2nd Sunday of the Year (a)
This Week’s Liturgy Calendar.
Easter Season.
Sunday 27th April: 2nd Sunday of Easter (a)
Eight days after the Resurrection, the disciples of Jesus were together, afraid, believing yet doubting. For them, the fact that Jesus lived was too good to be true. We are here together because we are a community of believers. We know that the Risen Lord is with us. Do we recognise him? Are we aware that he is with in every celebration of the Eucharist and even in everyday life? Do we believe he is with us in our moments of trials, difficulties and failures? He is risen, he lifts us up, he raises us up here and now so let us ask to help us believe in him as the Lord of life so that with St. Thomas we can say ‘My Lord and my God.’
Monday 28th April: Monday in second week of Easter.
Nicodemus, the sincere but cautious intellectual, comes to Jesus at night. He is afraid to show openly that he is a follower of Christ. The apostles and the early Christian community are persecuted. They also are afraid and pray for courage. Do we dare to stand up in our time and place and openly profess our faith by word and by example? Are we timid or bold in the living of our faith?
Tuesday 29th April: Feast of St. Catherine of Siena.
St. Catherine was born in Siena about 1347, the youngest of 25 children ! She died in Rome in 1380. She was so committed to the love of God, his Church and all people that she worked to restore peace among the rival factions in Italy, persuaded Pope Gregory XI to return from Avignon to Rome where the Popes had lived for 74 years and tried to heal the great schism which had arisen. We are told she scolded the Pope for ‘his short sightedness.’ She was canonised in 1461.
Wednesday 30th April: Wednesday in second week of Easter.
God sent his only Son into the world to save us. We might think we no longer need salvation. We have become so self-sufficient and proud of our human achievements that we often think that salvation belongs to another world – not ours. When we sit and really reflect we have to face deeper realities. Are we really happy? Have we made the world a better place in which to live? We realise that we cannot do it alone. So we become grateful for Jesus, God’s son, who is with us and who can still get us out of the mess we are often making.
Thursday 1st May: Thursday in second week of Easter.
The core of our faith is that we owe a new life to Jesus in whom we are reborn. The Spirit, who is given to us without measure or restriction, should therefore prompt us to bear witness to Jesus and to his new life in us.
Friday 2nd May: Memorial of St. Athanasius.
Athanasius was born in 297 at Alexandria. He lived during very troubled times, both politically and within the Church. He was secretary to the local Bishop when he attended the Council of Nicaea, from which we get the Nicene Creed. This Council condemned the priest Arius who was teaching that Jesus was not divine. After he became Bishop, many of Arius’ followers caused a great deal of trouble. The political leaders were inconsistent in whom they supported –sometimes Athanasius, at other times his opponents. He was banished five times from the city and lived for seventeen years in exile. He died in 373.
Saturday 3rd May: Feast of St. Philip & St. James.
Philip was a follower of John the Baptist but accepted Christ’s call immediately. He persuaded his friend, Nathaniel, to come and see Jesus for himself. He is named among those present at the coming of the Holy Spirit.
James, the Less or Younger, was present at the Council of Jerusalem where it was decided that Gentile converts need not become Jewish as well. A Letter in the New Testament is attributed to him.
Both were martyred as a result of their preaching the Gospel.
Alleluia, alleluia
He is risen as he said
Alleluia.
