Today millions of the world's Christians will gather in their churches around the world to re-enact the Passion meal celebrated by Jesus Christ and the men and women who followed Him. It is the beginning of the Triduum. It was the beginning of the end of His earthly life. He, in His wondrous mystery, gave to them and to us, His followers, a meal that we can celebrate time and time again to be near to Him and to be strengthened so that we, too, can go forth to bring His truth to the world during our age. This is a holy time, a time of reflection of who Jesus of Nazareth was and a time to sit with Him in prayer.
Today there were some young, college-aged Christians who were asked if they were Christian. Upon uttering their "yes" they were shot and killed. It is they who truly enter into the Triduum of Christ and their family members and friends who now walk the shadow of death and feel the suffocating suffering that it brings. We need to weep for them. We need to weep for us whose time has not come yet but is destined to come. May our faith fill every ounce of our being so that we may be courageous enough to say "yes" in the face of the evil one who comes to take the life of God's creation. It is this evil that played itself out in the last moment's of Christ's life. It is this evil that does not know that through this unutterable selfish and sinful act we, as followers of Jesus Christ, have been brought together more closely in communion with the saints that have gone before, the saints that went forth today, and the Spirit of Him who calls to our spirit to stand up, take a deep breath of grace, and go forward. He promised us that His Spirit would be here to stand with us and to not be afraid for on the other side of our last breath He waits with His arms opened wide to welcome us to His eternal love and comfort.
Go forth our friends. Go forth and weep no more. You have met the challenge of this world with saintly action and we are so proud to call you brother and sister in Christ. Pray for us. Pray that we, too, will be able to say "yes" when called to our fullness as apostles for the Savior of the world.
May God be just in His punishment of those who took your earthly life from you.
