Messengers of joy

During the vigil that the Pope shared with young people from around the world during World Youth Day in Lisbon last August, he invited them to remember all those who passed on the light of faith to them: parents, grandparents, friends, priests, catechists, teachers… Each of us could make this beautiful exercise of gratitude and thanksgiving in light of our own lives. And collectively, as disciples of Christ, we can remember, on the scale of Church history, the long chain of witnesses that connects us to the origins. Let us think about this for a moment. On this Easter Sunday, we, Christians of the 21st century, are listening to the story of a few women who went early in the morning to the grave of a loved one, killed in dramatic circumstances, and… what followed changed the course of human history! Two thousand years apart, the liturgy achieves this feat of making us contemporaries of this unprecedented event, absolutely incredible at first: the tomb of Jesus is empty, a young man of celestial appearance affirms that he is alive (Gospel of the Easter Vigil).

Joy is missionary

Yet it is not to angels that God entrusts the task of proclaiming the resurrection, but, as Saint Peter says, to witnesses chosen beforehand. Is this elitism? Are only a handful of initiates deemed worthy of having access to the marvelous news? No, of course not. If Christ died for sinners, how much more did he rise again for sinners! The holy women are the first messengers of Easter joy, but each of us is invited to experience that, as Pope Francis told the young people at World Youth Day, "joy is missionary." Indeed, how can one keep to oneself such a treasure that has been freely passed down from generation to generation! Easter joy is missionary because it is contagious. It is transformative because it gives the necessary assurance to proclaim that God is bringing his plan of love and salvation to a successful conclusion. Let us look at Saint Peter: despite his claims to heroism, he hit rock bottom on the evening of Holy Thursday by shamefully denying his master; yet, in the Book of Acts, he speaks out loudly and clearly before both Jews and Gentiles. Certainly, we may not be called to become preachers in the streets, but we can bear witness to how the joy of Easter transforms our lives and gives us wings. Even in difficulties and trials, which do not magically disappear, we experience that the risen Christ walks with us and offers us his peace. Alleluia!

Christelle Javary

In Magnificat