“This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad” (Psalms 118:24)

Since Creation, human beings have forsaken God. Yet, God has never given up on us. The stories, “Noah’s Ark” and “Crossing of the Red Sea”, concretely express God’s mercy and love to all mankind.

The Holy Spirit has spread the seed of the Gospel at different times and nations. The teachings of Confucius and Mencius in China are full of generous love and forgiveness. Siddhartha Gautama of India preached emphasis on the spiritual life. God’s Word in the flesh about the birth of Jesus answered Confucius’ ignorance regarding death. Confucius said, “If we don’t know life, how can we know death?” Christ’s passion and resurrection inspired new Buddhist insights into birth, aging, sickness and death.

“This is the Day that the Lord has made”: Christ descended among us when we needed Him most. He told us we have only one Father in Heaven and we are all brothers and sisters. His suffering and death express how great His love is for mankind, to the point of giving up His own self.

“Let us rejoice and be glad”: Because Christ overcame death, He is resurrected! We should always look up to the risen Christ from the edge of suffering and disappointment. Inner peace does not depend on tranquility of the outside world, rather, it relies on continual renewal. Together with Jesus, we will learn to offer up life’s sorrow to God and live out God’s will.