Lent 2020 Catholic Volunteer Network and Catholic Apostolate Center Lenten Guide 2020 | Page 10

By Deirdre Kleist, Amate House
“They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where
they put him.” (John 20:1-9)
In the words of Saint Augustine, “We are an Easter people and Alleluia is our song.” Not just today, or just this
season, but each and every day, we are called to be an “Easter people” – a people enlivened by the joy of the truth
of the Resurrection. And yet, the reality of the Christian life is that it can often be marked by loneliness, sorrow, and
uncertainty. Reading today’s Gospel is a great reminder that in those first moments after discovering the empty
tomb, the disciples were steeped in grief after the death of their friend and leader, bewildered by His mysterious
disappearance. And yet, the Gospel writer tells us that even though they “did not yet understand,” they “saw and
believed.”
In my life as a volunteer with Amate House, there were many times that it was a challenge to be a good Christian
witness living the joy of the Resurrection. Daily in my own work I encountered people who were on the brink of
eviction, or who were facing time in prison, or who were separated from their children and losing hope in ever
reuniting. My housemates too would bring home stories of students going hungry and communities torn apart by
gun violence. And yet there we were, together in community, left to attest to the truth that even in the darkness,
the light of Christ cannot be extinguished; even in sorrow beyond understanding, there is hope for new life.
Without fully understanding the mystery, we place our hope in the God who loves us, who transforms us, and who
overcomes.
One of the greatest gifts of living simply is the way
it naturally leads to building community.
By living simply, we have the chance to share more
deeply with one another, and to expand our
community.
Simple living gives us the chance to stand with one
another in candid, authentic vulnerability like the
disciples in today’s Gospel - waiting together in
hope.
Risen Lord,
As the disciples found your empty tomb,
Without fully understanding,
They believed.
Grant me this same deep-rooted hopefulness,
This faith beyond explanation,
This trust in your love and your promise.
Fill me with the joy of your Resurrection,
Your invitation to new life,
Such that I must run to share the Good News.
I pray this in Your Holy Name,
Amen.
This Easter season, find new ways to be a beacon of hope for others you encounter. Whether it’s buying a cup of
coffee for a stranger, packing a kit of essentials for a person experiencing homelessness, or writing a letter to
someone who might feel lonely or disconnected. Share the good news of Christ and the hope of the Resurrection by
practicing some personal sacrifice, spreading joy, inspiring hope, and by upholding the dignity of others by bridging
connections with the community of all humanity.
Easter Sunday | 2020