We, people of eternity
Fr Ireneusz Skubis
The remembrance of the passion and death of Jesus the Saviour of the world reminds us of the essential contents of the Christian religion, which speak about the salvific work of God-Man and one of the greatest mysteries of Christianity - the resurrection of Jesus whom God calls 'his Beloved Son' (Matthew 17:5) and who dies on the cross - is risen, reveals himself to his disciples, is with them in their daily lives, reminding them of his teaching and bringing light to the darkness of everyday life.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ reveals the truth about God and man. 'I came into the world for this: to bear witness to the truth' (John 18:37). The truth is very essential in Jesus' life and activities. It is also meaningful in our lives. The news, 'We have seen the Lord' (cf. John 20:25) at first evokes big surprise in the lost and dispersed disciples but then it brings them extraordinary joy and spiritual power. Something unique has happened, which is simply unbelievable… Jesus is risen and he is risen indeed! The truth about the resurrection is the important leading truth of Christianity. St Paul even said that 'if Christ has not been raised then our preaching is useless and your believing it is useless' (cf. 1 Cor 15:14). This preaching has begun as if anew in the light of the truth about the resurrection. Today this truth becomes even more meaningful because we are preparing ourselves to the beatification of John Paul II. And although some would like to give only human sense to this beatification, saying that it is a decision of the earthly community of the Church it is also revealing the truth about eternal life, the glory of the saint in the life of God himself. We are dealing with God's seal that confirms the decision of the Church by the healing through the intercession of the candidate for the altars needed to announced him to be beatified. It is a great truth about life and death, present day and eternity. The much-awaited beatification of John Paul II that is to be held during the period of the Lord's Resurrection is a challenge of Lord God himself directed to the whole Church. Here one of the Shepherds of the Church is granted the glory of the living before God. His life does not end… As John Paul II's countrymen we should experience this mystery in a special way. The fact of the resurrection of Lord Jesus should make us realise the truth about man created to eternal life in God. In the light of this salvific event one should keep asking whether we are people of eternity or rather those who have planned some period of existing on earth - naturally, most eagerly in affluence and comfort - rejecting all what will happen. Let us remember that life does not end on earth. Death changes life; we begin another stage of life. Lord Jesus teaches us about that also through the fact of his resurrection. He unmasks falsity and hypocrisy, restores normality and calls to life in the truth and love. Let us want to reflect on all these things during Easter 2011 - about life in the truth, without lies, hatred; let us think about life with God. Our beautiful Christian faith gives so many examples of saints and blessed at who we can look and whom we can follow. Now the Church is showing us the model of the sanctity of John Paul II.
"Niedziela" 17/2011