“We are an Easter People and Alleluia is our cry.” – Saint Augustine
During this Easter season, I am especially grateful for the ever-renewing Life of Christ within me which is constantly growing and changing. As long as I relax and say yes to God, His Spirit sinks deeper into my heart, soul, mind, and spirit. Saint Teresa of Avila advises us to “let this presence to settle into your bones and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise, and love.”
Pope Francis hit the nail on the head on Holy Saturday years ago, when he proclaimed the truth that God calls us out of our comfort zone to grow and change. Indeed, baptism makes us children of God, and the Eucharist unites us to Christ. This must become our very life on a daily basis, not just on Easter Sunday.
… if I allow myself to be reached by the grace of the risen Christ, if I let that grace change for the better whatever is not good in me, [to change whatever]might do harm to me and to others, then I allow the victory of Christ to affirm itself in my life, to broaden its beneficial action. This is the power of grace! Without grace we can do nothing – without grace we can do nothing!
The joy of being instruments of the grace of Christ, as branches of the vine which is Christ himself, inspired by the sustaining presence of His Spirit! We pray … that the Paschal mystery might work deeply in us and in our time, in order that hatred give way to love, lies to the truth, revenge to forgiveness, sadness to joy.
Initially, I resist change out of fear of the unknown but when I let go of anxiety, relax and surrender, I can feel the Flames of Love becoming stronger within me. I crave to join my voice with St. Paul’s and say, “No longer I that lives but Christ that lives in me.”
I pray for the grace to become the Presence of Christ on Earth. This concept is not a symbol. It is not just for biblical times or for a few select saints. This transformation is simply the normal Christian’s call, the normal Christian’s life. Do we really grasp the ramifications of the historical event of the Resurrection? Do we really allow the truth of Easter to sink in and save us, transform us? If we did, we would all be saints — real, miracle-working saints.
Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed!
Copyright 2018 Melanie Jean Juneau
This article was originally published at CatholicMom.com and is shared here with permission.
