Saint Lucia
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April 2004 |
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ALLELUIA ALLELUIA ALLELUIA WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Powerful, Joy, Sunday, Resurrection, Praise God.
The Empty Cross There is a chapel in St. Lucia with bars on its doors and tiny windows like squares on a checker board. When the people come to church, the doors at locked behind them and guards are posted outside. The chapel is at Bordelais Prison. The chapel has no pictures on its walls, no statues, no stained glass. It has no altar, no candles, no stations of the cross. It does have a plain wooden cross, a cross with no body on it. While a cross without the body of Jesus is unusual for a Catholic, it can help us to think. Jesus is no longer on the cross; He is risen from the dead. Or, we could reflect how we are asked to take his place on the cross, sacrificing ourselves for others. These are good thoughts, but let me tell you a story... Last week, the Belle-Vue Combined School put on the Stations of the Cross during their assembly. One of the seventh grade boys played Jesus. When he came out of one of the classrooms holding a wooden cross on his back and stumbled around the schoolyard, there were some giggles and laughter. After all, everyone knew this boy and he was making them laugh. But, as the Stations continued, with Jesus (played by the young man) meeting his mother, falling for the second and third time, and being nailed to the cross; the students grew quiet. No longer were they just seeing one of their schoolmates acting a part, they were witnessing something that was now personal and terrible. When the young seventh grader playing Jesus finally bent his head and died, there was not even a whisper to be heard. It's true, we do share the cross with Jesus. And, yes, we know He is risen from the dead, but empty crosses do not tell the whole story. Seeing his body on the cross, pierced with nail, lance, and thorn, we see a reflection of his great sacrifice for us. Before the resurrection, Jesus died a painful death. He died for all people, in every place, and in every time. He died for you, as if Christ on his cross had arms only for you. We need to ask God to help the prisoners at Bordelais. They are paying for their crimes, but they also need to know about Jesus' love. Our prayers can help them. One day, most of those men and women will return to their villages and, hopefully, to church. They will experience once again churches without locks or guards, without tiny windows, but great big ones to let in the sun and the breeze. Whether they see Jesus on the cross will depend on us. If we welcome them home in Jesus' name, they will see the love of God. If they do not experience warmth and welcome, they will see a cross that is empty, that has nothing to say to them. There is a large crucifix in Dominica. Its arms were blown off in a hurricane. The priests there have not repaired it. When asked why, they respond: "You are the arms of Christ in the world." This Easter, let us welcome the Risen Christ, but never forget sacrifice He made nor the cross He bore. Happy Easter!
Archbishop | Caritas Antilles | Calendar | Catholic Chronicle | Chancery Departments Copyright ©2004 Archdiocese of Castries |
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