Seventh Sunday of Easter

In our first reading we heard of the Martyrdom of St Stephen, who was filled with the Holy Spirit.  However, the Jews were infuriated with Stephen’s teachings of the Good News, they ground their teeth at him in a murderous rage.  They dragged Stephen out of the city, where he looked up, and could see the ‘Glory of God’ with Jesus standing at the right hand of the Father.  Stephen saw God’s Glory rather than seeing God directly, face to face, since in Old Testament it says: no man sees me and still lives.  However, Stephen did look directly upon the glorified Jesus, shining with his heavenly countenance. 

Some of what Stephen saw, the Sanhedrin would have expected to see from heavenly visions, the ‘Glory of God’.  However, the challenging part for them, was Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, standing at the right hand of God the Father, implying that Jesus was the Messiah and King after all, to whom God has given everlasting dominion to him.

However, Stephen’s martyrdom and all the following persecutions of Christian people, did not stop the spread of Word of God, far from it.  But, actually accelerated Christianity with the mission of spreading the Good News, to the four corners of the world.

St. Stephen’s martyrdom has remarkable parallels to the Passion of Jesus.  Like Jesus, Stephen was filled with the Holy Spirit and undergoes a transfiguration before his passion.  He charges the leaders of Israel for their hardness of heart, he was cast out of the city where Stephen begs forgiveness for his murderers, and at the final moment of his death, echoes the words of Christ, to Jesus himself, ‘Receive my Spirit.’  These parallels show us that the ultimate work of the Holy Spirit is to reproduce in us, as Christians, the life of Jesus, conforming us more and more closely to Jesus himself in both life and death.

In the Gospel we have just heard Jesus praying aloud to his Father the innermost concerns of his heart.  With great intimacy and confidence he pours out his deepest feelings about the future mission of the disciples, within his newly formed Church.  Jesus appeals to the Father to carry out his plan for the world, which will draw all people together in a common bond of love and unity.  A unity which will form the pattern for Christianity for all ages.  The more we grow like Christ, the more we grow like one another in love.  Only by a strong bond of unity of believers, can knowledge, wisdom, understanding and tradition be passed on from one generation to another. 

It goes without saying that the current Christian Church has formed many dividing groups, of different denominations over the years, all with slightly varying interpretations of the Bible.  However, we are living stones in the Catholic faith, of which there is only one foundation stone, Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Through our Baptism we are called to bear witness making Jesus known to the world, like St Stephen, allowing the Holy Spirit to work through us, especially in our words and actions. 

Our love should extend generously to our family, friends, work colleagues, strangers, even to our enemies.  If Christ’s prayer of unity is to be realised, our oneness in the Lord must be visible, and not hidden away.  Since is says in scripture:  ‘No one lights a lamp and puts its in a place where it is hidden, under a bowl.  Instead they put it on a lampstand, so that those who come in may see it.’ 

Same with us, through our Baptism we have received the ‘Light of Christ’, our Baptism candle is always kept burning within our hearts, so to speak.  Let us not hide ourselves away, but be bold, full of zeal for the Lord, and filled with the Holy Spirit.  We can make a difference, we can bring people to the Lord.  As we allow the Holy Spirit to work within us, and we will, like St Stephen, see the ‘Glory of God’ in our final vision, as we are taken away by the hand with all the Angels and Saints.

The Ascension of the Lord

By virtue of our calling as Christians through our Baptism, we are meant to be an optimistic people, full of hope and rooted in confidence about our future and death in Christ Jesus.  The Ascension proclaims that Jesus, who spent his life in Jerusalem and the surrounding countryside of Galilee, has achieved the work he was sent to do, and now in Heaven seated at the Right hand of God the Father, the highest honour that is assigned for a King, since He is enthroned as King and Lord of the Universe.  His Resurrection has now been fully revealed showing His Divine Sovereignty, fulfilling the prophecy that was said to the Sanhedrin during Jesus’ trial.

