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When others look upon us what will they see? Will they see us living in the joy of the Resurrected Lord whom we profess to believe in and follow? Will they be curious, even eager to find out secret for the hope that we carry within us? Or will they see us just like they see themselves, simply trying to get by each day. Some even bickering, criticising and finding fault with others just as they might do. Can others see our true self each and every time from up close or afar? Or does duality exist within us and they see only what we want them to see?

To be able to live in the joy of our Lord’s resurrection we must first have a heart of gratitude. That is to remember that we have been forgiven our many sins and it is only through the love and grace of Lord and saviour Jesus Christ we have been redeemed. Through Him we are able to live life fully in His love. We have joy because we carry the peace and love of our Lord within us.  And so are we humble before the presence of our Lord to get down on our knees to welcome Him, anoint and wash His feet; by our deeds of love and mercy for our brethren?

Guide me Lord to live in Your light always! Glory and praise be Yours now and forever. Amen

First reading
1 Corinthians 15:1-11 ·
I preached what the others preach, and you all believed

Brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, the gospel that you received and in which you are firmly established; because the gospel will save you only if you keep believing exactly what I preached to you – believing anything else will not lead to anything.
    Well then, in the first place, I taught you what I had been taught myself, namely that Christ died for our sins, in accordance with the scriptures; that he was buried; and that he was raised to life on the third day, in accordance with the scriptures; that he appeared first to Cephas and secondly to the Twelve. Next he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died; then he appeared to James, and then to all the apostles; and last of all he appeared to me too; it was as though I was born when no one expected it.
    I am the least of the apostles; in fact, since I persecuted the Church of God, I hardly deserve the name apostle; but by God’s grace that is what I am, and the grace that he gave me has not been fruitless. On the contrary, I, or rather the grace of God that is with me, have worked harder than any of the others; but what matters is that I preach what they preach, and this is what you all believed.


Gospel
Luke 7:36-50
Her many sins have been forgiven, or she would not have shown such great love

One of the Pharisees invited Jesus to a meal. When he arrived at the Pharisee’s house and took his place at table, a woman came in, who had a bad name in the town. She had heard he was dining with the Pharisee and had brought with her an alabaster jar of ointment. She waited behind him at his feet, weeping, and her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them away with her hair; then she covered his feet with kisses and anointed them with the ointment.
    When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, ‘If this man were a prophet, he would know who this woman is that is touching him and what a bad name she has.’ Then Jesus took him up and said, ‘Simon, I have something to say to you.’ ‘Speak, Master’ was the reply. ‘There was once a creditor who had two men in his debt; one owed him five hundred denarii, the other fifty. They were unable to pay, so he pardoned them both. Which of them will love him more?’ ‘The one who was pardoned more, I suppose’ answered Simon. Jesus said, ‘You are right.’
    Then he turned to the woman. ‘Simon,’ he said ‘you see this woman? I came into your house, and you poured no water over my feet, but she has poured out her tears over my feet and wiped them away with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but she has been covering my feet with kisses ever since I came in. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. For this reason I tell you that her sins, her many sins, must have been forgiven her, or she would not have shown such great love. It is the man who is forgiven little who shows little love.’ Then he said to her, ‘Your sins are forgiven.’ Those who were with him at table began to say to themselves, ‘Who is this man, that he even forgives sins?’ But he said to the woman, ‘Your faith has saved you; go in peace.

‘When we are cursed, we answer with a blessing’

Wait what? Why? This might only be possible for those who are holy moly! Like if I were an Apostle or the Pope!If we have thoughts like this can we truly call ourselves Christian? Are we only Sunday Catholic Christians? Even then who is this Lord we claim to worship on Sundays? Did we forget that by our baptism we are called to be holy (saints) as our Heavenly Father is Holy? Did we also forget that by our confirmation we are sent (apostles) to share in the good news of the Lord our God? Do we even know what the Good News is and do we dwell in it? If you still don’t know what it is then you have not come to the deeper realisation that it is not an ‘it’ but ‘whom’!

Who can ever be more humble, merciful and loving then the Lord our Lord Jesus Christ; whom we claim to serve who is Lord of Lords, King of Kings? He whom humbled himself for love of us took on flesh, who was mocked, cursed, spat upon, tortured, stripped of everything and nailed on the cross. Yet He forgave us from the cross! When He turned His eyes to Heaven and said, “Father forgive them for they not what they do.”

Lord Jesus through Your death and the power of Your Resurrection let me turn all curses into Blessings in Your most precious name. Amen

First reading

1 Corinthians 4:6-15 ·What do you have that was not given to you?Take Apollos and myself as an example and remember the maxim: ‘Keep to what is written.’ It is not for you, so full of your own importance, to go taking sides for one man against another. In any case, brother, has anybody given you some special right? What do you have that was not given to you? And if it was given, how can you boast as though it were not? Is it that you have everything you want – that you are rich already, in possession of your kingdom, with us left outside? Indeed I wish you were really kings, and we could be kings with you! But instead, it seems to me, God has put us apostles at the end of his parade, with the men sentenced to death; it is true – we have been put on show in front of the whole universe, angels as well as men. Here we are, fools for the sake of Christ, while you are the learned men in Christ; we have no power, but you are influential; you are celebrities, we are nobodies. To this day, we go without food and drink and clothes; we are beaten and have no homes; we work for our living with our own hands. When we are cursed, we answer with a blessing; when we are hounded, we put up with it; we are insulted and we answer politely. We are treated as the offal of the world, still to this day, the scum of the earth. I am saying all this not just to make you ashamed but to bring you, as my dearest children, to your senses. You might have thousands of guardians in Christ, but not more than one father and it was I who begot you in Christ Jesus by preaching the Good News.

Gospel

Luke 6:1-5The Son of Man is master of the sabbathOne sabbath Jesus happened to be taking a walk through the cornfields, and his disciples were picking ears of corn, rubbing them in their hands and eating them. Some of the Pharisees said, ‘Why are you doing something that is forbidden on the sabbath day?’ Jesus answered them, ‘So you have not read what David did when he and his followers were hungry how he went into the house of God, took the loaves of offering and ate them and gave them to his followers, loaves which only the priests are allowed to eat?’ And he said to them, ‘The Son of Man is master of the sabbath.’