Servants of Charity

Dear Confreres,
We are in the middle of the Lenten season awaiting to personally experience the risen Lord. If Jesus would not have risen from the tomb, there would be no Christianity today, no church either. And if Christ had not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith (1Cor 15:14). Our Christian faith is anchored in the resurrection of the Lord. This is the reason that the entire liturgy is oriented toward Easter Sunday and all other Sundays. Easter Sunday is the Feast of all feasts in the liturgy of the Church.
So, Jesus of Nazareth will hereafter be called the risen Lord. Thus the tomb has become His second womb which not only begets the risen Lord but the fearless Apostles (who were so afraid of losing their life that they locked themselves in a room) and eventually the Alleluia Christian community, the compendium of the entire teaching of the Lord and touchstone of Gospel values was revealed.  
The experience of the risen Lord caused Saul to make a U-turn in his life and he did just the opposite of what he had in mind (1Cor 15: 3-8, Acts. 9: 3-9). In the same way, the Risen Lord experience did not allow St. Peter to sit and relax but to witness in public (Acts 3:15). The people who were selfish found real happiness in sharing. The people who had security in hoarding their possessions for tomorrow found their security in the common good and community living (Acts 2: 42-47). People who were divisive and excluded others became inclusive, creating a new fraternity called Christians in spite of being Jews and Gentiles, despite having different lifestyles and customs (Acts. 10:34). Just the opposite was possible because the risen Lord was present amidst them. This ‘I have seen the Lord’ experience (Jn 20:18) will topple down all our barriers and limitations and will make all of us say again and again, ‘My Lord and My God’ (Jn 20: 28). May Easter joy fill our hearts and minds and make us torch bearers of the Easter light saying I will obey the Lord first (Acts 4:19). 
Happy Easter! 

Fr. Ronald J, SdC

Provincial Superior