The Reason for Our Joy & Gladness, Even Now
Apr 21, 2020
Matthew Brown
Eastertide is upon us! And for that, we should be immensely glad!
But, let’s be honest: this particular season of Easter has been very different compared to the usual springtime outings and gatherings with family after Sunday Mass. I don’t think that I am speaking for myself only when I say that being glad has been a difficult task. No matter where we look there seems to be more bad news due to the coronavirus pandemic, and the inability to attend sacred Mass – such an important part of the Catholic faith – has at times left me feeling morose, agitated, and to be frank, a little lost.
There are moments in times like these that cause me to wonder, “How would the Apostles view or react to what is going on?” When reading the Gospels, one can see how anxious the Apostles were leading up to Easter Sunday. They must have been thinking, “What’s going to happen to our Lord? What does that mean for us, as followers of Jesus Christ?” They were anxious, worried, and unsure of the future. I can imagine that in-between Good Friday and the Resurrection the Apostles also felt morose, agitated, and probably a little lost.
In Matthew 6:25, Christ asserts, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat (or drink), or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?” It is so easy in the world that we currently live in to constantly worry about the future. Imagine how worried and scared the Apostles must have felt after the crucifixion of our Lord. Worries and anxiety will never go away; they are, unfortunately, a part of our world. However, we as Christians were not made for Holy Saturday, we were made for Easter Sunday! Of course, it is important to remember that we must live through Good Friday and Holy Saturday to get to the Resurrection of our Lord on Easter Sunday.
Right now, like the Apostles, we are anxious, worried, and unsure of the future. We are called to put our anxiety and fears at the foot of the Cross, knowing that there is hope through the Resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Though the coronavirus has left many of us homebound and unable to attend Mass, very soon we will be able to encounter the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. We cannot move time. We must wait and have patience. And, as Christ reminds us to not worry about our lives, He calls us still further to renew ourselves in Him with patience, love, and joy.
For that, we should be immensely glad!
Mr. Matthew Brown is the Director of Admissions & Financial Aid at St. Bernard’s School of Theology and Ministry in Rochester, NY. Much of Mr. Brown’s professional experience is in higher education. Mr. Brown earned his Bachelor of Arts in Politics from The Catholic University of America and is currently pursuing a Master of Public Administration from SUNY Brockport. Mr. Brown is happily married to his wife, Andrea, who also works in the field of higher education. They are both converts to the faith and entered the Church back in 2011.