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Resurrection 2007

“To do Thy will, O my God, is my delight, and Thy law is within my heart.” (Psalm 39)

Can we recite those words with conviction: do we sincerely find our joy in the holy Will of God; do we conduct ourselves as though His law is deeply rooted within our hearts?

There is a tendency in most people to try to turn God’s will into what they themselves desire; and then there is that mistaken notion that if a thing happens it is the will of God. Yet God’s will for each of us is and always will be found in Charity, in Love; for as St John told us, “God is Love.” As we learned from the Easter Vigil: by Baptism we who were created in the image and likeness of God were reformed to the glory of our Maker, cleansed from all the filth of the old man…born again new children of true innocence.” In other words, as the Apostle teaches us that we are indeed buried together with Christ by Baptism unto death; that as Christ is risen from the dead, so we also ought to walk in newness of life…that we may serve sin no longer. Let us reckon that we are dead to sin but alive unto God, in Christ Jesus, our Lord.” But first we must follow Him: and what does He require from any who desire to follow Him: “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his Cross daily and follow Me.” It is for us to strive to discover the riches of the Cross; the spiritual value of suffering.

We live in a complicated era in which people, forgetting God and His Christ seek only bodily satisfaction, luxury and comfort; and think that suffering can be and must be eliminated. The darkness of the world that hates Jesus Christ is encroaching from all sides — it is indeed the approach of the final battle of Satan and the powers of hell. That is why Holy Mother Church appoints Lent for us, as the acceptable time, during which we are brought to follow Christ along the sorrowful road to His agonising death on the Cross on Calvary. Remember how we prayed at the Stations of the Cross — “Thou art going to die for love of me, and it is my wish also, O my dearest Redeemer, to die for love of Thee; and regarding the Cross — help me to carry mine with perfect patience and resignation”. And again: “I will not refuse the Cross, I accept it, I embrace it; I accept in particular the death Thou hast destined for me with all the pains which may accompany it; I unite it to Thy death. I offer it to Thee.” This we do – or should do – every time we come to Holy Mass. And this we must do if we are ever fully to rejoice in the glory of Christ rising from the dead.

Now, in place of the Angelus, three times a day we pray the Regina Coeli — “Be glad and rejoice, O Virgin Mary! Alleluia! For the Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!” We will find the Risen Lord with Mary His Mother. Remember, just as it was our sins that condemned Jesus to die; so it was our sins which crushed with sorrow the Immaculate Heart of Mary — we each had part in piercing the beautiful and spotless soul with the sword of grief. We call upon her as Mother of sorrows, and if we open our hearts to the will of God; accepting our Cross in satisfaction for our sins and for the sins of the world; then we can call upon that same Blessed Mother as “Cause of our joy”. Be faithful to Mary’s Rosary every day; she it is who will unfold to us the depth of beauty in the mysteries of her Divine Son; in the joys; the sorrows, His glories; and the Light with which He enlightens every truly repentant soul — every soul that seeks to do His will. Let us be one with Him in mind and heart; one with Him in His Church, as Mary is; praying through her: “Be it done unto me according to Thy word.” Then we shall indeed share her gladness and rejoice ever more with the Queen of Heaven.