My Dear Cenacle Friends,
During this holiest of weeks, we remember, we celebrate, and we believe that with the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption. For our God, who loves us, desires our eternal good.
Speaking through the prophet Ezekiel, God said, “I will open your graves and have you rise from them…” (Ezekiel 37: 12-24), foreshadowing the raising of Lazarus from the dead, and the promise of our future resurrection by Our God.
Writing to the early Christians in Rome, the Apostle Paul proclaimed to those struggling with faith, “If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also, through his Spirit dwelling in you” (Romans 8: 8-11). We must remember that from the moment of our baptism, we began to share in the very life of God. For His mercy leads to our redemption and new life.
In last Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus confronted the death of His friend, Lazarus. We do not like to speak about it. But death is unavoidable. It is the consequence of our sinful humanity. Ironically, this the very reason God the Father, who loves us so much, sent His Only Begotten Son. Jesus came to meet us in the place of our misery, sin, with its natural consequence, death. He was crucified on the wood of the Cross, suffered physical death, was buried, and on the third day, rose triumphant from the grave, assuring us of the promise of our baptism, that He will raise us up to newness of life.
During the Sacred Triduum, let’s not be afraid to ask Our Lord to come into the tombs within our hearts, as Martha and Mary asked Jesus to come to them when their brother Lazarus died because I believe in our Lord and Savior wants to roll away stones of our hearts and untie the things that bind us in sin.
Believe me, I have experienced His power through my ministry. Our Lord wants to raise us from the death of sin and give us new life. Believe! Is there something in your life that keeps you entombed in the darkness of sin? What has you tied up-that you cannot think or act right? Experience in the week of power, His power in the Sacrament of Penance. The Lord wants to let you go free because He said, “I am the Resurrection and life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?
May Mary’s Immaculate Heart nurture your faith as you stand by His Cross, with Her as you become another beloved disciple.
In His mercy,
Monsignor George Majoros
Missionary of Mercy