flat. The napkin, which had been around his head, was not lying flat like

the other linen cloths, but lay rolled up in its place. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in; he saw and believed. Scripture clearly said that Jesus must rise from the dead, but they had not yet understood that.

Lectio Divina

READ: Mary of Magdala cannot figure out the meaning of the empty tomb. She needs help. Peter, in the First Reading, preaches the resurrection of Jesus and invites people to conversion. Paul asks the believers to level up in their value system.

REFLECT: Faith in the resurrection of Christ is not automatic. Knowing or being informed of the details like stone cover moved, empty tomb, linens lying flat, and cloth around his head, is not enough. These are necessary to establish the veracity of the resurrection. Now what to do with them? They can be misinterpreted. Mary of Magdala herself claims Jesus’ body is taken away by someone and is relocated. Peter is quiet about what he sees. He does not go further. Only the other disciple, supposedly John whom Jesus loves makes the act of faith. He sees and believes. The author makes a significant commentary why some have not readily concluded that Jesus is risen from the dead. They fail to see its meaning because they have not understood the holy scriptures. They know the scriptures, but have not understood it. It is very important to be in contact with God’s Word in the Old Testament. Had they understood this, they could have believed right away. For us Christians today, we can appreciate our faith better if we are grounded in the Sacred Scriptures, both the Old and the New Testaments and understand the message they basically convey.

PRAY: Pray to God for an enlightened faith and that the Spirit of the Lord may guide you in your spiritual journey.

ACT: To facilitate your spiritual growth, go to your spiritual director. Have one if you don’t have. Join a group that values the teachings of the Church, the Bible and sacraments.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2019

Gospel: Luke 24:1-12
On the Sabbath the women rested according to the commandment, but the first day of the week, at dawn, the women went to the tomb with the perfumes and ointments they had prepared. Seeing the stone rolled away from the opening of the tomb, they entered, and were amazed to find that the body of the Lord Jesus was not there.As they stood there wondering about this, two men in dazzling garments suddenly stood before them. In fright the women bowed to the ground. But the men said, “Why look for the living among the dead? You won’t find him here. He is risen. Remember what he told you in Galilee, that the Son of Man had to be given into the hands of sinners, to be crucified, and to rise on the third day.” And they remembered Jesus’ words.Returning

from the tomb, they told the Eleven and all the others about these things. Among the women, who brought the news, were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James. But however much they insisted, those who heard did not believe the seemingly nonsensical story. Then Peter got up and ran to the tomb. All he saw, when he bent down and looked into the tomb, were the linen cloths, laid by themselves. He went home wondering.

Reflections

“He is risen.”Jesus’ resurrection should come as no surprise to the disciples, because they have been in formed ahead of time when they were still in Galilee. Jesus predicted this three times. Yet, when it happened, the disciples felt the opposite. The women disciples did not expect Jesus to rise again. They were just there to show their last minute affection or last respects because the burial was done in a hurry. The angels categorically said he is risen from the dead. When the apostles heard of the report, equally they were skeptical. Peter ran to be tomb to verify the story of the women. He too wondered what happened to Jesus. They were completely at a loss as to how to account the information.The whole Christian world today celebrates the resurrection of our Lord. Christians find the resurrection of Jesus the greatest miracle God performed in Jesus. There is no mistaking as to its significance in the lives of the Christian disciples. The evening liturgy is the most elaborate of all the liturgies of the church throughout the year. Christ’s resurrection brings us closer to the truth about God, Christ and our faith as Christians who suffer for Jesus.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2019

Gospel: John 18:1—19:42*
(…) Bearing his cross, Jesus went out of the city to what is called the Place of the Skull, in Hebrew, Golgotha. There he was crucified, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus in the middle.Pilate had a notice written and fastened to the cross, which read: Jesus the Nazarene, the King of the Jews. (…) The chief priests said to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews’; but, ‘This man claimed to be King of the Jews.’” Pilate answered them, “What I have written, I have written.” When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts, one part for each of them. But as the tunic was woven in one piece from top to bottom, they said, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots to decide who will get it.” This fulfilled

the words of Scripture: They divided my clothing among them; they cast lots for my garment. This was what the soldiers did.Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister Mary, who was the wife of Cleophas, and Mary of whom he loved, he said to the mother, “Woman, this is your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “This is your mother.” And from that moment the disciple took her to his own home.Jesus knew all was now finished and, in order to fulfill what was written in Scripture, he said, “I am thirsty.“ A jar full of bitter wine stood there; so, putting a sponge soaked in the wine on a twig of hyssop, they raised it to his lips. Jesus took the wine and said, “It is accomplished.” Then he bowed his head and gave up the spirit. (…)

Reflections

“Who are you looking for?”We celebrate today the Lord’s Passion. There is no holy mass. The Christian world is asked to be more quiet this day to reflect on the passion and death of our Lord. The passion comes from the Greek verb, pascho, which means, “I suffer.” All the gospels have their own accounts on the passion and death of Jesus Christ. Scholars even tell us the gospels are written beginning with the long passion narratives and then appended to them are the other stories about Jesus and his sayings.Today, have time to reflect on your own sufferings, your own rejections, and physical fatigue.You can also reflect on the plight of others, who might be suffering more. They are in other countries or just around the corner. They are persecuted because their beliefs and culture. They are driven away from their homes because others are taking over their properties. As of now, no one can stop greedy families and corporations from amassing the earth’s wealth.Jesus is still suffering through his members. His bloody face is seen in war torn areas. He is still seen in the worried faces of mothers uncertain of the future of their children.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2019