Friday Week 3 Easter

Reflection

Special Encounters That Change Everything

Saul was commissioned to arrest the followers of Christ in Damascus. But on the way, he had two encounters. In the first, Jesus said to him, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.” In the second, Ananias—one of the very people Saul had intended to arrest—said to him, “Brother Saul, receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” What powerful encounters, when the victims call their persecutor “brother.” These two moments transformed Saul into a true brother and a follower of Jesus (Acts 9:1–20).

The Jews were looking for a free handout of food, but they had a profound encounter with Jesus in the synagogue of Capernaum. After they had gathered, Jesus offered them His flesh to eat and His blood to drink. The people were scandalized and said to one another, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” But Jesus insisted, “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and has eternal life, and will live forever” (John 6:52–59).

When we receive the Eucharist, it is always a special moment—a moment of grace and often a moment of deep, sometimes subtle, experience. At times it may seem that nothing happens, yet it is truly an event of communion with Jesus. Let us always long for this holy encounter—to receive Christ in the Eucharist, to allow Him to heal our past wounds, and to strengthen us to do His will.

Fr. Simon, SMA

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Thursday Week 3 Easter

Reflection

Coming to a new faith

Coming to a New Faith

Remember Jesus’ instruction to the disciples: “Whenever they persecute you in one city, flee to the next” (Matthew 10:23). The persecution in Palestine confirms that, once again, the chosen people have rejected the Gospel message. Now the Gospel travels outside the Jewish world. It goes to a different continent. An Ethiopian court official, on his way back to his country, welcomes the Gospel. The water used for baptism is not from the Jordan; its source has no name. The main agent is not the visible presence of the risen Christ, but the Holy Spirit. Now the era of active life in the Spirit has begun (Acts 8:26–40). “The wind blows where it wills… so it is with everyone born of the Spirit” (John 3:8).

Jesus teaches a new doctrine about the manna that the people ate in the wilderness. Their ancestors ate the manna, yet they died. But Jesus gives Himself; His flesh is the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever (John 6:44–51).

New things are happening here and now. A transformation is taking place. All that is needed is openness to this new way. Learn to read the signs of the times so as to recognize the new realities God is bringing about.

Fr. Simon, SMA

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Wednesday week 3 Easter

Reflection

External Grace

The external grace is something that is divinely ordered to help individual achieve God’s plan and will. These moments often demand patience, endurance, and forbearance, for their full meaning is usually revealed only in time. The joy they carry is often delayed, but it is certain. Sacred Scripture offers many examples of such grace hidden within difficult events: Balaam’s donkey that refused to move (Numbers 22:23–26), Saul’s persecution of the Church, Tobit’s sudden blindness (Tobit 2:9–3:17), Samuel’s disturbed sleep (1 Samuel 3:3–10), the betrayal of Joseph by his brothers (Genesis 37), and the storm that interrupted Jonah’s flight (Jonah 1–4). Each of these events, though troubling at first, became a steppingstone for God’s glory and the salvation of souls.

The martyrdom of Stephen reveals this mystery with particular clarity. Firstly, Saul approved the killing of Stephen (Acts 7:58) and Saul became the leader of the persecution of the Hellenist Christians. Secondly, the martyrdom of Stephen opened the door for the spread of the gospel. Chased from Jerusalem, the Hellenist Christians took the gospel to the whole world, and mighty works followed their preaching. Deacon Philip went to Samaria. The Samaritans, who formerly rejected Jesus, welcomed the gospel that their rivals, the Jews rejected. (Acts 8:1b-8; Luke 9:52-53)

Christ Himself assures us that God’s ultimate plan is life, not loss: “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst”. It is the will of God that anyone who keeps fellowship with Jesus Christ will never hunger nor thirst. Everyone who believes in Christ will have abundant life. Christ came to save people from doom on the last day (John 6:35-40).

It is good to see beyond the current happenings. An external grace is attached to every event in life. When one door closes, God opens another. Stop looking at the closed door, to see the opened door.

Fr. Simon, SMA

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Tuesday Week 3 Easter

Reflection

Stephen, a Certified Copy of Jesus

The story of Stephen parallels the story of Jesus of Nazareth. Both worked miracles and great signs. Both were bold in their preaching— speaking the truth without fear, even when it challenged their listeners. Their rivals were jealous. False witnesses accused them of preaching against the Temple and the tradition of Moses. Both faced the threat of death by stoning; Jesus escaped stoning because His hour had not yet come, but Stephen was stoned to death. Both handed their spirits to God. In Luke’s accounts, before their deaths, both Jesus and Stephen prayed for the forgiveness of their executioners (Acts 6:8–8:1; Luke 23:34; the Gospel narratives).

