I AM THE LIVING ONE

II EASTER SUNDAY - Apocalypse 1:9-13,17-19

On this Second Sunday of Easter, we celebrate the Divine Mercy. It is a fitting way of ending the octave of Easter. At Easter, we celebrate God’s love and mercy.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (Jn 3:16).

In Jesus Christ, who shed his blood for us, we are reconciled with God. In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul speaks of God as “being rich in mercy, because of the great love” he has for us:

“God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” (Eph 2:4-7).

That’s why we sing with the Psalm 118:2-4:

“Let Israel say,

“His steadfast love endures forever.”

Let the house of Aaron say,

“His steadfast love endures forever.”

Let those who fear the Lord say,

“His steadfast love endures forever.”

In this Sunday’s gospel, John presents the Risen Jesus Christ joining the disciples while they were gathered on a Sunday evening (on the first day of the week) and giving them the ministry of reconciliation, that is the power to forgive sins. After breathing on them, he said:

“Receive the Holy Spirit.

For those whose sins you forgive,

they are forgiven;

for those whose sins you retain,

they are retained.”

Jesus’ resurrection represents his victory over death. He is truly the Son of man who is endowed with divine glory. To John, the writer of the Apocalypse, who was suffering like so many others for preaching the  Word of God and giving witness for Jesus Christ, He said:

“Do not be afraid; it is I, the First and the Last; I am the Living One, I was dead and now I am to live for ever and ever, and I hold the keys of death and of the underworld.” (Rev 1:17-18).

Indeed, Jesus, the King of kings and the Lord of lords, has set us free and has opened the gates of heaven for us, if we become one with him. Through him, we will be healed from our wounds and redeemed from our sins.

Let those who fear the Lord say,

“His steadfast love endures forever.”

HE OVERCAME THE POWER OF DEATH

 EASTER SUNDAY

During the Paschal Triduum,

we are called to look at the Crucified

and to share in His suffering and death.

As we look at the events of Good Friday,

we discover that  Jesus' enemies were 

in a hurry to do away with Him.

Everything took place

in less than 24 hours:

He was arrested, condemned and crucified.

Lifted on the cross by nine hours,

He was dead at fifteen,

being buried that evening,

before the Sabbath began.

 

At Jesus’ death,

the centurion “praised God, saying, 

“Certainly this man was innocent!” (Lk 23:47)

As justice did not matter for Pilate,

even though he could not find him guilty,

he condemned him to death,

the most horrible death on the cross.

Isaiah had already written 

about the Servant of the Lord,

Who, although innocent, 

experienced suffering and death.

He is “a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief”:

“he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,

and no beauty that we should desire him.

He was despised and rejected by men”.

We may look at him

as being under a curse,

“smitten by God, and afflicted.”.

On his face, we may contemplate

the fate of all the innocent of the world

who are subjected to torture and death.

In Jesus’ passion, we discover 

what human beings are capable of:

the jealousy, envy, hatred, violence and war.

In faithfulness and love, 

“He has borne our griefs

and carried our sorrows”;

“he was cut off out of the land of the living,

stricken for the transgression of my people”.

And by “his wounds we are healed.” (Is 53).

 

Jesus, the Son of the living God, 

“emptied himself, 

by taking the form of a servant, 

being born in the likeness of men. 

And being found in human form, 

he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, 

even death on a cross.

Therefore God has highly exalted him 

and bestowed on him the name 

that is above every name, 

so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, 

in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 

and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, 

to the glory of God the Father.”

 

Called to share in Jesus’ Passion,

we will be with Him in the victory of His resurrection,

to give Him praise and sing his glory. Alleluia.

Alleluia. The Lord is risen. Alleluia.

Mu nshiku nkulu ishi shitatu ishacindamisha,

twaitwa ku kulolelesha kuli Uyu uwatanikwa

pa kwampana no bucushi kabili ne mfwa yakwe.

