Happy Resurrection Day! Alleluia! Jesus is risen! Alleluia!
While John was waiting at Jesus' tomb for Peter to arrive, the Bible says he "bent down to peer in" (Jn 20:5). This is not a trivial detail; it indicates the spiritual posture of those who believe in the risen Jesus. If we are truly to believe in Him, we must bend down, humble ourselves, and embrace the feet of the risen Jesus (Mt 28:9; see also Jn 20:17). Only those who humble themselves will be exalted by faith in the risen Christ (see Mt 23:12; Phil 2:8-9). No one goes up with the risen Lord except the one who has gone down and "bent down" in humility (see Jn 3:13).
When we renew our baptismal promises today, we are humbling ourselves. We may be humbly admitting we have wasted years of our lives by not rejecting all Satan's works and empty promises. In renewing our baptismal promises, we are submitting every detail of our lives to the Father, through Jesus, and in the Spirit. On this Easter Sunday, let us humble ourselves, renew our baptismal promises, and believe in the risen Jesus.
| PRAYER: | Father, may I consider it a privilege to humble myself by witnessing for the risen Jesus even if I am rejected and persecuted. |
| PROMISE: | "You shall appear with Him in glory." –Col 3:4 |
| PRAISE: | Praise You, Jesus, Victor over death! You are the risen Lord now and forever! Alleluia! |
Reprinted with permission from Presentation Ministries, a lay association of the Catholic Church that focuses on evangelization and discipleship through Bible teaching, daily Mass, the charisms of the Holy Spirit, and Small Christian Community. Their ministries include:
· One Bread, One Body
· Daily Bread Radio Program
· Annual Bible Institute
· Discipleship Retreats
· Guadalupe Bible College