Easter Vigil 2008 Reflection: "The Cross and the Resurrection"

EASTER VIGIL REFLECTION

Liturgical Note: The Easter Vigil, the most solemn of all nights, is the Mother of all vigils, the perfect model of all Christian celebrations. We use the Eucharistic Prayer I (The Roman Canon) during the Liturgy of the Eucharist.

22 March 2008 Solemn Mass of Easter Vigil of the Lord’s Resurrection (A) - White

First Reading: Genesis 1:1 – 2:2
Responsorial Psalm I: Psalm 104 "Lord, send out your Spirit and renew the face of the earth."
Second Reading: Genesis 22: 1-18
Responsorial Psalm II: Psalm 16 "You are my inheritance, O Lord."
Third Reading: Exodus 14:15 – 15:1
Responsorial Psalm III: Exodus 15 "Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory."
Epistle: Romans 6:3-11
Responsorial Psalm & Alleluia: Psalm 118 “Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!”
Gospel: Luke 24:1-12

The Cross and the Resurrection

I want to start my reflection with an anecdote by Andrew Ma. Almonte. It is entitled “The Cross and the Resurrection.”

Paul of the Cross is a zealous preacher who gives fiery sermons about the Passion and Death of our Lord. To his great chagrin, however, his listeners get fewer each day. Perplexed and discouraged, Paul of the Cross goes to his bishop to ask for a possible explanation for the phenomenon.

“It is most beneficial to preach the sufferings of Christ. But you forget something very important,” the bishop tells him.

“What is it?” Paul of the Cross is bewildered. “I begin with Christ’s agony and end with his crucifixion.”

“That’s it!” the bishop replies. “You preach Christ’s passion, but do not say anything about his resurrection. To preach the cross without the hope of resurrection will only make people afraid.”

Very beautiful indeed! We Filipinos are known for our devout practices during the penitential season of Lent. We have different ceremonies and activities during this time of the Liturgical Year. From the very long and grueling reading of the Pabasa to the very vibrant and festive procession of the saints during Holy Week, we see how much Filipinos commemorate the death of the Lord, with true devotion.

Sometimes, we do forget about the resurrection. People flock to the Church during the Easter Triduum. A lot participate in the Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper. Most of these people still join Good Friday’s Celebration of the Lord’s Passion and Death. Sadly, just a few of these people are seen awake and participative during the Easter Vigil which is the Mother of all Vigils in the Church, the perfect celebration of the Lord’s mystery.

We tend to focus more on the passion and death of Christ that we forget the cornerstone of our faith; that is the Resurrection of Christ from the dead. Very evident in Filipinos – for forty days we go through a lot of tradition, but after the Easter Salubong – the fifty days of Easter, we no longer see tradition. We go back to the ordinary of our lives – work, school, entertainment, and wherever field.

We cannot truly live the passion and death of the Lord without celebrating his triumphant victory over sin and death – his Resurrection. We cannot preach the passion and death of the Lord without knowing and understanding Christ’s Resurrection from the dead. We cannot truly participate in Lord’s passion and death without living his successful combat over evil. Our Christian faith – everything including doctrine, moral and worship – depend on the Resurrection.

This is what tonight’s celebration tells us. We started in darkness and journeyed through the readings of the Old Testament. We wonder with awe and spectacle at the works of God, our Creator. Then now, we stand, living in the light of the Risen Christ – who fulfills the works of the Creator and defines the mystery of our salvation. We remember with open hearts the Resurrection of Christ from the dead, celebrating the most important doctrine of our Christian faith, living in the light that the Lord Jesus Christ has provided for us.

We are now called to witness in Christ’s gift of his Resurrection. Yes, we went through the most holy days of the year. We witnessed and shared in His passion and his death. Now, we are summoned to share, celebrate, and live his Resurrection; for only by doing this can we find meaning to what we’ve celebrated during the Lenten season. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

A Blessed Easter to one and all!

