3 April 2013 The Resurrection Shows the Mission of Christians “Jesus came and stood before them. ‘Peace be with you’, he said ... ‘As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’” The Apostles were sent out with the same mission with which Christ was sent to earth by the Father — to all the world, to announce the Gospel of peace. Only they? The Second Vatican Council teaches that the whole People of God is called ‘to participate in Christ’s mission’: of Christ, Priest, Prophet, and King. He breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit’. Have you received the Holy Spirit? Have you ‘accepted’ him? Do you know well what ‘receiving and accepting’ the Spirit means? Remember particularly the Sacraments of Baptism, of Confirmation, of Penance, of the Eucharist, in which the gift of the Spirit is conferred or increased. Remember again, that the Spirit is a gift — prayer is always necessary for obtaining it. With prayer, too, we dispose ourselves to accepting it properly. The Spirit is actually given to us for active sharing in the Resurrection of Christ. “So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is ...” (Col 3:1). At the very center of this mission is found the new ‘man open to the Father’ who lives in the fulness of his humanity only when he is capable of surpassing himself with the power of truth and love. Ref: Cf “Prayers and Devotions from Pope John Paul II”, 1984, pp167-8 Mary’s example We can’t forget that Mary spent nearly every day of her life just like millions of other women who look after their family; bring up their children and take care of the house. Mary sanctifies the ordinary everyday things — what some people wrongly regard as unimportant and insignificant: daily work, looking after those closest to us, visits to friends and relatives. A blessed ordinariness, so full of love of God! For that’s what explains Mary’s life — her love. A complete love, so complete that she forgets herself and is happy just to be there where God wants her, fulfilling with care what God wants her to do. That is why even her slightest action is never routine but, rather, full of meaning. Mary, our mother, is for us both an example and a way. We must try to be like her, in the ordinary circumstances in which God wants us to live. If we act in this way, we give those around us an example of a simple and normal life; consistent, despite limitations and defects, which are part and parcel of the human condition. And when they see that we live the same life as they do, they will ask: Why are you so happy? How do you manage to overcome selfishness and comfort-seeking? Who has taught you to understand others, to live well and to spend yourself in their service? Then we must disclose to them the divine secret of christian existence. We must speak to them about God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, Mary. The time has come for us to communicate the depth of God’s love which grace has poured into our souls. St John has recorded a wondeful phrase of our Lady. At the wedding of Cana she turned to the waiter and said: “Do whatever he tells you.” (Jn 2:5) That’s what it is all about — getting people to face Jesus and ask him: “Lord, what do you want me to do?” (Acts 9:6) Holy Mary, our hope, handmaid of the Lord, seat of Wisdom, pray for us! Ref: Cf St Josemaria Escrivá, “Christ is passing by”, 148 The Christian meaning of death Original sin brought with it the loss of friendship with God and the consequent loss of that gift of immortality. Death, “the wages of sin” (Rom 6:23), entered a world which had been created for living beings. At death, man loses everything he possessed in life. The opportunity to acquire merit for eternal life ends with death. “Night comes when no one can work.” (Jn 9:4) Death has been finally conquered with the Resurrection of Christ. Man is no longer a slave to death, but now has dominion over death, if he so chooses. (Cf 1 Cor 15:54-8) We achieve this sovereignty insofar as we are united to him who holds “the keys of death” (Rev 1:18). Sin is the true death -- the soul separated from God. The moment of death is difficult for every creature. But ever since the Redemption wrought by Christ, death has for us assumed a completely different meaning. No longer a just punishment for sin; but the culmination of our abandonment into the hands of our Redeemer, the passage to a new life of eternal happiness. Ref: Cf Francis Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 3:412-5 Consumer Society Man, with his planetary dimension, was never so much aware of all the forces he is capable of putting to use and setting to his own service. Never has he made such use of them. From this point of view, and in this dimension, conviction concerning the progress of mankind is fully justified. In countries and circles with greater technical progress and greater material well-being, side by side with this conviction, goes an attitude which we usually describe as consumer-oriented. This testifies to the fact that the conviction of the progress of man is only partly justified. Indeed, it testifies that the direction taken by progress can kill what is most profoundly and most essentially human in man. The consumer attitude does not take into account all the truth about man. Neither the historical truth, nor the social truth, nor the interior and the metaphysical truth. Rather it is a flight from that reality. Man is created for happiness. Yes! But man’s happiness is not identified with enjoyment! In such enjoyment the consumer-oriented man loses the full dimension of his humanity; he loses the deeper feeling and meaning of life. So, such a direction of progress kills what is most deeply and essentially human in man. Ref: Cf Pope John Paul II, “Prayers and Devotions”, 1994, p98 Our Lady — “The holy Virgin Mary, Mother of fair love, will bring relief to your heart, when it feels as if it’s made of flesh, if you have recourse to her with confidence.” (Cf St Josemaria Escrivá, “The Way”, 504) • Apparition of Our Lord to Our Lady and the apostles in the supper-room on the eighth day after his resurrection. — Balingham on Calend. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com) • Apparition of Jesus to Mary and the Apostles eight days after Resurrection. Date is based on original celebrated date of Easter, March 25. Mary’s presence is textually unclear. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm) • Apparition of Our Lord to Our Lady and the Apostles in the upper room. (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html) • Apparition of Our Lord to Mary and the Apostles eight days after Resurrection. (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html)