"After Easter" - living the "newness"

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Yesterday I posted HERE on “Living the New Life of Grace, through Mary” and today’s Mass Readings are truly an encouragement:

The 1st Reading – ACTS 3:11-26 helps to reinforce the need for all of us to keep listenting to God’s Word as we strive to remain in Christ:

…Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away,
and that the Lord may grant you times of refreshment
and send you the Christ already appointed for you, Jesus,
whom heaven must receive until the times of universal restoration
of which God spoke through the mouth
of his holy prophets from of old.
For Moses said:

A prophet like me will the Lord, your God, raise up for you
from among your own kin;
to Him you shall listen in all that He may say to you.
Everyone who does not listen to that prophet
will be cut off from the people.

“Moreover, all the prophets who spoke,
from Samuel and those afterwards, also announced these days.
You are the children of the prophets
and of the covenant that God made with your ancestors
when he said to Abraham,
In your offspring all the families of the earth shall be blessed.
For you first, God raised up his servant and sent him to bless you
by turning each of you from your evil ways.”

We journey toward our eternal home in Christ who came to us through Mary, and we realize by His Grace we and the entire Church are ever in need of “ongoing conversion” for without His Grace we can do nothing but by the power of the Holy Spirit we have been called to grow in holiness. Today’s Gospel LK 24:35-48 also encourages us:

…The disciples of Jesus recounted what had taken place along the way,
and how they had come to recognize Him in the breaking of bread.

While they were still speaking about this,
He stood in their midst and said to them,
“Peace be with you.”
But they were startled and terrified
and thought that they were seeing a ghost.
Then He said to them, “Why are you troubled?

And why do questions arise in your hearts?
Look at My hands and My feet, that it is I myself.
Touch Me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones
as you can see I have.”

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful; kindle in us, the Fire of Your Love. Enable us to hear the Truth of Jesus, and do the Truth we hear!
Jesus, we trust in You!
Mary, Mother and Model of the Church, pray for us. You listened to all He said and did, you kept all pondering in your heart. By His Grace, may we do as you did.

 

[MariaChristi]

Thanks, Greenfields, for your “heart” letting me know you liked the post. If you have time, I’d be grateful to read your own thoughts on these days after Easter. It has continued to be a “new” experience for me that I’m not able to explain well, but I am grateful to the Lord for every grace He gives.

May we continue to listen to Him in His Word, and hear all He has done and is doing, even as our Mother Mary listened. By God’s Grace, may we keep all in our hearts, pondering as she did, that like her, by the power of His Holy Spirit, we will do the Truth we hear!