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The Christian celebration of Easter invites us into the heart of the mystery of love. We call it the paschal mystery of our faith – the dying and rising of Christ, showing us a God who always brings life from death, in tender love. Hard to come at, painful, and beyond any rational understanding. We invite you to ponder this reflection by Ian Cribb SJ, Provincial Assistant and CEO of JISA.
Forgiveness is the core of our Christian faith. During Lent we prayed for the grace to renew our life in Christ. To acknowledge and embrace the forgiveness that is Christ's message to us through his life, death and resurrection. Suffering can hold a deep message for us if we are prepared to embrace it. It is the way of the disciple to be led to a place, where we would rather not go.
In recent times we have been given a very powerful example of forgiveness through the suffering of the Abdulla family Who tragically lost their children in a horrific accident. Through their example of forgiveness, people have reached out to them for help. They received messages from people who have been able to forgive past hurts, people who have been able to ask for forgiveness, people who have rediscovered their faith in God. Their initiative of establishing the ‘I4give day,’ has brought relief and renewed faith to many. If we are truly in love with Jesus and if we sense how much he loves us, our hearts will radiate a joy that spreads to everyone around us.
The resurrection of Jesus invites us to share the joy of the risen Christ with others, it asks us to acknowledge and cherish the gifts that God has given us. The gift of life helps us reach our goal and that is, ‘to want and to choose what better leads to God deepening God’s life in us’. May Christ's truth, which is the Holy Spirit, teach us and give to us the graces we need each day. This Easter let us call on the Holy Spirit to guide us on the path of discipleship with Christ.
Ian Cribb SJ |
