The Easter Season is very special to me, and I put together a photo video,
Easter Video Reflection using some Creative Commons music written by Maya Filipic in the album
Between Two Worlds. as background music. In addition, I collected some Easter reflections from some of the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary and added them to our RSHM
webste.
I am so happy to live in the Northeastern United States, for the lighting of the Easter candle and the singing of "Christ our Light" really fills me with a heartfelt "Thanks be to God"! All of nature reminds me that Christ, our Light, has come to transform us into His light for the world. Sunrise is earlier, days are longer, and all of nature is bursting forth with new life.
I helped with the music for the Easter Triduum retreat at
Cormaria in Sag Harbor. Somehow, this year, the words of the Morning Prayer and the singing of parts of the Gospel of John really moved me to a deeper understanding of the Paschal Mystery. The theme of the retreat was
KINDNESS. Somehow, this word seems like such a simple word. Doesn't everyone want to be treated with kindness? I certainly know that I do. But when one looks at Jesus, and sees how he treats others, kindness somehow becomes a challenge.
- Remember how Jesus eats with the unloved...sinners, tax collectors...
- Remember how Jesus heals the untouchables - lepers, the woman with the hemmorrhage...
- Remember how Jesus washes the (perhaps not just filthy, but also odoriferous) feet of the disciples.
- See how Jesus treats the crucified thief who asks to be remembered, "This day you will be with me in Paradise." Wow!
The kindness of Jesus somehow extends into an openness to all persons, male and female, no matter how they treat him. Occasionally he needs a bit of challenge (e.g. from the Syrophonecian woman), but he lets his love extend to all. That kind of kindness is really hard as I look at those I would rather tolerate than respect; those I would rather avoid than respond to. Somehow I want to choose more and more each day to let myself be transformed by the love of Christ so that I really really try to love all people with full respect for who they are. This type of kindness seems to be the message that Easter is giving to me this year. Perhaps each day, this can be my gift to the world - a little more love freely given from an open heart. My negative side of myself wants to say "Impossible". However, I have met people, especially some in my own RSHM community, who really have made a habit of living this way as they let themselves be transformed. So, I KNOW it is possible.
May the LIGHT OF CHRIST live in us that
ALL MAY HAVE LIFE!
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