By Sr Let Bantolinao, PDDM
There is a story of two women who stood before the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. One asked, “Why can’t we build structures like this anymore?” Her friend answered, “The people who built this had faith. Today we have only opinions. And you can’t build a cathedral with opinions.”
Pertinent question, wise answer. This all holds true for our Christian faith, and equally so with life itself – and even with our identity and dignity as persons, especially as women. We might ask: what structures do we build with the opinions that we uphold? Opinions matter. They are important. Yet, they are not enough.
“The 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; 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…” (Catechism of the Catholic Church # 638). In life, even when things do not turn out the way we expect or want, it does not mean that it has no sense at all.
Why do we need to celebrate Easter annually, to recall and welcome the Easter story every year?
Because we quickly feel defeated at the first sign of difficulty, or by any sadness or pain. It is easy to let these moments pass without thinking about their significance in our lives. Each year, we are challenged to be open to the unexpected, to believe beyond our security, to welcome God in every form, and to trust in our own becoming.
As we commemorate Holy Week, let us reflect on the role of women in the Resurrection. In the Philippines, many women migrate for diverse reasons: poverty, deeply-entrenched gender inequalities including sexual and gender-based violence, and lack of access to livelihood and resources. They are always in pursuit of a possible better life not only for themselves but also for their families. A woman is a witness to the tenderness of God for His people because she always has a space in her heart for another.
Life in the risen Christ is about being resilient: having the capacity to bend amidst incredible forces and not break– because Christ has conquered death. Let us look at the way women during Jesus’ time were resilient disciples.
When most of his disciples were hiding, who were commiserating with him as he carried his cross? Luke 23:27 says there were many women weeping – and subsequently, Jesus, bloodied and bruised, raised his eyes to address them, admonishing them not to weep for him but for their children.
As Jesus hung on the cross, who were there, close to him, comforting him with their presence but ultimately, receiving comfort from his words instead? John 19:25 tells us they were his mother Mary and her sister, Mary, the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala.
As Jesus took his last earthly breath, who came as close as they could? According to Mark 15:40-41, “There were also women looking on from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of the younger James and of Joses, and Salome. These women had followed him when he was in Galilee and ministered to him. There were also many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem.”
Remember that the proclamation of the resurrection was entrusted to women – they share not just news but life and hope! In the account of Luke (24:10), aside from Mary Magdalene, there were Joanna, and Mary, the mother of James, and others whose names have been lost.
After Jesus revealed Himself to Mary in the garden (John 20), the energy of life was so palpable like nothing could harm her. Then, she transmitted that incredible energy to the disciples that they tried to “outrun” each other to the tomb.
Why do we need to celebrate Easter annually, to recall and welcome the Easter story every year?
Because we quickly feel defeated at the first sign of difficulty, or by any sadness or pain. It is easy to let these moments pass without thinking about their significance in our lives. Each year, we are challenged to be open to the unexpected, to believe beyond our security, to welcome God in every form, and to trust in our own becoming.
Easter is a faith moment. For women, it may mean any of a number of missions: to continue building up the inner structure of faith in their own dignity independent of the opinion of a dominant few; to dare to reclaim what is unique to a woman’s heart; to share the risen life of Christ is to rise above our fears to proclaim the truth to a world that has long been accustomed to lies and deceit.
No matter who you are, no matter what you’ve done, no matter where you’ve been through: life can begin again. That is what is in store for us as we celebrate Resurrection Sunday!
About the author
Sr Let Bantolinao is on her 34th year as a professed religious, currently in Rome, Italy as formator of the international Novitiate.. She belongs to the congregation the Disciples of the Divine Master, one of the ten institutes comprising the Pauline Family, founded by Blessed James Alberione. She is originally from Cebu City, Philippines.
