Editor’s Note
May this season of grace bring us such lasting joy and let us share this joy generously with others, especially those in the ‘shadows’ and on the margins of our society.
Apr 09, 2023
By Patricia Pereira
When was the last time your Christian faith gave you comfort and eased the burdens of daily living? When was the last time you heard or read something about the Catholic Church that provoked lighthearted laughter? Do you truly walk with Our Lord during His Passion and Death and then rejoice at His Resurrection? Or, has it simply become just another liturgical season of prayer, fasting and alms-giving, after which you get back to the dreaded business of every day?
Many of us have become so comfortable with the Easter story that it somehow fails to surprise us anymore. We’ve heard the story too many times, we know the ending. We fail to stand amazed at the empty tomb. But it’s so much more — deeper and broader and far more demanding than that.
The story of Jesus rising from the tomb should stop us dead in our tracks. We must unlearn our weariness with the narrative and hear it for what it truly is. We must follow and stand astonished with the disciples at the empty tomb, for truly, there is no such thing as a ‘lost cause’ in God’s kingdom, nothing is beyond redemption. The Resurrection is anything but humdrum.
Resurrection isn’t just God’s business — it’s ours too, if we choose to follow Him. An invitation to follow Jesus is an invitation to take up one’s cross, to walk the dark and difficult road to where, apparently, it all ends. But it’s also an invitation to share in Christ’s resurrection, life and body. The Church is often referred to as ‘the body of Christ’. If we are to take this seriously, we must act like the body of Christ — like those who have endured pain and suffering in the service of others, but who have also experienced God’s resurrection, the transformation of our own lives. Such transformation is never a purely personal affair — it must be for the greater good, the wider community: transformed people naturally offer transformation to others. We are called to nothing less than this: to live lives transformed by God’s audacious love so that those around us may know resurrection, transformation and hope.
A word that has become a staple of Pope Francis’ pontificate is “accompaniment”, which implies “movement.” Our call to discipleship means we cannot stay stagnant but must grow in our lives of faith to help others — be they family, friends, yes, and even strangers — to do the same. The Holy Father has reminded us again and again that we need to go out and be an evangelising Church. We must remember we are all catechists by virtue of our baptism, and that each day is an opportunity for evangelisation.
Since the beginning of his pontificate, Pope Francis has said the mission of the Church is “to heal wounds and warm the hearts of the faithful.” Reflecting on what’s transpired in recent decades, we are learning that there is a lot of brokenness in our Church. We must be a Church of mercy, and we need to accompany those who cross our path on their spiritual and human journeys. We need to make sure no one walks alone, and we need to be a Church that offers listening, understanding and patience.
Let us hope that this Easter season is a time of joy and laughter for all of us — individually, as families and parish communities, and as an arch/diocesan and universal Church. There is too much “heaviness” in our lives. Too much grief and sorrow and anxiety. Too much bad news. Too much sadness and sin. We need more laughter. More lightheartedness. More joy.
May this season of grace bring us such lasting joy and let us share this joy generously with others, especially those in the ‘shadows’ and on the margins of our society.
A happy and blessed Easter to you and your loved ones.
Total Comments:0