Chronicle
Sunday, March 27, 2016, 10:30
Monsignor Italo Castellani
“It will be dark days! … “ with this comment ISIS has attributed the authorship of the Brussels massacre, while the Gospel of the Passion of the Lord in these days we documented in these words the Lord’s death:” He was darkness over all the earth “(Mk 15,33).
” Nails in the bodies of the victims “: inform the media, while the Gospel reminds us,” nailed Him on a cross “( Mk 15:24).
In this pain and death scenario for the sad news events of the day breaks the Easter proclamation of the Resurrection of the Lord that, for believers, marks the triumph of life over death.
While we are sad and troubled by so much incomprehensible violence – that is sowing death and blood of man and, these days, to the heart of Europe – as Christians we welcome with hope the announcement Pasquale: “is Risen!” (Lk 24,6).
This is the message entrusted to the “women … Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the Mother of James” (Lk 24,10).
This is the witness of the Risen Jesus, in person, to his disciples: “it is I myself! Touch me … “(Lk 24:39).
Celebrate Easter means hope one another and with the Lord’s Resurrection” death is conquered for ever “(cf. 2 Tim 1:10) .
the celebration of Easter, because it is not reduced to empty celebration of a ritual, does arise spontaneously in us the question: “How can we express, as Christians, in the reality of daily life our faith in resurrection of the Lord “?
to answer this question we encounter the invitation – even launching the Holy Year – made by Pope Francis to the Church and to humanity:” be Merciful like the Father. ” An invitation that is affecting – for the strength and grace of the Spirit who “blows where it wills” (Jn 3,8) – also religious confessions and cultures different from our own.
“as the Merciful Father” is the paschal commitment commend to our diocese, inviting believers, every man and woman of good will, to be “artisans of forgiveness” and “tenderness Witnesses”, and to implement ‘community from the open doors’ and’ diversity workshop ‘.
this is a happy expression of Pope Francis to tell us that each of us – and in this we can not delegate to others in our place – to be able to incarnate the “Face of Mercy” of God in delicate everyday relationships.
each of us is ‘artisan of forgiveness’ to the extent that weaves every day, day after day, reports of forgiveness given and received, of reconciliation and peace.
“peace is not a document that is signed and remains there. Peace is made every day, it is a craft. You do with your hands. You do with your life … Never hate. And if someone hurts you, try to forgive. I hate nothing. Very forgiveness. And so you will be a winner of the most difficult battle of life. Winner in love and through love is peace “(Pope Francis, Address to young people, Bangui, December 2015).
The ‘tenderness of God’ for each of us, in the middle of this year of Mercy, it is an invitation to cultivate concrete gestures of tenderness, every person that God puts in our path every day: in particular towards people most vulnerable – children, the elderly and the sick; by refugees for refugees, seeking warmth between us, and, among these, unaccompanied minors at risk.
One look and a special closeness in this Easter wish to reserve our teenagers that are being established, in our city and the territory as “baby gangs” news reports that lately mark our communities want to read them and welcome them as a cry for help of our very young and the inertia or provocation, perhaps, loss of us adults , Christian communities and civil society: all called to us and be done with a renewed and strong educational presence!
Pope Francis to help us understand the reality of ‘tenderness revolution’ on the social level – with significant educational impact to the younger generation – gives this example: “If a contractor takes an employee – but in such a way that the employee is not entitled to anything … nor the allowance of leave and work, nor the board, nor to social security – the entrepreneur does not show affection, but is used as the object “(cf. interview in” believe “12/02/2015).
the Holy Year – for believers of grace to turn to God the Father, source of Mercy – for our communities is also an invitation to be the community by “Open Doors” and “Laboratory of diversity.”
- Communities from the ‘doors open’
a ‘community from the open doors’ is a welcoming community: a welcome that is expressed in fraternal relations and where the “last “(Lk 14,19), the poor, materially and spiritually, have a privileged place; where they practice the friendship, listening, compassion.
A church with “Mom’s face,” says Papa Francesco, “ever closer to the abandoned, the forgotten, the imperfect … a church pleased with the mother’s face, which includes, accompanying, caressing” . A community with open doors is such if it first listens of ‘signs of hope’ that the Spirit stirs up in our day humanity willing to bring “fruits of the Spirit” who are “peace, joy, kindness …”. (Joel 5:22)
- Communities ‘Laboratory of diversity’
Our community Christian, are called to be a community “experiment in diversity” – ecumenical, inter-religious, cultural – who witnesses and did not fear meeting with diversity, which always enriches, while each closure impoverishes, by their vocation and mission. Can be enlightening in this respect the ‘photograph’ of this family, of which I read these days the following testimony: “A Catholic mother, a Protestant father, a cousin married to a Muslim and this is not a religious war.”
These are already our cities, our countries: the Christian community is a ‘sign of the times’ to the extent that demonstrates the ability d’ meeting and dialogue with all. “The Italian company” is built when its diverse cultural riches can dialogue in a constructive way: the popular one, the academic, the youth, the artistic, the technological, economic, political, media. The Church is the leaven of dialogue, meeting, unity … Believers are citizens … Wherever you are, never built walls or frontiers, but squares and field hospitals “(Pope Francis, Address to the Ecclesial Convention of Florence, November 2015) .
This is the Gospel! Celebrate Easter for Christians means getting personally as a community, no ifs, ands or buts, in this new life of the Risen inaugurated. Happy Easter!
This page has been accessed 65 times.
No comments:
Post a Comment