Apostolic Marathon Training Continues on beyond the Cross: From Empty Tomb to Pentecost

Gaudete! Quia nunc Christus resurrexit a mortuis primitiae dormientium! Alleluia!

Christ has died, as our Paschal Lam, so that God’s judgement at that time could pass over us….and, with a heavy heart, we gathered at the foot of the Cross on Good Friday to kiss that empty Cross  – the Cross, from which Jesus’s corpse was removed.   In the very early morning, while it was still dark, of the third day from his death on the Cross, he has risen!  Lord Jesus Christ has risen to conquer death so that we sing, “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?”  (1 Corinthians 15:55) and the eternal life that he promised (i.e John 10:27-28). Therefore, let us rejoice because Christ is risen now and lives among us and in each of us! Alleluia!

It is Easter now.  During these 50 joyful days, we experience the unfolding effects of the Resurrection gradually but increasingly.

Now, we are experiencing the risen Christ living among  us in ekklesia and his presence in us makes our hearts burning, like the two disciples in Emmaus (Luke 24:32).  As our hearts on fire, we are on the phase II of our marathon training during the Eastertide – so that we can start our apostolic marathon on Pentecost.  The Easter marathon training (Phase II) , which starts from the empty tomb, is the continuation of the Lenten marathon training (Phase I), which started on Ash Wednesday and lead us to the Cross, through Via Dolorosa.

With the Cross as the climax, completing Jesus’ public ministry, the empty tomb of Jesus symbolizes the consummation of the Paschal Mystery.  While the Cross symbolizes the death of the Lord, and the empty tomb represents the Resurrection of the Lord. For us, the Cross is the crossroads of God’s salvific chesed to us and our agape for each other. God’s everlasting chesed (i.e. Psalm 136) is represented with the vertical line of the Cross, while our mutual agape, which reflects Mandatum Novum of Jesus (John 13:34), is represented  with the horizontal line of the Cross.  

Now, we have passed Via Dolorosa, which ended with the Cross, as we have done with the Phase I of our apostolic marathon training during Lent.  Having passed the Cross and moved to the empty tomb, we have started the Phase II of our marathon training.

As we continue our apostolic marathon training until Pentecost (actually taking it easy from the day of Ascension), being more empowered by the risen Christ in us, keeping our hearts burning with passion. With our hearts on fire, carrying our cross is no longer as heavy as it used.  Like the tomb was emptied, so did our heart emptied ego. Therefore, we can run much lighter now.

Let us keep running with our zeal for our apostolic marathon! Let us run joyfully, shouting, “Alleluia!”, as our Lord has risen! Let us run strong as we are entitled to eternal life!