Sunday, April 16, 2006
Easter joy
By Davao Archbishop Fernando Capalla
EASTER joy is the joy of a person who has overcome and conquered a bad habit. It is a joy of having been set free from the prison of moral disorder. Therefore Easter is Freedom Day also.
A man came to thank me for helping him acquire freedom from the deadly and costly habit of smoking. He was listening to my New Year's Eve homily where I said that a bad habit is my creature and I am the creator. Therefore, I must see to it that the creator is always greater, stronger, and more powerful than the creature.
He took this seriously to heart. And right there and then he decided to stop smoking. He succeeded without much difficulty. He believed in himself and in prayer.
Jesus Christ's Passion, Death and Resurrection is celebrated meaningfully and fruitfully when during the Holy Week His suffering and pain seen as personally caused by our creature-seeking and habit-forming pleasures inspires us and with His grace makes us free from them. The grace comes from the Resurrection. This is the reason for the joy of Easter, the day of true freedom. This joy must remain because the Risen Lord is alive and dwells mysteriously within us and among us.
A joyful Easter to everyone who has been set free!
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