BREAD FOR YOUTH

  2 nd Week Easter Thursday   Gen 1:26-2:3 Meditation St Joseph the Worker God created the world and humans in his image. Humans are blessed because we are created in God's image. We are in everything like God, but we are not gods. We are humans, and we are loved by God. God created humans and animals, birds, the sky, the sea, the earth, and all possible beings for the good of humans and the glory of God. God has to work for it. Any work has its dignity. Humans have to work, and work gives meaning and purpose to life. Do we enjoy hard work? Mt 13:54-58 Jesus was known as the son of a carpenter. Joseph was a carpenter. It was a humble but skilled job. It was respected and wanted at the time. It was a hard job. Joseph worked hard to earn bread for the family. How lucky are those who earn their food? Let us pray to the Lord that our work is constructive for our good and the good of others. No one will be sad or sorry for working hard.   Let us honour all tho...

  2nd Week of Easter Wednesday Acts 5:17-26 Meditation Lord Intervenes for Us! It was the Jealousy of the elders of the Sadducees that caused the arrest of the Apostles and led to their imprisonment. Jealousy is the root cause of many human problems. In jealousy, one does not keep calm, one acts against the other, causing harm and evil. The way to overcome jealousy is not to avoid it, but to be aware of it and use the negative energy of Jealousy for positive actions. It could help one to act better, instead of acting against the people who are performing well. The Lord miraculously releases them from jail, and they go to preach in the temple. They have no explanation for how they were saved from jail. The people were with the Apostles, and people were listening and noting the wonders of the Lord in the early Christian community. We have to keep in mind that if it is the work of the Lord, no one could stop Jesus' mission. The good news spreads and impacts people's lives....

  2nd Week of Easter Tuesday Acts 4:32-5:1 Meditation "Born anew Christians" Is it possible to be one heart and one mind? It is possible to have one mind and one heart in the community as long as the members of the community are united by Jesus, united for a mission and giving up self-interests and seek only the good of the other members in the community and long to establish the kingdom of God. Is it possible that there can be a community where there is no needy person among them? It is possible that they can be members of the community living together without any needs and having all their needs fulfilled by the community. It could be financial, material and spiritual needs. As long as the members of the community are united in the name of the Risen Lord, it is possible to have a perfect community where there is a union of hearts and minds in the name of Jesus. Who is the uniting force in the Church? Gospel: Jn 3:7-15 Meditation Jesus once said to Nicodemus,...

  2nd Week of Easter Monday Acts 4:23-31 Meditation Are we people born of water and Spirit? The Church was being persecuted. Peter and John came to the community from the prison and communicated with the members about the treatment they received in the prison. The support and care of the community of believers in times of trial are very important. We are not alone, but God has given us a community to live in. They were not discouraged but encouraged by the desire to proclaim the message. They prayed amid the turmoil for the help of Jesus. They decided to proclaim Jesus despite the impending persecutions. The Lord heard their prayers and Jesus blessed them and they performed many miracles and the people believed in the Lord.   They were filled with the Holy Spirit and they began to proclaim the Word of God. Do we pray to Jesus in times of persecution? Gospel: Jn 3:1-8 Nicodemus came to Jesus to talk to him, discuss matters of faith, and clarify his doubt...

  Easter Saturday Acts 4:13-21 Meditation Be a Witness to Jesus! Peter and his company were warned sternly not to speak in the name of Jesus. They were even threatened with dire consequences. Peter and the others who believed in the presence of the Risen Lord decided to follow God and to do what is right in the sight of God. They have expressed that they cannot but speak about what they have seen and heard from Jesus. It is an internal conviction and force that is within them urging them to speak and bear witness to Jesus. The one who is filled with the Spirit of Jesus cannot but speak of Jesus. The Apostles in the early church were filled with the spirit of the Risen Lord. Are we compelled from within to witness for Christ? Gospel: Mk 16:9-15help  Meditation Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene, from whom he cast out seven devils. He appeared to many others, too, but not all believed in him. He appears to the eleven, and He rebukes them for their disbelief. He tell...

  Easter Friday Acts 4:1-12 Meditation Do We Reject Jesus? Peter, John and others were put in jail. The word about the resurrection of Jesus was spreading like wildfire. The elders of Israel want to arrest the spread of the news that Jesus Rose from the dead. The elders were surprised by the power the Apostles possessed; in fact, they asked them with what power do you do what you do? They answer that they do everything by the power of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, who was crucified and Rose to life from among the dead. They tell the elders of Israel that the stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. It is true that each one of us rejects the best things of life and the precious blessings of life. What we reject will not belong to us. We reject many people and things in life. The reasons to reject could be many, but each one gets into the game of rejecting others knowingly and unknowingly. Let us pray and take care not to reject the Risen Lord from our lives....

  Easter Thursday Acts 3:11-26 Meditation Foster Peace in the World! Peter becomes a spokesperson in the early Church. Peter was a frightened fisherman. He denies Jesus thrice before the cock crows.   He becomes bold and speaks with his mind inspired by the spirit that governs the salvation story; God has been guiding, and in the last days, he spoke to us through Jesus, who was killed by his own people. He tells them, do not be surprised by whose power he does wonders. Asserts himself and believes in the power of Jesus and the presence of the Risen Lord. The Lord’s wish and desire is that each one of us turn away from right living. Jesus came to bring true repentance and in fact, we are saved through his passion, death and resurrection but the good Lord needs our cooperation and surrender to do wonders with our lives. Do we accept that the Lord organised humans to save them through Jesus? Gospel: Lk 24:35-48. Meditation The disciples from Emmaus returned and sh...