Celebrating Holy Week

A message from Vice President Father Anthony Casamento csma:

As many Christian communities around the world head into a second Easter affected by the consequences of the global pandemic, it is important that we stop to remember not how we can or cannot celebrate, but rather what it is we are celebrating.

Like many of those of us adjusting to the ‘new normal’, the disciples, too, knew what it was like to have their world completely changed over a very brief span of time. They watched as their friend and their teacher, the one in whom they had placed so much hope, was brought into custody, scourged, tortured and hung on a cross to die. They experienced what it was like to approach the resting place of their rabbi only to find the stone removed and Jesus’s body missing. We know that they were confused and confounded, for they did not yet understand the Scriptures and what they foretold.

Yet, we do understand and have come to believe in what the Scriptures foretold: that the saviour of the world must first suffer and die, and then rise from the dead, and shatter death forever.

Our Christian faith is founded on witnesses that Jesus was resurrected on the third day and spoke directly to his disciples. We know that Jesus commissioned the apostles to preach to the people and testify that He is the one appointed by God.

We know that, in the waters of baptism, we were raised with Christ so that we are able to seek what is above. For these reasons, we all cry out this Easter, “This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad!”

During this Easter season of joy, let us all stop and take the time to share with the ones that we love.