AN explosion of new life and hope happened on that Easter morning when Jesus resurrected from the dead after three days in the tomb. It was an explosion that brought conversion to billions of people in the world.
Peter and John run fast to the tomb of Jesus that Sunday morning upon hearing Mary Magdalene’s news that the body of Jesus was missing. They too could not believe what they had seen. The tomb was empty!
In their minds, they must have recalled the words that Jesus preached: “Destroy this temple, and in three days, I will raise it up…”(John 18:22) “For just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days, and three nights.” (Matthew 12:39-40)
Later on the Resurrected Jesus would appear to them many times just as Peter gave witness: “They put him to death by hanging him on a tree. This man God raised on the third day and granted that he be visible, not to all the people, but to us, the witnesses chosen by God in advance, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commissioned us to preach to the people and testify that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead.” (Acts 10:39-41)
Two thousand years later, the whole Christendom continues to preach the Resurrected Christ, building Christian communities, and proclaiming to the whole world Jesus Christ’s words of eternal life.
Must we grow weary of preaching Jesus Christ—the power of his love, mercy and forgiveness—especially now that the world continues to be threatened by terror, violence and death of innocent people? Must we be silent in preaching the peace of Jesus Christ in a world where terrorists keep exploding bombs and some nations keep threatening the rest of the planet with their nuclear weapons?
Our answer is an absolute no! We must be warriors for Christ, not with a violent means but with hearts of love and mercy for all people. Of course, we need to protect our nations and ourselves from further threats of terror and death, but we, Christians, must always keep in mind that the kingdom that Jesus Christ preached is a kingdom of peace, love and justice for all.
And so, it is more urgent now that we stand up for our Christian faith. Others have died for it; they have become our new Christian martyrs. We all must work together to bring the peace of Jesus Christ on earth. We must pray for our persecutors to stop the killings of their fellowmen. And we must pray for leaders of all nations work together to eradicate terrorism in all societies.
In times of war, pestilence, famine, drought and other disasters, we, Catholic Christians, turn to Mary, the Mother of Jesus, for her powerful intercession. Let this be our work. Let’s implore Mary to ask God to transform hearts of violence and hatred into hearts of mercy. Let’s ask her to pray that this world explode not with bombs, but with new love and hope for the whole humanity!
A Happy and Blessed Easter to all!
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From a Filipino immigrant family, Reverend Rodel G. Balagtas was ordained to the priesthood from St. John’s Seminary in 1991. He served as Associate Pastor at St. Augustine, Culver City (1991-1993); St. Martha, Valinda (1993-1999); and St. Joseph the Worker, Canoga Park (1999-2001). In 2001, he served as Administrator Pro Tem of St. John Neumann in Santa Maria, CA, until his appointment as pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary, Los Angeles, in 2002, which lasted 12 years. His term as Associate Director of Pastoral Field Education at St. John’s Seminary began in July 2014.
