John 20: 1-9

Let us all remember that we are in the Holy presence of God.
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to John 20: 1-9
On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb.
So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.”
So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb.
They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in.
When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place.
Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed.
For they did not yet understand the scripture that he had to rise from the dead.

Reflection
Our Lord Jesus Christ’s rising from the death will always be a meaningful reminder that evil was overcome by our God’s infinite power and God’s ultimate love for mankind that He let His only begotten Son carry the heavy cross, to die and to save us from our sins. It implies that we can wholeheartedly trust and put our confidence on God who knows what is best for us especially when He gave His amazing grace. As a believer, it also calls us to see and believe through the eyes of faith; as it is also supported by the Bible verse of John 20:29: Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” May this Lenten season always give us a deeper opportunity to renew and deepen our faith in God; be more reflective and appreciative for the passion of Christ and to make personal sacrifices if deemed warranted.
Today is the Easter Sunday or the “Linggo ng Pagkabuhay”, in what way can you further express or testify your faith in God? How can you use your faith to carry out the mission of SJBDLS of nurturing service? Do you have the courage to live by faith and not merely on seeing by sight and to make personal sacrifices for the growth of your faith in God?

Lasallian Guiding Principle
According to the LGP book, “Lasallian education is marked by zeal: the wholehearted giving of oneself to the service of others, in gratuity and generosity, in creativity and fortitude, in compassion and commitment.” As a Lasallian, we are always being called for to share in the mission of SJBDLS and part of that is being an educator or whatever work which is assigned to you in the Lasallian community. As an example, being an educator does not stop only at the 4 corners of the room. I believe God continuously uses many people and knocks in our hearts to have the eagerness to give the zeal for service in the form of “gratuity & generosity, creativity & fortitude, compassion & commitment”. I can also relate this on the Bible verse on Acts 20:35 (NKJV) “I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
We are not only confined to nurture the zeal for service inside our school but we also go beyond, do extra mile and reaches to many communities especially to the last, the lost and the least. As an educator and part of the Lasallian community, we always have the compassion to serve, give an extra mile service not only to our students and we feel a sense of fulfillment in our mission and makes our personal sacrifices even worthwhile. We will always be inspired for the selfless love and for all the sacrifices of our Founder SJBDLS in the spirit of love and service. It is indeed a challenge for all of us to share our love, resources, zeal for service especially for those who cannot return the favor. I hope this season will make us more mindful not only to ourselves, our loved ones; I hope we will be filled with the Holy Spirit to give selflessly and receive graciously for the goodness of many. May we always be conscious that all things came from God and it is indeed our mission to share it to the best of our ability.

Prayer for the Tercentenary
God, our Father and Mother, You love us with endless mercy. You call us to be your sons and daughters. Give us a generous heart. A heart of flesh that “burns within us.” A heart always willing to love. A compassionate heart for those who suffer. A heart where there is a place for all Lasallians around the world. You call us to follow you. Give us the courage to live our commitment. Teach us to go beyond our borders. Teach us to discover you in the lowliest. Teach us to look with the eyes of faith. Teach us to share our mission with all Lasallians of the world. Holy Spirit, You call us to live with joy. Fill us with your grace to live the values of the gospel. Fill us with your grace to be active members in your Church. Fill us with your grace so that we may be credible witnesses, together with the entire Lasallian Family, in the midst of our world. Together and by association, we wish to renew our Lasallian commitment, and, in an attitude of thanksgiving, celebrate these 300 years of life. We ask this through Mary’s intercession, Queen and Mother of the Christian Schools and through the intercession of Saint John Baptist de La Salle, Universal Patrol of Christian Educators. Amen.
St. John Baptist de la Salle, pray for us.
St. Miguel Febres Cordero, pray for us.
Live Jesus in our hearts, forever!
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. (sign of the cross) Amen.

VALUE: Zeal for Service (Nurturing Service)
CULTURE THEME: We give selflessly and receive graciously
PRODUCTIVITY THEME: Going to the extra mile
INSTITUTIONAL COMMON VIRTUES (ICV): We are willing to make personal sacrifices

Sources:
(n.d). Daily Gospel retrieved on April 3, 2019, from https://dailygospel.org/AM/gospel/2019-04-21
Guiding principles of the Philippine Lasallian family book
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+20%3A24-29&version=NKJV
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+20%3A35&version=NKJV

Prepared by: Mia Maila P. Mangoba