The Resurrection gives us a fresh start.
In the first reading, we have an extract from St Peter’s great Pentecost sermon. He is addressing the Jewish leaders and residents of Jerusalem who conspired to condemn Jesus to death by crucifixion. St Peter does not sugar-coat his message, but reminds them: ..You put to death the author of life.
He then moves on from sin, weakness and ignorance to lift their gaze to the Resurrection and Glory of Heaven. He explains how the death of Jesus was in perfect accordance with the Scriptures and how it was turned into a definitive victory over evil, suffering and death. St Peter also explains how the Lord appeared to him and the other Apostles after He rose from the dead, they touched His wounds, he ate with them. After that sermon many of the Jews would be cut to the heart, repent and seek Baptism.
The Resurrection is the key that opens the treasure of hope for each of us. It makes holiness and lasting happiness possible for us. God desires that all be saved, for all are made in His image and likeness. Each person has an intrinsic dignity because the divine image is imprinted in the faculties of the soul. That is, in one’s memory, understanding and will. We are called to reflect the perfections of God, who alone has infinite dignity.
Most people in the world however, live their lives with their eyes looking only at the earth and earthly goods, instead of the bigger picture. This reminds me of the story of St Marcellus, who was faced with a tough decision. He lived in the fifth century and came from an aristocratic family in the Middle East. He received a first class education and had a very bright future. Then his parents died, leaving him a large fortune. He had to make a decision, about what to do with it. His friends and relatives told him just to enjoy it, but Marcellus wasn’t so sure. He decided to go on a personal retreat, to think, pray, study the Faith and seek God’s Will. Gradually he became convinced of the passing nature of what most people desire in life. He came up with an analogy. Little children make a big deal out of their toys, but adults recognize the paltriness of toys. Instead, they make a big deal out of money, success and pleasure. Marcellus reasoned what such things must look like from God’s perspective, if not foolish toys. So, he moved to Ephesus, where St John the Evangelist had lived with the Mother of God. It had become a strong centre of spirituality on those days. He then felt called to the monastic life and entered a huge monastery near Constantinople (modern day Istanbul). Eventually he was named Abbot and under his leadership it became a powerhouse of prayer. Marcellus became a valued adviser to Church Councils, Bishops and Emperors. He spread the peace of Christ to all and became a great saint of the Church, because he built his life on the only solid foundation, Jesus Christ.
Like St Marcellus we all need to focus more on our ultimate end, repent continually of selfishness, pray the Holy Rosary every day and share the flame of faith with others, like the way we shared the flame from the Easter Vigil fire. Without the treasure of the true Faith people can’t really be fulfilled and happy. We should also remember that the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass makes Jesus present in His Church and is a Sacrifice of infinite value offered to the Father in the Holy Spirit. It is the representation of the Sacrifice of Calvary, and it is Jesus who offers Himself again and again to the Father, through the Priest, to hold back the justice of God. As St Padre Pio said:
“If we only knew how God regards this Sacrifice, we would risk our lives to be present at a single Mass.” “The earth could exist more easily without the sun than without the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.”
Holy Mother Church knows what is best for us, that is why coming to Sunday Mass isn’t a suggestion but is a Precept of the Church, it is an obligation. Try and make it to weekday Mass as well as Sundays. Don’t neglect spiritual reading, for example, the Scriptures, Catechism, lives of the Saints and the Book of Heaven. Jesus, through messages to St Faustina, also urged us to pray the Way of the Cross and through Servant of God Luisa piccarreta, to read and mediate on the Hours of the Passion (available from our Gift Shop). Let’s aim to live more the life of Heaven by desiring to live only in the Divine Will. Praise be Jesus Christ, now and forever.