April 2017 | Easter Volume XV | Issue 4 | Rs.150 Per Annum Theological Education and Ministerial Formation 2 EDITOR’S DESK Resurrection: The Celebration of Hope he resurrection of Christ, Jesus just man who went about doing only God awakens us to a world of new being raised from the dead, good. The world around them had possibilities which we never thought Tchanged the lives of the disciples crumbled and they were bewildered with existed and resurrects us to be a new of Jesus. Those who believed that death a sense of emptiness. With the news of the creation. was ultimate, were taught to look beyond stone being rolled away at Jesus' tomb, death, those who spoke only of the end, they found themselves in a disturbing new In John's Gospel, on listening to Mary were taught the language of eternity, world where anything was possible. The Magdalene's narration, Peter and the those who were confined to the message of Jesus' resurrection is a sprout beloved disciple began a r un of boundaries of the finite limitations of of imagination, a bud of new possibilities, exploration and research, of stopping, time and space were enabled to imagine a shoot that promises a great new stooping and peering into the tomb, that the infinity, those who were assured of beginning. left them amazed. Whereas Simon Peter mortality were helped to envision could see the strips of cloth and the piece immortality. The resurrection of Jesus In the resurrection narratives, on the third of cloth that had been used to cover Jesus' which continues to transform the day, the women led by Mary Magdalene face, both rolled up and kept in a place, he community of believers today, is the dawn went to the tomb with perfumes for could not look beyond the tomb. of new hope unlimited, of immortality embalming, but they were in for a However, it is said that the beloved and life eternal. Easter is the celebration surprise: a strong earthquake and the disciple, when he saw it, he believed that of hope. stone being rolled away and they could Jesus was risen. Hope is looking beyond meet up with an angel of the Lord what is seen; perceiving and recognizing The resurrection story is a narrative of (Mt.28:6). The angel corrected their the significance of what is seen. It is completely unexpected, utter surprises, perspective “Why do you look for the believing in seeing the unseen and the and therefore one of shock, disorientation living among the dead?” (Lk.24:5). Hope conviction of things not seen. and chaos. A close reading of the is about correcting our perspective, it is resurrection narratives informs us that the about awakening to God's surprise. It is Mary Magdalene in her encounter with disciples never really believed that their about recognizing the reality and learning the risen Jesus, when he revealed himself Lord would return from the dead; they to channel all our energies and strength in to her, wanted to hold on to Jesus. But were sorrowful, fearful of their future, the right place and direction. God does Jesus commanded her not to hold on to puzzled by the mystery of the death of a new things and helps us to look forward. him (Jn.20:17). It is in letting loose what www.csisynod.com |April2017 03 we cherish, what we love most, that we When the doors were shut, as the fear for remembering the scars of the past, we find greater things, we are empowered to their lives engulfed the disciples, the risen celebrate the new life in the present. Hope envision a new world. Mary began to Lord appeared to them. They had interprets the past, gives new meaning to proclaim, “I have seen the Lord” perceived themselves to be secure within the present, and makes the future (Jn.20:18). Only in letting go, are our lives the walls of a closed room. (Jn.20.19) The contemporary. transformed and we begin to celebrate coming of the risen Lord into the midst of new life. Only in letting go, we see a new the frightened and imprisoned disciples, When the disciples, seven of them future breaking in, the promise of renewal taught them the fallacy of their concept of ventured into the sea and toiled all night encountering us and enabling us to security. The risen Lord helped them to but caught nothing, the risen Lord came celebrate in hope. Hope is seeing with understand the need to go beyond walls to meet them in their workplace, near new eyes, recognising and responding to and barriers, and find security not in the their fishing boat and challenged them to the familiar, yet demanding voice and closed-ness, but in the openness. Hope is cast their nets on the other side of the boat being filled with the surprising and the celebration of the promise of freedom (Jn.21:4-6). The hope of resurrection liberating power of life in all its fulness. and joy in the midst of fear, doubt and comes to meet us in the spheres of our despair. As the peace of the risen Lord workplace, when we are tired, when we As two of Jesus' disciples were going to the encompassed them, they were filled with do not reap the benefits of our toil. When village of Emmaus, a stranger joins them in courage and strength to face the we have no perspective, hope comes as a their journey as an accompanier. He challenges of barriers and exclusion, to call to look at our work, at our toil challenges them with a question, “What break the chains of bondage and slavery differently: to understand the other side. are you discussing together as you walk and demolish the walls of separation and Hope surprises us with the unexpected along?” and “What are you so concerned struggle against hardship and oppression and makes us to recognize the one who about?” (Lk.24:17). The dimness of vision, born of injustice. The power that the risen encounters, accompanies and provides us the dullness of mind and the coldness of Lord breathed on them empowered them with new perspectives in our workplace. heart obscure our sight and understanding. to be a forgiven and a forgiving As the risen Lord prepared a breakfast for A t t i m e s, o u r c o - p i l g r i m s a n d community, (Jn.20.23) a community built his tired, but excited disciples on the accompaniers help us to analyse the on new relationships based on love, mercy shore, it gave a foretaste of the coming meaning of the happenings around us. and justice. Hope is the dawn of a new reign of the risen Lord. In the hope of the They help us to look into the things we are world community. resurrection, we hear the rumbling of a concerned with from a new perspective, new life, in the midst of the struggles of from an objective view of an outsider and Thomas, the disciple who was ready to go the poor and oppressed, coming upon us thus helps us to understand their meaning with Jesus to Jer usalem and die to transform us, manifesting the power of and significance. Hope is understanding (Jn.11:16), was doubtful and insecure in the broken body in the wounded and the designs behind and the designs that his faith as he heard of the resurrection broken communities. evolve. In our analysis, we begin to discern experience from the other disciples. He a new future, a new hope emerges and we wanted a living proof, a sign, and to put In our daily struggles may we be given encounter a new world. The stranger, as he his finger on Jesus' wounds. (Jn.20.25) As grace to encounter and recognise the risen sat down at the village of Emmaus, the risen Lord appeared and offered him Lord, and may we be blessed to turn each through the act of breaking of the bread, the proof, Thomas exclaimed “My Lord day into a celebration of Hope! provided them an epiphany: a new world and my God” (Jn.20:28). The episode broke in, a new vision was given. It is reminds us that the resurrection does not astonishing how in the very ordinary, we promise a world without scars. Instead, Rev. Dr D. Rathnakara Sadananda suddenly see a glimpse of God. Discerning the scars of suffering and pain are borne General Secretary, CSI the extraordinary and encountering the along with the joys. Hope is celebrating epiphany moment in simple and ordinary the promise of life everlasting in the midst symbols of our life, is hope. of the scars of sin, decay and death. In 04 April2017| www.csisynod.com EASTER: CELEBRATING LIFE! CELEBRATING VOICES The Most Rev. Thomas K. Oommen, Moderator, CSI & Bishop in Madhya Kerala Diocese t is interesting to note that Easter, Ultimately these oppressive structures, through this year, falls on April 16, 2017, crucifixion, tried to 'silence' Jesus Himself; but He Iwhich in fact is the 'World Voice emerged victorious over them, and this, we Day' established as a special day of celebrate this victory as 'Easter'. awareness, recognition, and celebration of the human voice. On this day, in Easter thus reminds us of the victory of life over order to share the excitement of voice, death, where death is not just a physiological various global choral concerts and talks are reality but also a sociological category, vis-a-vis, organised.