Dress to God's Word / "Liturgical Dress": April 26

April 26, 2017: Wednesday, 2nd week, Easter

Find about a dozen connections with today?
Legend below

Listen

Angels/ Grant (1st reading)

God so loved the world, from The Crucifixion/ Stainer; whole oratorio

To God be the glory/ Crosby (gospel)

Evangelize / Alexander, parody of I will survive/ Perren and Fekaris (Is the alien's suffering redemptive?): lyrics (1st reading)

For Psalm 34

The cry of the poor/ Foley
Psalm 34: The Lord hears the cry of the poor/ Celoni: sheet music
9 more

Pope Francis

General audience: Jesus' resurrection is the basis of our trust in God’s protection and love. Matthew begins with the birth of Jesus as Emmanuel, “God with us,” and concludes with the Risen Lord’s promise that he'll remain with us always. God is at our side at every step, leading us to the goal of our earthly pilgrimage. The heavens and earth will pass away, but he'll keep watching over us in his loving providence. Christian hope has been symbolized by an anchor, a sign of its basis in God’s promises, fulfilled in Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. Because our trust is in God, not ourselves or this world, we take up Jesus’ invitation to follow him, not losing heart when there are difficulties, disappointments, or defeats; God will be with us every day. May our hope in Christ's victory confirm us on every step of our journey toward eternal life.

First TED talk: Your theme, "The future you," looks at tomorrow and invites us to dialogue today, to look at the future through a ‘you.’ The future is made of you’s; life flows through our relations with others. Life is about interactions; no one is an autonomous, independent ‘I.’ We can only build the future by standing together.

We must educate people to solidarity to overcome the culture of waste that values products over people. The "you" is someone to take care of, with a face.

Hope is a humble, hidden seed of life that will develop into a large tree. One individual is enough for hope to exist, and that individual can be you. We need a revolution of tenderness, of being on the same level as the other. Through humility, even power becomes a service and a force for good. The future is in the hands of people who recognize the other as a 'you' and themselves as part of an 'us'; we need one another. Full transcript

Read

Acts 5:17-26 The Sadducees jailed the Apostles, but an angel opened the prison doors and led them out. They went to the temple and taught. After the Sanhedrin sent for them, the officers returned to say," We found the jail locked and the guards stationed, but no one inside,” then someone reported, “They're teaching at the temple.” Then the officers brought them, but without force because they feared being stoned.

Ps 34:2-9 "The Lord hears the cry of the poor." Glorify the Lord; he answered and delivered me. Look to him and be radiant with joy; the angel of the Lord delivers those who fear him. Taste and see how good the Lord is.

Jn 3:16-21 God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so everyone who believes might have life. God sent his Son to save, not condemn, the world. The light came, but people preferred darkness; whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so their works may be seen as done in God.

Reflect

Fr. Gerardo Galaviz homily video: Realize God loves you! God loves, gives, and sends. Love God and do his will.

One Bread, One Body: "Escaped, armed, and dangerous": The Sanhedrin thought the apostles were locked up, but actually they were in the Temple preaching. The media think they have a lock on our culture, but Christians still let their light shine. The world thinks Christians are in prison. While many are, some Christians have let the Lord free them. Watch out, world! Some Christians will turn this world right side up as they witness for Christ....

Liberation of St. Peter
a la ter Brugghen [More]

Passionist: Who believed the women who ran to tell the apostles what they saw at the tomb? When John and Peter entered the tomb? As the disciples walked towards Emmaus? When told Jesus had appeared to the apostles in the upper room? Who believed the apostles' miraculous release from prison? “The light came into the world, but people preferred darkness, because their works were evil.” Today many still choose darkness and sin: war, human trafficking, devastation of forests, choking smog: all human choices. Yet we believe; we choose to see where love triumphs over death. Forgiveness, generosity, selfless love, spring. The Resurrection triumphs over Good Friday.

DailyScripture.net: "God so loved the world that he gave us his only Son": True lovers hold nothing back from their beloved. God proved his love for us by giving us his best, his only Son, who offered his life for us. Abraham's sacrifice of his only son prefigured Jesus' offering; it showed a redemptive love that embraces the whole world, and a personal love for each person God created. God can't rest till his children have returned to him. God loves each of us as if there were only one of us to love (Augustine). God gives us the freedom to choose whom and what we'll love. We can love the darkness of sin and unbelief or we can love the light of God's truth, beauty, and goodness. If our love is guided by what's true, good, and beautiful, we'll choose for God and love him above all....