The “great retreat” of Lent has given way to the great joy of Easter—that of Our Risen Lord! It is a time when we especially speak of joy—a word so often used today interchangeably with “pleasure” and “happiness.” But our joy is so much more than that of the body or the mind.
The joy the Church speaks of is both divine and human. I saw this joy in the faces of our priests, deacons, religious, and laity during Holy Week, despite its being a time when the Cross becomes even more predominant in our lives and calls us to a greater emptying of ourselves.
This is the joy I saw in the faces of my brother priests during the Chrism Mass, when I consecrated the chrism and blessed the oils that will be used in administering the sacraments this year. Biblically, oil is not only a sign of cleansing and healing, beauty and strength, but also a sign of an abundance of joy.
This is the joy of the sacramental life we see in the faces of catechumens, when they are sealed in baptism and anointed in the Holy Spirit—a sign of belonging totally to Christ.
This is the joy I see particularly in the sacrificial life of our priests. How proud I am of these men who radiate the joy of Christ despite the many sacrifices they are called upon to make in living out their priestly vocation. During the Chrism Mass, as they renew their priestly commitment, I asked them, “Are you resolved to unite yourselves more closely to Christ and to try to become more like him by joyfully sacrificing your own pleasure and ambition to bring his peace and love to your brothers and sisters?” How is it possible to ask of our priests, much less anyone, to joyfully sacrifice even the licit pleasures of life for the sake of the Gospel?
The answer to this question I saw clearly in the face of Father Evan Eckhoff, OFM, who because of his hospitalization at St. Mary’s could not join us that evening. During my visits with him, I could see that even though his body is afflicted, his life proclaims even more intensely the Gospel, which is above all a Gospel of joy. In his suffering, he remains a witness to the charism of joy with which he was marked in the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, and holy orders. In the 17 years he has been in our diocese, he has been and remains a special witness and reminder to all of us of the abundance of joy that comes from the Holy Spirit. Please pray for him and for all our priests who suffer and labor for the Gospel.
I am also mindful of the joy we see in the service rendered by our deacons to our Church and in the sacrifices of their spouses as they quietly labor to support the needs of our priests and laity alike. Theirs is an example of how all work can be transformed into sacred labor when it is done for the Lord.
I am always awed by the consecrated and sacrificial witness of our religious sisters and the radiance of their beauty and joy as brides of Christ. Is not the call to holiness a call to be beautiful for Our Heavenly Bridegroom? How grateful I am for this special light of joy and peace that our sisters bring to our diocese.
I was reminded in a special way of the importance of the oil and charism that mark the sacramental life of the laity while visiting our state capital two weeks ago during Catholic Day on the Hill. It is the laity in particular who are called to be a leaven of joy in this world as the face of Jesus. If anything is urgently needed in the shaping of public policy today, it is the joy that comes from knowing Christ crucified and risen. I could not help but think during my meeting with Governor Phil Bredesen and Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey, as well as several other representatives and senators, how important it is for our laity to be advocates not only for the transformation of structures in our society but also of hearts.
The irony of our faith is that the joy of the resurrection comes through the cross. It is my fervent prayer that all may be the face of Christ, which also means being the face of joy. May God richly bless you during this Easter season.
