Easter is the feast of joy, the feast of feasts, the feast that gives rise to all the others. Why? What has happened anew? What is that event that provokes the great cry of joy, a joy that no one is any longer able to extinguish and no one can stifle? The supreme event that fills us with joy is Christ risen: he has conquered death and is alive among us: «Christ is risen, he is truly risen! Alleluia».
Another kind of joy
And so true joy has nothing to do with euphoria, «it is not something you buy at the market», nor is it obtained through great effort; rather, «it is a gift from God» (Pope Francis).
It is the joy of the women and the disciples before their Master because he is alive again.
It is true, profound joy, based on the certainty that Christ is alive and active in the Church and in the world.
It is lasting and steadfast joy because Christ, risen from the dead, dies no more (cf. Rom 6), and now we live in his presence.
It is joy that never runs out because it is destined to grow until the end of the world.
It is endless joy because the risen Christ grafts us into his life and makes us participants in his new life.
It is a joy that fills the heart more and more, because it arises from an encounter with a Person: Jesus. He alone can give true joy.
Welcoming joy
We are all called to welcome this joy into our lives. It is given to us every day in the Eucharist, in which the paschal mystery is renewed sacramentally. The life of grace, which we have carried within us since Baptism, is the life of the risen Christ. Consequently, grace brings us a joy within us that nothing and no one can take away, according to Jesus' promise: «Your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you» (Jn 16:22).
This Easter Jesus wants us to be people filled with joy. Let us draw from him the joy we need to live as children and commit ourselves to bearing witness to it with courage and strength, knowing that with the risen Lord, who is with us, walks with us, and remains with us, life is always wonderful.
In your presence, Lord
(prayer from Congo)
Today nothing will stop me from dancing
Today nothing will stop me from playing
Today nothing will stop me from singing
and all humanity will be moved:
I am the man, the woman, of the joy of living!
Today… neither hunger, nor poverty, nor illness,
neither drought, nor war, nor misery:
today is Easter!
Nothing will stop me from praising you, dancing for you, and singing to you.
You have risen and you save me,
you have risen and you make me live.
Who could dance better than I?
Who better than I can beat the drum?
Today, Lord, upon the ashes of my life,
on the skeletons of war and hunger, on the aridity of our droughts…
I sing to you, I dance for my brothers and sisters who have lost their song and joy,
who have lost their smile and their dance… because you have risen! Amen.
Happy Easter in the joy of the Risen One!
