EASTER WEDNESDAY - 2023

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

This day was made by the Lord:

we rejoice and are glad. PS 117:24

ACTS 3:1-10 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

Throughout our lives, we will meet people who are crippled in one way or the other, some from birth, but unlike Peter and John, we do not give them what we have as they did. We are surrounded by people who may even be very close to us whom we profess to love and care for but we are either timid, too intimidated, or we come up with myriad excuses for our lack of boldness in sharing with them the Good News that saves.

Peter and John looked straight at the cripple who returned their gaze expectantly hoping to get a few coins but they had something far greater to give him, beyond the price of silver and gold. The Church has bestowed on all her children through the power of the Holy Spirit all the gifts that are necessary to proclaim the Gospel boldly and with wondrous power and signs but we lack the kind of faith that makes this possible. 

Lord Jesus Christ, You sent the Holy Spirit upon Your Apostles and on Your Church - we are given a spirit of boldness not of timidity help us Lord, in these final days to be unafraid to proclaim that no one is saved except through faith in You. 

PSALM 104(105):1-4,6-9 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

The psalmist reminds us to give thanks to You always. To make Your Name and Your mighty deeds known among the people with whom we live. We are called to praise You always and to testify to Your wonder-working power in our lives.

We must be proud of Your Name for it is a Name that is given to us above every other by which the whole world is saved. Thank You for Your Presence in all the Tabernacles of the world where anyone came come before You and receive all we need to face any obstacles that hamper our pilgrim journey to heaven. 

We are Your people, we are the sheep of Your flock. We are members of Your Body. You are the Covenant incarnate between God and His creation and You make intercession for us night and day. Thank You. 

LUKE 24:13-35 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

I am like the two disciples running away from Jerusalem when things get difficult, or hard to understand, or too painful to bear. Sadly no matter how far we run we cannot escape our thoughts, our experiences, our sins, our failures, and our weaknesses - we carry them with us and they weigh us down. They make us despondent. We cloak ourselves in gloom and life becomes hopeless and joyless.

But You O Lord, do not abandon those whom You have chosen, who are bound to You in love, whom You love with a steadfast unfailing infinite, incomprehensible love. Your love for us is irrevocable - it is covenantal love and so these two disciples who are running in the opposite direction like Jonah suddenly find themselves in the company of One they believe is a stranger. You walk by their side but they do not recognize You and You say, ‘What matters are you discussing as you walk along?’ And they told You all that had happened in the last three days. They spoke of their sorrow, their crushed hopes and dreams. They spoke of all they had witnessed and what had happened to the One whom they believed would liberate them from the crushing oppression of Rome but was put to death by the shameful collusion between their own Jewish religious hierarchy and their oppressors. They even speak of the women's testimony of Your Resurrection and the vision of angels but it was not enough to convince them. 

After they finish speaking You reply:

‘You foolish men! So slow to believe the full message of the prophets! Was it not ordained that the Christ should suffer and so enter into his glory?’ You then explained to them the passages throughout the scriptures that spoke about You and how every prophesy found its fulfillment in You. 

Then when they reached the village they invited You to stay with them since it was late and the day was almost over. You went in with them, sat at table with them, and then the veil was ripped from their eyes, it was deja vu, it brought them back to the Last Supper when You instituted the Holy Eucharist. They watched as You took the bread and said the blessing; then You broke it and handed it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognised You, but You vanished from their sight. They can hardly contain their excitement as they say to each other, ‘Did not our hearts burn within us as he talked to us on the road and explained the scriptures to us?’

Beloved, may my heart burn within me every time I receive You in the Holy Eucharist or read Sacred Scripture, and may I be transformed more and more into Your image and likeness. Amen.