The Risen Hope

Alleluia! Jesus is risen! Yes, Christ rise from the death to show that He is God, to show that He is the one that send from the father to redeemed our sins. No tomb in the world could contain the Lord Jesus for long. His death on the cross purchased our redemption and his triumph over the grave on Easter morning defeated death. So, what preserved the Lord Jesus from corruption? He was kept from decay and he rose from the dead by divine power. ''My flesh will dwell in hope. For you will not let your Holy One see corruption. (Psalm 16:9-10)

The mystery of Christ's lying in the tomb on the Sabbath reveals the great Sabbath rest of God after the fulfillment of our salvation which brings PEACE to the whole world (Colossians 1:18-20).  Is your hope in this life only? Or is it well founded in the resurrection of Christ and his promise that those who believe in him will live forever?

From my passed two passage, I was sharing on the topic of Holy Thursday and Good Friday. Let rewind ourselves back a bit and see. On Holy Thursday, we celebrated Jesus' gift Himself to us in the Holy Communion. Then comes to Good Friday, is just merely a service in the church, but had no mass. We (Catholics) still receive Holy Communion on Good Friday because it does not break our fast on that day. Holy Saturday, we have neither mass or Holy Communion. During the day, we can't even go to church and visit Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. The Blessed Sacrament does not reside in the sanctuary of the church. The Church deprives us of Jesus' Eucharistic presence on Holy Saturday to help us experience the day Jesus was buried, when Jesus' physical presence was no longer on earth. After experiencing deprivation from the burial of Jesus' Eucharistic presence, we almost scream with joy when we receive Jesus in Holy Communion at the Easter Vigil.

Now, what did the disciples of Jesus discover on the third day of Jesus' death? On Sunday morning the women who had stood with Jesus when he died upon the cross on Good Friday went to the tomb to pay their last tribute to a dead body.  The disciples thought that everything had finished in tragedy. None of the Jesus' follower expecting to see an empty tomb and hear the angel's message that saying 'Why do you seek the living among the dead? Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise. (Luke 24: 5-7). The angel urged them to believe that Jesus had indeed risen just as he had promise.

Are you prepared to meet the Risen Lord? The disciples of Jesus were as unprepared for his resurrection as they were for his death. The empty tomb made them fearful and joyful at the same time. 'Where did they put the body or did he really rise just as he predicted?' Even though Jesus had spoken to them before of his death and rising, they could not believe until they saw the empty tomb and met the risen Lord. Aren't we are the same? We want to see with out own eyes before we believe! The guards brought their testimony to the chief priests and elders who met the news with denial. They were resolved to not believe that Jesus had risen and they bribed the guards in the hope of keeping others from believing it.

What is the basic of our faith in the resurrection? The scriptures tell us that ''Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen' (Hebrews 11:1). Faith is an entirely free gift that God makes to us. Our faith is a free assent to the whole truth which God reveals to us through his word. Faith is certain because it is based on the very word of God who cannot lie. Faith also seeks understanding. That is why God enlightens the 'eyes of our hearts' that we may know what is the hope to which he has called us (Ephesians 1:18)

Through the gift of faith, the Lord reveals himself to those who believe in his word and he fills them with 'new life in his Holy Spirit''. Do you live in the joy and hope of the resurrection? And do you recognize the presence of the Risen Lord in his word, in the 'breaking of the bread', and in his church, the body of Christ?

In Matthew's Gospel, the first commands Jesus gives to the first people who saw Him after His resurrection are: 'Do not be afraid! Go and carry the news' of my resurrection. (Mt.28:10). Now, Jesus speaks to the world through the witnesses He has chosen (Acts 10:41). The risen Lord backs up His witnesses with power and authority (Lk 10:16). When people don't believe us, His witnesses, Jesus gets upset (Mk 16:14).

The duty of a witness is simple. A witness simply testified to what they have 'heard and seen' (Acts 4:20). The only issue for a witness is whether or not they will speak. Organized crime gets a lot of mileage out of silencing witnesses through fear of death, and so do enemies of Jesus. But, Jesus tells us: Do not be afraid!' (Mt 28:10). Jesus has the ultimate 'witness protection' program. He will be our refuge. He has triumphed over death! Fear and death have 'no more power over' Jesus and His witnesses. (Rm 6:9)

Jesus tells us: 'You are to be My witnesses' (Acts 1:8). 'Do not be afraid. Go on speaking and do not be silenced'. (Acts 18:9). 'Go and carry the news' (Mt 28:10) that Jesus is risen from the dead and all who believe in Him have eternal life (Jn 3:16).

Power of Your Love

Today, Friday! This is not an ordinary Friday that use to be throughout the year. Today is a very special day where Christ willingly enter into his passion, and die on the cross for us. The reason of Christ doing this is simple, because He loves us so much that he die for our sins so the way to heaven can be open to all of us.

The word 'LOVE' with four simple alphabet, sound so simple in life. In reality, that will not be easy for people to act upon it. In a relationship, often we hear the couple saying"How much do you love me?'' One of them might answer' My love for you is just like the height of a mountain'. But in the real sense, how many of us, for the sake of our beloved one, willing to die for them?

Now, Jesus willing to do that for us, because of His Love for us. Despite our sinfulness and wickedness, His love for us will never cease. He wants to bring Salvation for us so they we may reunited with Him in His Heavenly kingdom. The cross brings us face to face with Jesus suffering. And his death was agonizing and and humiliating.

Normally a crucified man could last for several days on a cross. Jesus' had already been scourged, beaten with rods, and a crown of thorns pressed into his skull. It is no wonder that he died mid-afternoon. Jesus was crucified for his claim to be king. The Jews had understood that the Messiah would come as king to establish God's reign for them. They wanted a king who would free them from tyranny and foreign domination. Many had high hopes that Jesus would be the Messianic King. Little did they understand what kind of kingship Jesus claimed to have. Jesus came to conquer hearts and souls for an imperishable kingdom, rather than to conquer perishable lands and entitlements.

We can find no greater proof of God's love for us that the willing sacrifice of his son on the cross. Jesus' parting words, "It is finished " express triumph rather than defeat. Jesus bowed his head and gave up his spirit knowing that the strife was now over and the battle was won. Even on the cross, Jesus knew the joy of victory. What the Father sent him into the world to do has now been accomplished. Christ offered himself and without blemish to God and he put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. (See Hebrews 9:24-26)

St.Augustine comments on those who stood at the cross of Jesus: 'As they were looking on, so we too gaze on his wounds as he hangs. We see his blood as he dies. We see the price offered by the redeemer, touch the scars of his resurrection. He bows his head, as if to kiss you. His heart is made bare open, as it were, in love to you. His arms are extended that he may embrace you. His whole body is displayed for your redemption. Ponder how great these things are. Let all this be rightly weighed in your mind: as He was once fixed on the cross in every part of his body for you, so he may now be fixed in every part of your soul.

In the cross of Christ, we see the triumph of Jesus over his enemies, sin, Satan, and death. The cross of Christ is the safe guard of our faith, the assurance of our hope, and the throne of love. It is also the sign of God's mercy and the proof of forgiveness. By his cross, Jesus Christ has pardoned us and set us free from the tyranny of sin. He paid the price for us when he made atonement for our sins.

The way to peace, joy, and righteousness in the kingdom of God and the way to victory over sin and corruption, fear and defeat, despair and death is through the cross of Jesus Christ. Now, do you follow the Lord Jesus in his way of the cross with joy, hope and confidence?