Easter Sunday: New Hope, New life!

One of the inspiriting homilies I have ever heard was when I was in Calcutta, doing college studies. It was the time when I was having some difficulties with regard to my admission. I had by then completed two years and was remaining just one more year to finish my graduation. Just before writing my final exams of two years, I was told by the university authority that my admission was not accepted due to year gap. After completing class XII, I joined the Jesuits and spent four years in different formation houses. This gap led me to this difficulty. It was a complete chaotic situation. My Jesuit Superior came with me to the university and he was told my admission would not be accepted. My Superior asked me to wait; meanwhile he was trying to do something!

It was just after Easter. A visiting Jesuit priest from a rural mission station was staying with us just for a few days. One day he was asked to offer Mass for us. He began his homily by saying that we were Easter people. Jesus gave us new life with his resurrection. Why should we be worried about our life! Jesus is our life. Then he shared his life story, how his life experience has taught him. As he was speaking I could feel that he was convinced of what he was preaching. He did not utter any theological jargon. By the end of the Mass I was already feeling a sense of peace and serenity. That was the first time I was convinced that we are Easter people.

Every year around Easter, I remember this inspiring sermon. Another Easter is at our door. For the last couple hours I have been receiving Easter greetings. To my great surprise, I noticed that most of the messages are with a simple of message of ‘New Hope and New life!’

Wishing you all a blessed Easter and of course New Hope and New life…