Send forth your Spirit - A Guided Meditation for Pentecost

A Guided Meditation for Pentecost Sunday

by Greg Finn

On Pentecost Sunday we celebrate the descent of the Holy Spirit on the disciples of Jesus. It marks the birth of the Church. The disciples had waited together in Jerusalem for nine days after Jesus’s ascension, praying continuously. They were told to expect an Advocate or Counsellor. They could scarcely have guessed the manner in which that helper would arrive.

Please use this meditation (based on Acts 2:1-6) to help guide your prayer today. Read through the words slowly. Try to imagine yourself in the room as one of the followers. Focus in on how your heart is moved as you read and position yourself in the scene. It must have been a magnificent experience for those first Christians. On this day, their hearts were transformed and they immediately began their mission to spread the Gospel. The wonderful news is that Jesus offers us the same gift of the Holy Spirit. He asks us to welcome the Spirit into our hearts and minds and let His transformative power shape our lives.

Send forth your Spirit

Dawn breaks over Jerusalem and a shard of light breaks through a crack in the shutters. The single beam does little to illuminate the darkness of the upper room. It is here that you and the other followers of Jesus have waited obediently, locked away as the Holy City hums to the rhythms of festival preparation. It is seven weeks since Passover, the feast of Shavu’ot has arrived. Yet here there is an eerie stillness.

Cluttered thoughts and a hard floor have allowed you little sleep. With bleary eyes you peer into the gloom. Familiar figures sit hunched, their lips motion resolutely in silent prayer. Others stare forward, brooding. 

The last nine days have passed slowly, confined in this place. Everyone arrived with such great expectation. All were impassioned in prayer, ready to receive the power that the master had promised. His words echo through your mind still.

"Do not leave Jerusalem...You will be baptised with the Holy Spirit!"

He had been so calm and assured, promising an even greater future for you all. But how can anything be better without him? He disappeared from your view ten days back and it feels as though all your strength left with him. You know doubt is stalking in the shadows. Perhaps some of your friends are close to giving up and heading home.

Despite this, you are still determined to block out the doubts and stay. You continually try to think back to those glorious forty days. The days when Jesus, resurrected and alive, had walked by your side once again. Surges of joy and delight had rushed through your body whenever he had appeared. But it seems so hard to recollect those feelings and the peace they brought.  

You know that throughout those miraculous meetings your joy was tainted by guilt. A shame born of a knowledge that when your friend was most in need, in agony, you were nowhere to be seen. You had left him to suffer alone. And yet, despite that, Jesus had not deserted you. Even death could not prevent him from being back by your side. He had not given up on you. You turn that over in your mind. How does it feel to know Jesus still believes in you?

Now he has gone away once more. This time you will not let him down. You are resolved to stay and wait, trusting in what he has next, no matter how long it takes to arrive. 

Your gaze drifts to the stone wall across the room. It was there that Jesus had first reappeared on that bewildering Sunday fifty days past. Two evenings before, you had seen him taken from the cross, his lifeless body, broken, torn and sealed away in the rock. Yet there he had stood, his face shone and through perplexed tears you marvelled as his smile radiated through the room. Unbridled delight had flowed through this space. Now apprehension and uncertainty is trickling into hearts and minds.

You are suddenly startled as a fist crashes into the low wooden table positioned in the centre of the room. 

"When? When will it be?" Simon Peter lets out an exasperated cry. His patience is waning. He hauls himself up and moves towards the window. He nudges open the shutter and peers down into the street below. His voice is hushed but you are close enough to hear his anxious murmurings.

"How did he expect us to speak for him in Judea and Samaria and wherever else? It will be a miracle if we even make it out of Jerusalem with our lives."

He looks down at his open palm and gently kneads it with his opposite thumb. He shudders and his head droops. You know his thoughts. You have shared in them. Perhaps there will be more crosses to carry soon.

By the staircase, a group of women huddle together, their heads veiled. Among them you see a face which catches your eye. It is unlike the others. Her face is not marred by tension. Rather, it is captivating in its serenity. Auburn eyes glisten and a tender and contented smile rests on her lips. Jesus's mother sits with an air of calm expectancy. You wonder if she has been endowed with an understanding of the Holy Spirit that none of you others possess. 

