Welcome to the Easter ceremonies in the Catholic Parish of
Whanganui. This time of the year is a wonderful opportunity to not only be
reminded of but to sacramentally re-enact the saving events of Jesus’ passion,
death and resurrection: “For if we have been united with him in a death like
his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.” It is
through being incorporated into the Body of Christ through baptism that we have
the pledge of our redemption from sin and death as well as the power of his
resurrection at work in our lives here and now. Through faith and the liturgy
we are caught up in a universal and cosmic hymn of praise and love motivated
and informed by the plan of the Holy Trinity to unite all things in Christ when
death itself is done away with: “Then comes the end, when he (Jesus) hands over
the kingdom to God the Father, after he has destroyed every ruler and every
authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all enemies under his
feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.” (1 Cor 15: 24-26)
Why is it that so few people in New Zealand are not drawn to
this free gift of life and the hope of immortality in Christ Jesus? Many people
have lost a sense of the spiritual and of religion. We, too, can feel bereft,
scandalized and disheartened by sin, evil and death. Yet, all of us are under a
sentence of death and, indeed, the whole of the Universe will inevitably come
to an end: “For the creation was subjected to futility , not of its own will
but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself
will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the
glory of the children of God.” (Rm 8: 19-21) The seeds of eternity sown by God
in the depths of the human heart long to germinate and flourish so that the
faith we hold, the hope we bear, and the love we live will endure in eternal
life. We dread to think that all we have and are is condemned to darkness and
annihilation – such is the absurdity of life in a lonely and meaningless
Universe governed by blind evolutionary impulses: “For if the dead are not
raised, then Christ has not been raised. If Christ has not been raised, your
faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have died
in Christ have perished. If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are
of all people most to be pitied.” (1 Cor 15: 16-19)
In such times, we can look to Pope Francis as a man of
courage, mercy and love. The phenomenon of nominal or cultural Christianity is
dying. He encourages, in his document Evangelii
Gaudium, us and all Christians to look to or renew their encounter with Christ “… by personal
testimony, proclamation of the kerygma (foundational teaching), and the
missionary action of the community.” This encounter invites of them the initial
response of a conversion whereby they:
“… decided to be His (Jesus) friend and go with him, changing how they think
and live, accepting the cross of Christ, conscious that dying to sin is
attaining life.” As a result, we are all called to progress in discipleship: “The person constantly
matures in knowledge, love, and following of Jesus the master, and delves deeper
into the mystery of His person, his example, and his teaching.” This reinforces
our experience of communion where: “Like the early Christians who met in
community, the disciples take part in the life of the Church, and in the
encounter with brothers and sisters, living the love of Christ in solidarity,
in fraternal life.” This ongoing process of renewing and living out our
resurrection faith is not just for ourselves but for mission: “As they get to know and love their Lord, disciples
experience he need to share with others their joy at being sent, at going to
the world to proclaim Jesus Christ, dead and risen, to make real the love and
service in the person of the neediest, in short, to build up the Kingdom of
God.” (EG #120)
I encourage everyone, regardless of their stage of life or
spiritual journey, to join in this process of deepening and activating faith which
will be put into action in the coming months and years.
Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! Alleluia, alleluia!
Happy Easter and God bless!
Fr Marcus
No comments:
Post a Comment