"The Christ had to suffer and on the third day rise from the dead; in his name repentance and remission of sins must be preached to all the nations." Easter is a call to action for us to give witness to the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
"Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." Divine Mercy reminds us that our love for God is a call to love one another.
"The Lord is truly risen, alleluia." From the silence of the Empty Tomb emerges the Good News that we must proclaim to the world: Jesus is alive!
"Do not be amazed! You seek Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified. He has been raised; he is not here." The Sacred Paschal Triduum concludes with the Easter Vigil in which our RCIA Elect are received into the Church through the Sacraments of Initiation.
"Yet it was our infirmities that he bore, our sufferings that he endured." The Sacred Paschal Triduum continues with the solemn celebration of the Lord's Passion.
"We should glory in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, in whom is our salvation, life and resurrection, through whom we are saved and delivered." One might think that a Eucharistic hymn might serve as an Entrance chant for Holy Thursday, but the Church chose a text that sings of the fullness of the three days of the Sacred Paschal Triduum.
"When the centurion who stood facing [Jesus] saw how he breathed his last, he said: Truly this man was the Son of God!" Even in the face of suffering and death, may we always be so bold to proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord!
Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise." As our RCIA Elect make their final preparations for the Easter sacraments, they are inspired by Martha's profession of faith.
"The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified..." The end of our Lenten journey beckons. The Cross lies ahead!
"While I am in the world, I am the light of the world." May Christ shine in our lives!
"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son..." Let us rejoice in the saving love of God, a love proven by Jesus' embrace of the Cross.
"Sir, give me this water so that I may not be thirsty." We pray for our RCIA Elect as they encounter Jesus and journey with him toward the living waters of baptism.
"We proclaim Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles. But to those who are called - Jews and Greeks alike - Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God." The Cross is the ultimate sign of God's love.
"This is my beloved Son. Listen to him." At the Transfiguration, Jesus is revealed as God's beloved Son. Lent is our time to listen up!
"This prefigured baptism, which saves you now. It is not a removal of dirt from the body but an appeal to God for a clear conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ." We journey through Lent with Jesus, who leads us through the desert to the saving waters of Baptism.
"Be reconciled to God... Behold, now is a very acceptable time; now is the day of salvation." Ash Wednesday begins our Lenten journey. It is an invitation to deepen our relationship with God.
A leper came to Jesus. "If you wish, you can make me clean." Jesus said, "I do will it. Be made clean." If Christ shows compassion to one who is ostracized from the community, can we not do the same?
"He cured many who were sick with serious diseases, and he drove out many demons." "To the weak I became weak, to win over the weak." Let us embrace our weakness and humbly turn to Christ for healing and peace.
"The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority." We are invited to humbly accept the authority of Jesus as we listen to his Word.
"The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel." On Word of God Sunday, Jesus calls us to go fishing with him and proclaim the Good News.
"Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening." Jesus calls us to follow him. What is our response?
"Your light has come. The glory of the Lord shines upon you!" Through his Epiphany, Jesus invites us to make a difference in the world by loving others as he loves us.
"The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. . . And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart." Jesus Christ is Son of God and Son of Mary. He is our Prince of Peace.
"The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him." What makes the Holy Family holy? One word: FAITH.
"And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father's only Son..." Good news! The birth of Jesus Christ brings much needed light into our world.
The shepherds said to one another, "Let us go, then, to Bethlehem to see this thing that has taken place which the Lord has made known to us." Like the shepherds, let us return home from this morning liturgy and share the joy of Christmas with our families and friends.
"For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Christ the Lord." Tonight we adore the infant who became our salvation. He is the Prince of Peace.
"She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." The Gospel of Matthew's carefully crafted genealogy of the Messiah is upended by divine intervention. By the power of the Holy Spirit, the Son of God was born of the Virgin Mary.
"The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. . ." Mary's patient time of trusting and waiting was fulfilled when she gave birth to God's Son.
"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice! Indeed, the Lord is near."