Rev. Fr. Nigel Camarines: Allow the risen Christ to live in us

April 17, 2022 by No Comments

EASTER Sunday was celebrated on April 17 with the religious significance centered on the risen Christ in Bacolod City.The Holy Week commenced with Palm Sunday and ended with Easter Sunday.Catholics and Protestants attended their respective masses and service to listen to the sermons of priests and pastors.But many also went to the beach and other mountain resorts to celebrate Easter Sunday and be part of the Easter egg hunt.But Rev. Fr. Nigel Camarines of the Diocese of Bacolod in his sermon highlighted the sacred relevancy of the risen Christ that symbolizes repentance from sins and living as a newly cleansed and redeemed human being.He said he had seen various photos posted on social media showing beautiful religious carriages that carried images of Jesus Christ, Mama Mary and other figures that were important in the observance of the Holy Week.Many people outside of Bacolod have attended the processions and other religious events, he said.But above the beautiful faces and smiles, there were also posts of sad people, especially those in Leyte wherein a family member or friend have died due to the landslides. People cried for those victims of the typhoon, he also said.“How can I preach about the risen Lord to those people who lost a member or members of the family, whose lives were taken by the wrath of the typhoon?” the priest asks, referring to the recent onslaught of typhoon Agaton.Further, he said that it can be reflected in the sadness of Mary Magdalene when she went to the tomb of Jesus Christ and saw the huge stone that covered the entrance to the tomb was already opened.“She never imagined that Jesus Lord has risen and could not understand the scripture that the Lord has risen from the dead,” Camarines said, adding that Mary Magdalene went to the tomb because of her terrible sadness of losing a friend who saved her.“She just wants to check on what is still needed at the tomb of her friend and Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene in her feeling of loss and sadness,” he stressed.He added, “The risen Lord could have shown himself to the Chief Priest or Pontious Pilate. But he chose Mary Magdalene who was grieving in the face of darkness.”He urges the Catholics to likewise pray to the Lord to spiritually appear in us, especially amid the sadness, and the apparent dominance of fake news in the virtual world; the current happenings in our country and our lives today.“As sons and daughters of God, it is a challenge for us to carry the significance and value of the risen Christ in us and to our community,” he stressed.Addressing the Catholic faithful who attended the Easter mass at the San Sebastian Cathedral, Camarines said, “Let us spread the good news regarding the risen Christ and allow him to live in us and the community be it in the real or virtual world.”He noted that the first Easter morning happened in the middle of darkness and silence, hence it is important to observe and make a difference.In closing, he said, “Let us beg the Lord to inspire us by having the risen Christ in us and extending the same to our brothers and sisters (and) let’s have a life and a character that shows the risen Christ in us.”Aside from that, he called on everyone to be kind, loving, giving, and forgiving to one another beginning this day.

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