DAY 4
April 4, 2021 | Grand Easter Feast

Holy Mass

Manila Cathedral
First Reading: Acts 10:34, 37-43
Second Reading: Colossians 3:1-4
Responsorial Psalm:
Psalms 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23
Gospel: John 20:1-9

Fr. Kali Llamado:
Jesus is alive!
The Easter message is Jesus is real. Ipinahayag ni San Pedro ang kanyang karanasan kay Hesus.‘Yan ang pinakasentro, pinakamahalagang mensahe ng Easter. Si Hesus ay totoo, si Jesus ay buhay. Mapapahayag lang natin ito kung tayo mismo naranasan natin katulad nina Pedro, nila Maria Magdalena na naranasang buhay si Hesus.

If we want to gain back that ability to preach to others that Jesus is real, then like Peter, John, and Mary Magdalene, as we read in the Gospel passage, let us go back to that very basic experience of witnessing and encountering Jesus.

Remember they didn’t just hear, read about Jesus.

They personally encountered Jesus.

For the past days we have been celebrating at the Manila Cathedral the Paschal Triduum (the three day-period that begins on the evening of Holy Thursday, then the Easter Vigil, and closes with the evening prayer on Easter).

And for me as a priest assigned here for nearly six years, I can already say I have memorized all the movements, preparations here.

But these past days, I think it was the grace of God for me and I’m sure for all of us to go back to that basic experience to really encounter Jesus.

This Good Friday was different for me. I felt the suffering again. The suffering of people who have lost their jobs because of the Pandemic. The suffering of those who are working in the hospitals. The suffering of a COVID patient.

I know because I was a survivor of this disease. They came back to me– all of the sufferings, the fear of being alone, the fear of losing my breath… and I was able to say, Jesus is indeed real.

Let us bring back Jesus into the equation…

It is important to focus on Jesus so that we are able to profess that He is indeed real.

Ibalik natin si Hesus. Let us bring back the word “Jesus” on the equation, on everything that we say. Kasi minsan
nawawala ang pagiging totoo ni Jesus sa atin.

For example, you are studying in a Catholic school, instead of just saying, “I am studying in a Catholic school.” Maybe it’s time to say, “I am learning from Jesus.” “Jesus is teaching me.”

Another example: If you’re studying in UST, don’t just say,

“The Dominicans have trained me.” O, kaya kapag nag-aaral ka sa Ateneo,

“The Jesuits have trained me well.”

Do not just say, “We are celebrating Easter.”

Say, “We are celebrating Jesus!”