Hello to all of you. This is an interesting time to be entering Holy Week. I believe, given the situation we are dealing with that we are being offered a very special moment in our lives to connect with one another, to experience Christ in our lives, and to open our hearts in prayer for everyone.
As the Easter Vigil approaches, we walk the path toward having our feet washed, reliving the Crucifixion of God’s Son, and Christ’s resurrection on Easter.
This setting calls loudly to me. I want to share an excerpt from the Evangelli Gaudium written by Pope Francis in 2013.
“Loving others is a spiritual force drawing us to union with God; indeed, one who does not love others, “walks in the darkness” (1 Jn 2:11), “remains in death” (Jn 3:14) and “does not know God” (1 Jn 4:8). Benedict XVI has said that “closing our eyes to our neighbor also blinds us to God”, and that love is, in the end, the only light which “can always illuminate a world grown dim and give us the courage needed to keep living and working”. When we live out a spirituality of drawing nearer to others and seeking their welfare, our hearts are opened wide to the Lord’s greatest and most beautiful gifts. Whenever we encounter another person in love, we learn something new about God. Whenever our eyes are opened to acknowledge the other, we grow in the light of faith and knowledge of God. If we want to advance in the spiritual life, then we must constantly be missionaries. The work of evangelization enriches the mind and the heart; it opens spiritual horizons: it makes us more and more sensitive to the workings of the Holy Spirit, and it takes us beyond our limited spiritual constructs. A committed missionary knows the joy of being a spring which spills over and refreshes others. Only the person who feels happiness in seeking the good of others, in desiring their happiness, can be a missionary. This openness of the heart is a source of joy, since “it is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35) We do not live better when we flee, hide, refuse to share, stop giving and lock ourselves up in own comforts. Such a life is nothing less than slow suicide.
While strolling about the neighborhood during these dark days I find myself meeting people I have never seen before. I keep discovering the many faces of God while keeping our distance for safe salutations. I hope that I can sustain this rich treasure of chance meeting. This is an opportunity to open our hearts and pray for all those we meet.
I hope all of you have a great Easter and discover the joy and the great abundance of what God has provided us along with the love of Jesus and may we grow in that bounty and open our hearts and our minds.
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