The cross, the suffering, the disease that surrounds us must be experienced through Christ and thus they will become precious symbols of grace and blessing, says Cardinal Lucian, Major Archbishop of the Romanian Church United with Rome, Greek-Catholic, in the pastoral sermon sent to clergy and believers on the occasion of Easter.
Greek-Catholic believers celebrate Easter on Sunday.
"We are living through hard moments, of suffering, of disease. We are still in a pandemic. Black Friday seems to prolong, but we know it will not be greater than the Day of Resurrection. The cross, the suffering, the disease which surrounds us must be experienced through Christ, and thus they will become precious symbols of grace and blessing. The cross, from a sign of punishment and of shame, becomes for the apprentices of The Resurrected One a sign of glorification and of victory. Black Sunday, with the passions of the Lord, with the pain and agony of Jesus, becomes a celebration in light and and in the joyous expectation of the Day of Resurrection. And the Holy Mother, the mother of us all, the Mother of Resurrection, is that who watches and awaits us at the end of this hard trial," said Cardinal Lucian.
He shows that, in this entire extremely hard period, his thoughts and prayers "go especially towards those who were directly afflicted by the disease and suffering: bishops, priests, well-known people, doctors and our faithful believers, but also to those that left this world without being able to receive from those dear to them any comfort."
The Major Archbishop of the Romanian Church United with Rome, Greek-Catholic wishes all Holy and Blessed Celebrations and the traditional "Christ has risen!."