NEW LIFE, RESURRECTION, EASTER
| | |

NEW LIFE WITH JESUS: CATHOLIC SUNDAY SCRIPTURE REFLECTION: EASTER SUNDAY: ALLELUIA! HE HAS RISEN! ALLELUIA! CYCLE A, 2023

ByOnuh

The Easter celebration of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ is a call to a new life with Christ Jesus: our Lord and Saviour who has risen from the dead. It occurs always at the season of spring when new life blossom and flourish in all of nature around us. “Easter” literally means “the feast of fresh flowers.” Easter is the greatest and the most important feast in the Church for four reasons:

It is a new life that calls us from darkness to light, evil to good, hatred to love, guilt to innocence, sad to joy, despair to hope, fears to faith, worries to peace, pride to humility and victims to victors.

DIE, PASSION OF THE LORD, HOLY WEEK
| |

WHY DID CHRIST DIE? CATHOLIC SUNDAY SCRIPTURE REFLECTION: PASSION/PALM SUNDAY, CYCLE A, 2023

ByOnuh

The whole context of Lent provokes a deeply disturbing fundamental question why did Christ die a violent death to redeem humanity? Could God almighty not will it for the fallen nature of man to be restored without any shed of blood of his beloved Son like he orderly and creatively did in his work creation and everything will be new again? Why the passion, death and resurrection of Christ? Why must God die? Is it a sadistic act for Christ to die that way? All these fundamental questions lead to one single fact: why did Christ die?

die, rise, resurrecion,
| |

WE DIE IN LENT AND RISE TO LIFE AT EASTER WITH CHRIST JESUS: OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR: CATHOLIC SUNDAY SCRIPTURE REFLECTION: 5TH SUNDAY OF LENT, CYCLE A, 2023

ByOnuh

The whole exercise of the Lenten season is a spiritual calling for us to die in Lent and to rise to new life in Christ Jesus, our Lord and Saviour who conquers and defeats Satan, evil, sin and death. Therefore, the pillar held of Lenten observances is articulated in this biblical phrase: ¨Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life.¨ John 12:20-33.

light, darkness, blindness
| |

JESUS CHRIST: THE LIGHT THAT CAME INTO THE WORLD OF DARKNESS: CATHOLIC SUNDAY SCRIPTURE REFLECTION: 4TH SUNDAY OF LENT: LAETARE SUNDAY! CYCLE A, 2023

ByOnuh

There are many themes in the readings of today but one that is very clear is that Jesus Christ is the light that came into the world of darkness. Last Sunday we saw the theme of Christ: Living Water that springs to eternal life. Christ was presented to us as the only one who can satisfy our hunger or our thirst. This fourth Sunday, Christ again gave himself as The Light of the world so that we do not live in the error or darkness of sin.

LIVING WATER, HOLY SPIRIT, ETERNAL LIFE
| |

JESUS OFFERS LIVING WATER, THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT: CATHOLIC SUNDAY SCRIPTURE REFLECTION: 3RD SUNDAY OF LENT. CYCLE A, 2023

ByOnuh

On this third Sunday of Lent, Jesus offers us living water with the gift of the Holy Spirit that wells up in us to eternal life. It is one of the most beautiful images of the Sacred Scripture an ever-flowing spring that sprouts for the fountain of God´s grace, mercy and love. Christ invites us freely to drink the living water that flourishes and refreshes us.

PAIN, CROSS, GLORY
| |

THE CROSS OF PAIN IS THE CROWN OF GLORY: CATHOLIC SUNDAY SCRIPTURE REFLECTION: 2ND SUNDAY OF LENT, CYCLE A, 2023

ByOnuh

The context of the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ relays to us that the cross of pain is equally the crown of glory. It is clear that the passion, suffering and death of God: Jesus Christ is not alone a concern or shock to his disciples, but also a scandal. How could the almighty, powerful and saving God be so vulnerable, weak and helpless in the hands of men? It is a mystery incomprehensible.

temptation
| |

OVERCOMING TEMPTATION THROUGH THE GRACE OF PRAYER, FASTING, AND ALMSGIVING: CATHOLIC SUNDAY SCRIPTURE REFLECTION: 1ST SUNDAY OF LENT, CYCLE A, 2023

ByOnuh

The Lenten season is a moment of grace given to us by God through his Church´s liturgical celebrations to overcome the temptations of life through the grace of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Our temptations are what we desire or what we try to renounce. Hence, we will constantly be confronted with temptations from within us and outside us. We need grace and mercy to overcome temptations that plague us daily.

love enemies, pray presecutors, compassion
| |

LOVE OUR ENEMIES AND PRAY FOR OUR PERSECUTORS: CATHOLIC SUNDAY SCRIPTURE REFLECTION: 7TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, CYCLE A, 2023

ByOnuh

To love our enemies and pray for our persecutors is the Christian calling, we all receive from a merciful and lovely God who urges us to make effort and struggle toward perfection. Hence, today, the challenge in the readings is for us, “to be holy as he the Lord is holy” Lev. 19:2 or “perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect” Mt. 5:48.

law, love, spirit and letter
| |

CHRISTIAN LIFE IS LOVE AND NOT LAW: CATHOLIC SUNDAY SCRIPTURE REFLECTION: 6TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY, CYCLE A, 2023

ByOnuh

The spirituality of the Christian life is built on the principle of love and not the law as religion indicates. Hence, we are challenged today to obey the spirit and not just the letter of the law. This is why Jesus insists that we go deeper than our external deeds.

light, salt, christian life,
| |

BE SALT TO THE EARTH AND LIGHT TO THE WORLD: CATHOLIC SUNDAY SCRIPTURE REFLECTION OF THE WEEK: 5TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, CYCLE A, 2023

ByOnuh

The titular call to all Christians is to be salt to the earth and light to the world. As such, the Christian life of prayer and spirituality is not all about what we want God to do for us, it is fundamentally about what God wants us to do, for Him, for others and ourselves. In a world of titleholders, Christ calls or invites us to be the Salt of the Earth and Light of the World.