“He went about doing good and healing all for God was with him… They put him to death by hanging him on a tree. This man God raised on the third day and granted that he be visible, not to all the people but to us, the witnesses chosen by God in advance who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead... He committed us to preach to the people and testify that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead” (Acts 10, 39-42).

Easter is an opportunity to ponder and meditate on the great mystery we will celebrate and the benefits that have been reported to the whole human family through such divine mystery. 

No matter how deep our theological or mystical reflections, explanation and approaches may be, there will always be an infinite margin to go and an impossibility for the human mind to grasp the infinite love of our Heavenly Father and the filial love that led the Son to embrace the Father’s plan with whom he is united and identified, so that God’s plan of salvation could be brought to fulfilment.

Jesus passed through this life doing good and healing physically and spiritually. He was gifted with divine wisdom beyond human understanding, he was loved by those he had chosen and meekness of heart, but was disliked and rejected by those who were in a better position to understand that he was the one the prophets had foretold and so earnestly awaited for. But when he came they failed to recognize him because he did not meet their human expectations of what the Savior was to be. 

We, too, may fail to understand the deep meaning of the Word we believe in. As Dominicans we are called to meditate and ponder upon it, so that transformed by its inner power we may faithfully and fittingly preach, if only because our Dominican charism embraces that what the Acts of the Apostles says: “He committed us to preach to the people and testify that he is the one appointed by God.” But while we truly believe and wish to be able to commit ourselves to such mission of preaching, we acknowledge that we have not yet been truly evangelized by the Word and fully transformed with its light and power.

Let the Easter celebration be one more call and an opportunity to re-evaluate and assume a greater commitment and responsibility with the demands and the charisma we have embraced on the day of our religious profession. 

We know that he has taken the initiative in calling us and, therefore, we too belong to those specially called to become: “witnesses chosen by God in advance to eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.” May his power and life enkindle within us the transforming burning fire for his Word and mission! (cf. Jn. 20, 21).

As we listen to and witness the story of Jesus’ passion on Palm Sunday and Good Friday, or accompany him while celebrating the popular devotion of the Way of the Cross, we have felt again and again sorrow, compassion, impotency, faith, love, peace and forgiveness. 

Let us bear in mind that we, too, are counted among those who have been forgiven when Jesus cried out: “Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing!” We experience forgiveness and are fed with the fullness of his redeeming sacrifice in the gift of his Body and Blood that he left to his Church as the memorial of his Passion and covenant of love. “He took the bread and said the blessing; then he broke it and handed it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognized him” (Lk 24, 31). 

We have many reasons to sing with joy ALLELUIA, THE LORD HAS RISEN! ALLELUIA! Let us not look for him among the dead but among the living. “He is not here he has risen”(cf. Lk. 24, 6). He came to give life and continues to set our heart on fire with his teaching. “Did not our hearts burn within us as he talked to us on the road?” (Lk. 24, 32).

Happy Easter to all!

Fr. Bonifacio Solís García, OP

Prior Provincial

Provincia Nuestra Señora del Rosario.