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Build up others with your thoughts on our Sunday Mass readings and meditation. Three questions for reflection and discussion will be offered for each of the six Sundays during the Easter season. Please pray through the questions and share your insights or what the Lord spoke to you in the comments area below. Your words will inspire others in The Word Among Us community and encourage them during this grace-filled season.
Meditation & Questions on John 20:1-9 – The Resurrection of the Lord
As we celebrate Easter Sunday, let’s take a look at the first man to walk into the empty tomb. Peter must have come to the tomb with many different feelings swirling in his heart—ranging from unspeakable hope that Jesus was alive again to oppressive guilt at having denied him.
Seeing those linens neatly folded, Peter must have recalled his own actions that helped bring Jesus to such a horrible end. “First I bragged about my undying loyalty to him, and then I denied ever knowing him. If he really has been raised up, I have to face him. I’m such a coward and a traitor; will he take me back?” While Peter’s view was so negative, Jesus had a different approach. He looked inside Peter’s heart and saw the love as well as the weakness. He knew that Peter had denied him only out of fear.
Try to imagine the first conversation between Peter and the risen Lord. “Why do you put up with me, Lord? I failed you!” “Peter, that’s all in the past now. I know your heart, and I know your love. When the Spirit comes, you will be strengthened beyond what you can imagine. So be at peace. I want you to feed my sheep.”
Surely we all have more than a little bit of Peter in us! Like him, we too have made boastful statements about our lives or about our faith. And we too have been embarrassed when reality confronted these claims.
So let’s give up all of our negative views of ourselves. After all, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31). Instead, let’s listen to Jesus as he tells us that he knows how much we love him—and as he tells us how much he loves us. Let’s allow these words of encouragement to move us into the world to feed his sheep. May God bless you this Easter.
“All praise to you, Lord Jesus! You have conquered sin and death. All praise to you, Son of God, for you have lifted me up to be with you forever!”
Acts 10:34,37-43; Psalm 118:1-2,16-17,22-23; Colossians 3:1-4 or 1 Corinthians 5:6-8; John 20:1-9
Discussion Questions
1. How can negative thoughts about ourselves interfere with our relationship with Christ? What can you do to combat these thoughts?
2. If you were to face the risen Lord today, what would you say to him? What do you think he would say to you? Do you think he would ask you to feed his sheep?
3. Looking back over the past six weeks of Lent, what new thing did God do in your life? What might you do in the Easter season to continue this work and bring it to fruition at Pentecost?
Praise the Lord!! Alleluia! Jesus said, “I am the Resurrection and the Life. Whoever believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” Jn. 11:25 We walk in our humaness, after our father Adam, full of weakness, faultiness,failures and denials. But, when we take on the Spiritual Man, that is Christ Jesus, we are new creations! What happened to the apostles? At the passion of our Lord, they hid! They ran away! But, when the Holy Spirit came, they were filled with boldness!! In my life, I too denied the Lord, I too was weighed down by my past, I too considered myself unworthy, with no strength to seek the Lord, much less desire to spread the gospel....Then, Jesus came in my life, I was dead, but now alive again!!!Glory to God!! What happened? I asked Jesus to come in to my life, I opened the door to my heart, when finally I heard Him knocking, then, Acts 2 :38 says if we turn away from our sins,will be forgiven, and will recieve God’s Gift, the Holy Spirit, if we obey.Act. 5..32. The precious Holy Spirit of God has given me a new life, My past, what I was before, kept me bound,..I had to desire to change, to be free, to forgive, and recieve forgiveness, and Jesus showed me, with the prompting of His Holy Spirit, how. Yes, Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life, I was dead, but, now, in Him alive again.
Thank you Father.
Each little “trip” in daily life will trigger negative thoughts and through readings, and love and support, I have grown to consciously sway or shut down those ill thoughts and reinforce myself positively despite getting into my face - failure after failure. Of course, it is the devil at work - he is tempting us to think tt God does not love us and has left us to “suffer” or be unhappy or feeling hopeless and things will never change. Easter is about life forever, about hope, about LOVE. Let’s encourage our loved ones, and ourselves, to be positive and strong in the Lord. AMEN.
Happy Easter everyone! God Bless.
EASTER, the most joyous occassion in all of history! For us Christians this is our reason for living. THANK YOU JEUS!!! It is because of YOU that our past is forgotten and we are made brand new. I too have been like Peter many times, who hasn’t? But HE always takes us back, there is nothing too big or bad that won’t be forgiven. Thank you too, Holy Spirit, for being constantly with me to help me combat all the crazy thoughts, fears, and doubts. I find myself praising and thanking Jesus throughout the day as I see HIS wonderous deeds (beautiful flowers, birds, etc). I wake up with Jesus on my mind and give thanks starting the day reading HIS word. How can I not have a good day? Before going to sleep, Jesus is the last thing on my mind. This has been a blessing to me in tackling any hassles that come my way. If I could see Jesus I would tell Him over and over how much I adore Him, thank Him, praise, Him, worship Him with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my mind. JESUS, I CAN NEVER THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR YOUR LOVE THAT ENDURES FOREVER!