Looking Ahead: April 21-26, 2025

Looking Ahead

It should come as no surprise that the readings for this week are all geared to letting the wonderful event of the resurrection enter into our hearts and souls. We see it first in the gospels where those closest to Jesus recount their experiences. In the readings from the Acts of the Apostles, we hear the preaching of the early Church concerning the implications of this event.

In a world where everything moves so quickly, we can forget there are certain events that take time to really sink in. I think of a couple I knew who had been married for 67 years. The adjustment the wife had to make when her husband died was something that took a long time to process and do something about.

And so this week, let the Easter events really sink into your hearts and minds. You can take this opportunity, the Octave of Easter, to begin to process just what life is like because Jesus is raised from the dead.

Monday, April 21, 2025

Fearful yet overjoyed. There are times in our life where something happens, either something marvelous or something tragic, where the enormity of the event is so big that we cannot imagine what the next part of life will be like. Mary Magdalene is sent to tell the brothers. The Jewish leaders are seeking to figure out how to “spin” the event.

Tuesday, April 22, 2025

“Let the whole house of Israel know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” What a tender moment in today’s gospel. Mary Magdalene had been through so much in her life. And the one on whom she pinned her hopes appears to be dead. And yet, he is not. She knows him when he calls her by name. Jesus calls each one of us by name.

Wednesday, April 23, 2025

“I have neither silver nor gold.” “Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?” Two readings. Two powerful spiritual experiences that begin to help us to see that the resurrection is not just a resuscitation. It is an unbelievable and powerful experience that changes everything. Jesus is Messiah. And through his presence, he enables Peter, John, Cleopas and his companion to act in his name.

Thursday, April 24, 2025

The apostles saw him die a brutal and painful death. When the women came back from the tomb, the apostles thought they were speaking nonsense. Just how can this be that this Jesus, who died such a difficult death, is now alive? And just what does resurrection mean? What has the resurrection done for Jesus? What does it do for us?

Friday, April 25, 2025

“By what power or by what name have you done this?” It can be easy for us not to realize just what a crucified Messiah meant. It was not easy for the Jews to believe that a crucified Messiah could experience resurrection. And given what is happening after the resurrection, the Jewish leaders have some reason to be concerned. What will the Roans make of this? If only they could see the world with faith and not through politics?

Saturday, April 26, 2025

“Observing the boldness of Peter and John and perceiving them to be uneducated, ordinary men, the leaders, elders, and scribes were amazed, and they recognized them as the companions of Jesus.” In today’s gospel, Mark gives us a summary of the early events of the resurrection. But whereas they are rebuked in the gospel, the have become bold in the first reading. They are recognized as the companions of Jesus. Are we seen that way?

On the friar, you can listen to our homilies (based on the readings of the day) and reflections. You can also ask us to pray for you or to pray for others. You can subscribe to our website to be informed whenever we publish an update. And we have restarted our podcasts after a hiatus. You can subscribe to our podcasts on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

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