God makes an election for us!

 During an election campaign, it is easy to miss the wood for the trees. We can be caught up with the various promises and policies that cascade upon us. We can become deaf to the voices we hear or at least tuned in only to what already reaffirms our beliefs. Yet amid all these different points of view, we need to be people who discern what God is saying to our hearts and minds. This is not just about deciding who to vote for, but who we seek to embody our voice in making decisions on our behalf. It calls us to know who the person is and not just what they can do for us. 

When we consider this in the light of Easter, we start to see that God makes an election for us. This is not just about winning us over to God's point of view but rather recognising what it is to give your life for another. On Holy Thursday, we witness a person who seeks to provide us with food for the journey. We are nourished by the person who breaks bread for us and seeks to share His whole self. In the Garden of Gethsemane, we start to see how the human and divine are united in the person of Jesus. He weeps blood for us as he seeks to passionately open up to all that needs to be reconciled within us. On Good Friday, we notice the depth of Jesus' love for us, where the focus is on the person willing to suffer for us and allow us to be healed by His wounds. These threefold elements of nourishment, forgiveness and healing are at the heart of our sacramental life. They embody our encounter with the person of Jesus, who is at the heart of the Paschal mystery.

As we ponder this in the silence of Holy Saturday, we anticipate a new way of living. We seek to discover how to be people who encounter the risen Christ. We no longer seek to live past glories but a present incarnation of Jesus Christ who seeks to accompany us along the way. This is the story of Easter, where Jesus meets us as we seek to live the mission of proclaiming his life to the world. This new reality guides our minds and hearts, where we discover that God makes an election for us!