‘Are you the Messiah the son of the Blessed one? The High Priest asked him.  Jesus answered, ‘I am’ and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.’

Jesus’ enthronement in Heaven however, does not imply that his absence here on earth will cease.  No, because Jesus is no longer bound by the limits of space and time, and therefore he can be present to His disciples in an infinitely and more intimate way, through the Holy Spirit than he could ever have been before while on earth.  Jesus is not only with us, but also in us.  Where Christ has gone, we hope to follow, once our earthly journey has ended. 

The Ascension assures us that the longing for happiness and fullness of life which is deeply imprinted within every person’s soul can ultimately be realised. 

The Ascension rather speaks of a new era.  For the Apostles their period of training is over, and the time has arrived for the beginning of their mission, ‘to go out to the whole world and proclaim the Good News.’  At the Lord’s departure the disciples stood motionless, transfixed by what had happened.  However, their mission was not to stand around looking upwards all day, waiting for something to happen.  In Christ’s absence they were to be his messengers. 

The Ascension of Jesus and His Glory to the Father gives us a glimpse of the great future to which we have been called to, by becoming His Saints in Heaven.  Like the Apostles, Christ commands us to be his witnesses in preaching the Good News.  As you know, this is a daunting task, but through the Holy Spirit we can all do it, by witnessing to our faith each day, and allowing the Spirit to talk through us. 

Life is often called a pilgrimage and we are travellers on that rocky road, through life’s many up’s and down’s.  We can be weakened by the many trails that come our way, our sufferings and disappointments.  However, the Ascension assures us that there is a purpose to life, a plan, that our journeying, however difficult, will take us back to the Father one day. 

We all live in hope, in the expectation for the Lord’s return on the last day.  May our hearts be ready, as we await for the Bridegroom’s return, as we take his Words to heart:  ‘Where I am, you shall be too.’ 

Sixth Sunday of Easter

We are now in the sixth Sunday of Eastertide, after celebrating the Lord’s Resurrection, and we find ourselves back listening to the farewell discourse, Jesus’ departing words to his beloved disciples.  We are told about the new commandment, from last week Gospel account, ‘to love one another as I have loved you’.  During this farewell discourse Jesus announces many things that will happen to the disciples, especially the realities that are to be revealed at the Resurrection, with the future arrival and teachings of the Holy Spirit.  It will be the Holy Spirit who will dwell in the disciples and will teach them everything they need to know, helping them to recall all that Jesus had told them.  It was not simply a recollection of the past, but a deeper understanding of Jesus and his works through the Spirit, making it come alive and active for them.

As you know, the Holy Spirit has a couple of different names, the Advocate and the Paraclete.  From the Greek word meaning ‘to call to one’s side’.  Since a paraclete in the Roman courtroom would be someone who could provide help and assistance in a trial, giving counsel, pleading for someone’s cause, interceding with the judge on their behalf.  As the Holy Spirit the Paraclete, he serves as a counsellor for the disciples, give them comfort and help when the disciples are in hostile situations.  The Spirit dwelling in the disciples, will lead them to a deeper understanding of Jesus, and enable them to bear witness to Jesus as Messiah and King. 

Among Jesus’ promises was his peace, a blessing of reconciliation that God promised to bestow upon his people.  Jesus’ peace is a supernatural peace that arises from a the total love of his Father and therefore it is unlike any other peace seen in this world. 

Repeating Jesus words of reassurance he calls the disciples to have a trusting faith, that comes from obeying the Father.  A faith that we should inspire to have, in humble obedience to the Father’s will. 

Jesus tells the distressed disciples, the promise that ‘I will come back’.  He will return to them not only after his Resurrection, but at his second coming at the end of time.  While this was hard for them to grasp, the disciples should be thankful and rejoice that Jesus is going to the Father.  Since, it is due to Jesus’ entrance into heavenly glory, that the doors are open to us, for our salvation and eternal life with the Father. 

