Dear Parish Family,
Easter is the greatest celebration of the Church. Jesus’ resurrection reminds us that there is life beyond the grave. Jesus’ resurrection reminds us that there is more to each of us than meets the eye, that we have an immortal soul. Although our body will return to dust, our soul will live forever with God.
What is the purpose of life? What is your goal in life? Where is your heart in life? Life has only one ultimate goal, to prepare for the next life, and if you are not preparing for your own resurrection you are like a train that has become derailed. What happens to a train that gets derailed? It goes nowhere. We give undue importance to many things that do not matter for the eternal life. Our house, car, money and our status in the society are all good and have practical value. But when these conflict with the ‘health of our soul’ then they drag us down to just being a material entity, forgetting that we are ‘spirit within a material body’. We could be so busy that we have no time to pray to God every day! It is God you want to meet in the next life, and this relationship is central to our being. The Psalmist expresses this in a telling imagery, “My soul thirsts for you like a parched land for water.” We have a wonderful future ahead of us. We will be resurrected like Jesus. The end of our second reading today said, “But when Christ is revealed - and he is your life - you too will be revealed in all your glory with him.” (Col 3:4).
Just think of it, you will be transformed to become glorious like Jesus. Do you live like someone who believes in such a glorious future? If you do, surely everything in this world takes on a new perspective, so that, we do not become possessed by our possessions. When we can give qualitative time to our life of prayer, two attitudes develop within us. First of all we nourish our soul because prayer is the food for our soul. Secondly, this focus on prayer will direct our efforts in the direction of our holistic well-being. We are unleashing the power of God that is within us when we pray.
All the resurrection narratives differ one from another. One of the things all the resurrection accounts have in common is the stone rolled back from the entrance to the tomb. Have you allowed a stone to prevent you from meeting the risen Jesus? Have you allowed the stone of becoming engrossed in what you have and own and what others have and own to block your way to Jesus? You were adopted as God’s son or daughter on the day you were baptized. If you are not living like a son or daughter of God, roll away the stone. If you are not happy, that is a sure sign that the stone needs to be rolled away in your life. If you knew the risen Jesus you would have such joy in your heart that nothing else could give you. Think of our second reading today, “...the life you have is hidden with Christ in God...” (Col 3:3) Think of the total change that occurred in Paul’s life after he met Jesus on the road to Damascus. You must roll away the stone for that.
Since you have been brought back to true life with Christ, you must look for the things that are in heaven, where Christ is, sitting at God’s right hand. Let your thoughts be on heavenly things, not on things that are on the earth, because you have died and now the life you have is hidden with Christ in God. (Col 3:1-3) Happy Feast of the Resurrection everyone!
Fr. Tom Kunnel C.O.