Easter is a time of heartfelt rejoicing celebrating the Lord’s Resurrection. The triumphant “Resurrection of Jesus is the crowning truth of our faith in Christ, a faith believed and lived as the central truth by the first Christian community.” (CCC, 638) By the death of Christ, he liberates us from the darkness of sin, and by His resurrection, he has given us new life – a life to live in His light. As Saint Paul wrote in his letter to the Ephesians (5:8), “For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light –”
Pagsibol – a Filipino term meaning rising, dawning, blooming, or growth – is a word that is attributed to life, particularly new life. In Christ’s rising from the dead, a new life has dawn to us. We have been reborn to the light of the Sun of Justice that never sets (Malachi 4:2), we have found salvation in Christ, our Lord.
In the Gospel, significant events that point to the mystery of the Resurrection of Jesus happened during the dawn, the first appearance of light in the morning. The Angel appeared to the women who went to the tomb at dawn on the first day of the week proclaiming Christ has risen. (Luke 24:1, Matthew 28:1) However, at dawn, the light is not yet fully revealed. It was still dark. (John 20:1) This darkness perhaps suggests grief and perplexity, a darkness that is to be transformed at sunrise.
The Risen Lord eventually revealed Himself to His disciples and they have experienced enlightenment, an event suggestive of the revelation of the reign of the Light of the world. In the Gospel of John, Christ appeared to His disciples who went on fishing in the Sea of Tiberias after daybreak. (John 21:1-14) Figuratively, sunrise is the reign of the the Son of God, the Sun that never sets. The revelation of the True Light is an encounter that transforms lives.
The empty tomb concurring with the setting of the dawn to sunrise symbolically tells us that the True Light has conquered the darkness of death. Our rebirth to a new life in light. In embracing the Light of Christ, we embrace life in Him – we share in His mission to be the light of the world.
The very same Light is the one that gives life.
Sa Muling Pagkabuhay ni Kristo, sumilay sa atin ang walang hanggang liwanag at sumibol ang isang bagong buhay na sa kanya lamang matatagpuan.
pagsibol experience
As we seek to follow Jesus, we are aware that there are areas of our life which the light has not yet penetrated. And there is darkness in our world – lies, oppression, violence and injustice. As we journey together in this Easter season celebrating the Joy of Christ’s resurrection, we meditate on Christ’s Light. We come before Him renewing our identity as a child of Light. So that with more fervent faith and love, we respond to His call to reflect to others the His light, bringing healing and freedom.
the via lucis
The Via Lucis, or the Way of Light, is a prayer devotion which celebrates the fourteen events from the New Testament that are attributed to the Resurrection of Jesus. It resembles the Via Crucis (Way of the Cross), where at each station a reflection and a prayer are observed to bring the participants fully into the contemplation of the Risen Lord.
Program Dynamics:
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It shall take place for fourteen (14) consecutive days corresponding to fourteen (14) stations of the Via Lucis.
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The daily program shall consist of prayers, Gospel reading, reflection in the form of music, arts or drama, and journal activity.
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The use of arts and music is suggested to reinforce the reflective process.
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For the reflection, it will be through the use of either music, arts, or drama with duration of one (1) minute.