Now little time remains for Jesus, before the ruler of the world, the devil, is coming.  Satan has already taken possession of Judas who has gone out into the darkness and will next appear leading a band of soldiers representing all of sinful humanity against Jesus.  But Satan being a created creature, has no power over him, the incarnate Word through whom all creation came to be, who was sinless, has total sovereign control over his own destiny. 

The cross reveals the depths of Jesus’ love for the Father, which is so intense that he willingly embraces the horrible death of crucifixion to accomplish the work of the Father for our salvation.     

So, today as we are leading up to Jesus’ Ascension on Thursday and Pentecost next week.  Let us allow the Holy Spirit to fill our lives with God’s Love, Hope and Peace.  Since, we are his adopted children, and through our own Baptism in love and obedience to the Father, may we imitate Mary our Mother, the Apostles and Saints, in spreading the Good News in Jesus’ mission to the world, for the salvation of souls. 

Fifth Sunday of Easter

In our first reading we hear the end of the first Mission of the disciples.  St Luke provides us with a glimpse into the missionary method of Paul and Barnabas.  We might wonder how Paul can return to the same cities from which he has just been expelled or fled from, in fear for his life.  One reason is that, Paul and Barnabas were persecuted for publicly preaching to unbelievers, but now they are ministering privately to the new Church of Christians.  Without these follow up visits, the new converts could easily return back to their previous beliefs or patterns of misconduct.  They are in need to be reinforced in their new faith, having extensive instruction, and encouragement, to remain constant in the difficulties they will expect to face. 

Paul and Barnabas repeat the sober warnings that Jesus had given to his followers, that by following him, is a narrow and difficult path.  This means, suffering and hardship.  The risen Christ teaches:  ‘Was it not necessary of salvation, that the Messiah should suffer these things, and enter into his glory?’  Now providing local leadership, the apostles Paul and Barnabas give guidance to the new churches.  They provide Bishops and Priests, probably from the group of Jewish believers, whose knowledge of Scripture and biblical morality would have been more advanced.  However, it is still through the Holy Spirit that guidance was given in commissioning these men who were chosen. 

They commended these new leaders to the Lord, since the successful ministry of the Church ultimately depends on the risen Christ Jesus himself.

In the Gospel with the departure of Judas, the events leading to Jesus hour on the cross has begun.  The focus now shifts to Jesus and his faithful disciples, with the final Farewell discourse. 

The cross is Jesus’ moment of glorification because in the cross God is revealing his self-giving love.  The Father loves the Son, and gives him for the salvation of the world, and the Son in turn makes his life a perfect gift of love and obedience to the Father.  The love between the Father and the Son is revealed on the cross, and through the wondrous event of the Resurrection, Jesus shows his marvellous divinity to the whole world.

Jesus gives his disciples a new commandment, to love one another.  Jesus’ love is the gift of himself, which symbolically was shown in the foot washing with his disciples.  The disciples love for one another, will make known to all the people, that they belong to the Lord.  The Catechism (CCC 2842) teaches us that:  ‘there has to be a vital participation, coming from the depths of our heart, in the holiness, the mercy, and the love of our God.’  Through our loving actions, we become a living testimony and witness to the Father’s love, that was revealed on the cross.

Love finds its source in God, and this new Commandment in which we are called – to base our every action upon, is the root and very core of the Gospel message. 

Love has the power to give meaning to the impossible situations in life, to bring light into darkness, to inspire people, fill them with hope and give them the courage to continue on the road ahead.  The Good News we have chosen, are instruments of Jesus’ grace in our lives.  A smile, a hug, a handshake costs nothing, but means so much, because it comes from the heart.  When we fail as a Christian, it is probably down to the failure to love, that we haven’t given in that moment of time.

