GUYANA – Bishop Francis Alleyne OSB of Georgetown has given the following Easter message:
The first verse of one of our Easter hymns (#71) runs:
Easter glory fills the sky, alleluia.
Christ now lives no more to die, alleluia.
Darkness has been put to flight, alleluia.
By the living Lord of light, alleluia.
My Easter wish to all is that the glory of Easter, the glory of Resurrection will fill the sky, the space you live in, will fill your hearts and relationships, will be very present in your families and places of work.
Over the past two years, the threat of Covid has had sway over our lives, invading our space, limiting our activities and relationships. At present, with caution, the word is that Covid is on the decline and the world is set to reclaim the space, the full function, and the connections with others.
The caution though, is not just related to a residual threat of the pandemic but there is also caution, as it were careful steps, as people have discovered, in the time of pandemic, new priorities for themselves, have come through with a deeper respect for life and a greater appreciation of what they have.
A pandemic on decline, to a great extent, is beyond our control, but we are happy to know that the privileges that we had we enjoyed before Covid can be open to us once more.
Easter glory is much more than moving back into a space that was taken away for a while. Easter glory also means creating space, fostering life, and making new connections.
Pope Francis in his invitation to the whole Church to become more synodal says in the synod preparatory documents that the synod process is “to make peoples hopes flourish, to stimulate trust, to bind up wounds, to weave new and deeper relationships, to learn from one another, to build bridges, to enlighten minds, warm hearts and restore strength to our hands for our common mission”.
The Holy Father goes on to say that “the world in which we live, and which we are called to love and serve, even with its contradictions, demands that the Church strengthen cooperation in all areas of mission” and that “every one of the baptised should feel involved in the ecclesial and social change that we so greatly need. This change calls for a personal and communal conversion that makes us see things as the Lord does.”
This is Easter. I am pleased to learn that many of our parish communities have taken up the invitation of the Holy Father and put aside time to engage in discussion and reflection on synodality.
The process, Pope Francis says, is “a journey of growing authentically towards the communion and mission that God calls the Church to live out in the third millennium”.
Filling the sky and world with Easter glory involves a lively intention and active involvement, on the part of all the baptised, to “put to flight” any semblance of darkness that threatens the life and well-being of any child of God.
As I am putting together these few thoughts to share with you, I am seeing reports in the media of tragic incidents in homes and families and neighbourhoods right here in Guyana. On the world stage the names of Ukraine and Russia, though they feature most, are not the only names of places and people where darkness still has a presence.
It is Easter people, people of faith, people who know “the living Lord of light” that are called upon to forge new ways. This is the Easter mandate that is laid at our feet. This is what I wish for the Church, this is my Easter wish to you.