Elijah Justin Santiago Segovia

Good Friday 2008 Reflection: "Jesus’ Friendship is the essence of Good Friday"

GOOD FRIDAY REFLECTION

21 March 2008 Good Friday – Celebration of the Lord’s Passion (A) - Red

First Reading: Isaiah 52:13 – 53:12
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 31 "Father, into your hands, I commend my spirit."
Second Reading: Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9
Gospel: John 18:1 – 19:42

Jesus’ Friendship is the essence of Good Friday

During the mandatum of Holy Thursday, the reenactment of the Washing of the Feet, the choir sang this very beautiful song which actually reflects the very essence of Good Friday. This song is entitled “Pagkakaibigan.” Basically, it vividly recalls Jesus’ washing of the disciples’ feet by being a servant-friend. More importantly, the song captures the title itself – friendship. This pagkakaibigan is the very essence of Good Friday.

The opening line goes: “Ang sino man sa Aki'y mananahan, mananahan din Ako sa kanya. At kung siya'y mamunga nang masagana, siya sa Ama'y nagbigay ng karangalan.” This is the promise of Christ at the Last Supper table – whoever remains in me, I remain in him. On the way to Calvary, Jesus also says this: whoever joins me on the way of my cross, I join him in his own sufferings. What a beautiful image of a friend! And because we are his friends, Jesus makes sure that we bear fruit, that this friendship bears fruit. He calls us to friendship and asks us to be one with him in his suffering and death. He asks us, his friends, to keep watch over him as he goes through the way of his cross.

And as Jesus hang on the wood of the cross, Jesus may be telling the world: “Mula ngayon kayo'y Aking kaibigan hinango sa dilim at kababaan. Ang kaibiga'y mag-aalay ng sarili niyang buhay; walang hihigit sa yaring pag-aalay.” He accepted the cross not because he wanted to show the world he is mighty. He accepted the cross because he loved us so much. He is our friend. He died for us – his friends. He tells us that we are his friends – who were in darkness but have seen great light in him. And the greatest mystery that Jesus’ example of friendship is this: that I will give my life, my own life, and nothing is greater than that. The greatest love story of all is commemorated today – Jesus’ love for us is so immense that in order for us to be saved, he gave his own life. Because he so wanted us to be with his Father in heaven, he gave himself to be spitted on by the Jews, jeered on the passers-by, and mocked by the outsiders. Our own friendship with our friends is nothing compared to the friendship Jesus made with us.

Today, as we venerate the cross on which hung the Savior of the world, we remember with special devotion the friendship Jesus has made with us. Jesus is our friend. Without this friendship, Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is nothing.

The song ends with the challenge for today’s celebration of the Lord’s Passion: “Pinili ka't hinirang upang mahalin nang mamunga't bunga mo'y panatilihin. Humayo ka't mamunga nang masagana, kagalakang walang hanggang ipamamana.” After all, the death of Jesus on the cross, his friendship, comes down to one gift – the happiness of eternal salvation. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Elijah Justin Santiago Segovia

Holy Thursday 2008 Reflection: "In the Eucharist, we become Priests who live in Love"

HOLY THURSDAY REFLECTION

20 March 2008 Holy Thursday – Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper (A) - White

First Reading: Exodus 12:1-8,11-14
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 116 "Our blessing-cup is a communion with the Blood of Christ"
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
Gospel: John 13:1-15

In the Eucharist, we become Priests who live in Love

The Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper, celebrated on Holy Thursday afternoon, signals the Church’s entry into the Solemn Paschal Triduum of Lord’s Passion, Death and Resurrection. We say goodbye to the penitential season of Lent; we now join the Lord Jesus Christ on his suffering, death and his salvific Resurrection.

The Mass of the Lord’s Supper highlights three important pillars of our Eucharistic Celebration: the Holy Mass, the gift of priesthood, and the commandment of Brotherly Love. These three things actually make up what we celebrate daily, and for most of us, every Sunday.

