Family passed away just because they did it… See more

This year, the Lord grants us, once again, a propitious time to prepare ourselves to celebrate with a renewed heart the great mystery of Jesus’ death and resurrection, the cornerstone of our personal and communal Christian life. We must continually return to this mystery in mind and heart, for it will continue to grow within us to the extent that we open ourselves to its spiritual power and respond with freedom and generosity.

Christian joy springs from hearing and accepting the Good News of Jesus’ death and resurrection. This kerygma encapsulates the mystery of a love “so real, so true, so concrete, that it invites us to a relationship of openness and fruitful dialogue” (Christus Vivit, 117). Those who believe in this message reject the lie that our life is ours to do with as we please. Rather, life is born from the love of God the Father, from his desire to give us life in abundance (cf. Jn 10:10). If, on the other hand, we listen to the tempting voice of the “father of lies” (Jn 8:44), we run the risk of sinking into the abyss of absurdity and experiencing hell here on earth, as too many tragic events in personal and collective human experience sadly attest.

In this Lent of 2020, I would like to share with every Christian what I wrote to young people in the Apostolic Exhortation Christus Vivit: “Keep your gaze fixed on the outstretched arms of Christ crucified, let yourself be saved again and again. And when you come to confess your sins, believe firmly in his mercy that frees you from your guilt. Contemplate his blood poured out with such love and let yourself be purified by it. Thus you will be able to be reborn forever” (no. 123). The Passion of Jesus is not a past event; rather, by the power of the Holy Spirit, it is always present, allowing us to see and touch with faith the flesh of Christ in those who suffer.

Related Posts

Eating tomatoes: an ally for your health and your kitchen

Tomatoes are one of those foods that are practically never missing from the kitchen. Whether in a fresh salad, a homemade sauce, or even as a base…

Kicked Out by My Husband’s Mistress — A Month Later, His Mother Made Her Regret I

I came home one afternoon expecting warmth, but instead found my life dumped on the lawn — my clothes, my children’s handmade cards, even my wedding dress….

Texas Just Took the Most Savage Step Yet Against the Missing Lawmakers

In a bold move to force absent lawmakers back to the Capitol, the Texas House just voted to revoke direct deposit access for the derelict Democrat members…

After seeing this Brady Bunch photo, there’s no going back.

In a world where every image is instantly shared and every cultural icon is constantly reevaluated, this striking photograph of Marcia Brady has proven that even the…

I posted a swimsuit picture, but my stepdaughter called me old and wrinkled

I couldn’t believe my eyes. I reread the comment several times, trying to process her words. Before long, she deleted it, but I had already taken a…

My Parents Ignored Me My Whole Life, Then

Alyson, a 20-year-old freelance graphic designer, had spent her childhood feeling ignored and unwanted by her family. After going no-contact at 19, she built a peaceful life…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *