Saturday in the Octave of Easter The Responsorial (Psalm 118) gives credit to God for the prophets’ courage in bearing witness and for the faith of those who receive it: “I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me.” Jesus could not have found anything more ordinary to turn into his Body and Blood than what we put on the altar during the Presentation of Gifts. Bread and wine were the commonplace food of his time. Not anything precious, rare or exotic to set people up

Friday in the Octave of Easter What is the difference between the offering we put in the collection basket and the symbolic gesture of sending up a host that represents us to be placed on the altar? For one, the money we give is not a symbol of our whole selves, but of our labor: of whatever we did to earn it. And it is not transformed into the body of Christ offered for the salvation of the world, but is simply a contribution to the particular ministries Jesus is doing throu

Easter Sunday -To remember is to re-member ourselves: to re-commit as members of Christ’s risen body on earth. Inventory On a day-to-day basis, how conscious are you of your Baptism? If you were asked to name your baptismal commitments right now, could you do it? What do you think about at Mass during the Presentation of Gifts? Input The Entrance Antiphon begins with words inspired by Psalm 139, verse 18: The psalmist says, “I have risen: I am with you once more....” We need

Good Friday of the Lord's Passion The Responsorial (Psalm 31) expresses the choice our whole lives should lead to: “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” The readings show us the faith, hope and love we need to do it. Both Isaiah 52:13 to 53:12 and Hebrews 4:14-16 and 5:7-9 are reflections on the Passion Narrative, John 18:1 to 19:42. Isaiah looks ahead to it; Hebrews looks back on it. Both are meditations. Isaiah tells us Jesus’ life had value “because he surrendered

Holy Thursday of the Lord's Passion Holy Thursday (Thursday, Friday and Saturday really should be together with Easter Sunday, but we put them here because many people still think of them as being part of Lent). Mass of the Lord’s Supper The Responsorial is: “The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ?” (1 Corinthians 10:16). Psalm 116 elaborates on it. The “Easter triduum” are three days that constitute one single celebration. Any one of th