As you consider this, you are distracted by a coolness on your cheek. A breeze begins to whisper through your hair and yet the opening to the outside is well away from where you sit. Others have clearly felt it too and begin to stir, looking around quizzically. 

Without further warning, the room becomes a melee of panic and scrambling bodies. The whole place is blasted by a wind more violent than any of the raging storms you have experienced on the Sea of Galilee.

This is impossible! Your heart pounds within your chest. However, the alarm is infused with an excitement, a realisation that what was promised has arrived!

The whole building shudders and with an almost deafening roar, a blazing mass of flame engulfs the ceiling above you! Your mind is racing. What thoughts are going through your head now?

Streaks of fire suddenly lash down onto each person. Before you can absorb what is happening, a fiery bolt arrows down onto your head and you brace for the shock of pain. 

Instead, it feels as if a cloak has wrapped itself tightly around you and an indescribable force jolts through your body. There is a familiarity about the sensation. Seeing Jesus risen, being in his presence, immersed you in the same feeling. You remember clearly once again the awe when Jesus walked into this room, though the doors were locked. Memories flood back of him greeting you on the shore of the lake a few short weeks ago! You knew then that he was alive, he was God and everything he had promised was true.

It is undeniable. His Spirit is here with you, filling every part of your being. A heat burns in your chest. A certainty of his love saturates you with joy. It feels like those times when you and he were together. The moments of laughter. The moments when you saw his healing hand transform lives...and yet this is more intense, not like he is by your side, but within you.

The elation rises. You know who Jesus truly is and you cannot bear to keep it contained any longer. You shout his name in praise, crying out the truth of what you know. Your words, however, sound different to the way you expected.

For the first time you become aware of your companions in the room. They too are shouting with ecstatic expressions on their faces. They must feel it too. You hear their words. It is not their normal tongue and yet you clearly understand them.

"Jesus Christ is Lord!" someone yells.

"He rose from the grave!" declares another.

Your eyes connect with those of your friends. The wind still swirls and yet laughter and cheers of delight are now woven into the turbulence. There is now no need for quiet, no fear of discovery, no desire to hide away. None of that matters anymore. You know the truth and all you want to do is share it.

The gale subsides and the room settles. A buzz of excitement ripples through the air. All around you, eyes are gleaming.

Movement and raised voices can be heard in the street below. Going to the opening you see people assembling beneath the house. Their faces peer upwards and some point and gesture towards you.

"Come brothers and sisters! Now we begin!" Simon Peter is by the stairs, he is emboldened, his face glows, beaming with excitement. He disappears, bounding down the steps. Without a second thought you dart after him, down and out into the bright morning sun.

Pope John XXIII’s prayer for a new Pentecost in the Church.

Divine Spirit,

renew your wonders in our time, as though for a new Pentecost,

and grant that the Holy church, preserving unanimous and continuous prayer,

together with Mary the Mother of Jesus,

and also under the guidance of St. Peter,

may increase the reign of the Divine Saviour, the reign of truth and justice,

the reign of love and peace.

Amen

Quarantine reads: Our book recommendations Part 2

A Youth 2000 Collaborative piece - organised by Nisha Thanikachalam

As quarantine and social distancing continues, here are more Christian books for you to delve into! This week's book recommendations range from understanding Christian teaching on relationships, vocation, the busyness of life and growing a deeper understanding of God's will and love for us. We pray these book recommendations will help you in your faith journey and to remain hopeful during these uncertain times:

Loveology: God. Love. Marriage. Sex. And the Never-Ending Story of Male and Female by John Mark Comer – recommended by Sarah Owoyemi–Peters

If you spend any amount of time thinking about romance, ‘the one’, sex, love, and especially marriage, then this book should be high on your to-read list!

John Mark takes us to the very beginning, to the first documented love story and marriage, that of Adam and Eve’s, and begins to lay out God’s heart and intention for the union of man and woman. He also opens up a part of the Bible that is often brushed over: Song of Songs. John Mark argues for the beauty of pursuit, romance and sex, as (very) good things that God created for us to enjoy. He does this whilst reminding us that these always ultimately point to God and are not enough in themselves to satisfy us. Loveology also covers topics such as how to prepare for marriage, whether there is such a thing as ‘the one’, leadership and submission in marriage, sexuality, and divorce.

