Crystal Clear
| After living in Chile for two years as a seminarian, the Columban Fathers brought me home to finish my preparations for the priesthood, and I was ordained in St. Mary’s Cathedral in Fall River, Massachusetts, on September 18th, 1982.
A few days before my ordination, I noticed in the local hometown newspaper that a group of factory workers were going to march in the town parade that year, carrying signs promoting the forming of a union for the workers at a local safety-eyewear factory.
I knew what working conditions were like there, from several summer jobs I spent at the company. More importantly, …now I could see, in a way that I couldn’t before.
My time in Chile had given God the opportunity to heal my sight in many matters, I found—especially regarding the rights and dignity of the working man and woman, which were violently repressed during the Pinochet dictatorship then in power. |
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| I wrote a letter to the editor of the local newspaper giving the event my full support, quoting from St. John Paul II’s then brand-new Encyclical Laborem Exercens, and reactions were not long in coming. Like the man born blind in today’s Gospel, I found a flurry of both support and criticism in response. My parents, too, defended me to their friends and other people in my home parish and town—my Mom had a certificate in religious education for many years, and could easily quote from the 1891 Encyclical on the workers’ movement of St. Leo XIII, Rerum Novarum. I continued to support the union organizers until I returned to Chile a few months later. Incredibly, we are still friends today.
May we allow Christ to heal our sight, and to see all things, situations and people as God sees them, whatever the reactions around us may be. |
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Notes on the Readings
First Reading – Acts of the Apostles 10:34a, 37-43: Peter preaches about Jesus of Nazareth who was anointed by God “with the Holy Spirit and power.” He continues by telling the story of how Jesus became our Savior and then how Peter and the apostles were commissioned as witnesses. For these reasons, Peter preaches to spread the Good News to all who will listen. We are today’s preachers who do so by word and example.
Responsorial Psalm – Psalm: 118: 1-2,16-17, 22-23: Alleluia, indeed! All that we have and all that we are is due to God’s love and mercy. Jesus has opened the gates of heaven; the stone has been rolled away. No one will be excluded if she or he lives the Gospel values that Jesus lived for and taught us.
Second Reading – Colossians 3:1-4: This reading must be read with wisdom. This earth is where we are missioned so that the kingdom of God can be a reality. But thinking of what exists for those who believe, allows us to focus on the eternal reality which is life in glory with Jesus Christ.
Gospel – John 20:1-9: What a beautiful Easter story! Mary of Magdala, a woman, is the first to seek Jesus after his death according to St. John. It was still dark: not only the natural darkness of early morning, but the darkness of not knowing where the Body of Jesus was. The tomb is empty so she must tell those who were Jesus’ friends and followers. And even though they did not have an explication for the risen Christ, they believed. What a challenge for us. After so many centuries we do believe that Jesus rose from the dead; but is our faith strong enough that we can accept the journey of the Sacred Triduum in our lives?
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Notes and Commentary by Sr. Nancy Schramm, OSF. Sr. Nancy is a past-president of the USCMA and currently serves in a small rural parish. She also serves her religious community on various committees. She is a spiritual director and translates for other groups in Portuguese.
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Please pray for the missions,
May God bless you in all the ways you Go Forth…
