At a time of recession and economic downturn as well as during times of personal difficulties, gloom is more forthcoming than joy. During such periods, a Christian would perhaps be tempted to contemplate the Passion more than the Resurrection. This temptation should be resisted. The Passion and the Resurrection form one continuum that should animate our personal, ecclesial and socio-political dimensions.

Pier Paolo Pasolini, the outcast from the institution and the rabidanti-clerical, gave us one of the best cinematic renderings of the life of Christ- Fr Joe Borg

In preparing myself for the commemoration of these two defining moments, I watched, once more, Pier Paolo Pasolini’s Gospel According to Matthew and Lasse Hallström’s Chocolat.

Pasolini’s gem of a film is by far superior to Hallström’s; however, both bear similarities whichshould help us experience in abetter way the Passion/Resurrection, its implications for the Church together with the political strategy that should be adopted by Christians.

Pasolini weaves Christ’s story using only the the Matthean narrative. The greatness of the film lies in its ‘poverty’; the perfect communication of He who communicated the greatness of His divinity through the acceptance of the weakness of His humanity. The outcast, the stone discarded by the builders and vilified by the established religious leaders, becomes the cornerstone of the new humanity.

Pasolini, the outcast from the institution, the excommunicated communist, the ‘sinfully’ active homosexual and the rabid anti-clerical, gave us one of the best cinematic renderings of the life of Christ.

His film is considered by the Vatican to be one of the best religious films of the 20th century. Indeed, in spite of its anti-clericalism, it was included in the list of the 1995 Vatican 100 Best Films of the Century to commemorate the first public viewing in Paris of the Lumière Brothers invention, beating Franco Zeffirelli’s more popular œuvre Jesus of Nazareth.

Hallström presents another outcast: an unmarried mother who, in the eyes of established religious leaders, was the temptress par excellence paving the way to hell with decadent chocolate!

By the end of the film Vianne, the temptress, becomes Vianne the saviour, but like Christ, she had to pay a price. Her arrival in the village is accompanied by a strong wind which forcibly opens the door of the church.

This symbolic Pentecost climaxes in the liberated homily of the young parish priest and in the joyful celebration on Easter Sunday – at the end of the film.

Pasolini’s and Hallström’s films are an appeal for a Church which cherishes inclusivity, a liberating move from suffocating institutional practices, for the flourishing of the Spirit, for the centre-staging of the emarginated and for the creativity of innovation. Easter is an appeal for a Church that embraces diversity. Easter celebrates all this and so much more.

This celebration must prod Christians into a more sincere commitment in the world of politics. We are not a dichotomy of opposing interests. Bruce Springsteen presents this reality in a formidable way in his latest album Wrecking Ball particularly in the track We are Alive, which begins with the line: “There is a cross up yonder, up on Calvary hill.”

In line with Pauline theology, he gives political examples of how we consummate in our bodies the suffering of Christ. ‘The Boss’ then sings the praises of those who died fighting for justice, particularly within the civil rights movement.

Springsteen’s Catholic faith helps him to declare that the Resurrection is the natural consequence of the struggle for thetriumph of truth and justice insociety.

“We are alive oh, and though we lie alone here in the dark our souls will rise to carry the fire and light the spark to fight shoulder to shoulder and heart to heart,” he sings.

Easter gives the certainty that God is dedicated to the world He created, so committed that He came to rescue it from the chaos caused by our sins. Easter is the affirmation that it is possible, however difficult, to set up a society based on justice and love. We carry the victorious torch from Him who lit it up on the first Easter Sunday.

We are the privileged witnesses of the news that God has triumphed over evil and death, that justice is imminent, that all things will be made new.

• In a country, unfortunately blighted by a high dose of xenophobia and racism, the Church in Malta was wise and brave to theme its annual national Via Crucis around the human drama of refugees.

Christ lived as a refugee in Egypt. Christianity was brought to our shores thanks to the preaching of a shipwrecked convict who was welcomed wholeheartedly by our ancestors.

Like Paul, several refugees and irregular migrants were shipwrecked or had to be carried to our shores. The intense drama of these people was communicated through a script narrating several true stories of intense suffering.

The recounting of the pain of those lucky enough to be among us was intertwined with the narration of the sufferings of Christ. These narratives rose up to heaven as a heartfelt cry for help and justice.

The presence of the Archbishop together with dignitaries from other religions at the Marsa Open Centre is a clear sign that this is a human problem transcending race, colour or religion.

This public testimony of the Church is a strong and clear message that racist sentiments and Christianity are incompatible.

• “Easter is a shout of victory! No one can extinguish that life that Christ resurrected. Not even death and hatred against him and against his Church will be able to overcome it. He is the victor! Just as he will flourish in an Easter of unending resurrection, so it is necessary to also accompany him in Lent, in a Holy Week that is cross, sacrifice, martyrdom… Happy are those who do not become offended by their cross!”

Archbishop Oscar Romero, a few days before he was martyred on the altar just after the consecration.

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