Easter Blessings from the Marist Brothers Center in Esopus

I enjoyed an early walk to the river this morning to watch the night become day and welcome into my life the hope that Jesus has risen and that we must live in hope. As I reflected on the journey of Jesus during these Holy days, many thoughts came to my mind. As we celebrated the liturgy of Holy Thursday, the annual ritual of the washing of the feet could not take place because of Covid restrictions. That ritual has always been my favorite part of the Tridiuum as it reminds us of how Jesus calls each of us to be true servant leaders. It was the only time that Jesus ever symbolically put on any vestment and the vestment that he chose to put on during that Last Supper was an apron. We too are called to be similar servants and must likewise embrace a church of the apron. 

As I walked the stations of the cross on Friday around our Brothers’ cemetery with my fellow Brothers and Lay Marists, I prayed in particular for three groups of people. First, as we reflected on the first station of Jesus being condemned, I thought about the countless children on our borders who have been condemned and separated from their families and placed in temporary prisons and other detention centers. Why should such innocent young children have to suffer this cruelty?

At the fifth station, when Simon helps Jesus carry his cross, I reflected on the many health care workers and first responders who have like Simon helped carry the terrible cross of Covid and walk with so many who have suffered and died from it. So many of these heroes will never known for the courageous and loving acts they performed over this past year, but they have witnessed for all of us how the gospel can be lived in one’s daily life.

Finally at the twelfth when remember Jesus’ death on the cross, I recalled the names of so many connected to our Marist Province that have died from the cross that Covid continues to be in our world. Later that day, I prayed at the graves of three of our Brothers buried in our cemetery who each died from Covid. Rest In Peace dear Bob, Gene and Don.

Yesterday during my morning walk, I prayed for so many in our world who face daily despair and wait in hope for signs of New Life. Our Homeless Brothers and Sisters so often are folks that daily live in a somewhat re-occurring tomb and wait for their heavy stones to be pushed back so that they might once again enjoy life.

But this morning as I watched the brilliant sunrise colors reflect and dance upon the Hudson River, I was only filled with hope and peace knowing our Lord truly is alive and walks with each of us. Let us live and be the Easter message of hope to all we know in the days ahead. Let us try to be a small flashlight in an often dark world. Let our song be one of rejoicing and Alleluia as we have so much to be grateful for in our lives.