Dear Friends,

Happy Easter to you! In this Easter season we continue to celebrate the Good News that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead – Alleluia!

As missionaries it is this good news of Jesus’ love for us and his victory over death and sin that we seek to share and it is news that is sorely needed in our wounded world.

This edition of In the Word comes to you at a time of unrest and turbulence both in Australia and around the world. Sydney, the city where I am currently living, has been rocked in recent weeks by the terrible stabbings of innocent shoppers at a major shopping centre. And this was closely followed by the stabbing of an Assyrian bishop during a church service. We are also witnessing an ever-escalating domestic violence crisis, tragically resulting in the murders of women. Overseas, of course, the situation in the Middle East continues to result in conflict, death, starvation and grievous suffering, while the war in Ukraine continues unabated.

Where is the resurrection in all of this? And what can we, as Christians seek to do about it?

The theme for our upcoming SVD General Chapter in Rome is: “Your light must shine before others: Faithful and creative disciples in a wounded world.”

I think this theme gives us some clues as to how we can move through the world as Easter people.

Firstly, our light must shine before others. This light is not our own light, but the light of the resurrection living in us, through our baptism, confirmation and reception of Jesus in the Eucharist. Each of us is called to bring the light of the resurrection to others, simply by allowing it to shine through in the way we live. For each of us that will look different, as we seek to let our light shine according to our own vocation. As an SVD missionary, I’m called to bring the light of the resurrection, with its promise of hope and new life, to those most on the margins of our society. Others might be called to bring it to their spouse, their family, and their community.

The second part of the General Chapter theme calls us to be faithful and creative disciples in a wounded world. As faithful disciples, we try to live our lives in a way that brings us ever closer to God. To be faithful in the small things, like daily prayer, regular Eucharist, spending time in the Word of God. This faithfulness keeps us connected to the Holy Trinity – the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and opens us up to the creativity of the Spirit working in us and through us, to meet the needs and tend to the wounds of those around us.

As Provincial, whenever I send a missionary into a new mission assignment, I give them one key piece of advice: “Love the people.” Some of the communities with whom we minister, especially First Nations communities, carry very deep wounds and the road of walking with them in their woundedness is not always easy, but faithful love and accompaniment can, over time, play an important role in healing.

So, as we move forward from Easter towards Pentecost, let us shine forth the light of the resurrection in our own daily context and faithfully and creatively seek to live as disciples in our wounded world. We can’t fix all the wrongs in the world or end all the wars ourselves, but each of us can play our part in bringing the healing love of Christ to those around us who need it most.

Yours in the Word,

Fr Asaeli Rass SVD, Provincial.