Easter is here, and we are invited to joy, hope and abundance. Jesus is risen! God has won the day! Alleluia!
And yet, the beginning of our Easter journey is marked by grief and sorrow as we mourn the death of our beloved Pope Francis. How do we make sense of our Lenten walk and our Easter destination in light of Francis’ return to God?
Let us begin by taking time to process all that has transpired in these days of Lent. We would do well, in fact, to hold our Lenten journey up like a precious gem, inspecting it anew in the light of Easter and particularly in light of Pope Francis’ passing.
And so, I share with you this brief, three-part examen prayer, paired with wisdom from our dear Francis, to accompany you in these early days of Easter.
Give thanks for the journey of Lent.
In his message for Lent, Pope Francis wrote: “God is asking us to examine whether in our lives, in our families, in the places where we work and spend our time, we are capable of walking together with others, listening to them, resisting the temptation to become self-absorbed and to think only of our own needs.” Our Lenten walk, the pope reminds us, was made in community: with God, neighbor and creation.
Call to mind a moment during those forty days of Lent when God felt particularly near. How did that feel? Like a warm embrace? An affirming pat on the back? A cozy blanket? What images come to mind as you think of this moment? Where were you? What were you doing? Was this a moment of intentional, sustained prayer? Or, did God surprise you? Who were you with, or — if you were alone — who was on your mind? Now, call to mind what you did in the moments that followed this consolation. How did you put God’s love into action?
Now, think of a moment during Lent when God felt very far away. Perhaps this moment was spurred on by a personal crisis or a cursory glance at the latest headlines. Perhaps your prayer felt dry and your body tired. Perhaps there was tension in your home, in your muscles, in your relationships, in your heart. Who are the people that helped or can help you move slowly through this period of desolation? What are the rituals — prayer, exercise, conversation and so on — that you turned to or can turn to as a pathway out of these spiritual woods?
As you hold these two moments in your prayer, what is God hoping you will see? Who is God hoping you will notice? What is God inviting you to? How did these moments continue to unfold during Holy Week?
Give thanks for the stories of Holy Week.
Pope Francis wrote in his homily for the Easter vigil: “The Lord’s passage from death to life is not a spectacular event by which God shows his power and compels us to believe in him. For Jesus, it was not the end of an easy journey that bypassed Calvary. Nor should we experience it as such, casually and unthinkingly. On the contrary, the Resurrection is like little seeds of light that slowly and silently come to take root in our hearts, at times still prey to darkness and unbelief.”
During Holy Week, you walked with Jesus as he experienced profound pain, suffering and betrayal, and eventually death. What moment during this week most struck you? Was it Jesus’ humble entry into Jerusalem? His final meal with his friends? His ardent prayer in the garden? His betrayal? His trial? Or any one of the painful stations he passed through while bearing his cross? Which image most resonates with you — and why? Is Jesus inviting you to share in his suffering in some intimate way? Is Jesus reaching out a hand to share in your suffering? Perhaps the image of Pope Francis’ own Holy Week experience with the suffering Jesus offers an invitation to closer encounter with God and God’s people.
As you turn over in your mind your chosen Holy Week image, ask the Holy Spirit to help you feel deeply the pain present in this moment — not just as a story from the distant past but as present-day suffering. Who is Jesus inviting you to go to and offer a word of comfort? Where in this moment in our world do you need to give particular attention?
Rejoice in the light of the Risen Lord!
In reflecting on your Lenten journey and Holy Week pilgrimage, Jesus has shown you a moment of consolation, a moment of desolation and a unique mission given to you to alleviate suffering in our world. Now, give thanks that you do not walk alone; the Risen Lord meets you on the road and walks with you. What do you feel? Fear? Eagerness? Hesitation? Wonder? Worry? Sorrow? Inadequacy? That’s alright. Jesus walks with you in these emotions, too. Invite Jesus to companion you as you wrestle with these feelings. And think of how long Jesus walked with the disciples on the road to Emmaus — how long Jesus walked with them as they journeyed in the wrong direction!
As you set out on your unique Easter path, look around you: Jesus walks with you, of course, but so do so many others! Who are the companions who journey alongside you? How can you, together, cultivate a spirit of Easter joy as you continue the work of realizing God’s great dream for our world?
Think, too, of the great communion of saints, those who have gone before us to God. Pope Francis is now among that number, praying for us, smiling! What can we learn from his final message to the world, his “Urbi et Orbi” for Easter?
Pope Francis wrote: “On this day, I would like all of us to hope anew and to revive our trust in others, including those who are different than ourselves, or who come from distant lands, bringing unfamiliar customs, ways of life and ideas! For all of us are children of God! I would like us to renew our hope that peace is possible!”
Amen. Alleluia. Happy Easter!
