Practice faith everyday, CBCP head says in Easter message

March 31, 2013 8:53am


As Filipinos rejoice in Christ's Resurrection on Easter Sunday, they should also "struggle" to live their faith in "thought, words and deeds," the head of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines said.

In his Easter message, CBCP president and Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma reminded the faithful that "our future resurrection depends on our life of faith today."

"Our rejoicing and gladness today must therefore be paired with a renewed and gladsome struggle to live our faith in thought, words and deeds everyday. And if ever we sin, let is return to God through the Sacrament of Penance, so that we may continuously experience a foretaste of our future resurrection by rising from the grave of sin to a new life of grace," he said.

He also said the faithful should "rejoice and be glad" because Christ's Resurrection "is the crowning truth of our faith in Christ, a faith believed and lived as the central truth by the first Christian community; handed on as fundamental by tradition; established by the documents of the New Testament; and preached as an essential part of the Paschal mystery along with the cross."

The Resurrection "constitutes the confirmation of all Christ’s works and teachings,” he added.

Filipinos celebrated Easter before dawn Sunday with the Salubong, a Filipino tradition reenacting the reunion of the Risen Christ and His Mother Mary.

The Salubong followed the Easter vigil held in various churches Saturday night.

Meanwhile, an Antipolo-based priest reminded Catholics their faith should go beyond Christ's death on Good Friday and extend to His Resurrection at Easter.

San Antonio de Padua parish priest Fr. Jun Meneses noted many people go to church on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, but "disappear" at Easter.

“Hindi tayo natubos dahil namatay si Hesus. Natubos tayo dahil si Hesus ay nagpakasakit, namatay at muling nabuhay,” a CBCP news site article quoted him as saying in his homily at Saturday night's Easter vigil.

At Easter mass, Catholics renew their baptismal vows, faith in Jesus and belief in the Holy Mother Church and reject Satan and his works, the CBCP article added. — LBG, GMA News