- Matthew 28:1-6 -
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary
Magdalene
and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.
There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down
from
heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His
appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The
guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you
are
looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just
as
he said. Come and see the place where he lay."
___________________________________________________________
Jesus' resurrection is the key to the Christian faith. Why? (1) Just as he
promised, Jesus rose from the dead. We can be confident, therefore, that
he
will accomplish all he has promised. (2) Jesus' bodily resurrection shows
us
that the living Christ is ruler of God's eternal Kingdom, not a false
prophet or impostor. (3) We can be certain of our resurrection because he
was resurrected. Death is not the end - there is a future life. (4) The
power that brought Jesus back to life is available to us to bring our
spiritually dead selves back to life. (5) The resurrection is the basis
for
the church's witness to the world. Jesus is more than just a human leader
-
he is the Son of God.
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March 25th - Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
This great festival takes its name from the happy tidings brought by the
Archangel Gabriel to the Blessed Virgin, announcing the Incarnation of the
Son of God. It commemorates the most im****tant embassy that was ever
known,
an embassy sent by the King of kings, and performed by one of the chief
princes of His heavenly court, and directed, not to the great ones of this
earth, but to a poor, unknown virgin who, being endowed with angelic
purity
of soul and body, and perfect humility and submission to God, was greater
in
His eyes than the mightiest monarch in the world.
When the Son of God became man, He could have taken our nature without the
cooperation of any creature; but He was pleased to be born of a woman, the
One announced in the third chapter of Genesis. In choosing Her whom He
raised to this most sublime of all dignities, He was turning to the one
maiden who, by the riches of His grace and virtues, was of all others the
most holy and the most perfect. The purpose of this embassy of the
Archangel
was to give a Saviour to the world, a victim of propitiation to the
sinner,
a model to the just, a son to this Virgin who would remain a virgin, and a
new nature to the Son of God - the nature of man, capable of suffering
pain
and anguish in order to satisfy God's justice for our transgressions.
When the Angel appeared to Mary and addressed Her, the Blessed Virgin was
troubled; not at his coming, says Saint Ambrose, for heavenly visions and
conversation with the blessed spirits had been familiar to Her, but what
alarmed Her, he says, was the Angel's appearing in human form, in the
shape
of a young man. What added to her alarm on this occasion was his words of
praise. Mary, guarded by her modesty, was in confusion before expressions
of
this sort, and dreaded even the shadow of deluding flattery. Such high
commendations made her cautious, until in silence She had more fully
considered the matter: "She deliberated in her mind," says Saint Luke,
"what
manner of salutation this could be."
The Angel, to calm her, said: "Fear not, Mary, for Thou hast found favor
before God." He then informed Her that She was to conceive a Son whose
name
would be Jesus, who would be great and the Son of the Most High, and
possessed of the throne of David, Her illustrious ancestor. Mary, out of a
just concern to know how she may comply with the will of God without
prejudice to Her vow of virginity, inquired, "How shall this be?" Nor did
She give Her consent until the heavenly messenger informed Her that it was
to be a work of the Holy Spirit, who, in making Her fruitful, would not
alter in the slightest Her virginal purity. In submission to God's will,
without any further inquiries, She expressed Her assent in these humble
but
powerful words: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done unto Me
according to thy word." What faith and confidence Her answer expressed!
What
profound humility and perfect obedience!
Reflection. Humility is the foundation of a spiritual life. By it Mary was
prepared for the extraordinary graces and virtues which would ever enrich
Her, and for the eminent dignity of Mother of God.
Saint Quote:
Gaze upon the Lord,
Gaze upon his face;
Gaze upon the One who holds you in his embrace.
Gaze upon his life;
Gaze upon his love;
Gaze upon his coming poor from heaven above.
-Saint Clare of Assisi
Bible Quote:
5 For neither did his brethren believe in him. 6 Then Jesus said to them:
My
time is not yet come; but your time is always ready. 7 The world cannot
hate
you; but me it hateth: because I give testimony of it, that the works
thereof are evil. (John 7:5-7)
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The second glorious mystery prayer of the Eucharistic
Rosary, to be offered before the Blessed Sacrament:
The Ascension of Our Lord, offered for confidence in God
and desire of heaven.
O divine Saviour! Thy triumph in this mystery has reached
its perfection! By raising Thyself up to heaven through Thy
own power, Thou hast taken possession of Thy Kingdom, and
Thou art seated at the right hand of Thy Father to be forever
the joy of the angels and saints. Every day also without
quitting Thy throne Thou comest upon our altars, under the
form of bread, to bring us a foretaste of the heavenly
beatitude.
O Thou, the delight of pure souls, we adore Thee and we beg
of Thee, through the intercession of Thy holy Mother, an
ardent desire of possessing Thee here below under the
Eucharistic veils, and to possess Thee in heaven in the
splendor of Thy glory.
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