Month: April 2025

“Where, O death, is your victory?    Where, O death, is your sting?”[a]The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.1 Corinthians 15:55-57 NIV *** The death, and the burial, and the resurrection of Jesus happened over three days. Friday…

[Excerpts from Pope Francis’ message, Easter Vigil, Saturday, April 19, 2025] *** “We cannot celebrate Easter without continuing to deal with the nights that dwell in our hearts and the shadows of death that so often loom over our world. Christ indeed conquered sin and destroyed death, yet in our earthly history the power of…

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. Luke 24:1 NIV *** *** He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of…

The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. *[They followed faithfully – through everything.] *Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes.*[They were from Galilee. So, “home” meant lodgings in Jerusalem. What they needed to prepare they probably had to buy.]*But…

Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). There they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle.John 19:17-18 NIV *** *** For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life…

“My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.”Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”Mark 14:34-36…

When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and…

Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them…

Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, “Hosanna!”“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”“Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!”“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”Mark 11:9-10 NIV *** [Hosanna: Hebrew expression meaning “Save!” which became an exclamation of praise.] *** *** When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city…

The end is reconciliation; the end is redemption; the end is the creation of the beloved community.  It is this type of spirit and this type of love that can transform opposers into friends.  The type of love that I stress here is not eros, a sort of esthetic or romantic love; not philia, a…