By Most Rev Prakash Mallavarapu
Archbishop of Visakhapatnam
In this deeper understanding of the paschal mystery and personal encounter with the Risen Christ, we will be empowered and strengthened to die and rise with the Lord: “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead” (Phil 3:11-12).
‘Becoming like him in his death’ is the challenging part of our discipleship! To opt to die involves courage and preparedness to lose, to lose everything! Our comforts, conveniences, pleasures in the bodily sphere of life, pursuit of power and wealth, etc. can take hold of our lives so powerfully that dying and rising with Christ is not easily possible.
Our Lord asked his first disciples, “What are you seeking?”(Jn 1) As we journey through the Lenten Season, we should confront this question, what am I seeking and how I am seeking? We are seeking forgiveness and renewal of our Christian life that began at the time of Baptism, the day we were reborn in water and the Spirit. Through a well prepared celebration of the sacrament of reconciliation, including personal confession, a renewed commitment to strive to avoid sin, is one the immediate fruits of Lent and Easter celebrations. But, something more than this should be desired and hoped for, namely, to know about what one is really seeking while living and functioning in a given state of life or walk of life. In other words, one lives for a cause, for a value, for an individual person or institution.
For us Christians, it is Jesus Christ, he who was crucified, we should seek, live and die for. Christ is not an idea but a person in whom I want to live and move towards that final goal of life as taught and understood by Him. When the person of Christ and what He stands for become the concern of the disciple or the believer, it is not just doing something in His name or for His name but it is communion with Him that drives the disciple or the believer to live and work for Him.
In Him one understands one’s life and in Communion with Him that one wants to live and act. Self seeking, self glory, self promotion, etc remain far away from such persons. We should hope and pray that our Lenten and Easter celebrations are geared towards the renewal and deepening of this relationship of communion with the Jesus Christ, whose passion and death, and resurrection commemorate and celebrate. May all the rich signs and symbols that are used in the Sacred Liturgical celebrations enable all the faithful in the Christian Community to enter into renewed personal relationship and relish the joy it gives! That is the Easter joy we shall all look forward, “Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!! “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Gal 2: 19-20)
Concludes