John Mark’s tone is laid-back, balancing theology, history and an understanding of our present society. In his typical fashion, he dives into the original language of Biblical text and presents a contextual interpretation of the Bible, as well as perspectives that oppose his own – all the while making the book easy to follow! Oh, and the book ends with a Q&A with John Mark, his wife Tammy, and Dr. Gerry Breshears who is a professor of theology, answering questions like, “how far is too far?” “what are boundaries to help guard my heart?” “what if you’re in a relationship with someone whose calling doesn’t match yours?” “what does the Bible say about masturbation?” “I’m married to a non-believer, do I have to leave them?” etc.

I doubt that you will agree with everything he says in the book – John Mark certainly doesn’t expect you to – but it will bring new insights and raise questions to be considered in fellowship with Jesus and other followers around you.

Visits to the Blessed Sacrament by Alphonsus Ligouri – recommended by Lim Gamsi

As the title suggests, this is a book ideally to be read during times of prayer. It might seem an odd book to suggest when churches are closed and we can’t visit the Blessed Sacrament, but I think the lockdown is a golden time to read this.

The author provides reflections for 31 visits, so you could read a ‘visit’ a day while praying. Each reflection is only two paragraphs long, and each visit also includes a prayer to Mary. One quote which sums up the book is “Earthly monarchs seldom give audience to their subjects, but God is ready at all times to listen to the petitions of his servants and to grant all their desires.” He shows us how lucky we are to have such a direct line to our King, and how to make the most of it. I think this book can help us to remain connected to Christ now, and that it will increase our appetite to truly visit and receive him again when churches reopen. 

The Return of The Prodigal Son by Henri J.M. Nouwen – recommended by Morgan Mitchell

This is a book all about God the Father’s love, and in my opinion, there’s never a bad time to be reminded of how much we are loved by the Father. But, this may be something we need an extra special reminder of as we live through possibly one of the most disruptive and uncertain times for many of us.

 Nouwen chooses a Rembrandt painting of a scene depicting the parable of the prodigal son in Luke’s Gospel (Chapter 15) to fully explore this theme from three different character perspectives in this story - the father and his two sons. This has been a great quarantine re-read for me that has reminded me of some great truths at the heart of my Catholic faith. The main one being that at the heart of the Father is a radical love. A love that disgraced Himself for the sake of His creation, seen by the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross (in this story, the Father welcoming the prodigal son home). During this Easter season, even whilst on lockdown, we are able to live in the joy of the resurrection - a display of just how far this radical love will go to bring hope and light to our lives. Nouwen illuminates the Father’s love as enduring, tender, forgiving, merciful, relentless. A reassurance that whatever this lockdown and beyond throws at us, we have a loving God who never tires of waiting for us, pursuing us, upholding us until we see the hope that He has for us - He is with us always (Luke 15:31). 

“I don’t have to wait until all is well, but I can celebrate every little hint of the Kingdom that is at hand.”

The Return of the Prodigal Son is a deep, thoughtful, life-bringing insight into a parable I thought I knew. It leads to a more animated understanding of just how much we are loved by God the Father. Enlightening at the very least.

Discerning the Will of God by Father Timothy Gallagher – recommended by Ursula Botha

I read this book about a year ago but it is one I’ve never forgotten. In life we are all faced with a lot of decisions, big and small, and sometimes it’s hard to know what God’s will is for us in these matters. During his life, St Ignatius discovered a practical method to Christian decision making that everyone can benefit from – in his book, Fr Timothy goes through this in a straightforward, lucid way.

The book has three main sections: Preparation, Discernment and Fruit. These take you through the spiritual process step by step, drawing directly from St Ignatius’ writings, while also including, as examples, testimonies of those who went through this discernment process while making some key life decisions.

So whether you feel you need more guidance on how to discern your vocation or you just want to be sure you are allowing God to guide you in the smaller decisions of everyday life, this would be a great book to read this lockdown.

The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, by John Mark Comer—recommended by Molly Ophelia

 I was asked to read this book by a friend who thought I might benefit from it. During Lent I gave up my phone, which felt like I had unplugged from the matrix of modern consumerism and hurry and I very quickly realised that I had been rushing away my existence. I found myself feeling like time around me was going so much slower, but my brain was still running at 100mph. It wasn’t the peace I had expected from my digital detox, and why? Because I had become so accustomed to constantly living for whatever was to come next rather than being present.