We are invited and encouraged to look into our hearts today, and see how we are answering God’s call to love, within our families, friends or in the workplace.  The real test of love is how we respect others including our enemies.  No one can be a friend of Jesus who does not love his neighbour as himself.  Let us ask the Lord today for the grace to have our hearts opened, filled with God’s divine love, with the inspiration and wisdom of all the Saints, to share fruit abundantly, fruit that will last, with all of humanity.

Fourth Sunday of Easter – Good Shepherds Sunday – Vocations to the Priesthood.

APPOINTED TO BE READ AT ALL PUBLIC MASSES IN ALL CHURCHES AND CHAPELS IN THE DIOCESE OF LANCASTER ON THE WEEKEND OF 10 & 11 MAY 2025

My dear people,

In these days after the Easter celebration of Jesus rising from the dead, we experience a hope for a share in this risen life, safe, beyond the reach of all harm.  The death of our Holy Father, Pope Francis, casts no shadow across our Easter lives.  Yes, it serves to remind us all of our mortality, that the days are passing and that the things of this world are also passing, but as he served the Lord with his life, we believe that his death also serves the Lord.  When someone we love dies, they take something of ourselves with them but also leave with us so much of themselves, in the good they did, the example they have given. May his soul and the souls of all the Faithful departed, rest in peace.

By the time this letter is being read in your parishes we may already have a successor to Pope Francis, a new name, a new face, a new Saint Peter.  Even if this is the case, we have the same Good Shepherd, speaking the same words to us:

‘My sheep hear my voice,

And I know them,

And they follow me.’

These words give us comfort and reassurance in these times that Christ has not ‘sub-contracted’ His work to others.  He remains our Good Shepherd and always will.

When Christ instituted the Sacred Priesthood, choosing some men to become Priests of His New Covenant, He did so knowing us to be imperfect, still prone to selfishness, fear, misunderstanding and temptation.  Such risks did not prevent Him acting as He did.  He believed that every vocation planted in the heart of the believer must grow like wheat amongst briars.  He had confidence in the wheat, the soil and the expertise of those who would harvest, to select the good.

On this Good Shepherd Sunday let us thank God heartily for all vocations, and particularly today for vocations to the Priesthood, and let us pray confidently for men to hear His voice and answer His call.  Chosen men sounds a rather arrogant expression and can disturb us if it is not identified with the voice of our Saviour and the will of the Father.  For some, it is their way to heaven, so long as they do what they are told! Priests are to be Shepherds formed by the heart of Christ.  This is not our doing: it is the work of the Spirit.

May your families be places where the voice of Jesus is heard, especially by creating silence for prayer.  May your works of charity create a culture where the young can begin to recognise the voice of Jesus, calling them by name, and loving them.  May they grow to love that voice and hear it daily, keeping them from all harm, as a Shepherd guards His flock, and leading them to pasture, through the ministry of good priests.

Upon the election of Pope Leo XIV. May 8th 2025

Together with the Universal Church, and with all people of good will, the Catholic Diocese of Lancaster in the UK welcomes and commends to the grace of Almighty God Cardinal Robert Prevost OSA as Pope Leo XIV, the successor of St Peter.  Pope Leo comes to this universal ministry after many years of professed and ordained life as deacon, priest and as a bishop, as a religious, and as a teacher.  

As with his predecessors we hold the Holy Father in our prayers and take courage already from the words of his inaugural address with its call for peace across humanity.

The times we live in, cry out for a fundamentally different approach to serve the world order, one led by Christ.  I ask you to do all you can in your parishes and homes to ensure that our loyalty to the Holy Father is Gospel led, not media led.

May we also rejoice in learning that, as Father General of the Order of Saint Augustine, Father Prevost was present in our Cathedral of Saint Peter for the Episcopal Ordination of my predecessor, Bishop Michael Campbell OSA on 31st March 2008.

Mary the Mother of God.  Pray for him.

St Peter.  Pray for him.

St John Paul II.  Pray for him,

Pope Saint Leo the Great, pray for him.

