A FATHER'S LOVE

           You think that’s tough? Imagine pulling a boat with an adult on board while you swam 2.4 miles, pedalled for 112 miles, and pushed him in a wheelchair for 26.22 miles. All these in one day!

           Dick Hoyt accomplished this. The grown man he transported through this grueling race was his son, Rick, who has cerebral palsy.

           “Dad, when I’m running, it feels like I’m not handicapped,” Rick told his father after their first race. Dick could have said, “That was our first and last one, son.” Instead, Team Hoyt completed the Ironman Triathlon six times! If Dick Hoyt loves his son that much, can you imagine the depth of love our heavenly Father has for us?

Jesus died to show us that the God who created the universe is not an impersonal force but our Father — “My Father and your Father” (John 20:17). Marc V. Lopez (marcvlopez88@gmail.com)

Reflect: Imagine all the love in the hearts of every father on earth and place them in one heart. That would still be less than the love our Father has for you! Will you let Him love you today?

Father, thank You that I am Your beloved child, complete in Jesus Christ. Amen.

“My Father and your Father...” – John 20:17

Have you ever swam 3.86 kilometers, rode a bike non-stop for 180.25 kilometers, and ran for 42.20

kilometers? People who have completed such a physically challenging feat are called Ironmen and Ironwomen.

Let us “cut to the heart” of the people to whom we preach and share the Gospel. May those who listen believe in God’s Word that we proclaim. Let us pray that the Holy Spirit will unleash the power of the Gospel for the conversion of sinners and to change people’s lives.

Acts 2:36-41

36 On the day of Pentecost, Peter said to the Jewish people, “Let the whole house of Israel know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” 37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and they asked Peter and the other Apostles, “What are we to do, my brothers?” 38 Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is made to you and to your children and to all those far off, whomever the Lord our God will call.” 40 He testified with many other arguments, and was exhorting them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand persons were added that day.

PSALM 

Psalm 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22

R: The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.

4 Upright is the word of the Lord, and all his works are trustworthy. 5 He loves justice and right; of the kindness of the Lord the earth is full. (R) 18 See, the eyes of the Lord are upon those who fear him, upon those who hope for his kindness, 19 to deliver them from death and preserve them in spite of famine. (R) 20 Our soul waits for the Lord, who is our help and our shield. 22 May your kindness, O Lord, be upon us who have put our hope in you. (R)

“I have seen the Lord!” is the first poignant yet simple proclamation of the Gospel. These very words capture the Gospel and convey to us the truth that Jesus has risen. Mary Magdalene was blessed to have seen the Lord with her own eyes. We are also blessed with the grace to see the Lord with the eyes of faith.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

This is the day the Lord has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it.

John 20:11-18

11 Mary Magdalene stayed outside the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet where the body of Jesus had been. 13 And they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken my Lord, and I don’t know where they laid him.” 14 When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there, but did not know it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?” She thought it was the gardener and said to him, “Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni,” which means teacher. 17 Jesus said to her, “Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18 Mary went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and then reported what he had told her.