As a Christian, Holy Week and the Easter season plunge me into the midst of the Paschal Mystery: the fact of Jesus’ passion, death, resurrection and sending of the Holy Spirit. We follow Jesus on Holy Thursday at the Last Supper as He shares in table fellowship with His disciples, calling them friends, and giving to them and to all who believe His Body and Blood in the Eucharist. He says, “This is my body which is given for you all,” and “This is my blood of the new covenant which will be poured out for you all. Do this in remembrance of me.” Ever since, when we share in the Eucharist, we share in communion with Christ and with one another.
He never leaves us.
Then we enter into His crucifixion and death on Good Friday, as Jesus shoulders the suffering, abandonment and loneliness of everyone who suffers abandonment, loneliness or death. His greatest suffering was not merely physical, but it was His taking on the suffering of the world. As the French mathematician and philosopher Blaise Pascal said, “Jesus will be in agony until the end of time.” He takes upon Himself the sufferings of all so that no one will ever need to be alone in their suffering and death. Jesus then descends among the dead on Holy Saturday to bring into the kingdom of heaven all those who followed God the best that they could and who loved their neighbor.
Jesus’ resurrection on Easter and His appearances to His disciples over the next 40 days assure us that suffering and death are not the end, but that there is hope of new life. Jesus is the Paschal Lamb, who offers Himself for us to destroy sin and death. Finally, Jesus sends the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. The Holy Spirit is the Comforter, the source of love. As the First Letter of John tell us, “God is love, and whoever lives in love, lives in God and God in him.”
All of the medical personnel, therapists, cleaning and maintenance staffs, chaplains and others serving on the front lines of this pandemic are in some way united to the love of God because of their love for those they serve. God recognizes them and they will not be lacking a reward.
All those in my parish who pray for the sick and the deceased, their families, the medical workers and everyone who cares for others are also part of the community of love. Those in the parish who support Second Harvest or Urban Ministries or other local shelters with their time and money, or who work in hospitals or nursing homes, follow the same Jesus who washed the feet of His disciples. They serve and assist in love and are the hands, feet and voice of Christ in the world.
In the service of love, we die to ourselves, and in this self-transcendence we discover meaning and enter into the peace of God.
Yes, I have found comfort in these tragic times, just as Christians have found comfort over the past 2,000 years in times of persecution, war, famine or plague. God has not abandoned us. The message of love that Jesus incarnated in His life, death and resurrection fosters hope and brings new and eternal life.
Jesuit Father John Michalowski is parochial vicar of St. Peter Church in Charlotte. This commentary is adapted from remarks he gave at an interfaith dialogue May 6 sponsored by Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center, moderated by a chaplain from the medical center. He joined with religious leaders from Buddhist, Jewish and Muslim traditions to answer the question: “How have you found comfort in your faith tradition during this time of pandemic/high holidays?”