By His Grace Most Rev. Prakash Mallavarapu,
Archbishop of Visakhapatnam
We have many festivals and festivities that we as a Christian Community celebrate and naturally there are external expressions and manifestations of the meaning and joy of celebrating the particular feast. But, not all festivals are the same. Though there is the need of personal involvement and participation in the feasts, some festivals demand more involvement as the celebration is connected directly to one’s life with God and for God! Easter celebration, coming at the close of the Holy season of Lent, is one such annual feast, which requires of the believers a high degree of personal involvement and participation.
The celebrations have to lead the believers to decision-making, change, and resolution to start life again with renewed mind and heart. Easter is the Anniversary of the Passover, the Paschal mystery, that is intimately connected with the life journey of a baptized member in the community. This feast is about appropriating again what is being offered in Christ: the way, the truth, the light, and the life!
We want the fruits of the Lenten Season and Easter: It is rather interesting point but it is good to give a thought, namely, what fruits I am seeking or desiring from Lenten season, which culminates in the Easter Celebration? The Easter liturgy proclaims “liberation” and “joy!” All of us who persevered in observing the Holy season of Lent and who join the rest of the believing community and sing “alleluia,” “Rejoice, Christ is Risen,” individually or personally speaking, should say over what one is actually rejoicing on Easter morning. The invitation at the beginning of the Lenten Season was, “The Kingdom of God is at hand, Repent, and believe in the Gospel.”
Our Easter Joy should not only be a “community joy” but also a personal joy because of the grace of conversion to the Kingdom of God and the Good News of the Kingdom; it is the joy coming from the experience of reconciliation with God and our neighbor. It is the joy coming from the experience of being healed and restored from the wounds caused by sin one’s mind, body, spirit and soul!. Are we rejoicing or do you want to rejoice at Easter for receiving these blessings and fruits in the course of the Lenten Season and at Easter celebrations? Are we rejoicing because we are moving from the banks of darkness to the banks of light, from death to life, and from untruth to truth in the Risen Christ!
Lost and found experience of the Apostles and disciples (men and women): The Apostles and other disciples were shocked, sad, and also uncertain as to what is to be done next. Just when they were growing in conviction and confidence in Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah and as the Son of God, the Master was removed from them, or rather he left them. They could not go where he was going, passion and death! They did not yet “understand what the ‘rising from the dead on the third day meant.” With the death of their Master on the cross their connection is snapped.
Initial news of the empty tomb subjected them to even greater confusion. This entire situation began to change only after the Risen Christ appeared to them, spoke to them, showed his wounds, and ate with them. The recovery of their relationship with the Master began to happen but it took considerable number of days, till the day of ascension, and the complete recovery was with the descent of the Holy Spirit with His gifts. The joy of encountering their Master, now raised from the dead made them proclaim saying, “he has risen from the dead, he is living, and it is true!” It is a newly found confidence! Soon, all those who shared this joy in the Risen Christ, the Apostles and Mary, the Mother of Jesus at the lead, began to form into the first “Community” as it were: “All these with one accord devoted themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary, the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren” (Acts 1:14).
To be continued tomorrow: Remain Connected With Christ