Alleluia! “The Lord has risen as He said.” The Easter season is the peak of our Christian Catholic faith. It is the resurrection of Jesus that we celebrate. In his resurrection lies our hope for our own resurrection, and it is what we as Catholic Christians live for, as members of the church, who are the body of Jesus the Christ. It is also our hope as Anishnabek with our belief in the cycle of life.
We have just finished the 40 days of Lent, a time when we give things up that are not healthy for us, or things that have gained control over us, such as junk foods, cell phones, alcohol and drugs, etc. Some may have worked on developing and practicing healthy habits such as praying the rosary daily, or walking more to stay healthy. These practices help us overcome our selfishness and self-centeredness so we can focus on loving God and our neighbour. Jesus practiced his letting go of things that bind, for 40 days when he fasted. That might have been his first death, death of the ego, and his first resurrection, rising above his ego, death to selfishness and self-centeredness. He got past his own needs, fears, and desires. He was then free to help, teach, and focus on the needs of those around him. His final test of letting go was his agonizing death, which we ritualize in our Good Friday service to re-member (it is like integrating) it in our own lives. It is our sharing in the suffering. That is the Jesus Christ story we re-member.
What is your suffering, death and resurrection story? Each of us have our own stories of life struggles, with ourselves and with life around us. Often when we overcome a difficult hurdle, we breathe a sigh of relief and realize we have new-found strength. One Lent, years ago, I gave up sugar in my tea and coffee, a small thing to help me identify with the suffering of Jesus. It was hard, but sugar is not healthy and serves no nutritional purpose. That Easter, I was filled with a greater joy because I had a tiny part to play in my redemption, by being healthier and loosening the grip sugar had on me. This is our journey, and we can say with Jesus, ‘not my will but yours be done’. Our practices of letting go can become a daily practice and will bring new life to oneself and those around us. We will then be an ‘alleluia’ people, a resurrected people who will also change the lives of those around us. The Lord Jesus will have risen in us. Alleluia!
– Sr. Terry (Kateri) Beadry, CSJ
