And we see the world, and others, in a different way… These are the words that my reflection ended with last week.
Jesus came into the world to make a difference. He died for us to make a difference in the way that things were. It’s Spring, the flowers are blooming. It’s Easter Sunday.
And we see the world now, in a different way…
Holy Week. The Triduum. Easter.
Sadness. Pain. Joy.
Palm Sunday thru to Easter Sunday is such a microcosm of life, the various ups and downs, the twisting of emotions. Just as much as we ask why in times of pain and sorrow, many times, often, we also ask why in times of joy.
Why Jesus, why do we deserve this? We continue to disobey you and fail you. But yet You Love Us! You love us so much, you gave everything for us. You died for us and you rose from the dead – for us. For all the pain we experience, you always bring us joy at some point.
Why? Why do we deserve to be saved?
But yet You did. And we are.
You Jesus, help us – not only through the tough times – but You help us to then see the world in a different way. To see each other in a different way.
You help us to Rise Up! You help us to rise up, because today, You Rose Up! You Jesus, provide hope for the rest of us, that no matter what we are dealing with, there is hope. Because we can look at the fact that God the Father sent You from Heaven, to become One of us, to teach us, to suffer and die for us, only to Rise Up and save us as a result.
Today Jesus, as with every day since Your Passion, Death and Resurrection – You save us and You give us hope!
You help us to see the world in a different way, especially after going through our own passions, bearing our own crosses.
We don’t deserve it, but we are so thankful. We don’t deserve it. But I am literally brought to tears thinking about this, having took part in the various liturgies of Holy Week. Reflecting upon how in spite of who we are, in spite of who I am – you came to us, you teach us, you wash our feet, you undergo unimaginable pain, you die for us again and again. And You Rise Up! And yet we continue – I continue – to fail You and turn away from You.
Why Jesus? Why? Why do You continue to love us so much and bring us joy?
And then I listened to this song, O Anxious One by Alanna Boudreau and the following lines stick out, where Jesus speaks:
Are you scared of me?
I don’t want to hurt you – please, believe.
I don’t have plans for your undoing.
Please. Believe.
Please. Let me.
Let me love you.
Let Me. Let Me love You. That’s all Jesus wants. To Love Us. That’s why He died for us. That’s why He continues to come to us, in spite of what we do.
Ultimately, He just wants us to let Him love us. In the times of pain, in our deserts and valleys in life, He just wants to love us. Yet we have such a difficult time in letting Him do that.
But now, here we are, and it’s Easter Sunday. He rose up for us. The darkness of Lent and the Passion are over and it’s the joy of Spring, of a new beginning, a renewal of hope.
Perhaps you are coming out of your own personal struggle, you’re letting Christ love you and the light is shining in your life again. Now what?
We need to rise up to Christ! Tell your story, share your story of how Christ loved you during your trials, and how He continues to fill you with hope, and how you feel His joy in your heart. Share this with others who are struggling, who may be losing faith and falling into despair, and who may be asking Christ Why… Because there are a lot of us out there right now, still struggling, still going through our own passions.
Let Jesus love them through you. Use your experiences, your personal story to bring good to this world, to bring a little joy and hope to those who may be in darkness. Let Christ work through you to show others that something good can happen in life amidst their sadness.
Rise up and let Jesus love them through you. And let Jesus use you and your story to help them see the world, and others in a different way.
Happy Easter from all of us at A Catholic Moment!
