My Dear Friends,
The arc that began with our reception of holy ashes on Ash Wednesday is moving toward the celebration of the Easter Vigil. Both the newly baptized and we who renew our baptismal vows have experienced transformation in the Spirit through the practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. So where do we stand on this most holy of all nights?
Whether we are able to attend the Easter Vigil or pray its ritual and hold its memory in the silence of our hearts, we stand before God and our world from a new vantage point as the arc approaches Holy Saturday night. We do this despite the pain of division, the horror of violence, and the threats to our common home that plagued our world, our country, and our neighborhoods.
The poetry of the Easter Proclamation, also called the Exsultet, captures the awesome reality. Here is an excerpt:
Be glad, let earth be glad, as glory floods her,
Ablaze with light from her eternal King,
Let all corners of the earth be glad,
Knowing an end to gloom and darkness.
Yes, we are invited―even expected―to rejoice, not only with each other but with the earth and all the creatures who dwell in or on our planet! This is the case despite the gloom and darkness we may be experiencing. All of creation is ablaze with the light of the resurrected Christ! Can we be still and quiet and bask in that light? Can we share that light with a world torn by violence and division? This is our call this Easter time―to be a beacon of light to a world that continues to struggle with darkness.
The light of a candle is never dimmed when it is shared. As the Exsultet concludes: “Christ…has shed his peaceful light on humanity…” May our lives be an Easter proclamation to a world that hungers to know Christ’s presence in its bones and through its tears. Alleluia!!
Peace and all good things!
S Judith M. Kubicki
Provincial Minister
Thank you for brightening my outlook during this Easter and these trying times. Peace be with you.
For Sister Judith Kubicki….
Droga Siostra, most recently we received your fully inspirational Paschal Mystery Message. Thank you from our hearts for preparing and for sending it. We have shared it with family and colleagues.
My Felician connection began in the 1950’s
at St. Casimir Elementary School, Manchester, NH. My eight year classmate is your Sister Mary John Fryc with whom we frequently communicate.
The Felicians are indeed special to me.
To you.. Wesolego Alleluia!
Kevin Tomasz Plodzik