The bishop of Cesena-Sarsina Douglas Regattieri sent his Easter message.
The almond tree flowered, again this year, before the other trees.
Long and orderly rows of peach trees, now in bloom, color ours
hills. The clear sky and a warm sun announce this, even to most people
distracted, that spring has arrived. Winter is gone,
even if this year we haven’t felt the normal rigors of it; but the
calendar, punctual, proclaims it: March 21, first day of
spring.
And with spring, Easter, the most important Christian holiday of
the entire liturgical year. Windows that remained closed during the holidays are opened
long winter days. The general cleaning of the house is done: it is
Easter. We meet in the square and willingly linger – commitments
work permitting – to chat with friends; we say goodbye
like this: Happy Easter.
But it’s not as if this formula has become so usual either
from having lost its true meaning? As has also happened some
month ago, when we left each other – after coffee at the bar or leaving the
supermarket – with that expression: Best wishes. Merry Christmas. Happy New Year?
Greeting cards sent by post have now become one
rarity. Also due to the post office’s turtle walk
Italian. Only a few nostalgic people still use it… Now it’s sent
a text message, you write an email, you use WhatsApp. It’s faster, less
costly. And the wish is enriched with an image, a photograph,
of an author’s text particularly suitable for the moment. But the substance
remains: send a wish.
But what does wishing a happy Easter actually mean?
I would like to answer: this year in particular the wish has the
flavor of the word Peace. We are at war, inside the “third war
world in pieces”, in Ukraine, in the Holy Land, in Sudan, in the
Democratic Republic of the Congo, in Myanmar, in Lebanon and in many others
other parts of the world.
And despite this we continue to wish: Happy Easter.
Because the first to do it was He, the Risen One: “Peace be with you”.
wished to the disciples gathered in the cenacle after his resurrection.
Then it is the Church that repeats it every year, in that wonderful hymn
Easter which is the Exultet that resonates in the great Easter Vigil.
The holy mystery of this night defeats evil, washes away sins,
restores innocence to sinners, joy to the afflicted.
It dispels hatred, subdues the harshness of the powerful, promotes harmony and peace.
This candle, offered in honor of your name to illuminate the darkness
of this night, shine with a light that never goes out.
Wishing a happy Easter means «knowing with certainty that those who offer themselves
and you give yourself to God out of love, it will certainly be fruitful. Such fruitfulness
many times it is invisible, elusive, it cannot be
accounted for. One is well aware that none of the
his works carried out with love, none of his sincere works will be lost
concerns for others, no act of love for
God, no generous effort should be wasted, none should be wasted
painful patience. Sometimes we feel like we haven’t achieved anything with ours
efforts to no avail, but the mission escapes all measure. We
we spend with dedication but without expecting to see results
flashy. We only know that the gift of ourselves is
necessary. Let us learn to rest in the tenderness of the arms of
Father in the midst of our creative and generous dedication” (Evangelii
gaudium, 279).
Happy Easter everyone.
