One of the common questions has been:”when will all these come to an end?” everyone is simply wishing and guessing
FROM THE CHAPLAIN
“Were not our hearts burning within us while He spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?” Luke 24:32
I greet you, beloved in Christ, this rainy, wet, still cloudy, but peaceful, quiet Sunday morning. Today is the third Sunday of Easter, and the opening verse forms part of our Gospel reading in the Liturgy.
At my private mass this morning, I specifically and specially thought of each one of you, your loved ones, your families, your work, your status in the family, the Church and the community. I prayed with you in mind and heart, and very much wished you were all able to be here with me physically. I know that day will eventually come.
In the past few weeks and days, the very strange and horrible effects of the CoVID 19 has occupied my prayer and reflection, just as I know it has been for you. Indeed, I have been engaged in serious conversations with colleague priests, bishops, professors, ministers of state, student leaders, as well as many family members and friends here in the community, the distant communities as well as across the globe. Like most of you, I have been deeply concerned about the plights of humankind locally and elsewhere. I have been restless, trying to make sense and to look for valuable words to offer the many who keep calling my colleagues in ministry or service and myself.
One of the common questions has been:”when will all these come to an end?” Of course I am yet to meet anyone who has any clue; everyone is simply wishing and guessing.
So beloved, is this all that there is to life?
I don’t believe so!
In the midst of all our restlessness and questioning, Christ the Risen Lord still lives!
He died,
But He rose
And He will come again!
As I reflect on the words of the disciples after Christ had appeared among them on the road to Emmaus and suddenly disappeared after He broke the Word and the Bread with them, I wish to share the following with you:
Dearly beloved; let us never tire of breaking the Word. Let individuals and their families and colleagues make time to read the Word of God everyday.
I assure you that your hearts will begin to “burn within you” with new hope, new life, new convictions and new expectations. Christ will truly come alive for you individually and in your relationships and homes.
It is clear from today’s Gospel reading that the eyes of the disciples were opened after the Word had been broken to them and after the Bread and Cup were shared among them.
Be rest assured that my strongest desire would be to arrange for a very practical and effective way of making the Eucharist physically accessible to you. Indeed, this formed the agenda of a deep conversation I have recently had with some theologians and other church leaders.
For now, I wish to encourage each of you to continue to receive Eucharistic Christ spiritually and pray the appropriate prayers as is being recommended.
We wish to continue being mindful of the many risks involved in trying any “innovative” ways of ministering the Eucharist to you.
We should continue to look up to our Risen Lord who continues to love us.
Let us keep our faith alive, in spite of the obvious impediments.
Let us seek counsel from Scripture and from Spiritual Communion.
Have a great week, and I shall come your way again very soon.
Shalom!
Fr. Anthony Afful-Broni
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