NO SECOND CHANCES

Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment... – Hebrews 9:27

I enjoy watching Koreanovelas. After having watched a good number of them, I can make a short list of recurring themes that their storylines normally include. One of them is the topic of reincarnation.

A couple falls in love in ancient times but don’t get their happy ending. They somehow find each other reincarnated in modern times and live happily ever after.

As Catholics, we don’t believe in reincarnation and we have today’s key passage as proof. Karma, while it has made its way into our vernacular, is also not a Christian belief. What we believe is that we will be judged based on this life we live; there will be no second chances by being reborn as an animal, insect, or human being depending on your karma.

But are there really no second chances for us?

Thank God that Jesus opened the doors of heaven by His sacrifice on the cross! We don’t get a second chance to live our lives over again, but by His blood, He pays the ransom that wipes away our sins. And because of that, we are made worthy to live in paradise with Him for eternity. Rissa Singson Kawpeng (rissakawpeng@gmail.com)

Reflect: If you have one day to live, how will you spend it? Now think: You have one life to live. How will you spend it?

“Show me, Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is.” (Psalm 39:4)

Sts. Marcellinus and Peter, martyrs, pray for us.

The Book of Acts begins with the Ascension of the Lord into heaven. Jesus’ return to the Father affirms that the proclamation of the Gospel is entering a new phase, where we are called to take it forward. The Mission of the Son has been completed. The era of the Holy Spirit and the disciples of Jesus begins and will continue until He returns. Each of us has a role in the unfolding mission of the Church. Let us discover it and do what God asks of us.

Acts 1:1-11

1 In the first book, Theophilus, I dealt with all that Jesus did and taught 2 until the day he was taken up, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 He presented himself alive to them by many proofs after he had suffered, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. 4 While meeting with them, he enjoined them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for “the promise of the Father about which you have heard me speak; 5 for John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” 6 When they had gathered together they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He answered them, “It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has established by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 9 When he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight. 10 While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going, suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them. 11 They said, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven.”

Psalm 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9

R: God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.

2 All you peoples, clap your hands, shout to God with cries of gladness. 3 For the Lord, the Most High, the awesome, is the great king over all the earth. (R) 6 God mounts his throne amid shouts of joy; the Lord, amid trumpet blasts. 7 Sing praise to God, sing praise; sing praise to our king, sing praise. (R) 8 For the king of all the earth is God; sing hymns of praise. 9 God reigns over the nations, God sits upon his holy throne. (R) 

12nd READING

There are interesting points for reflection as we read about the Ascension of Jesus. What do you think it meant for the disciples to go on with life without Jesus? How did they feel being left with a task of incredible magnitude—the evangelization of the world? This is difficult to accept and with only the promise of the Holy Spirit who is yet to come. They are scared and worried about the future. What do you think will happen to them?

Hebrews 9:24-28; 10:19-23

24 Christ did not enter into a sanctuary made by hands, a copy of the true one, but heaven itself, that he might now appear before God on our behalf. 25 Not that he might offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters each year into the sanctuary with blood that is not his own; 26 if that were so, he would have had to suffer repeatedly from the foundation of the world. But now once for all he has appeared at the end of the ages to take away sin by his sacrifice. 27 Just as it is appointed that men and women die once, and after this the judgment, 28 so also Christ, offered once to take away the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to take away sin but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await him. 10:19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since through the blood of Jesus we have confidence of entrance into the sanctuary 20 by the new and living way he opened for us through the veil, that is, his flesh, 21 and since we have “a great priest over the house of God,” 22 let us approach with a sincere heart and in absolute trust, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water. 23 Let us hold unwaveringly to our confession that gives us hope, for he who made the promise is trustworthy.

GOSPEL

Jesus commissions His disciples to take the Gospel to the ends of the world. What an enormous task! Even with the advent of the ease of travel, the same daunting task is what we are also asked to do today. We need help to faithfully fulfill this mission. We need the Holy Spirit to empower us.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Go and teach all nations, says the Lord; I am with you always, until the end of the world.

Luke 24:46-53

46 Jesus said to his disciples: “Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day 47 and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And behold I am sending the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” 50 Then he led them out as far as Bethany, raised his hands, and blessed them. 51 As he blessed them he parted from them and was taken up to heaven. 52 They did him homage and then returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53 and they were continually in the temple praising God.

think: “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.” (Acts 18)

Read the Bible in one year - 2 Samuel 5-8 

 

 

LEAVE-TAKING 

Ten years ago, a few days before my mother passed away, my cousin told me that he found Nanay staring lovingly at all the framed photograhs in our home and even asked him to rearange all the frames on the wall of her room to make our family picture the focal point of that collection. My mother then told him, “That way, that picture will be the first thing that I will see in the morning, and so I will be motivated to really try to be up and about each day.” Until now, the frames stand as a fitting reminder of the final thoughts of Nanay. What was in her heart during her final days was our family.

Jesus is about to depart from His disciples. As He appears to them, He tells them what consumes His heart: “The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day.” He explains to them what has already been written, what has just taken place, and how it has been fulfilled before their very eyes. He prophesies about what they, His disciples, would be doing from then on.

“Repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” He exhorts them to allow God’s mercy to reach far and wide so that people may be drawn to seek reconciliation with Him.

“I am going to send you what my Father has promised, but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” He promises them His all-enduring presence by way of the Spirit. That way, our omnipresent God will greatly be felt by the world as the Spirit continues to hover all of creation, transforming it to become a real abode for the elect.

In the light of His coming departure, we were given a peek into the content of His heart. Those were the issues dear to Him and He had to entrust to His disciples the content of His heart. May we likewise value the sacred knowledge and challenge that He leaves with us until that day when we will be judged on how we have religiously fulfilled what He has told us to do before His return to Father. Fr. Sandy Enhaynes

------- REFLECTION QUESTIONS -------

How do you feel when someone about to depart, either temporarily or permanently, shares with you the content of their heart?

How do you value it?

Lord Jesus, thank You for leaving us with the Holy Spirit to stand in Your presence always. Amen.

Today, I pray for: _____________________________