Dear brothers!
The broad panorama of the history of salvation, which unfolds the readings of the Easter Vigil, begins with the story of the creation of the world as good, holy full place for all to live. Then we are reminded of Abraham and his unshakable faith in the guidance of God, to the liberation of Israel from Egypt and the gift of freedom from slavery and suffering and the hopes of the Prophets for a healed, blessed and liberated future with God. This story of faith and anticipation is a preparation and even foresight on the Gospel of the empty tomb, into which it ends: “Jesus is risen!” (MK 16/1-6). Salvation is God’s wonderful confirmation of the faith of so many generations and his response to the desire of the people.
We are in a world that is shaken by war, by persecution and expulsion, by hatred and violence, by hunger and death. For too many people, this salvation does not seem to exist anymore. The creation suffers less from the exploitation and takes the resources that belong to all. In the newsletter of our Pope – ‘ Laudato Si’ instructions are given for preservation of all people including the future of our children.
The creation account at the beginning of the book of Genesis tells of how God overcomes the chaos and brings light in the darkness as he arranges the Cosmos according to fixed rules and makes the Earth perfect as planned. So he wants to put a hopeful statement: God is the creator, who is opposed to the hostile and threatening elements, he carries and receives all life in every moment, even in the present and the future. The creation in itself, the well-ordered and again for “good”, “very good”, a huge house of life for humans, animals and plants , is the obvious commitment that God wants life and salvation – and that he has the power to enforce Salvation. His word is enough to make what he wants become the reality. Therefore, he will not withdraw and revoke the promise of salvation to Israel – despite all doubts and against the evidence.
Also the target where it culminates after the report shows that the whole creation alone has the purpose to enforce God’s salvation: The seventh day, the Sabbath, is the completion of the work of creation. Everything created finds its fulfilment in the constantly repeated routine and busyness, not in work and productivity, and not exhausted in his commercial value: it is made to participate in the peace of God, from being purposeless to being with him. So its fulfillment with God all the time. The observance of the Sabbath since the time of the exile is the ultimate sign of commitment to YHVH – Israel the fulfillment of creation is the critically acclaimed experience week after week.
God wants us as his workers for his salvation in our world. We are jointly responsible for the fact that many – perhaps all people of our Earth – share in his salvation, which he has donated for us all through the salvation on the cross. It is up to us to create the conditions that the Church’s social teaching are promoted with the leaders of the States and of the economy in our society. That would be the mission, the order for us in Unum Omnes, just after 70 years since our establishment.
The Easter Vigil is our celebration of the final completion of this fullness of life that is donated for the Genesis in the order of creation. We are working with it. The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is God’s powerful loving commitment that our temporality has reached its target in the eternity of new life.
May this experience of a gracious celebration of the Easter Vigil strengthen our faith!
Seamus Mc Donald KSG, Secretary General, FIHC Unum Omnes.