2003

14th April 2003
"We Can Do It!" An Easter Message from Bishop Michael Malone
As we walk along the road in the early morning to the place where Jesus is buried we chat quietly to each other about the tragic events of the last few days. We are still in shock. Only a week ago we were thrilled to see the way the people of the city welcomed him, treating him like a hero, a saviour. Now he is dead and we are going to anoint his body for burial.

We feel so let down! Were we stupid to think that Jesus was showing us a better way? Did we really believe that his way would give us life? Were we so naïve to hope that together we could make a difference to people's lives? Now it is all over and we feel so disappointed!

For a moment there we felt loved and valued just for who we were. We didn't feel put down or treated as second-class citizens by a religious elite. There was a new sense of freedom amongst us. Maybe we were worthwhile after all. Perhaps love could conquer hatred. There did seem to be the possibility of hope and forgiveness. Now it is all over and we are on our way to prepare his body for burial.

As we approach the tomb someone says: "Who will roll away the stone for us?" for we know it is too big for our small group to handle. But as we turn a corner in the road we can see that someone has been here before us. The stone has been rolled back and the tomb is a gaping hole in the rock face.

Our earlier sadness turns to anger, suspecting that grave-robbers have done their dirty work. As we get closer we see two men inside the tomb. They are wearing brilliant white clothes and certainly don't look like grave-robbers!

We quiz them about what has happened. Who rolled the stone back? Where's the body? Who are you and what are you doing here?

They smile and calm us down. "Don't be frightened", they say to us. "Jesus is risen and you will find him soon going before you into Galilee." The two men said he was alive! Could it be possible?

You know how sometimes in life you get those moments of intuition, a kind of leap in consciousness when the penny drops and understanding begins to dawn? That's how we felt as we tried to make sense of this weird morning.

We soon came to realise that this experience was one of those moments when consciousness and understanding should have dawned, but we missed it at the time.

The stone had not only been rolled back physically, but a different stone had been rolled back from our understanding! How blind we had been! We had interpreted everything he said and did in human terms, whereas all the time he had told us to have faith. Typically, we had limited God to our human expectations. We had doubted God's ability to transform every situation and every person. We had questioned the extent of God's influence.

How stupid we were! We thought it was all over instead of believing it was just beginning! We now know we can do it! We can be generous, we will walk the extra mile, we can defeat fear and self-doubt, we are able to liberate the oppressed, we can rattle the status quo, we will question and challenge … Why? Because Jesus is risen and calls us to be free - free to participate in and help develop the reign of God!

We can do it!

A very happy Easter to all our readers.

HOLY WEEK AND EASTER SERVICE TIMES
Sacred Heart Cathedral, Hamilton

Holy Thursday
8:20 am Morning Prayer and Office of Readings
5:30 pm Polish Community, Mass of the Lord's Supper, Fr Tadeusz Swaitkowski
7:00 pm Mass of the Lord's Supper, Bishop Michael Malone. Followed by prayer and adoration til 9:30 pm

Good Friday
8:20 am Morning Prayer and Office of Readings
10:30 am Stations of the Cross, Bishop Michael Malone
3:00 pm Celebration of the Lord's Passion, Bishop Michael Malone
6:00 pm Polish Community, Celebration of Good Friday, Fr Tadeusz Swaitkowski

Holy Saturday
8:20 am Morning Prayer and Office of Readings

Easter Vigil
6:00 pm Easter Vigil (Saturday), Bishop Michael Malone

Easter Sunday
7:00 am Polish Mass, Fr Tadeusz Swaitkowski
9:30 am Mass, Bishop Michael Malone
11:30 am Polish Mass, Fr Tadeusz Swaitkowski
5:00 pm Mass

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