As the country celebrates the Resurrection of Jesus Christ on Sunday, Archbishop of Manila Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle called on those facing difficulties never to lose hope as light will always overcome darkness.
“Sometimes we find ourselves in a dark place, like Jesus on the cross, and our lives can seem loveless. When hunger, unemployment, addictions, indignities, abuse, hate speech, false accusations, killing, corruption, human trafficking run wild and seem to reign, our world appears dark. But if we look more carefully, more intently at people and situations, it is then that we see love revealing itself,” Tagle said in his Easter message.
He cited the “intense moments of love” during Jesus’ journey to the cross and beyond from, among others, the Blessed Virgin Mary; John, “who braved the sorrow of standing at the foot of the cross when everyone else has abandoned” Jesus; the good thief, “who broke the stereotype of the delinquent and asked to be remembered when Jesus came into his Kingdom”; and the women who went to the tomb to tend to the body, even though they had no idea how to move the boulder at the tomb’s entrance.
“What these actions have in common is that they seem insignificant, especially if you compare them to the violence of the crucifixion and all that has gone before it. What difference can one act of kindness make in the face of unrelenting evil? It can make all the difference in ways we can’t even imagine how. Because these small acts of care and love are crowned by the total self-giving of Christ crucified on the cross,” he added.
Tagle said that through these encounters of love and caring, persons, families and communities are transformed “from prisoners of despair into bearers of hope.”
The Cardinal also urged the faithful to grasp the power of love given by the risen Jesus and share them with the rest of the country.
“We invite you to seize the power of love unleashed by the risen Christ this Easter, and with the love you have received, spread seeds of hope across our country,” he said.
“Love is not just a word. It’s a lifestyle of seeing, encountering and understanding other people. It is the lifestyle of Jesus, crucified and risen. It is the lifestyle of being with and living for others in the belief that light will always overcome darkness,” Tagle added.
On April 21, Roman Catholics across the world celebrate Easter Sunday, marking the end of this year’s Lenten Season. (Ferdinand Patinio/PNA)