With my blessing,

+ Right Rev Paul Swarbrick

Bishop of Lancaster

Third Sunday of Easter

Today we start chapter 21 as we come to the end of the Gospel of John.  We now hear, the mission of the church through the Apostles in relationship with the risen Lord. 

It opens up with a paragraph about the failure of the disciples, since they caught no fish during the night.  However, we have seen, that night and darkness often symbolise a separation from Jesus, so it is not surprising that the disciples didn’t catch anything that night.  They can only be fruitful in their duties during the daylight, when Jesus is with them, since he is the light of the world.

How often do we, like the disciples, seem to be ‘at sea’, when we have no thought of Jesus in our minds and hearts, frustrated by our efforts when things go wrong or go pear shaped. 

Suddenly, Jesus who was standing there all the time, within an earshot, gives us a sign of his presence.  Then we come to realise it is the Lord welcoming us back, as we are nourished with our Eucharistic food.

Today the church’s mission comes to light, as the disciples, whom are told to go and bear witness, mirrors their devotion on going fishing.  But they are to become ‘fishers of men’.  However, without Jesus’ assistance they will fail in their mission, but if they are obedient to him and cooperate with the Holy Spirit, they will bring many others to faith in Jesus Christ.

Today we also hear Jesus having a very personal dialogue with Simon Peter.  It takes place after breakfast, and recalls Peter’s threefold denial in the High Priest’s courtyard during the Passion.  His denial thereby removing his own status as a disciple of the Son of God.  Therefore, Jesus does not address him as ‘Peter’ but as Simon, son of John, which was his name before becoming a disciple.  Moreover, when Jesus asks Peter if he loves him more than these, Peter is reminded about his promise to willing lay down his life for him.  Now Jesus invites Peter to repent his love three times, in order to undo the three counts of denial and by doing so, restoring their relationship between themselves. 

Jesus’ mercy is so complete that he does not hold onto Peter’s past sins, using it against him.  No, instead, Jesus gives Peter the honour and responsibility of serving as the delegated Shepherd of his flock.

No matter how serious or how many sins we have committed, the love and mercy of Jesus is far greater.  He seeks us out and invites us to return home to the Father.  Through this Gospel passage it should give us confidence that when we seek reconciliation through the Sacraments of the Church, Jesus forgives us completely. 

As we wait for a new Pope to be chosen, let me finish with the words of our Late Holy Father, Pope Francis.  He says:  ‘God does not tire of forgiving us, if we are able to return to him with a holy and contrite heart.’

So, today, let us not be afraid to cast our nets to the other side, and to listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit within our hearts.  Jesus is always standing by, waiting to help.  We just need the quietness of the day to listen to his voice, with open and contrite hearts. 

Let us place all our worries and concerns upon the altar, as we offer them up, in love and thanksgiving to the Lord, during our Eucharistic feast this Easter season.

Second Sunday of Easter

Divine Mercy Sunday

Jesus said to Thomas ‘Give me your hand, put it into my side, doubt no longer but believe.’  Today we hear the encounter between Jesus and Thomas, the doubting disciple.  We shouldn’t dismiss Thomas as a man of little faith.  Who could really blame him for not believing.  After the events on Good Friday, Thomas had seen the Lord, whom he loved, die the death of a criminal, crucified between two thieves and witnessed Peter denying him three times, even after Peter promised loyalty towards Jesus hours earlier.  Thomas was disheartened, disillusioned and angry, which made him have a harden heart and unwilling to accept the words of others, even about seeing the Risen Lord.

Today is Divine Mercy Sunday, a devotion that was permitted by St. Pope John Paul II after reinvestigating St Faustina’s visions.  St Faustina was a Nun of the ‘Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy’. On the 22^nd of February 1931, she had a vision from the Lord.  Jesus appeared to her bringing a message of Mercy.  She recalls in her diaries, that Jesus was dressed in white with His right hand raised in blessing, and the other hand touching his heart.  Two large rays came forth from his heart, one red and one white.  This image was painted and the words ‘Jesus, I trust in You’ were written below.  In another vision Saint Faustina was told about the teaching of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, praying for the conversion of sinners throughout the world.