Nga twapituluka mu fyacitike pali Cisano Citakatifu,

twasanga ukuti abalwani bakwa Yesu balefwaya 

ukuposa Yesu ulubilo.

Fyonse fyacitike mu kashita akanono;

tashakumine insa 24:

Bamwikete, bamupingwile kabili bamutanike.

Bamwimishe pa musalaba ku ma 9h,

no  kufwa afwile ku ma 15h,

lintu sabata yali pa kutampa.

 

Ilyo Yesu afwile,

umukalamba wa bashilika alumba Lesa ati:

“Icinecine uyu muntu ali umololoke.” (Lk 23:47).

Mu kukana sakamana ubulungi,

Pilato apingwile Yesu ukufwa

imfwa ya pa musalaba,

nelyo tamusangile no mulandu.

Kasesema Isaya alilembele 

pa mulandu wa Mubomfi wa Mfumu

uwapitile mu macushi na mu mfwa,

nelyo takwete mulandu.

Ali “umuntu wa bulanda uwaishiba amacushi”:

“Taali na mimonekele nangu iciyembo ifyakuti tutambe; 

taali na busuma ubwakuti twaingamukumbwa.

Aalesaaluka no kusuulwa ku bantu”.

Kuti twamumona

ngo muntu uwatipwilwa,

“uo Lesa akanda, uwakaba”.

Pa cinso cakwe kuti twamona

ubucushi bwa bakaele bonse ba panwesonde

abatitikishiwa ku macushi ne mfwa.

Mu macushi yakwa Yesu kuti twasanga

ifyo abantu bengacita ku mulandu wa bubi bwabo:

ubufuba, impatila, ulukaakala ne nkondo

ifyonaula fyonse mu bumi bwesu.

Mu citemwiko no luse,

“aaleitwika amacushi yesu,

aalesenda no bulanda bwesu”.

“Icinecine bamuputula mu calo ca bomi,

bamuumine mfwila pa lwa masambi yesu.” (Is 53).

Yesu, umwana wakwa Lesa umumi,

“asulile ku bupulami bwakwe

no kubuule cata ca musha,

aicitile umwine ifyaba abantu;

apo ali nga bantu,

aicefeshe no kucilapo,

anakilile mpaka no kufwa

imfwa ya pa musalaba.

Eico Lesa amupulamikila,

amupela ne shina

ilyacila pe shina lyonse,

icakuti: Pe shina lyakwa Yesu

fyonse, ifyabako mu mulu na muno calo

na panshi ya calo,

fili no kutibile kufi;

no lulimi lonse luli no kulumbanya aluti:

Yesu Kristu ni Mfumu,

iyaba mu bucindami bwakwa Lesa Wishi.” (Fil 2:7-11)

 

Twaitwa ku kwampana na macushi yakwa Yesu,

pakuti tukalaampana nankwe mu kwansha kwa kushukuka kwakwe.

Twakulamulumbanya mu kwimba atuti: Aleluia.

Aleluia. Imfumu naishukuka. Aleluia

HE BECAME AS MEN ARE

PALM SUNDAY - Philippians 2:6-11

With Palm Sunday, we begin the Holy Week, a week set apart for us to be touched by Jesus’ cross - that is by his passion and his death, so that, united with him in death, we may be united with him in the resurrection.

At the beginning of this Holy Week, we are presented with the Christological hymn of the letter to the Philippians, thus setting the tone for the celebration of this week, allowing us to come closer to the mystery of Jesus Christ. The first statement of the hymn affirms the divinity of Jesus: “His state was divine”. However, despite being divine, “Jesus did not cling to his equality with God”. It is as if he was ready to leave it behind or to forsake it for our sake: He “emptied himself to assume the condition of a slave and became as men are”. Out of love and for our salvation, he was ready to share in our humanity, becoming one like us. The same truth is presented in the gospel of John: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (Jn 1:14). Becoming a human being, the Son of God was ready to humble himself. Indeed 

he “emptied himself

to assume the condition of a slave

and became as men are;

and being as all men are,

he was humbler yet,

even to accepting death,

death on a cross.”

