THE GARDENER..

Acts 2:36-4136

Let all the house of Israel therefore know assuredly that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?”
38 And Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.39 For the promise is to you and to your children and to all that are far off, every one whom the Lord our God calls to him.”40 And he testified with many other words and exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.”
41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

John 20:11-18 

11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb;12 and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet.
13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.”14 Saying this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus.
15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom do you seek?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.”16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rab-boni!” (which means Teacher).17 Jesus said to her, “Do not hold me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brethren and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.”18 Mary Magdalene went and said to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her.

MEDITATION 

THE FIRST READING: Upon being moved by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit the crowd realized that something was lacking, to which Peter replied, calling them to submit to the Sacraments of baptism and confession. Upon discerning and receiving these supernatural gifts, our human and spiritual natures are being conformed to Christs divine nature to the extent that we are able to touch Him in the sacrament of Holy Communion, a supernatural earthly substance that effect healing and transformation towards faithfulness; for it originate and is the fruits of the work of the transformational soul of the Gardener!

THE GOSPEL READING: Mary Magdalene, the one who anointed the head of Christ and washed His feet with her tears of repentance (Mk 14:3, Lk 7:38), is mournful; and dissipointed for she had prepared to complete her works of love to balm and spice the lifeless body of the Lord and keep watch and pray.The tomb was empty except for the presence of the curious ‘gardener’ whose presence confirmed that she has been borne anew and healed from her former sinful state!

Upon receiving the Sacraments of Baptism, confession and First Holy Communion, we are inducted, having become members of the Church who labor together and with our Lord in the Garden. Said another way, the Sacraments of baptism, confession and the Holy Eucharist are mysteries also known as ‘mystagogos’ or ‘mystagogy’ a verb that denote our movement to righteousness and holiness. The recipient of these Sacraments are to apply him or herself by becoming an upright virtuous proficient gardener who plant, water nourish and feed the soul, day and night with the Word to produce good fruit in the house of God! Whislt it may be true that not every gardener is perfect, we must however be on guard that Satan do not tempt us to return to our former state of sin, which shall leed to our expulsion from the garden!

LET US PRAY:Psalms 33:4-5,18-20,22

4 For the word of the LORD is upright; and all his work is done in faithfulness.
5 He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love,19 that he may deliver their soul from death, and keep them alive in famine.20 Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and shield.-For Let thy steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in thee.

Commentary. Henry R SYLVESTER Note: The daily scripture readings are taken from the Roman Missal which the Catholic Church use in the daily Celebration of the Holy Eucharist throughout the world.Some weekly readings may differ because of the celebration of local feast days.