Dear Friends,
God uses even the darkness of life, even the anxiety and pain of these days for something good. God purifies us by offering us the feeling of being out of control. Because, in fact, we are out of control anyway. And then, in our anxiety, we turn to God to save us. “Blessed are the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of God is theirs.”
So, I am praying a lot! And I always think about you. I picture as many of you as I can. I hold you in my heart, praying for your protection and spiritual welfare. What is moving to me is the following verses from the Easter Proclamation that is to be chanted at the Easter Vigil. “Be glad, let the earth be glad, as glory floods her, ablaze with light from her eternal King, let all corners of the earth be glad, knowing an end to gloom and darkness.” Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, nothing can hold us down! We might have to wait on Him as Jesus did, but God will save us on the “Third Day.”
The Easter Proclamation is sung next to the brand new Paschal Candle which symbolizes the light of Christ. I believe and I pray to believe even more firmly in the power of Christ through any evil that I may experience.
Christ’s light heals the spiritual darkness of our weak and dim faith. Christ’s light warms our broken hearts. Christ’s light inflames the cells of our bodies with healing warmth. Christ’s light raises and purifies the souls of the deceased. Christ’s light corrects injustice and violence in the world. Christ’s light allows me and you to know our true selves as loved daughters and sons of the Father.
May Jesus bless you this Triduum and Easter with the exact grace, the precise gift that you need to grow closer to Him, and even to have a taste of His infinite joy!
Love,
Fr. Pete