When I was asked to read this, it felt like exactly what I didn’t know I needed. Comer writes in such a clear and simple way and I found that even as I read the words it was encouraging me to really slow down. Not only did it challenge the entire way that I choose to live my life and live out my faith, but it helped me to truly stop and see what God was doing in each of the small things. Some of Comer’s tips have changed the way that I choose to live out my faith and I truly think everyone would benefit from reading it. I have even gone on to start a bible plan that Comer wrote himself.

This book really has helped me to be grateful for each of the small blessings in my life. It so nearly ties together our discipleship to Jesus with our mental and physical health in relation to modern society. Comer Writes: “One of my favourite things about Jesus as a teacher is how he regularly ended his teachings with small creative practices to live out his heady ideas about the kingdom of God. Let’s do that.”

Dating Jesus (part 2): Some practical tips

By Chiara Toone

Since my last blog on “dating Jesus” received quite a lot of intrigue and curiosity, I decided to engage people more practically in this concept of “dating Jesus”. Therefore here are a few practical tips to help you on your romantic journey to finding your worth in God.

Make time for Him

If you had a boyfriend or girlfriend, you would want to make time and spend time with them. Do the same with Jesus! Reserve at least 10 minutes of silence with Him - I always find that the best quality time is in the morning where there are hardly any distractions and your mind can focus more readily on him. It also starts off your day the right way - and you can see Him more clearly in life's everyday moments. But remember, this time is not so you can get something back in return, but it’s just for the sake of spending time with him. When you spend time with your partner, you do so because you love them, not because it's a ‘duty’ as such. 

Ask the Holy Spirit to come and teach you how to love Jesus: “Come Holy Spirit, teach me how to love Jesus”. Let him show you how much he loves you, and don’t worry he will speak, just listen! Light a candle maybe to help you focus.

Read his love letters

The Bible is full of verses of God telling us how much he loves us. I have found Song of Songs such an amazing book in the Bible that never fails to engage me. The Gospel of John is also very poetic, and invites the reader into a closer, more intimate relationship with him. Many of the prophets have lovely bits that talk about God’s love for his people, I have found Hosea especially romantic. Maybe just read one line a day, and invite the Holy Spirit to speak to you through that verse. Here are a couple of reading to get you started:

Song of Songs 2:10-13 

John 4:1-42

Hosea 2:14-23

Wonder at his beauty

Something that has especially helped me in “dating Jesus” is to admire his beauty, especially in the natural world. I often take myself on short walks to just let Jesus speak to me through the beauty of the outside. Even just bending down to look at a little daisy to observe the intricate beauty it has to offer you, knowing that that is a result of the creative hand of God, and that he made that JUST FOR YOU! 

Worship him

If I need a pick up, or I just need to remind myself of his everloving presence, I will stick on some Praise and Worship on Spotify (Youth2000's music ministry have shared some great ones!). Praising and worshipping him is the best way to understand that he is the King of our lives and of our hearts. Audrey Assad’s cover of “Open the eyes of my heart” and Bethel’s “King of my Heart” particularly help me to enthrone Jesus on my heart again and again.

Get to know his mother

Letting Our Lady show me who Jesus truly is has really helped me enter into relationship with him. Praying the rosary guides me to meditate upon the life of Jesus, and understand the reality of his person. Jesus IS a reality, and the mysteries of the rosary show us how real he is. As you pray the rosary, really make a point of pondering the mystery that you’re praying. Even just praying one decade with a real intention of meditating upon that mystery will help you enter into his reality. 

Journal

Update your journal with romantic encounters you’ve had with Jesus; words you felt he has spoken over you, through his word or the holy spirit; things you’ve found difficult in the process. You will look back on it all and see the love of God guiding you to a you that is more fully alive and sure in your identity as the beloved of Christ!  

So have fun on your new dating period with Jesus! (and let us know how it goes!) :) 

I dated Jesus for Lent - here's what happened

by Chiara Toone

Growing up as a girl in a Catholic environment surrounded by religious sisters and married couples with huge families, certainly had its impact on me. Seeing the beauty of these callings aroused a desire within me to seek out my vocation. A vocation was something that excited me, knowing that God had a wonderful plan for me; a plan for me to prosper (Jeremiah 29:11).

