Philosophy Students Were Busy with Holy Week and Easter Events
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April 19, 2022In these past months, we postulants have been going through intensive reflection to refocus and renew ourselves to be more Christ-like. To recap, during Lent, we have been leading the Stations of the Cross every Wednesday as we reflect on Christ’s Passion. Through prayer, we have been better able to recognize God’s love for us and we have felt the need to share that love with our brothers and sisters.
In the chapel, the formation team set up a money box for donations to the people in Ukraine. It has been an invitation for us to cut down on our personal spending to better the lives of others. Instead of taking public transportation, we have been walking to save that money for people in need. We try to walk with and we understand that God appreciates our efforts.
On Wednesdays during Lent, eating bread and soup has become a tradition of sorts for us. It allows the community to spare money for the poor. Although these are simple acts of penance, I believe that they have been God’s blessings in disguise. Walking in place of public transportation gives us the opportunity to exercise more. Trying to live a simpler lifestyle has helped us better empathize with our less fortunate brothers and sisters. Ultimately, this Lenten season has helped us appreciate the many blessings in our lives that are often taken for granted. I have especially noticed, as one of the postulants, that the filial bond between community members has grown stronger.
It’s easy to see Lent as simply a time for prayer, fasting, and almsgiving; however, we must also take that extra step to renew one's life in Christ. This means it is a time for us to shed our old self and take up a new self in Christ. We strive to be the image of Christ for others by turning away from our bad habits, negativity, and the allures of this world's vanity.
As humans, we all make mistakes and will continue to make mistakes, but little by little, God will perfect us into useful instruments that help bring about the Kingdom of God. I remember about two years ago, my mentors, Fr. Chung and Fr. Tom, at the Grand Rapids Redemptorist community, taught me the importance of striving to become a better person and to love God more each day. I was so blessed to have these two holy priests as my mentors because the experience has completely changed my life.
Striving to be holier and more loving may seem like an obvious task, but it is a necessary reminder because oftentimes in the mundane work of everyday life we have lost the fervor we once had, due to the repetitive nature of our lives. Lent has been a reminder to refrain from growing accustomed to God’s word, to better concentrate on the Scriptures that we have heard many times, and to soak up those words of life like the roots of a plant soak up water. Lent is not about becoming a perfectionist in 40 days; rather, it is a time to strive to become Christ-like and to refocus more deeply on our relationship with Christ.
During Holy Week, we as Postulants are asked to take extra time for God and to really talk to Him. On Holy Thursday, the postulants took various roles in the parish as necessary, such as altar serving and singing in the choir. On Good Friday, the Redemptorist formation team was present at the Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Brooklyn, New York, to participate in the parish activities, such as helping in a procession around the block and the morning prayer that took place in underground of the church.
On Holy Saturday, some of us took on roles as choir members and altar servers. After Mass, the Redemptorists gathered to have some appetizers and mingle with one another. It is special to celebrate the Paschal Mystery together with the community. Saint Mother Teresa once said, "Some people come into your life as blessings. Some come in your life as lessons." Her words help us to appreciate the people around us, because they are one of the ways we can encounter God in our lives.
On Easter Sunday, after Mass, there was an Easter Party to celebrate Christ’s Resurrection. We shared food, drinks, activities, but most importantly, it was a special time for bonding together in the grace of Christ. On Sunday our formators took on the role of "Easter Bunny" because they hid eggs after dinner and each of us searched for the eggs. On Monday, our loving and caring formators treated us to breakfast since it was a day off from school. The Redemptorist community here has been a home away from home for me.
Christ has risen, and I hope each one of us will continue to build a stronger relationship with Christ and with others. Fr. Chung once told me something that I can never forget, "Everything will one day pass away except God." All of our present sorrows will soon pass away. As someone wise might say, “Our ultimate pilgrimage in life is to an eternal home in heaven.” May the peace of Christ be with you all and keep loving Christ more each day.
Pax Christi.