Stephen preached to his executioners. He called them stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, murderers who followed the deeds of their ancestors. When he affirmed that the law was given by angels of God and not by Moses and announced that he was looking at Jesus standing at the right hand of God, his rivals were infuriated, they ground their teeth at him, cried out in a loud voice, covered their ears, took Stephen out of the city, and stoned him to death. Before his last breath, Stephen asked Jesus to receive his spirit and he forgave his executioners. Saul from Tarsus approved the killing of Stephen. (Acts 7:51-8:1)

Jesus and Stephen work miracles, but Jesus gave Stephen the miraculous power and boldness. Jesus existed before creation and he knew that Moses did not give the bread from heaven; God, the Father gave manna in the desert, and the Father gives the true bread from heaven. Jesus called himself “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.” He gave himself to the cross and gave his body as food, and his blood as drink in the Eucharist. (John 6:30-35)

Like Stephen, we too must become a certified copy of Jesus in the world today. Our actions and words must be, as close as possible, to those of Jesus.

Fr. Simon, SMA

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Monday week 3 Easter

Reflection

History Repeats Itself

When history repeats itself, the events are often similar; the people involved and the setting may be different. George Santayana, a Spanish philosopher, wrote, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Yet wicked people also use history to organize their evil deeds.

The story of Stephen recalls the story of Jesus of Nazareth. Stephen was filled with grace and power, and he worked great signs and wonders among the people. His rivals became jealous of him; they produced false witnesses against him and accused him of preaching against the Temple and the Law of Moses, claiming that the risen Jesus would destroy the Temple and change the traditions of Moses (Acts 6:8–15). These were the same accusations used against Jesus to eliminate Him.

The persecution and martyrdom of Stephen mark the beginning of a series of similar events recorded in the Acts of the Apostles.

Regarding the recent events in your own life, remember that you are not the first—among humans—to experience them. Many people are going through similar situations. You are not alone on this journey.

The events you are experiencing carry deeper meaning. They call you not to forget to do the works of God—to fulfill His will by believing in Jesus Christ (John 6:22–29).

Fr. Simon, SMA

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3rd Sunday of Easter Year A

Sunday Reflection

Making Sense of the Past

We often miss the meaning of events as they unfold in our lives. Sometimes we wait for days, months, or even years before we begin to understand the past. When we revisit the past, we may discover that some events we once disliked have become moments of grace—now we thank God that they happened—and at times we may feel shame for things we were once proud of. The true meaning of the past is connected to who we are today. The past is never dead; it can always be reinterpreted in the present moment, here and now.

Inspired by the Holy Spirit, Peter gave meaning to the things that happened to Jesus of Nazareth. God worked mighty deeds, wonders, and signs through Jesus. Lawless people crucified Jesus, but God raised him up. The crowd of curious visitors gathered in Jerusalem listened to Peter’s testimony. (Acts 2:14. 22-33)

Two followers of Jesus—probably Clopas and his wife, Mary—could not make sense of what happened to Jesus, they returned to their former way of life. A stranger joined them on the road to Emmaus. He helped them understand the story of Jesus. Using scriptures, he explained that Jesus and the Messiah have the same destiny. They trusted the man and hosted him for the night. During supper, the stranger broke bread for them, they ate, their burning hearts were cured, and their eyes opened. In the breaking of the bread—especially the way he broke the bread for them to eat—their  eyes were opened and they recognized him as Jesus of Nazareth, risen from the dead. (John 19:25; Luke 24:13-35)

God remains impartial as He journeys with His people. The past does not determine God’s judgment of present events. God knows best. He calls each of us to set aside worldly things and to hold fast to what is eternal (1 Peter 1:17–21).

Jesus desires to walk with you and help you make sense of the past. He gives you food for the journey—the Eucharist—to rekindle your heart and open your eyes and mind to God’s work. It is good to revisit the past, either physically or spiritually, and to give new meaning to the present events in your life.

Fr. Simon, SMA

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Saturday Week 2 Easter

Reflection

Severe storms on communities

A severe storm on the early church. Sharing common good was the root of the storm. The Hellenists accused the Hebrews of favoritism and discrimination. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, the twelve apostles, as leaders of the Hebrews, elected seven deacons of Greek origin—all the seven deacons have Greek names—to be leaders of the Hellenists—the Greek speaking Christians. The deacons would serve food, take care of the Hellenist widows and the sick. This providential event shaped the destiny of the early church and offer leadership position to people who did not follow Jesus from the Baptism of John to the ascension of the Lord. (Acts 1:21-22; 6:1-7)

Jesus experienced a lot of stormy days in his public life. Some of his countrymen rejected him, others wanted to take him by force and make him a king (John 5:18; 6:14-15). Jesus decided to join his disciple who were in the boat to Capernaum, a place where he had many supporters, but violent waves broke over the boat. The disciples were afraid not only of the storm and the waves, but of seeing someone walking on the sea coming near the boat. Jesus asked his disciples to be still, “It is I. Do not be afraid.” He joined them and put an end to the stormy and dreadful weather, and to the fiery sail. (John 6:16-21)

All kinds of storms put life, families, and communities in danger. In those moments, we must remain still in faith and avoid accusing each other of the tragedy. The grave sense of alarm and accusation fingers had never solved a problem in life. But Jesus gives peace, his peace to those who came to him. (John 14:27)

Fr. Simon, SMA