THE FEAST OF EASTER is the central and the fundamental feast of all Christians. If Jesus were not to rise from the dead, there will be no question of Easter or Christmas. Nay, there will be no religion called Christianity. Jesus stands out as an icon due to his victory over Satan and death. His rising from the dead has brought meaning and a sense of worth in the life of millions of people down through the centuries. Beginning from the first century, thousands of men and women have even dared to lay down their dear life for Jesus sake. At the same time, there were thousands of men and women who have dedicated their life solely to work for this Jesus and the cycle continues till now. There is no other person in this world who has affected the history of mankind more than Jesus. So much so, the history of the whole human civilization is divided from the birth of Jesus. He has become the centre of the whole human race whether one makes his/her allegiance directly to Jesus or not.
When we look at the story of the Passion, Suffering and Death of Jesus we can feel the crude reality of falsity, injustice, and evil. Jesus had to go through the bitter experience of being betrayed by his own nefarious companion Judas Iscariot. Besides, his most trusted man Simon Peter denied him. Finally, the very people who thronged him everywhere demanded his crucifixion. They preferred the bandit Barabbas to be released instead of Jesus. On Good Friday, Jesus was scourged, mocked, spat upon, blindfolded and struck on the face, unjustly sentenced to a cruel death, made to carry his Cross, nailed to the Cross, died on the Cross and was buried in the tomb of someone else hastily. If this is the end of the story, then there is no point of discussion and celebration today.
Thanks be to God, Jesus triumphed over all these odds and emerged victorious. He has brought shame to his enemies. This is what will happen to all those who put their complete trust in Jesus in the midst of betrayal and discrimination. As Jesus regained his eternal glory with the Father, he will restore our lost friendship with God. He is the Lord, who will prevail over all humankind, including his enemies. For us, his embattled followers, this is good news.
Easter gives us another basic lesson. The lesson is that truth is immortal. However we try to suppress Truth, accuse it of being a lie, condemn it, torture it, kill it, and bury it in the grave but on the third day Truth will rise again. Let us remember this and never give up on Truth even when everybody seems to give up on it. Let us, therefore, never give up on doing what is right. Right will always be right even when the world around us would have it otherwise. We must learn to believe in the sun even when it is not shining; because darkness is only an indication of the impending light that shines next day. And it is our guarantee that in Christ we shall overcome.
When we look at the story of the Passion, Suffering and Death of Jesus we can feel the crude reality of falsity, injustice, and evil. Jesus had to go through the bitter experience of being betrayed by his own nefarious companion Judas Iscariot. Besides, his most trusted man Simon Peter denied him. Finally, the very people who thronged him everywhere demanded his crucifixion. They preferred the bandit Barabbas to be released instead of Jesus. On Good Friday, Jesus was scourged, mocked, spat upon, blindfolded and struck on the face, unjustly sentenced to a cruel death, made to carry his Cross, nailed to the Cross, died on the Cross and was buried in the tomb of someone else hastily. If this is the end of the story, then there is no point of discussion and celebration today.
Thanks be to God, Jesus triumphed over all these odds and emerged victorious. He has brought shame to his enemies. This is what will happen to all those who put their complete trust in Jesus in the midst of betrayal and discrimination. As Jesus regained his eternal glory with the Father, he will restore our lost friendship with God. He is the Lord, who will prevail over all humankind, including his enemies. For us, his embattled followers, this is good news.
Easter gives us another basic lesson. The lesson is that truth is immortal. However we try to suppress Truth, accuse it of being a lie, condemn it, torture it, kill it, and bury it in the grave but on the third day Truth will rise again. Let us remember this and never give up on Truth even when everybody seems to give up on it. Let us, therefore, never give up on doing what is right. Right will always be right even when the world around us would have it otherwise. We must learn to believe in the sun even when it is not shining; because darkness is only an indication of the impending light that shines next day. And it is our guarantee that in Christ we shall overcome.
Rev. Fr. Loyola Antony
St. Joseph Church, Chumukedima
St. Joseph Church, Chumukedima
