Youth for Him

Reading 1: Acts 2:36-41

Responsorial Psalm:
The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.

Upright is the Word of the Lord,
and all His Works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the Lord the earth is full.

See, the eyes of the Lord are upon those who fear Him,
upon those who hope for His kindness,
to deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.

Our soul waits for the Lord,
Who is our help and our shield.
May Your kindness, O Lord, be upon us
who have put our hope in You.

Gospel: Jn 20:11-18

Reading1: Is 52:13-53:12

Responsorial Psalm:
Father, into Your hands I commend my spirit.

Reading2: Heb 4:14-16; 5:7-9

Gospel: Jn 18:1-19:42

March 31, 2010

Responsorial Psalm:

Lord, in your great love, answer me.
For Your sake I bear insult,
and shame covers my face.
I have become an outcast to my brothers,
a stranger to my mother's sons,
because zeal for your house consumes me,
and the insults of those who blaspheme You fall upon me.

Insult has broken my heart, and I am weak,
I looked for sympathy, but there was none;
for consolers, not one could I find.
Rather they put gall in my food,
and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

I will praise the name of God in song,
and I will glorify Him in thanksgiving;
"See, you lonely ones, and be glad;
you who seek God, may your hearts revive!
For the Lord hears the poor,
and His own who are in bonds He spurns not."

Gospel:

Mt 26:14-25


--I want to focus on the responsorial psalm because Jesus said that blessed are those who are weeping, blessed are those who are insulted and persecuted for the name of God. They are blessed because God is with them.
Many times I felt that I was alone. Many times I felt that everyone would like to stay away from me. That no one ever wanted to be with me. Many times I am in despair. But during those times...God always whisper, "I am here, always here to help you. I'm just waiting for you." These words make me strong. Because I know, that as long as my intentions are for serving God, He will surely bless me and give me triumph in every obstacles I encounter.
Just like Jesus, we should not lose our faith in the Father. Jesus experienced more hatred and insults than anyone, but with God's power, He was able to finish His mission with success.

MARCH 30, 2010

RESPONSORIAL PSALM:
"I will sing of your salvation."
In You O Lord, I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame.
In Your justice rescue me, and deliver me;
incline Your ear to me, and save me.

GOSPEL: (Jn 13:21-33, 36-38)
In this gospel is Jesus' Last Supper. Here, Jesus is like bading farewell to His disciples. He knew that He'd be betrayed by one of them. For me, Judas Iscariot plays a big role in the Salvation History.Though he betrayed Jesus, think about it, without him, will there be Jesus on the cross?
But of course, Judas shouldn't have exchanged Jesus for money.
In real life, we can see this. Many, especially politicians in corrupt countries, are exchanging their spiritual lives for their physical and mortal body. They don't realize that the most important things are found not in the material world that they live in but in the spiritual world that they are trading. They are blinded by gold and silver--by evil and temptation.
Today is Holy Tuesday, and for many times we have also betrayed Jesus. Countless times we have hurt Him by exchanging Him for material things. Let us not judge others because we too, have sinned. Also, let us not forget God's love for us. Jesus' love for us. He is always ready to forgive us no matter how grave we have sinned.