Dear Good People of Saint Bernadette,
Happy Easter! The reason we are here is today is that, in the Mystery of Baptism that we renew in our hearts today, we stay young. Life is always new. In a recent survey of youth in our country, when asked why they have left the Church, many replied that it is nothing more than the Easter bunny and Santa Claus, that they outgrew it. Let’s take the time today to tell our children about this new life: if we understand what God is giving us we never grow old, we certainly never outgrow it, because it grows in us. This risen life of Christ is now within you.
Today is a new beginning. It is the day that you and I must begin again affirming the centrality of Jesus in our lives. And every day we must remind ourselves that he did not do all of this just for me. Although theologians have said, it is true, that if even only one person made up God’s creation, Jesus would still have suffered, died and risen for that one person, the entirety of his teaching reveals to us that Jesus’ saving death and resurrection was done for us and for our salvation. He came to give us life, life to the full, as one Body (his) united in the love of God, emp- tied out of love for the Father and filled with the Holy Spirit. Our Vigil Mass this weekend is focused entirely on the sacraments which bring this Church into Being: He did everything to make us one. We are his.
As such, we are called to restore in our lives this Church family as central to our lives. If the Church hasn’t been central to our lives this far, we need to discover it. Sadly today, a lens of selfishness, individuality, has clouded and confused this singular Mission of Jesus, and his Church. churches put their logos on Bibles and call it theirs; one would like to claim that he has the answer (and they don’t, whoever they are). But none of us can claim any of it as our own: all is God’s, and we are God’s, and somehow God has invited us to be a part of this life. And if God stopped thinking about us for even a moment, we would cease to be.
Have you ever had the feeling that you don’t exist to some people? It is an experience that I have more and more as I get older. I can be standing somewhere, sometimes even in the hallway at school or the vestibule after Mass, and if I don’t actively engage people and catch their attention, they simply pass by without acknowledging that I’m even there, eyes averted, not connecting. I’m a priest...if it’s happening with me it certainly is happening to someone set aside or in need. But this isn’t about me, at all; I watch people who pass by each other all the time (literally, all the time) without any connection at all. It is possible, I suppose, to say that we live in a world that is somewhat scary and that there are strangers you would not want to engage. Let us build a community at Saint Bernadette where we can all greet one another, care for one another, and together reach out to those who are seeking the new life that we have been given. It is a new life of joy, of peace, and a spirit of service that will allow us to be the risen Christ to the world around us.
After all—isn’t that exactly what Jesus did, first by his Incarnation and then by his Cross and Resurrection, break down the barrier that kept us from his Presence? His Presence that heals and consecrates, that reconciles and invites us every day to a deeper sharing in his life? He catches
our gaze, he speaks the first Word of introduction and gathers us into his circle of life. He greets us first, and invites us to offer the same peace to one another. All are reconciled in Christ. The preface of one of the EucharisticZPrayers expresses it beautifully. “Though the human race is divided...you change our hearts... By your Spirit you move human hearts that enemies may speak to each other again, adversaries join hands, peoples seek to meet together... Hatred is overcome by love, revenge gives way to forgiveness, discord is changed to mutual respect.”
our gaze, he speaks the first Word of introduction and gathers us into his circle of life. He greets us first, and invites us to offer the same peace to one another. All are reconciled in Christ. The preface of one of the EucharisticZPrayers expresses it beautifully. “Though the human race is divided...you change our hearts... By your Spirit you move human hearts that enemies may speak to each other again, adversaries join hands, peoples seek to meet together... Hatred is overcome by love, revenge gives way to forgiveness, discord is changed to mutual respect.”
Thanks for being good witnesses to this new life! See the fruit of so many people who, from our soup suppers and Stations of the Cross, from our prayer and penance, from our Lenten sharing, have come to this day of new life together.
God bless you.