However, like many young women my age that feel called to discern marriage, my life soon began to revolve around finding “the one”. Every church I entered - maybe today! Every Youth 2000 event - maybe this time! Every Catholic guy - maybe him! My day-to-day thoughts became centered upon the idea that my life would not be full until I found “the one”. This process became exhausting - and clearly wasn’t getting me anywhere.  

I soon confided in some friends at the Leeds Youth 2000 event about my frustrations surrounding this and, as young Catholic women, they of course quickly empathized. They prayed with me, asking that Jesus be the king of my heart, and that anything else that had been enthroned there in place of Him would go. Then, one of them revealed to me that this year, after some hurt she had experienced in the dating area, she had decided to “date Jesus”. This meant she would focus all the attention she would have focused on a boyfriend, instead, on Jesus. Shock and inspiration simultaneously gripped me as I contemplated her brave choice. I thought - but surely only nuns see Jesus in a romantic way? I desire to be married, I can’t be in love with Jesus and my future spouse? However, as I contemplated this idea I felt convicted of Jesus’ desire for my whole heart, not just part of it, as the prophet Joel says, “But now - declares the Lord - come back to me with all your heart” (Joel 2:12).

I told my sister and my friend about this idea and they were convinced; we made the radical decision to “date Jesus” for Lent. Our relationship status had been changed. This meant we would spend time with Jesus not because we were obligated to, but because we wanted to. My time with God wouldn’t be filled with the next regimented prayer; instead it would be spending time just for the sake of spending time with Jesus.

After beginning dating Jesus, my perception of myself and how God saw me began to grow deeper. When I would look in the mirror first thing in the morning, or just before I went out, I would know that Jesus was looking at me in admiration, saying ‘You are wholly beautiful, my beloved, and without a blemish’ (The Song of Songs 4:7). When I walked outside I would admire the creative hand of God, letting him romance me as he says “I made these just for you” (Genesis 2:29). And most importantly, my worth would not come from the next guy who would look at me, or from the idea of being loved and admired by my future (God-willing!) spouse, but my worth would come from the one who spoke me into being, the one who I have always thirsted for. As Jesus says to the woman at the well, and says to all of us - “no one who drinks the water that I shall give them will ever be thirsty again” (John 4:14).

So, Lent has now ended yet I am still “dating Jesus” - and I plan on doing so wherever and however God takes me on my journey to His heavenly home.  And no, this process is not a means to an end, and is not a solution to ultimately finding “the one”; but it's a process of realising that Jesus is The One! Our worth comes from discovering the truth that we are already loved by Him, and not from seeking out our worth and identity in our vocation. 

Funnily enough, I think this time of finding my worth in God had been preparing me for this time of isolation. Many of us now are separated from things that may have accounted for our worth; our jobs, work, social life, our dating lives. We might infer now the idea of God as a “jealous God”, one who constantly seeks our gaze to be met with his constant, ever faithful and loving gaze. He has been desiring us all along and I have learnt (and am still learning) that Jesus has desired ME all along. So, if you’re feeling lonely and dissatisfied in this time of isolation, let Jesus take you on a couple of dates, he’s quite the catch (no fishing puns intended).

“O Lord, you have seduced me, and I let myself be seduced; you were stronger than me and you have prevailed.” (Jeremiah 20:7)

Quarantine reads: Our book recommendations (Part 1)

A Y2K Collaboration Blog

As many of us continue to stay at home to save lives, now would be a good time to pause the Netflix binge and pick up a book instead! Reading Christian books can help us keep the fire of the Spirit alive within us and strengthen our relationship with God. As a starting point, we’ve put together some recommendations from fellow young Catholics:

Rooted: The Hidden Places Where God Develops You by Banning Liebscher – recommended by Daisy Vanderputt

I am currently re-reading this book by the founder of Jesus Culture. It is making the perfect quarantine read, as it is all about how God develops us and grows us in the secret places of our lives. For many of us, we have experienced a sudden change in our lives, being inside for more of the day than we are used to. However, this book has been speaking into how God wants to meet us here and now, in the deepest parts of our hearts to help us grow in trust of Him. He writes:

“Whatever your age or season of life, it takes immense courage to slow down enough to let God grow a root system in your life so that you can bear fruit that remains. You are where you are because God has planted you there. Discover what it looks like to embrace His process so you can do what He has called you to: change the world.”

