“Crossing over” to a new self, new life
EASTER MESSAGE
By Archbishop Socrates Villegas
Our Holy Week coincides with the Passover of the Jews. The Jewish feast of Passover commemorates the “crossing over” the Red Sea from the slavery of Egypt into the Land of Promise. The Christian Passover is a commemoration of the “passing over” of the Lord Jesus from death to new life.
The real meaning of Easter is our passing over from darkness into light, from sin into grace, from despair into hope, from death into new life, from suffering into glory, from the old self to new self.
Easter can only become a feast of joy if we accept the challenge of passing over. Easter is about leaving our present condition and crossing over to the other side — the side of God — the side where He always wants us to be.
All crossing over is painful because all crossing over means saying goodbye. Every crossing over entails a little dying. It is leaving behind our fleeting comforts and false securities into where God wants us to really be.
God does not wish us to remain in our confusion. God does not like us to remain with our divisive attitude, egoism and self-worship. God does not like us to remain in fear, in guilt or in hopeless shame. God wants us to be free. Freedom is his promise to those who are willing to pass over to His side. If you do not cross over and choose your false comfort now, you are refusing growth. Do not be afraid to cross over.
Happy Easter! Happy Crossing over!
(Delivered at the Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist, Dagupan City, April 1, 2012)
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