Dear Parishioners, Visitors and Friends,
Today is the Third Sunday of Easter. This is the Easter Season which is supposed to be a time of joy and happiness and peace of mind. All things like anxieties, troubles, irritations should be on vacation. Lent is over, we joined Jesus in his sufferings, now is the time to share in his happiness and glory.
Sadly, that’s not how things are right now for us. Our State government extends again the “Stay-at-home” order until at least the end of May. Fear of the COVID-19 and relief from troubles and worries are not yet over.
We “must continue the isolation and social distancing”, and endure the economic hardship, as well as the pain of life, like the Lord Jesus did.
What we have to keep remembering is that it all has its purpose. As Jesus, for reasons maybe not clear in our minds, had to go through his own personal passion and death, so must we. In the words of Jesus in today’s Gospel, to His disciples on their way to Emmaus:
“Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?”
Remember the story of the two disciples on the road and their inability to recognize Jesus walking with them from Jerusalem to Emmaus and how Jesus helps them see God in the middle of a messy situation, in the midst of inexplicable events that have just unfolded in their lives.
Simply put, the Lord helps them link their faith with what has just transpired, and helps them see the hand of God in a seemingly desperate, hopeless situation.
Most of us, myself included, see ourselves much like those two disciples - on the journey of life, at times a little confused and disappointed, in need of help and guidance in these difficult and challenging days.
Frequently things can come our way in life that make it hard to see or believe that God hasn’t abandoned us, that He is still with us - loving us, guiding us, and comforting us.
And each of us needs the Lord to help us make sense of the senseless, to help us find hope in the hopeless, and to enable us to still trust in a provident God even when events in our lives feel a little or completely out of control - devoid of any plan, purpose, or meaning. We need God to open our eyes that we might see Him in every corner of our world and every circumstance of our lives.
Yesterday, on the national news a neighborhood celebrated the 100th birthday of a friend by lining both sides of the street and danced to the song Mama Mia as the birthday honoree pushed her walker down the center of the street.
Accommodating their aging grandmother who could not leave home to do her grocery shopping, the family set up store in her home with cereal, milk, and produce. With her grocery list in hand, grandmother filled the basket on her walker with the items on her list. Her grandson totaled her bill, gave her the receipt and said, “Thank you, please come again.”
Another story: The owner of the Six Harbor brewery practiced social distancing by substituting their delivery from one with two legs to one with four legs. They enlisted their two Labrador dogs with a 4 pack around their neck to walk up to their customers’ homes. Imagine the smiles when the doors were opened.
Dear sisters and brothers in Christ:
We may not clearly understand the purpose of suffering in present days. But, because of Easter, because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we can be assured that no matter how badly and unhappily, disruptively and painfully life goes for us, for those who truly love God.
IT WILL ALL TURN OUT ALL RIGHT!
May all of daily events and activities in our homes and lives be opportunities to experience the Risen Lord more deeply, and walk the walk of faith with Christ in season and out of season, so that as always “your faith and hope are in God.” Amen. (1 Peter 1: 21b)
Yours in the Risen Christ,
fr khanh