Easter is a moment of unparalleled rejoicing. The Lord is risen from the dead. He triumphs over sin and death. He is truly alive and his Spirit lives in our hearts.
It is rather striking that the apparitions of the risen Jesus happened to the lowly people who had pinned their hopes on him or to people who had some faith or even to those whose faith had wavered. He appeared to the women who were the first to visit his burial site, to the fearful disciples, to people who doubted him like Thomas and to many others. He did not appear to the strong and mighty, those who clearly had no space for him. It would have been quite dramatic if the risen Lord had appeared to people like the members of the Sanhedrin who tried and convicted him, High Priest Caiaphas, King Herod and Pilate, the governor of Judea, and all those who plotted his death in order to shame and humiliate them all. Perhaps it would have been pointless.
Easter is for all of us, especially for people who long for Jesus even if our faith is not strong enough. It is for the weak and the lowly, the broken and the impoverished. It is for people who thirst and work for reconciliation and justice. It is for people who continually discern the mission of God and try to accomplish it despite the complexities and challenges. It is for people who seek personal, communal and institutional conversion even if they may not always succeed.
Fr General Arturo Sosa released the Universal Apostolic Preferences on February 19 this year after getting the approval and blessing of Pope Francis. The preferences are a product of prayerful discernment of Jesuits and companions over 16 months. They serve as an apostolic compass of the Jesuits and companions in the next 10 years. These four preferences are the following: to show the way to God through the Spiritual Exercises and discernment; to walk with the poor, the outcasts of the world, those whose dignity has been violated in a mission of reconciliation and justice; to accompany young people in the creation of a hope-filled future; and to collaborate in the care of our Common Home. These preferences are in sync with the priorities of the Church according to Pope Francis. After his approval and blessing, these preferences in some sense are no longer ours. They are no longer our mission, but more precisely the mission entrusted to us by the Church through Pope Francis. They could be daunting and overwhelming for Jesuits and companions given the many challenges that can be complex and seemingly insurmountable. But with Easter, our fears and anxieties take a backseat. Even if our faith is wavering and weak, the risen Lord could appear to us to breathe new life and inspire us. Even if our resolve is weak and we are tempted to despair, the God of life could manifest to us to give us renewed hope and inspiration. May we open our hearts to God’s enduring presence in our lives.
Happy Easter to one and all!
Tony Moreno SJ
JCAP President
Easter 2019