I had felt like God had maybe taken a pause on any spiritual growth He had planned for me due to quarantine, yet this book is an incredible reminder that He is constantly moving and wanting to use every season of my life. This book is really easy to read, however on every page you can find yourself wanting to stop and pray about what has been spoken. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone, for deeper insight and vision into the depths of relationship that God is calling you to as a Christian.

The Jeweler’s Shop by Karol Wojtyła (St Pope John Paul II) –

recommended by Georgia Clarke

This is a beautiful play written by St John Paul II, who had a deep love for the theatre (having established the Rhapsodic Theatre in 1941 and still being involved right up until he became Pope). In a more pastoral phase, Bishop Wojtyła wrote two works, The Radiation of Fatherhood – A Mystery and this one, The Jeweler’s Shop, though written under his pseudonym Andrzej Jawien.

It’s poetic, meditative, and reveals such beautiful truths about the nature of marriage, human love and union. “The future depends on love” is a fruitful reminder from the First Act. I’d particularly recommend reading each Act (there are three in total) alongside this wonderful commentary: https://www.deogratias.co.uk/post/the-jeweler-s-shop-act-one.

The Four Loves by C.S. Lewis 

– recommended by Brittany Moster

I read this book on the recommendation of my spiritual director. It's a short book and is easily digestible. Its simplicity makes its intensely human, wholly Christian message more potent: that the love we share on Earth should prepare us for the inconceivable love of heaven.

Lewis writes about love in four manifestations: affection, friendship, romantic love, and charity. All of these, Lewis writes, but not any one in isolation, bring us closer to God. He writes beautifully about the value of each of these types of love as being manifestations of human connection that, when they are good, enhance our connection with God. For example, he writes that friendship 'is born at the moment when one man says to another "What! You too? I thought that no one but myself..."' We've all felt the sudden heart-tug of joy at finding someone who shares our beliefs, and who understands us on a deeper level than most. Our ability to love, Lewis says, and the joy of fellowship that it entails, is a tiny foretaste of the joy of heaven.

This book is not a lesson in love; rather, it's a celebration of the types of love which God made humans capable of practicing in preparation for knowing him, and a warning against those connections which may seem like love, but aren't. Especially in these days of self-isolation, Lewis' message about love rings truer than ever: we need others to teach us the love of God.

Holy Daring: The Fearless Trust of St Thérèse of Lisieux by Fr John Udris –

-recommended by Charlotte Evans

We all know and love the Little Flower, but this book explores her characteristic trait – her trust in God. The book breaks down St Thérèse’s trust into a few narrower categories, making it great for examining the areas of our lives in which we find ourselves not quite acknowledging God’s power and providence.

I found this book easy to read without being simplistic, and it helped me to bring my awareness back to the part of faith that is regularly shaken up and challenged. Fr Udris takes his cue from the Greek word ‘parrhesia’, which can be translated and used various ways: it can mean speaking freely, plainly, with confidence, or even daring to call God our Father as we do in the Lord’s Prayer. Each chapter takes a facet of St Thérèse’s confidence in God’s goodness and looks at examples from her life that show her becoming more like Christ by acknowledging her weakness and trusting in Him. ‘If we allow Thérèse to tutor us in the gospel,’ Udris writes, ‘we may rejoice to find ourselves being taken into her confidence – literally.’

I would recommend reading this quite slowly, leaving some time to think and reflect after each chapter, but its engaging and pithy style makes it an ideal book for busier people, as a few pages can go a long way towards enriching your spiritual life.

Alive in God by Timothy Radcliffe 

– recommended by Bill Dallman

This is a cracking lockdown read! In brief, the book asks how Christianity can touch the imagination of our contemporaries, when ever fewer people in the West identify as religious, arguing that we must show how everything we believe is an invitation to live fully. It's a beautifully rich tapestry of stories, quotations, anecdotes and so much more which has helped me, particularly in lockdown, to develop a deeper appreciation of the world around me, and how we can use this to truly live, and to live abundantly.

Happy Lockdown Reading!

Easter Sunday - an anchor of hope during the storm

by Theresita Joseph 

“The very first words, then, that I would like to say to every young Christian are these: Christ is alive and he wants you to be alive! He is in you, He is with you and He never abandons you. However far you may wander, he is always there, the Risen One… Risen, he shows us the light of his face, and he does not abandon all those experiencing hardship, pain and sorrow… He calls you and He waits for you to return to Him and start over again.”