The prophet Isaiah speaks of Him as having an abject form: 

“he had no form or majesty 

that we should look at him,

and no beauty that we should desire him.” (Is 53:2)

In his suffering, he was tortured and humiliated, “despised and rejected by men”. He is “a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief” (Is 53:3). Looking at him, we are forced to recognise the evil we are capable of and the suffering that we are ready to inflict on others.

The war in Ukraine, in a very short while, has brought into the open the hatred and the violence that fill our hearts. We are not better than all those that came before us. And it serves no purpose to be ready to judge and condemn when we have done the same and will do it again if we find ourselves in the same situation. In the animal kingdom, we are the most savage of all. Jesus, who came as the Prince of peace, suffered on his flesh the rejection and the hatred of all those who stand proud in self-righteousness. 

“Surely he has borne our griefs

and carried our sorrows” (Is 53:4).

In his suffering, “he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.” (Is 53:12). He came so that by “his wounds we are healed.” (Is 53:5).

Jesus suffered the consequences of his decision to share in our pain and loss. Since the beginning, humanity has been driven by envy and jealousy, which lead to violence and war. That is the result of our deep desire to be gods, which turns out to be an impossible desire. Jesus followed a different path: he lived to do his Father’s will, thus showing us the only way that may heal our poisoned hearts, brings us peace and allow us to share in God’s glory. Jesus’ way is the only way. Although he passed through suffering and death, he came out victorious. By raising Him from the dead, God made a solemn proclamation of Jesus’ righteousness.

“But God raised him high

and gave him the name

which is above all other names

so that all beings

in the heavens, on earth and in the underworld,

should bend the knee at the name of Jesus

and that every tongue should acclaim

Jesus Christ as Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.”

Jesus is Lord

and in Him we find salvation.

DO NOT SIN ANY MORE

V SUNDAY OF LENT - John 8:1-11

In the story of the woman caught in adultery, we may look at the interveners: on one side, the scribes and the Pharisees, on the other, the woman accused of adultery, and in the middle, Jesus who is called upon to judge and condemn the woman, being himself put to the test. For most of the time, Jesus kept silent, as if he ignored the question posed by the scribes and Pharisees. In that woman, they had a golden opportunity to denounce and accuse him of breaking the law. Throughout the story, Jesus remains in control of the situation. By his silence, he creates suspense, leaving the accusers uncertain about what to do. His writing on the ground was like writing on the book of life (Rev 13:8; 20:12), the book used in the final judgement. Trying to judge and condemn, the scribes and the Pharisees stand in judgement before the Son of man. After a long silence, Jesus opens his mouth to pronounce only one sentence: “If there is one of you who has not sinned, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” Jesus challenges them and with this challenge, he brings their sinfulness into the light. Forced to recognise that they were sinners, they left in shame. Being sinners, how could they behave like saints and condemn another sinner? Jesus unmasked them, revealing their hypocrisy. Being themselves in need of mercy, they would not show mercy.

With the scribes and the Pharisees gone, Jesus and the woman remained alone. The men had gone away without throwing a stone. Nobody had the courage to condemn her. Finally, Jesus addressed the woman with a reassuring word: “Neither do I condemn you.” To Nicodemus Jesus had said: “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” Jesus came to save, not to condemn. To be saved, one must be confronted with his/ her own sin and undergo conversion. That is the proposal Jesus presented to the woman: “Go away, and do not sin any more.” God gives a time of respite for us to become aware of our sinfulness and then repent and believe. That woman’s life was touched and saved by Jesus. And the same may happen with each one of us.

Paul had an extraordinary encounter with the risen Lord Jesus Christ and that changed his life forever. And he is not ashamed of speaking of Christ and giving witness to Him: 

“For him I have accepted the loss of everything, and I look on everything as so much rubbish if only I can have Christ and be given a place in him.”