Easter's constant meaning: Love overcomes hate

Though Easter's basic meaning is constant, no two Easter celebrations are the same since they happen in different socio-personal contexts. We experience Easter's meaning through the filter of our own particular experiences. We are not the same people that we were during last year's Easter celebrations. Life brings with it new joys, disappointments, successes and failures. These change us.

As a country we celebrate this year's Easter after an intense electoral campaign which by its very nature was a divisive experience. Some are overjoyed with the result while others are disappointed or even shattered. On the international level, the world is faced with negative economic prospects, with the rising oil and wheat prices, and with the problems associated with climate change. The lives of millions are being affected. The violence in Tibet and the impeding clampdown saddens us.

It is in the light of this micro and macro environment that we have to look at the meaning of Easter. Everyone has to try and find the light that guides him or her during the celebration of this liturgy of light par excellence.

But our search for meaning that fills our lives at the present moment should be guided by Easter's basic and fundamental meaning.

During his usual Wednesday catechesis Pope Benedict last week spoke on the meaning of Easter as part of the meaning of the Easter Triduum, that is, Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter Vigil. He explained the meaning of the commemoration of the setting up of the Eucharist, the ceremony of the washing of the feet, the adoration of the Cross, and the great silence of Saturday in anticipation of the celebration of the Easter Vigil.

The Pope also stated: "Remembering the mysteries of Christ also means a willing and complete adherence to the history of today, convinced that when we celebrate, it is reality. Let us include in our prayers the terrible facts and situations that afflict our brothers across the world.

We know that hate, division and violence never have the last word in historical events. These holy days reawaken a great hope in us: Christ was crucified, yet he rose again and conquered the world.

"Love is stronger than hate, it has triumphed and we should affiliate ourselves with this victory of love. We should therefore start again from Christ and work together with him for a world founded on peace, justice and love."

These are strong words that we sometimes find difficult to comprehend and assimilate in our lives. This is understandable given our lack of strength and the heaviness of the cross that we are sometimes expected to carry. 'The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak' is one of the messages the Word of God communicated to us this week. But the celebration of Easter is irrefutable proof that love is stronger than hate.

Besides, if we believe that God is love, can we believe that anything is stronger than love? An experience of Jesus Christ, the human face of God, leads us to the Father.

But to be able to experience the power of God's love we have to let Him into our lives instead of keeping Him on the periphery for special occasions.

If we do this, the Pope said last Wednesday, we would experience Christ as the light of humanity who "dispels any shadows in the heart and the spirit and illuminates all men who come into the world. Together with the lighting of the Easter candle, the great Easter announcement reverberates throughout the Church: Christ has truly risen, death no longer has any power over him. With his death he defeats evil forever and makes man a gift of God's own life."

We wish readers a Happy Easter, that is, an Easter that they can translate into each moment, experience and relationship they have in their lives.