Let those who fear the LORD
say, "His mercy endures forever."
1 Samuel, Chapter 18, Verse 29
So Saul feared David all the more and was his enemy ever after.
David was pursued by
Saul but David never returned the enemy status to Saul. No, David knew our only
enemy is anything that opposes the love of God. Saul was seduced by the world,
the flesh and the devil. These are our enemies. Love brings unity in its truest
form. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are not three but one and one in Love.
This unity of love is reflected in the married life and the life of the
religious.
Easter Fridaywas a
favorite day for pilgrimages in many parts of Europe. Large groups would take
rather long processions to a shrine or church, where Mass would be offered.
Easter reminds us of these fundamental requirements of the Christian life:
the practice of piety and patience. Through piety we live detached from human
frailties, in purity of mind and body, in union with Christ. Through patience
we succeed in strengthening our character and controlling our temper so as to
become more pleasing to the Lord and an example and encouragement to others, in
the various contingencies of social life. The Resurrection of the Lord truly
represents—and for this reason it is celebrated every year—the renewed
resurrection of every one of us to the true Christian life, the perfect
Christian life which we must all try to live. "The Resurrection of Christ
is the sacrament of new life." My beloved brothers and children! First of
all let us look closely at our pattern, Jesus Christ. You see that everything
in His life was in preparation for His resurrection. St Augustine says:
"In Christ everything was working for His resurrection." Born as a
man, He appeared as a man for but a short time. Born of mortal flesh, He
experienced all the vicissitudes of mortality. We see Him in His infancy, His
boyhood, and His vigorous maturity, in which He died. He could not have risen again
if He had not died; He could not have died if He had not been born; He was born
and He died so that He might rise again.
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