 – Pope Francis, from his Urbi et Orbi message last Easter

Last year on Easter Sunday, I woke up to the sound of my dad crying. Worried and disoriented, I made my way downstairs to see my parents watching a BBC news screen displaying images of a familiar church in flames, with injured people being brought out on stretchers and others crying in agony. Sri Lanka, the country of my heritage and full of people I love, had been attacked. It was a sickening few moments of realising that this had not just been any attack, but a religiously driven one, with bombs timed to blow up several churches during their Easter Sunday mass services.

The rest of Easter Sunday for me was a blur, to say the least. Sitting in my own parish church for mass later that day, I struggled to share the joy of the Easter message I had been so ready to proclaim. Whilst, thankfully none of my family or friends had been hurt, I couldn’t stop the shock and sadness I felt for the victims who had lost their lives so tragically, and for the families broken within seconds. The worlds injustice was not news to me, yet it was the first time it had felt so close to home, both in faith and in family, and I couldn’t process why God had let it happen. 

Fast forward a year, and I find myself in the midst of another disillusioning Easter, albeit a very different one. Within a month, normal life has been turned upside down by a microscopic virus; keeping us within our homes and limiting those we can see, which feels especially foreign at Easter. For many, it has been a time of grief and fear; some have lost loved ones, some are worried for health, and some have had their livelihoods changed overnight. 

As I sat at home watching the Easter Triduum services online, it occurred to me how the the timing of both years events with the message of Easter could not have been more poignant. I was struck by the beautiful words MGR John Armitage shared in his Good Friday homily. He reminded us of how faith in Christ is our anchor during this storm; it does not mean the storm stops, but gives us hope to face it head on with confidence. He says; 

“The ultimate safe anchorage is the love of God, it is what guides us through every moment of our life. For this is the love that won’t disappoint us, for it doesn’t change or is based on the ups or downs of life we face – it is something that even death cannot take away”. 

Looking back to my confusion and sadness last Easter, I had let part of my hope in God go as I had been trying to navigate what felt like a storm of faith. I hadn’t been fully giving my doubts to God, because I didn’t think He would answer my questions, or provide ones I would understand. I was reluctant to trust; because I couldn’t see past the pain that had already occurred to so many innocent people. And through these doubts and fears that I entertained, I had lost sight of the true message of Easter.

For Easter is the foundation of our faith; it is not just an annual remembrance of Christ’s death and resurrection 2000 years ago, but a celebration of the REALITY of a Risen Lord who lives with us in our broken world. From the cross, Jesus shows that there is no pain He has not endured, no injustice that He has not felt, and no love that is greater than what He has for us. And from the cross, Jesus tells us that He is there to share with us in our sorrows, not from a distance, but from our very hearts; as it is He who lives in us.

In our distress, Jesus promises us His peace; one which He promised to the disciples even before his own death; “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled; do not let them be afraid” - John 14: 27.  And in our moments of disillusionment, He defines the basis of our hope clearly “In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!”- John 16:33.

So, despite the new unknown storm that is here this Easter Sunday, I have courage because I choose to trust in Jesus, who came into this messy world and died to make His love known. In my moments of fear and confusion, I have courage that Jesus will be there to console and guide me, as it is what He promised. And I have courage despite what next year’s Easter may hold, as Jesus’ resurrection reminds me that there is nothing He can not overcome, and reveals there is more to life than this world. 

On this special Easter Sunday, let us therefore celebrate, and remember that our faith in God is the light that shines through the darkness. Though we are separated from one another, we are united by our hope and joy of our Risen Christ. Let us not be fearful by what we do not know or what we cannot change, but trust that Jesus will be by our side, as He always has. And as with any storm of life, we can await the rainbow, the sign of God’s love and promise to us, that all will be well with Him.

Have a happy and blessed Easter!

Prayer intentions: 

Let us remember this Easter all those who have ssed away from the current Coronavirus pandemic we face, for families and friends who are grieving, and all those putting their lives at risk on the frontline. Let our faith be a sign of hope to others, and together, let us pray for an end to this pandemic.

A year on from the Easter Day attack in Sri Lanka, let us remember all those who died are now martyrs in heaven, and ask them to pray for us during this time. 

Let us pray for all Christians around the world who face persecution for proclaiming their faith, and for all those who struggle to believe in Christ because of the darkness of this world.