But, let us return back to the image of Christ, especially the ‘side of Christ’, where Thomas placed his hand, and where St Faustina saw two rays of red and white.  What do we understanding of the importance of Jesus’ pierced side, what can it teach us?  We know that it points to Jesus’ crucifixion when his side was pierced by the Roman Soldier, and Blood and Water gusted forth from his wounded heart.  This is a reminder that life emerges from death, through the Sacraments of the Church.  Blood and Water being Catholic symbols for the Sacraments of Baptism and the Eucharist.

The piercing of Jesus’ side is unique to John’s Gospel, and it fulfils a twofold prophecy.  ‘None of his bones shall be broken, and they will look on the one whom they have pierced.’ 

There is symbolism here of Jesus being the New Temple.  There is an ancient document called the Mishnah.  This document explains that there were two drain holes at the south-western corner of the Altar in Jerusalem , this was to drain away all the blood from the sacrificed lambs.  It would have come out of the side of the temple mount, mingled with water flowing down into a stream in the Kidron valley.  For a first century Jew, it would have been a very familiar sight.  John the evangelist would have recognised this parallel link to Jesus’ pierced side when blood and water gushed forth on the cross.  Jesus’ body is now the New Temple.  We hear in Jesus’ own words saying: ‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.’  The Jewish Temple mount has now been replaced with a New Temple, that is Jesus’ body, that comes forth the Sacraments of the Church. 

We might have doubts in our faith from time to time, but searching for the truth is nothing to be ashamed from.  It helps us grow stronger in our faith.  In many ways Thomas echoes our moments of uncertainty.  Our vision of God gets blurred by clouds of doubt.  But it is only through the Risen Christ that we enter into a personal relationship with him, that allows us to enjoy the New Life which he offers. 

When we have moments of despair and all else seems to fail.  Fall back on your faith, say a prayer similar to:  ‘Jesus I trust in you’, and He will help and support you in your time of need.  ‘Doubt no longer, but believe.’

Easter Monday

Death of Pope Francis – 21st April 2025 at 07:35am

In the Gospel passage the women were ‘apostles to the apostles’, the two Mary’s were the first to bear the message of the Resurrection to others.  They raced back to tell the eleven that Jesus had been raised to life again, and to meet him in Galilee.  There the eleven will see him with their own eyes and become witnesses of the most amazing occurrence in Salvation history. 

Without a moment’s delay the two Mary’s speed off to deliver the Good News, with hearts full of fear and joy at the same time. 

An interesting description is Jesus’ use of the word ‘brothers’ – ‘go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee’.  For it hints that Christ had forgiven his closest friends for abandoning him, and Peter from denying him three times.  The disciples are still called to form the spiritual family of Jesus’ brothers and sisters here on earth. 

Like the women in the Gospel, today we are also with mixed emotions.  On one hand we are joyful at the Lord’s Resurrection this Easter season, on the other, our Holy Father Pope Francis has passed away, during the early hours of this morning.

We thank the Lord of his life of discipleship, as a Jesuit Priest, Bishop and successor to St Peter.  With his firm resolve has helped broaden the opportunities for dialogue within and outside of the Church, he indeed was a true and faithful witness to the risen Lord.

Let us spend a moment of silent prayer for Pope Francis, and thank the Lord for his great witness to His One Holy and Apostolic Church.

Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him, may he rest in peace. May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Statement from the Catholic Diocese of Lancaster upon the death of our Holy Father Pope Francis.

It is with great sadness that we learned this morning of the death of our Holy Father, Pope Francis, following a period of ill-health. Yesterday, on Easter Sunday, Pope Francis made a brief appearance at St Peter’s Square to bless thousands of people gathered in Rome to celebrate the Resurrection of the Lord.

