Let us rejoice and be glad for on this Easter day, we believe with all our hearts that Jesus is risen, is alive, and is active among us. The Risen Christ is present to us in the many encounters of every day as well as in the wonder and heartache present in so many realities in our world.

One of the beautiful moments of the Easter celebrations is the lighting of the Easter candle. It stands in our midst as a symbol of hope that, in the most difficult situations in life, new life continues to emerge. Our hearts are uplifted when we hear stories of how amid war, someone reaches out and offers a word of encouragement. Every encounter has the possibility of offering reassurance. As Paula Cooney IHM writes:

Every year as we bless the waters of Baptism, we are invited to renew our baptismal promises, committing ourselves once again to be women and men committed to the Gospel way of life. In 2024, Pope Francis calls us to engage in this Gospel way of life through our participation in the Synodal Church. Through this process, we are being called to bring a new way of being church.

Joan Chittister reminds us that at the heart of this Synodal journey is the invitation to “release the voice of God in everyone, everywhere… to open our hearts to things we do not want to hear”. [2]

Like the disciples we are being called to walk together into the joy of Easter, to know that in pain and suffering, doubt and sadness, failure and defeat, the Risen Jesus walks with us.

Easter is a time to celebrate the gift of being missionary disciples, to be carriers of the good news that Christ is indeed risen and living among us. Christ has no hands but ours, no feet but ours, for we are an Easter people.

May the God of newness, bless us.
May the Risen One send us forth on mission.
May the Spirit awaken the spirit of possibility within us.
May we go forth rejoicing in the fulness of life.

May peace, love and joy be yours this Easter and in the words of Mary MacKillop:

 Sr Monica Cavanagh
Congregational Leader

You’re invited to view reflections for Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday here.

Footnotes:
[1] Paul Conway, “We don’t have a Mission. The Mission has us.” LCWR Occasional Papers Winter 2024, p 13.
[2] Joan Chittister, “Easter calls us to resurrection – our own.” National Catholic Reporter, 6 April 2001.