Preparation for the Jubilee of the Virgin of « Caridad del Cobre »
Wishing to live our ‘young’ Easter in the light of preparations for the Jubilee of the Virgin of « Caridad del Cobre », the young people of the diocese of Cienfuegos met once more in an ambiance of joy to proclaim that Jesus Christ, Lord of life and history, is journeying with Cuban youth, here and now.
The first part of the day was spent at the Botanic Garden of Cienfuegos, third in the world in the category of tropical gardens. We also felt that the contact with nature was inviting us spontaneously to peace and harmony with the God of life. We welcomed each of the communities of the centre and the outskirts of the city: Aguada, Abreus, Cumanayagua, Trinidad and the east zone of our diocese.
The central moment of the morning consisted of presenting, in a climate of prayer, Mary’s life project in rapport with that of youth. We believe that the whole life of Mary is a response of love and openness to the action of God. This is how we see her at the Annunciation, the Visitation, in Bethlehem, Nazareth, and Cana, on Calvary, at the Resurrection of her Son and in the life of the first Christian communities.
We had times for sharing our research on a life project: Who am I and what do I want to be? What meaning and value do I want to give to my life? What am I living for? How do I want to spend my life? How does God enter into my life project? What is Mary saying to me for my project?
Mother of the Risen Jesus, teach us to sincerely read
the Gospel and translate it into our life project
with all its unsettling consequences,
in the radical spirit of the beatitudes
and in the total risk of love
which knows how to give its life for those one loves,
in order to rise with your Son to a new life.
Another important moment was the celebration of the eucharist, presided over by our bishop, Mgr Domingo Oropesa, as a community of youth on the move and searching, where the Risen Christ gives himself to us as true food and the bread of everlasting life. The Word of God spoke to us of Christ’s appearance to his Apostles and then to Thomas. This passage shows us the certainty of the Lord’s resurrection and, through the mouth of Thomas himself, expresses the faith of all Christian generations in the risen Christ who continues to say to us: « Do not doubt any more, but only believe ».
As young people, we will only experience the risen Jesus if we return to Galilee to follow him, walking behind him, continuing his cause, since the following of Christ is the only worthy expression of faith in him. For the youth of today, it is in « Galilee » that Jesus continues to walk. It is there that he carries on his cause, the Kingdom of his Father, the cause of the life of the poor. It is there that he continues to share the table and the bread, to give sight back to the blind, to make the dumb speak, putting people on their feet so that they can walk. It is there that he continues to live with the fishermen.
Young people, do not be afraid! We know you are looking for Jesus the Nazarean, the Crucified one. He is risen, so he is not in the empty tomb. Go and tell the youth of Cuba:
Whoever follows Jesus, whoever continues his cause, will see him risen!
He is risen, alleluia!
Jesus is living today!