Dear Friends of Carmel Mission,
I had a conversation with a friend of mine recently about the number of hours we watch television. She and I agreed that we spend less time doing so nowadays, compared to when we were younger. There was a time that we looked forward to catching the evening news. Not so any longer! We concurred in our opinions that the news is really not like it was in the old days. We then laughed at the fact that we are growing old and perhaps lingering too long in our lament for time past. We also agreed that it’s becoming increasingly difficult to decide what is fact and what is fiction – fake news, etc.
Imagine just how incredulous was the first reporting of the Resurrection of Jesus! Who could believe such an extraordinary occurrence took place? I really think that I would have been on the team of St. Thomas the Doubter. Unless I see…. Jesus called us “ Blessed “ because we have not seen and yet believe. We believe, not because we have solid evidence, such as the testimony of those who found the empty tomb, or the many accounts of those who encountered the Risen Lord, but because we have been truly blessed with the gift of faith. For us Christians, faith changes everything – or it should change everything. At Easter, as we celebrate the greatest feast on the Church’s calendar, we might ask ourselves: just how deep is my faith?
Resurrection, to be truly real for us, is not some good news from long ago, nor is it the happy ending to a harrowing and horrific event in human history. No, it is a present reality that influences the way we think, act and live. Like our beloved Saint Junipero, we are Resurrection people, moving Always Forward, with hope in our hearts and love in our lives. Alleluia! Jesus Christ is truly Risen! Alleluia!
I wish you a Happy and Holy Easter,
Fr. Paul
Pastor at Carmel Mission