The touch of the Risen One

"During those sad days of the pope's (John Paul II) illness and death, it became wonderfully evident to us that the church is alive. And the church is young. She holds within herself the future of the world and therefore shows each of us the way toward the future. The church is alive and we are seeing it: We are experiencing the joy that the risen Lord promised his followers. The church is alive -- she is alive because Christ is alive, because he is truly risen. In the suffering that we saw on the Holy Father's face in those days of Easter, we contemplated the mystery of Christ's passion, and we touched his wounds. But throughout these days we have also been able, in a profound sense, to touch the Risen One. We have been able to experience the joy that he promised, after a brief period of darkness, as the fruit of his Resurrection."

Benedict XVI. Homily during Installation Mass. April, 2005

These words spoken by Pope Benedict have new meaning this year when we are just a few days away from the beatification of Pope John Paul II. The cries of the crowds at his funeral – Santo Subito – are being answered. But what is more important is the reflection Pope Benedict made on the suffering of John Paul II in the light of the Easter event. Death and suffering are perhaps the two human experiences that challenge more than anything else the meaning of Easter; nay the meaning of human existence.

Pope Benedict touched once more on the subject while on Good Friday, thanks to RAI, he answered questions sent to him by people from around the world – another first for the Pope. I was particularly struck by his answer to Elena, a 7 year old Japanese girl who is still shattered by the horrible experience she went through.

The Pope answers candidly.

"Dear Elena, I send you my heartfelt greetings. I also have the same questions: why is it this way? Why do you have to suffer so much while others live in ease? And we do not have the answers but we know that Jesus suffered as you do, an innocent, and that the true God who is revealed in Jesus is by your side. This seems very important to me, even if we do not have answers, even if we are still sad; God is by your side and you can be certain that this will help you. One day we will even understand why it was so. At this moment it seems important to me that you know "God loves me" even if it seems like He doesn't know me. No, He loves me, He is by my side, and you can be sure that in the world, in the universe, there are many who are with you, thinking of you, doing what they can for you, to help you. And be aware that, one day, I will understand that this suffering was not empty, it wasn't in vain, but behind it was a good plan, a plan of love. It is not chance."

I read and re-read these words to let their beauty and depth of meaning hit me.

Whenever we reflect on events in the light of the Gospel we will find out the deeper sense of the same events. The deep meaning of Easter can only be appreciated and truly lived by those who reflect on current events in the light of the mystery of Christ's death and resurrection. Lent is the season for reflection and as a result only those who intensely live the spirit of Lent and the Holy Week can celebrate Easter. Without this preparation Easter is reduced to a one dimensional and shallow social occasion divorced of its intimate connection with our lives.

As Christian we believe that we cannot understand human experience in its fullness it we do not reflect upon it in the light of the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Those who do not look at the Cross as the eloquent symbol of the love of God for humanity cannot fathom the depth of the Easter mystery.

The experience of the Holy Week reminds us all that Christ died for each man and each woman. The Church reflects the face of a crucified God that does not inspire fear, but communicates only love and mercy. It is not possible to remain indifferent in face of Christ's sacrifice! In the spirits of those who take time to contemplate the Lord's Passion, sentiments of profound gratitude rise up spontaneously. In spiritually climbing Calvary with Him, we can experience a certain sense of light and joy that emanates from the Resurrection.

Those of us who seriously experience the spirit of Holy Thursday and Good Friday truly realise the inseparable continuity that exists between the Passion and the Resurrection. Christ's death carries in itself the seed of the Resurrection.

On Good Friday we Christians look at the cross through Jesus' cry before he died: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Many times we feel this cry as our 'own' in difficult situations of life, which can cause very profound desolation, create worry and uncertainties. In moments of loneliness and distress, which are frequent in our life, the exclamation, 'The Lord has abandoned me!' might surge from our hearts to our mouths.

In such situations, Christ's Passion offers a new key to understanding. In his Passion, Death and Resurrection, Jesus reveals to us that the final word on human existence is not death, but God's victory over death. It was so in the experience of Jesus and it can be so in the experience of each and every believer.

A life programme

As believers we should look at the Resurrected Christ as the best way that gives meaning to human existence. It is the way of total acceptance of the Will of God, and of generous giving of ourselves to our brothers and sisters.

Easter is not a commemoration of the past but a commitment and a life programme.