Easter Sunday
I could share with your a real story of mine. My cousin almost lost his life in an accident two years ago. He was sent to the hospital and the doctors acclaimed his death. But, on the half way home, he come back to conscience and saying to his family: "Don't let me die, I want to live". Of course, his family sent him back to the hospital and he survived, even though he lost one of his legs to the end. As a 23 years' young man, this is more than a disaster. The worse thing is, his wife also left him right after. In the films, we always dream of those kind of wonderful, great, and sacrificial love, however, the love story in reality often look too ugly to believe. But it is true. Later on, my cousin told me that it was a miracle for him to live on now.
So, how do you feel after you hearing it? Do you think that this story could change your life in any way, or somehow? Could it change your way of thinking, talking, or dealing with people? I doubt it. Why? Because you don't even know him at all, and you don't even know if he does exist. But, to his father, do you think, it it also merely a piece of news, like so many we have heard from TV? To his father, it is Not merely a piece of news indeed. It's rather a matter of life and death. That's his only son. Everything about him also concerns his father: die or live.
Now, the reason come to light: most of time, we feel nothing about the mystery of Jesus' resurrection. Easter becoming an occasion for parties, or vacations, is just because, Jesus still remains a stranger to us. And because we don't have a personal relationship with him. So, he dies, he rises, we don't feel anything.
After examining the reason of being lack of the enthusiasm to Jesus' resurrection, let us look into the message that is coming from his mystery. Of course, it's message is too rich to be summarized by few of points here. Let's just pick one of them.
The resurrection of Jesus exposed the truth of life: death is never the end, or final destiny of our life. In whatever way, we have to be responsible for what we have done in this life. Because our life is not a one-time business, even you mess up with everything, hurting everyone, you could still be freed by death. Not at all. Death, in the light of resurrection, is merely a changing of life, but not the end. So, we must be responsible to our present life indeed.
All of us, no doubt, believe that we are responsible for our life. But,the question is "How"? This seems to be a huge question beyond simple answers. Jesus actually offered us an answer: Love your neighbor as yourself.
First, let's talk about "loving yourself". hehe, you might say, "what kind of question it it?" of course, I love myself. Every morning when I wake up, looking into the mirror, I start thinking: "who is this pretty thing in there? I love it." We love ourselves for many reasons: I am smart, I am the best, I am pretty, I am capable, I am a good father... However, the reason Jesus gave us is quite different: I should love myself, treat myself well, because, someone has died for me, long time ago, and even now. He is Jesus. My life is valuable because it is what Jesus as God dying for. I love myself because I don't want his death was in vain.
This, is a Good news, for all of us. sometimes, you might think your life is only an accident, or the natural result of the biological union of your parents, or you think you are useless, something extra to the world. But, it is not now. My life is special and unique because someone died for me. Just imagine, if you know that someone in the world, at somewhere caring for you, loving you and even ready to die for you, this must be something beautiful, this is the hope for living. Some people, as we know, decide to end their lives because they don't feel being loved any longer, not even one in the world. That's why they want to leave this world.
When I was young, I don't know how to take care of myself indeed. Like all of us young people, I go to bed at 3:00 am and drinking, just do many stupid things to enjoy life. Even my mother told me thousands of times, it did not work on my at all. Because I don't feel I need to. Until one day, I was entrusted with a parish, and after years of work, you feel that people need you there, then, I started to learn to live a healthy life. That's the moment I came to understand why I should take care of myself, because, I don't want to end up lying in the bed while my father, with white hair, still have to look after me for the rest of my life. My dear friends, if I may tell you,"Hi, quit smoking, don't drink too much..." you might tell me that it's not my business. But, do you really end up one day lying in the bed of the hospital and let those who love you to suffer with you for the rest of life? Of course, you don't.
So, this is the reason for us to love ourselves, not for a selfish reason but for a loving cause. You can not abuse yourself because in your life it binds the love and life of Jesus.
The feeling of being loved is so crucial to human beings and without it we could not even grow healthy. this is why, family violence and abuse often leave a life long shadow to one's soul. As parents, you are not only responsible to love your children, but also teaching them how to give love to others. The experience of being loved by parents is important for the growth of children, but is not all about it. They need to learn how to love others in order to become a mature and noble person. If a child only know how to receive love in his life, he will definitely become a selfish, self-centered person later on. So, how to make others also experience the feeling of being loved is actually of saving others.
Thus, the message of the resurrection is so clear to us: we should learn to value ourselves because Jesus has died for this; and we need, in the same way, bring others the feeling of being loved, because this is the heaven that Jesus brought into the world.
God Bless!
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