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Dear friends,
The Easter readings for this weekend offer choices for reflection. The gospel is consistent with the story of Mary Magdalene as the first to arrive at the empty tomb and to bring the news to the disciples; however, depending on what liturgy you attend, you will hear the story of creation, Abraham and his son, or Moses and the parting of the sea. You might hear from Peter or from Paul. Given the times in which we live, it was the psalms that moved me.
Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth
The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.
On Good Friday, Ignatians West joined the Los Angeles Catholic Worker under the leadership of Matt Harper, at the Federal Building in downtown Los Angeles, to pray the Stations of the Cross. A large crowd gathered to offer witness to faith in the public square. Each station looked at the passion of Jesus through the lens of modern times. Prayers were for those detained in immigration sweeps, those living in fear of being detained, those living in war-torn countries, and all people living with the anxieties of this era. Testimonies were given to each of these situations as we walked with Jesus, taking his final steps. It was a first for me since my college years and a powerful experience.
Prior to the Stations of the Cross, Fr. Tri Din, S.J., was among the priests who ministered to the detainees held in the basement of the Federal Building, which, according to reports, is a dismal holding place without adequate beds and living conditions. He shares his thoughts:
“He saw and believed. For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead.” - Jn 20:8–9
"Yesterday, four of us Catholic clergy were allowed a brief Good Friday visit to the ICE detention processing area in downtown Los Angeles. There was only time for a simple Communion Service. We could not ask questions or hear the stories of the five detainees who joined us. Yet in their faces I caught a glimpse of what Peter and John may have felt as they ran to the tomb that first Easter morning: confusion, fear, and a small flame of hope.
Peter and John did not encounter the risen Jesus at first, only an empty tomb. Yet even that was enough to help them believe before they understood. Hope began to stir. And once they believed that Jesus’ story had changed, their own stories began to change as well. They were no longer merely followers of a crucified teacher. They became witnesses to a living Lord. They were no longer men defined by Good Friday. They became people sent by Easter One.
As we shook hands and said goodbye, I felt that same hope rising anew in my own heart. To my surprise, the hope I saw in the eyes of the detainees stirred something within me and moved me. I asked for the grace to believe. Perhaps in time, I may come to understand".
This is a day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad. For a few minutes, those five people held in the basement of a building in downtown Los Angeles realized, if only for a moment, the hope that Easter gives us.
It can also be said that despite pain, suffering, and fear, we live with the belief that the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. Those who gathered to pray on the streets of Los Angeles on Friday as cars whizzed by, some honking, some gawking, wondering what was going on, felt an overall sense of goodness around them.
Summing it up, at least for me, on this Easter is the psalmist who writes, Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth. As we wonder at the resurrection, some rejoicing, some skeptical, some praying for understanding, it is fair to say that we all cry out to the Lord to renew the face of the earth. To bring us to peace and living together in harmony, recognizing and cherishing the gifts this world has to offer.
We hope you enjoy a photo gallery of this past week's standing up and speaking out for justice and peace, along with a prayer for your Easter table by Fr. John Mossi, S.J.
Easter blessings and peace to you and your family,
Anne
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