This past Lent, I felt the weight of my sins crucifying me on the cross with Jesus. It has been a long, dreary haul and I could not wait for Easter to come.
The Easter Vigil celebration was that first burst of invigorating rain on the drought-hit landscape of my soul. The joy of the readings and psalms, coupled with the baptismal effervescence of newly minted neophytes gave me a lightness of heart. Despite my failings, I have not been condemned but redeemed.
As Saint Paul reminded the Romans, if I die with Christ then I will also resurrect with Him. Sin no longer has a hold on my life. That is not to say I will not sin again, but that I am not enslaved by sin (unless I choose to be). I can come alive to God in Christ Jesus. The new life of baptism is always within my grasp.
So when I fail, I should not let it defeat me. I can repent by not repeating my mistake again. I can resolve to become a better person by noting my weaknesses and not giving in to them. And when I am stuck, I can turn to Jesus and seek His help. In turn, He will send people and opportunities my way to help whip me into shape. I just need to be open to His Spirit of newness in everyone I meet and everything I do.
As the words of the hymn we sang on Saturday night go:
Take, O take me as I am, summon out what I shall be,
Set your seal upon my heart and live in me.
Father Vaz reminded those present that the fundamental message of Easter is mission. As believers of the resurrected Christ, we should embody the joy of Easter and be so empowered by the Good News that we expend all our energies in sharing it.
After all, isn't joy worth spreading? Much like love, joy does not bloom fully unless we give it away to others. So go spread some Easter joy.
The Easter Vigil celebration was that first burst of invigorating rain on the drought-hit landscape of my soul. The joy of the readings and psalms, coupled with the baptismal effervescence of newly minted neophytes gave me a lightness of heart. Despite my failings, I have not been condemned but redeemed.
As Saint Paul reminded the Romans, if I die with Christ then I will also resurrect with Him. Sin no longer has a hold on my life. That is not to say I will not sin again, but that I am not enslaved by sin (unless I choose to be). I can come alive to God in Christ Jesus. The new life of baptism is always within my grasp.
So when I fail, I should not let it defeat me. I can repent by not repeating my mistake again. I can resolve to become a better person by noting my weaknesses and not giving in to them. And when I am stuck, I can turn to Jesus and seek His help. In turn, He will send people and opportunities my way to help whip me into shape. I just need to be open to His Spirit of newness in everyone I meet and everything I do.
As the words of the hymn we sang on Saturday night go:
Take, O take me as I am, summon out what I shall be,
Set your seal upon my heart and live in me.
Father Vaz reminded those present that the fundamental message of Easter is mission. As believers of the resurrected Christ, we should embody the joy of Easter and be so empowered by the Good News that we expend all our energies in sharing it.
After all, isn't joy worth spreading? Much like love, joy does not bloom fully unless we give it away to others. So go spread some Easter joy.
Longing for good news with a heavy heart,
I turn and see him - the one who rocks my world!
How is it I did not recognize him earlier?
It must be my fears that blight my sight and muffle my hearing.
He quiets my misgivings and fills me with deep joy.
For his love for me gleams brightly in the wound on his side,
And the ones on his hands, his feet, and his crown.
Am I worth dying for? I hardly think so.
But he thinks otherwise, for that I thank God.
The impossible dream is mine to have and hold,
It can be yours, too, if you take the plunge.
The water's amazing, luxuriate in its life-giving force.
No comments:
Post a Comment