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Spain: Easter greeting from the Provincial

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Hebrews 2:9-10

We see Jesus crowned with glory and honour because he suffered death, that through God’s gracious will he might taste death for the sake of all men. Indeed, it was fitting that when bringing many sons to glory God, for whom and through whom all things exist, should make their leader in the work of salvation perfect through suffering.

This year the celebration of Jesus’ passion, death, and resurrection has been marked by the sufferings that Jesus endured during the events of his apprehension, passion and death, but, at the same time by the pandemic of the Covid 19 that has caused almost 3 million deaths and millions of infected citizens that brought havoc across the world without signs of relenting unless the vaccine is generalized. Likewise, we have witnessed political turmoil, violence, and wars that caused suffering, hunger, violence, exploration, migration, and countless other evils derived from dictatorships and economic downtrend due to the restrictions imposed by the confinement and economic restrictions to prevent the expansion of the infection that, for over a year, have triggered so much devastation and destruction. At times we have also witnessed irresponsibility and lack of cooperation of some sectors to comply with the measures intended to help protect the people from the propagation of the virus. 

Those hospitalized and most of the victims have died alone and without experiencing the presence of their close relatives, even at their burial. As Jesus in the cross we have also cried out: “Father let this chalice pass, but not our will but yours be done!”. 

While Jesus was certain of the Father’s plan, we are confronted with uncertainties and weak faith, willing to accept God’s will but not been able to understand where we are heading and when it will be over. 

During this agony and uncertainty, we have understood the pain of Jesus’ Holy Mother and that of his disciples and faithful followers called to witness with impotency what had been foretold about the Messiah and didn’t like for their Master and Lord. 

The news of the resurrection and the empty tomb dispelled the darkness of the agony on the cross, but that was not the end, He needed to appear to them with the greeting: “Peace be with you” and the testimony of the different witnesses: “It is true, the Lord has risen”, including the confession of the Apostle Thomas. 

Let us all join our prayer to that of the whole human family that through the mystery of the resurrections we may see a better world, free from violence and exploration and that our faith may increase and be able to understand the hidden mystery of God’s plan of salvation, through which we have become true sons and received the great mission to “go and preach the Gospel of salvation to the whole human family”. 

Easter is an opportunity to meditate on the great mystery of the covenant between God and man brought about by the obedience of the Son of God until death. As Dominicans, we are called to undertake a deep and profound renewal of our religious life and mission on the centenary of our Holy Father’s death which is a marvelous opportunity to be renewed in the charism we have professed and in the mission of preaching that it is more and more needed in a world still too far from universal brotherhood that is the core message of the Gospel.

As Dominicans, we are called to earnestly assume faithfully and fittingly the mission of preaching, if only because our Dominican charism embraces 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.” That will be possible when we acknowledge that we have not yet been truly evangelized by the Word and fully transformed with its light and power. May his power and life enkindle within us the transforming burning fire for his Word and mission!

Let us join the whole Church and 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), but at the same time let us experience the peace of Jesus’s words: “Father, forgive them because they do not know what they are doing!

Let the Alleluia and the joy of the apostles during the different manifestations of Jesus after his resurrection help us to discover the meaning of our life, of our vocation, and our ministry so that we too could say with the disciples in Emmaus. “Did not our hearts burn within us as he talked to us on the road?” (Lk. 24, 32).

Happy Easter to all! May Jesus bring peace, love, and justice to the world, particularly to some of our presences where political uncertainty and religious freedom are curtailed.

 

Fr. Bonifacio Garcia Solis, OP