First, the Holy Mass. Today we commemorate the solemn institution of the Most Holy Eucharist. Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, joined his disciples for supper – a special supper – that he actually planned, prepared, and celebrated. In the gospel of St. Luke, we see Jesus summoning some of his disciples to prepare the Upper Room, for them to celebrate this holy meal, with wine and unleavened bread. This actually is a commemoration of the Jewish Passover – from the slavery of Egypt to freedom into the Promised Land. Jesus took seat at the supper table and offered bread and wine which he promised to be his body and blood. He gave these species to his disciples, telling them that as often as they do this, it will be in his remembrance. Two thousand years from that time, we now celebrate the Holy Mass – our own celebration of Jesus’ Last Supper – our celebration from sin to new life in Christ.

Second, the gift of Priesthood. During the Last Supper, Jesus called his disciples to be part of his total giving-out of himself to others. Thus, the disciples were the first priests who witnessed the first celebration of the Holy Eucharist. Now, we are called to priests – to spread the Good News to others, to celebrate and live the Holy Eucharist, and to be Christ’s representative in this world. We are called to be Christ-like – to take up our own crosses on the way to Calvary, and to join Christ in the victory of his Resurrection.

Lastly, Christ’s commandment of Brotherly Love. Today we witness the mandatum – the reenactment of the Washing of Feet. In today’s gospel, we hear in full detail the account of Jesus’ Last Supper and washing of the feet. St. John tells us that Jesus, stripped off his cloak and washed the feet of his disciples. Jesus was humble. Jesus showed that the dirty act of cleaning the dirtiest part of the body can be done – even by the Son of God. In Jewish culture, this act is the dirtiest, only done by the servants to their masters. Jesus showed this great love by serving our brothers and sisters. We are called tonight to be servant-lovers – to serve our brothers and sisters means to love them; to offer them our lives. We are called to wash one another’s feet. We are called to humility – to divest of our own riches, glamour, and personality to share our lives with our brothers and sisters.

Tonight, as we transfer Jesus in the Altar of Repose, we watch over with him, we pray with him, we stay with him. Like his disciples, we join him in prayer. As we remember the sufferings of the Man on the cross, we offer ourselves to the Lord, offering ourselves to our brothers and sisters.

Let us be worthy to enter the Paschal Triduum by keeping watch and praying with Jesus that through the Eucharist, we become priests of God sharing the love and humility that Jesus modeled for us. We pray in this Eucharist that we may be cleansed from our sins and be with Christ in his agony in the garden, in his trial, his passion, his death on the cross. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Elijah Justin S. Segovia

Ash Wednesday 2008 Reflection: "By His Wounds We are Healed"

Ash Wednesday Reflection

6 February 2008 Ash Wednesday (A) - Violet

First Reading: Joel 2:12-18
Reponsorial Psalm: Ps 51 "Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned."
Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:20 - 6:2
Gospel: Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18
Imposition of Ashes: Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel.

BY HIS WOUNDS WE ARE HEALED

Once again we start the penitential season of Lent with our celebration of Ash Wednesday. This day we will be reminded of our humanity, of our wounds, of our frailties, through the ashes that will be imposed on our foreheads. We belong to the earth. We will return back to the earth.

Jesus was also part of this earth. He actually came forth to heal all our wounds, frailties, and sins. Through his death on the cross, we have been saved. Through the wounds on his body, we have been healed.

Let us remember with grateful hearts the sufferings of the Messiah. Let us remember to rend our hearts to him. What is more important is that we strip off our materiality and pride, and that we give to the Lord our life and our being. This is the challenge of Lent - to come back to the Lord with all our heart, mind and being.

And we must always remember that through the wounds of the Christ, we have been healed; through the blood of the Christ, we have been cleansed; through the death of the Christ, we have been saved.

A blessed Ash Wednesday to one and all.

- EJ Segovia
5 February 2008

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Today is a day of FASTING and ABSTINENCE.

Imposition of Ashes
P - Dear friends in Christ, let us ask our Father to bless these ashes which we will use as the mark of our repentance. (Pause)
Lord, bless the sinner who asks for your forgiveness and bless (+) all those who receive these ashes. May they keep this Lenten season in preparation for the joy of the Easter.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
All - Amen.