Good News Reflection FOR NEXT SUNDAY: April 4, 2010 Easter Sunday, The Resurrection of the Lord, Cycle C

Good News Reflection
FOR NEXT SUNDAY: April 4, 2010
Easter Sunday, The Resurrection of the Lord, Cycle C

Parish bulletins, faith-sharing groups, RCIA:
For professionally published, printable copies of this reflection,
please go to Catholic Digital Resources:
http://catholicdr.com/calendar/April/Easter.htm - Preview a sample

Next Sunday's Readings:
The Mass of Easter Day
Acts 10:34a, 37-43
Ps 118:(24) 1-2, 16-17, 22-23
Col 3:1-4 or 1 Cor 5:6b-8
John 20:1-9
http://www.usccb.org/nab/040410.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_04_04.mp3

The glorious day of the celebration of Easter could not exist without first walking with Jesus on the solemn journey of Holy Week. The doorway into heaven is the cross. No one can experience new joys without first accepting the sorrows and sacrifices of life as our personal connection to Jesus.

Easter joy comes not only from accepting what Jesus did for us on the cross but also from continuing the journey, side by side, step by step with Jesus. If we're sincere about following Christ, we do whatever he does, united to his ministry of helping others grow in their eternal relationship with God. In this, we face the cross again and again. There is no gain in salvation without the pain of sacrificial love.

Our cross is a soft word that we speak when someone else is angry and we feel like shouting. Our cross is a hand outstretched to comfort the afflicted when it's inconvenient and we feel like withdrawing. Our cross is a good deed that we do to those who treat us unjustly and we feel like retaliating. And our resurrection is the joy that comes from knowing that we have made a difference in the lives of others for the sake of God's kingdom.

Love that's given when it's difficult is a suffering love, a passionate love, a salvific love, i.e., it benefits the eternal lives of others. Then, our sacrifices have a value of endless worth. This is so much better than a self-serving, easy life! It's eternally better! Easter Sunday Mass is your celebration of rising with Jesus into glorious victory over evil.

Questions for Personal Reflection:
What sacrifices are you suffering from right now? Write Jesus a love letter that connects your pain to his pain on the cross, then rest quietly with him as if you were sharing his tomb with him. When you're ready to rise from your chair, celebrate that God appreciates all you have done for his kingdom; this is your resurrection!

Questions for Family & Community Faith Sharing:
Describe how it feels when a hard journey finally comes to an end. What part of that ending feels like being in the tomb with Jesus? How do you know that you're an Easter Christian?

STARTING ON MONDAY, if you're a member of the "Emmaus Journey" e-group, share your answers by writing to EmmausJourney@gnm.org
* To join and become a member, go to:
http://gogoodnews.net/GNMcommunities/EmmausJourney/

© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
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