May he now rest in the peace of the Risen Christ whose faithful servant he has been.

We are deeply grateful for the life and service of Pope Francis. While we mourn his loss, we are thankful for his steadfast witness and legacy.

His life of discipleship, and then leadership, within the Church saw him accept responsibility from the Lord as a Jesuit, a priest, a bishop, and finally as successor to St Peter. His firm resolve and challenging teaching on issues including care for creation, the sexual abuse of children, and insights into intimacy of human relationships, saw the Pope broaden opportunities for dialogue within the Church, and with people and groups from outside of the Catholic Church.

Masses for the repose of the Pope’s soul will be offered across the churches of our Diocese in the coming days. We entrust Pope Francis to the Father of all mercies and pray for the happy repose of his soul.

Please remember Pope Francis in your prayers.

On Monday 21st April 2025 at 6.30pm Evening Prayer for the Dead will be recited in the Saint Peter’s Cathedral, Lancaster, followed by a Requiem Mass at 7.00pm to which all are invited. Following this, the cathedral bell ringers will ring a quarter peal muffled.

A Diocesan Mass at the Cathedral, to which ecumenical and civic guests will be invited, will be on Monday 28th April at 7pm.

Easter Sunday

The disciples saw and they believed.  Yes, indeed!  Christ has truly risen.  This is our core profession of faith.  This this the cry of victory that unites us all here today.  Jesus is alive, and therefore who can ever be able to separate us from the Lord?  We will never be deprived of the divine love that conquered hatred and overcame death.  The Easter proclamation spreads throughout the world today, with joyful song of ‘Alleluia, Alleluia’.  The word that has remained silent all these days during Lent.  Let us now sing it with our voices, and above all, with our hearts and lives.  Jesus is our hope, He is the true peace of the world.

Reflecting on this Gospel passage, it brings back memories from various Passion movies that I have watched over the years on TV.  At the end of these movies, the film director seems to get the actor playing Christ to rise from the darkness of the tomb into the bright sunlight that shines all-round him, even rays of light beaming through the holes in his hands.  At that moment I say to myself, ‘Yes, He’s back’.

In the Gospel we heard, Mary of Magdalene came to the tomb early on the first day of the week.  Her only thoughts were to see Jesus’ body.  She might have wanted to complete any outstanding tasks on his body, since Jesus’ burial was done in haste, due to the Jewish feast of Passover. 

A time where no work was allowed to be done by law.  Mary’s sole desire was to spend time with Jesus.  I wonder what Mary might have been pondering in her mind, on her journey to the tomb, what was she thinking about?  It sounded like she had a restless sleep, as she was up so early in the morning.  Very eager to get to the tomb, without any thought about how she was going to move the big boulder away from the entrance.  Mary’s sole purpose was to be with the Lord. 

To her surprise the boulder was already moved and without looking inside she immediately knew the body was not there and then she ran to tell the disciples.

Up until that moment the disciples failed to understand the teaching of scripture, that Christ must rise from the dead.  In the months ahead they would recognise more and more the power of His Resurrection at work in their lives, calling them to live in an entirely new way. 

In a similar fashion, we are also filled with Easter hope as we celebrate and proclaim that Jesus Christ is risen, because what happened on that first day of Easter, has implications for us too.  The Resurrection is the central mystery of our redemption.  Christ’s victory breaks all the chains of our sin that we have made for ourselves.

The newness of life is the key message of this Easter season.  It comes about at the start of spring when nature begins to burst forth anew.

In Jesus’ Resurrection, God has had the final word.  Jesus’ life ends in victory and not in defeat.  The doors of Heaven are unlocked for our Salvation. 

We now know, that we have a heavenly home to look forward to, a new vision to focus upon, and eternal truths to shape our way of thinking.  This allows us to take a fresh look life, that we vowed to lead through our Baptismal promises.  During this Holy Easter Season, let the Resurrection account, dwell deeply within our hearts, as we rejoice and praise His Holy Name. 

