Location: San Fernando Cathedral
From the first moment of creation, and throughout the entire history of the people of Israel, Scripture testifies that Jesus is the center of the cosmos and our lives. He is the beginning and the end, the Word of God made Man, by whom everything was made. He is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of the law and the prophets. He is the God of life, the light of humankind. As Saint John tells us, Jesus is the light that shines in the darkness, “and the darkness has not overcome it.” (Jn 1:5). The Son of God came into the world and the world did not know him. But it was necessary for the Messiah to suffer, so that through his Passion and Death, He would open for those who follow him the gates to the glory that has always belonged to him. He is seated at the right hand of the Father, and from there he has prepared a place for each of us.
The light of Christ has been temporarily absent from the world, but He has risen, conquering death and sin. Through the baptism that Jesus established when he was baptized by John, we are granted the grace to participate in the life of Christ. He has opened the gates for us to enter to contemplate the glory of the Father, through the work of the Holy Spirit. We truly participate in the inner life of the Blessed Trinity! The Son of God has become incarnate for us. He has died for us and has risen to give us salvation. And salvation consists in participating in everything He is and everything he does. He is the light of the world, and he has destined us to bring light to the darkness together with Him.
The limitations of our human nature are illuminated with the hope of the Resurrection. Christ has assumed our nature so that one day we may rise again together with Him.
However, He now confirms us in the faith, and strengthens us with the Holy Spirit, so that we may be the light of the world, a visible sign of his invisible presence. It is necessary for us to accept the new life that Jesus gives us, and for us to frequently be fed with his Body and Blood, so that we may be faithful witnesses of divine life. We are not saved by our works, but our works bear witness that we have been saved to the extent that they are part of the work of Christ.
The light of Christ is displayed in the world through our works, as members of his Body, into which we have been incorporated. The world – like the women in the Gospel – thinks that Jesus is in the place of the dead. Sometimes, Pope Francis tells us, “we too may think that the joy of our encounter with Jesus is something belonging to the past, whereas the present consists mostly of sealed tombs: tombs of disappointment, bitterness and distrust…”
However, also like the women of the Gospel, we must overcome our fears and quickly move away from the tomb. We must run to announce to the world, with our works of mercy, that Christ has risen. Easter encourages us to see the future with confidence and hope, certain that in the end everything will be fine, because Christ has truly risen.
Let us encounter Christ again in our identity as baptized, in the frequent reception of the sacraments, in Sacred Scripture, in prayer. Christ, the light of the world, wants to encounter us to give us his light. He will enable us to do the works that he does. In this way, the light of Christ will transform the world for the glory of the Father, through the work of the Holy Spirit.
Our Lady of Guadalupe, Queen of Heaven, rejoice! For the Lord, whom you carried in your womb, has risen as He said. Pray to the Lord for us! Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, for the Lord has truly risen. Hallelujah!
