As we journey together during this Holy Week we remember the fullness of mercy that is professed from the table of blessing on Holy Thursday to the cross of Good Friday and the silence filling the world until Easter morning when all creation breaks forth in the great Hallelujah of salvation.
We also acknowledge as we enter into these holy days the sadness and tragedy that surrounds us with the terrorist attacks in Belgium and Turkey, the murder of the four Sisters of Charity and their companions in Yemen as well as the many other acts of violence that intrude upon the world. But we also recognize through these terrible and horrible actions against civilization the true need of faith and most importantly for we who believe in the truth and belief of the Incarnation in the wonder of God becoming man to suffer and die for our sins so that we may discover the peace of reconciliation over and against the violence of vengeance.
It is here that we look to the cross and the promise of resurrection. Jesus, who confronted the violence and hatred of sin, invites us to follow him through the Paschal Mystery of his life, death and resurrection. During the past 40 days of our Lenten journey we have been challenged to transform and renew our faith in God as we prayed, fasted and sought to give in generosity the of love in the alms of our time, talent and treasure.
Pope St. John Paul II wrote, “We are witnesses. Witnesses of a shining faith; of an active, patient and kindly charity; of a service for the many forms of poverty experienced by contemporary humanity. Witnesses of the hope that does not disappoint and of the deep communion that reflects the life of God, of the Trinity, of obedience, and of the Cross. In short, witnesses of holiness, people of Beatitudes, called to be perfect as the Heavenly Father is perfect.” (#11, Lessons for Living)
John Paul II describes perfectly our Easter faith where we are called to be living witnesses of Jesus Christ. The invitation to be active and patient in reaching out and sharing the joy of the Gospel as we enter into the many forms of poverty but especially the poverty of hatred and violence that consumes so many of our brothers and sisters. The Cross of Jesus Christ calls us reach out in hope and to trust in the justice and mercy of God’s love.
To be a witness of holiness, we choose to live the Works of Mercy and the Beatitudes of love that heal and join us once more in the great communion of love. As servants of grace and mercy we choose to live and work within the generous will of God. God, who in the gift of his son Jesus Christ, chooses to place himself into our hands, not that we might manipulate him, rather that we choose to hold him as a light, the beacon that leads us into a deeper and fuller union of love. The light we hold forth is the Cross of Salvation. In the coming days let us all embrace this cross: the tree of life, the cross of truth where proclaim, “Hallelujah He is Risen! Truly He is Risen! Hallelujah!”
God Bless
Fr. Mark.