We are an Easter people and ‘Alleluia’ is our song.

Good Friday

‘The Hour begins.’  Crucifixion was recognised as the lowest point of human humiliation in the Roman empire.  However, Jesus accepted His Cross for the salvation of the world.  His ‘hour’ had come.  The saving power on the Cross was His finest ‘hour’ that opened the doors to paradise.  He was the Lamb, that was led to its slaughter, and who took away the sins of the world. 

St John the Evangelist clearly highlights the ‘Kingship’ of Jesus within the Gospel.  We also see clearly, it is Jesus, the Sovereign Lord, who is in total control over all the events in His Passion.  He possesses the Divine Power, and these events would only happen because He allowed them to happen. 

Through His Kingship we see the freedom with which he goes to the Cross.  We hear in scripture: “No one takes my life from me, but I lay it down on my own.  I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again.”  By freely going to the Cross, Jesus offers His life as a perfect gift of love, given to the Father for the world’s salvation.  Through His obedience, Jesus reveals the infinite depths of the Father’s love and mercy towards us, since we are sinners. 

I would like to focus on three specific elements of interest within the Passion narrative.  The Title on the Cross, the division of Jesus’ garments and the piercing of Jesus’ side.

According to Roman custom a board was carried in front of the condemned person or sometimes it was nailed to the cross itself.  Jesus’ board read.  ‘Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.’ 

It was Pilate who was responsible and took the initiative on writing these words down, making Pilate declare Jesus’ royal status to the whole world.  The Title board was written in Hebrew, Latin and Greek, the three great nation languages in the Roman empire.  So, it is interesting that the greatest nation in the world, should claim Jesus, King.

However, there might be a special hidden meaning that we are missing?  Since many of the Jews were there at the place of crucifixion, near the city walls, everybody had the chance of reading the Title board and to understand it.  Scholars have wondered, was God giving everyone a last chance, to understand Jesus’ offer of salvation, as King of the Jews?

The division of Jesus’ garments and the seamless tunic.  St John the evangelist goes into great detail on the sharing of Jesus’ garments.  Every Jew wore five items of clothing, however, there were only four soldiers.  The main item was a long under garment which was worn next to the body.  Described as being without seam and woven from top to bottom.  In the book of Exodus and Leviticus it says that this type of seamless garment was only worn by the high priests.  So, John the Evangelist was pointing to Jesus not only as King but also as eternal High Priest of the Church.

The Piercing of Jesus’ side.  This is unique to John’s Passion Narrative.  One of the soldiers thrust a lance into Jesus’ side.  In doing so a twofold prophecy was fulfilled.  The ‘Passover Lamb’ in Exodus: ‘None of his bones shall be broken’ and the ‘Pierced Messiah’ in Zechariah ‘They will look on the one whom they have pierced’. 

With Water & Blood being signs of the Sacraments of Baptism and the Eucharist.  There is also another important symbol here, that points to Jesus being the ‘New Temple’.  During the 1^st century AD when Jews approached the temple mount at the time of Passover, when the sacrifices were being offered around 3pm, they would see a stream of blood and water flowing out from the side of the temple mount and down into the Kidron Valley.  This would have been a familiar image in the mindset of the 1^st century Jew.  The Evangelist would have recognised the sign of Jesus’ body, when water and blood flowed from His side as the ‘New Temple of God.’  ‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.’  It is not the Temple in Jerusalem that will flow with blood sacrifices any longer, but it has been replaced with a new temple by the crucified body of Jesus. So, let us today, take to heart the true meaning of Jesus’ Passion and Death, it isn’t the time to be sad or down-hearted.  Since it was Jesus’ finest ‘hour’, His ultimate Glorification and Exaltation of the Son of Man, in order to save the world and bring us into Eternal Glory.