By Fr Mathew Thankachen O.Praem. –
Ever since the origin of humanity, based on Biblical account and evolutionary records, life has been one of continued progression towards ‘perfection,’ progression and ‘salvation’ which in the language of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, a “cosmic progression towards Omega point” i.e. God. St. Paul speaks of the “whole creation groaning for Redemption”.
The first and second chapters of the Book of Genesis presents the creation account of man with an “intrinsic dynamism evolving from evil to good”, from “chaos to “every thingness”, when God found that all what He created was ‘Good” and man as “the Crown of Creation” with the “image and likeness of God” which is love. This “goodness within is ever in conflict with evil tendencies (original sin)”, propelling man towards “perfection, progression, salvation’ or digression, depending upon which force succeeds over the other. This twin dimension of intrinsic tendency to do good (God’s presence) and evil (original sin) co-exists in man. The victory of good” over evil was classically presented as ‘Resurrection’ in most of the epics.
The story of ‘Adam and Eve’ ends with the promise of a Redeemer, the New Adam, the ‘Messiah” whom Israel hoped for to redeem them. Such a “Hope” of Messiah promised by God and foretold by the prophets through the centuries, although misconceived historically as the one liberating them from political slaveries from the clutches of Assyria, Babylonia, Greek and Rome, the public ministry of Jesus – His teaching, miracles and the way he predicted and underwent his Passion, Death and Resurrection created in the hearts of men an “Explosion of Love” that no emperor of the Earth could extinguish.
The courageous proclamation of the Apostles, their martyrdom, the conversion of St. Paul and spread of Christianity in the first century are well recorded in the Acts of the Apostles and the Book of Revelation. Thus, we find the Resurrection of Christ a “spring board” to dive into a new realm of ‘Spiritual liberty’ no political or cultural domination could do away with.
Jesus completely reversed their concept of Messiah from ‘political monarchy’ to ‘spiritual kingdom’ of ‘restoration’ from death to life, hate to love, injustice to justice, from hoarding to distribution, sickness to health, natural calamity to ecological integrity as shown through the miracles and teachings during his public ministry. While Israel believed that land, children and prosperity are the blessings of God and poverty and sickness, a curse from God, (Book of Job), Jesus reversed this teaching by undergoing “pain, passion, suffering, poverty” as a necessary condition for Resurrection and thereby inherit the ‘heavenly kingdom’ (Mt.chs.5-7). Jesus taught, “unless a grain of wheat decay and die, it cannot produce any fruit”. In other words, Jesus taught it is in death that one can rise. It is in poverty that one becomes rich. It is in humility that one is exalted. “He humbled himself, became obedient unto death, even death on a Cross, therefore, God exalted Him…”. (Phili.4). such humility and resulting exaltation is seen in the life of Mary and in her ‘thanksgiving song of Magnificat’.
Thus, we find the Resurrection of Christ was inextricably linked with suffering. His “Abba Awareness” was the basic ‘positive substratum’ (Not my will, but they will be done”} that stood by Jesus at his moments of suffering on the Cross. Jesus transformed his sufferings into Resurrection when he submitted himself to the ‘will of the Father’. He too exhorted to those followed him “to take up their cross” in the spirit he took up the Cross which would render it, “light and sweet”.
Historically, we find the Apostles who were always against undertaking any suffering and never wished their master undergo any sufferings either, become so bold in the aftermath of the Resurrection of Christ. St. Paul could shout aloud, “death, where is your victory?” and “for me to live and to die is in Christ”. Psychically, the Resurrection of Christ “ignited them” to proclaim the Resurrection of Christ boldly to the “ends of the world”. It is interesting to note that despite the Pharisees and the Scribes believed in Resurrection, they refused to affirm Resurrection of Christ. As a “true Pharisee”, St. Paul claims his right to believe and proclaim the Resurrection on various occasions during his missionary journeys whenever he faced with opposition and trials from the Jewish fanatics and Imperial powers.
The optimism created in the psyche of the Apostles and those believed in Him was such that it proved the God of Christians was the “God of the living and not of the dead”. (Mt,22,32; Lk.20,38; 1Cor.15,20). Thus, the prophetic announcement of Jesus’ birth, “those lived in the valley of Darkness have seen a Great Light” has been fulfilled through His Resurrection.
While the first millennium emphasized more on the death of Christ with cloistered monastic and mendicant orders, dressed in Black habits and unbleached wool, with special emphasize on personal prayer, meditation, side alter Mass, fasting, tormenting bodies, manual works etc., the Second Millennium witnessed religious communities and monasteries engaging in pastoral apostolate with special emphasize on education, charity, health and parish administration, wearing ‘White habits’, with con- celebration, altar decorations, solemn liturgy etc. giving stress to ‘celebration and proclamation of Resurrection” for which Norbertine were credited for.
At the threshold of the third millennium, the world seems losing the equilibrium. Rarely any culture or individual is ready to take up or think of pain and death while both remains a reality. Science, the handmaid of human achievement is trying her best to do away with suffering and pain while promising only ‘Resurrection. Celebration, pleasure, Liberty’ here on earth as if it is the ‘new heaven and new earth ‘promised in the Bible.
The challenge of the Church today is to “integrate a culture of Cross and Resurrection”, rather make men to “evolve from pain to gain, from death to life’ which needs both ‘Faith and Reason’. This twin dimension is evident in Rom.6,4” Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism in to death, so that, just as Christ was raised from dead by the Glory of the Father, so, we too might walk in newness of life”. Therefore, the ‘new heaven and new earth’ is the “integrity of death and Resurrection’ that enables and ennobles an individual believer to ‘elevate, transcend into a higher realm’ in his values, thinking and behavior. When they are divorced, man may find like a “ship unanchored” , searching for happiness and peace elsewhere other than the Catholic Church. I conclude with the words of Cardinal Parolin, the Secretary of State, in an (Interview by Spanish Network on April 5th 2021) said, “I am very sorry for the loss of Faith in our Europe, in our culture, in our countries, and these anthropological changes that are taking place, losing the identity of the human person. Before a loss of faith, I would say, that is a loss of reason”.