He is truly risen, Alleluia!!!!! Here is an experience of our Reverend Deacon Richard Njanje SAC from Whittlesea Pastoral District of this year’s Easter Celebrations. He has this to say:
Easter as it should always come with the Good News that the Lord is risen an the greeting of the day is Alleluia. I have had a number of Easter Celebrations over the years but the one of this year, 2016, was a special one. It was unique for two reasons: it was my first one in the place I assigned to serve, Whittlesea Pastoral District, and secondly it was my first one as the deacon to serve at Easter which gave me an opportunity to baptize 12 children.
After the 40 days (Lenten Season) of the preparation, the Sacred Paschal Triduum which every Catholic was looking forward to finally arrived. It was was quite amazing to see how the faithful, in all the Sacred Paschal Triduum, filled up the St. Gabriel’s Catholic Church at Sada.
Holy Thursday: on this day the church was full with the faithful of all the main STATIONS, Sada, Ekuphumleni and Thornhill together with all the small communities under them. The readings of the day all point to the self-giving and the humility of Christ. On this day we remember in a special way the institution of the Sacraments of the Eucharist and Holy Orders. It is always amazing too think of Christ’s love for humanity. It is in occasions as this that a famous analogy of a pig and a chicken in an egg and bacon business is used in attempt to understand the love of Christ. It is this love that made Christ to give himself totally – His body and Blood; to humble Himself to the point of washing His disciple’s feet; and giving up His life on Good Friday.
Deacon Njanje SAC
As the day came to and end on friday everyone present was deeply touched with the sad memory of how Christ was crucified, this made everyone present to to be in a deep meditation; contemplating the Passion of Christ. The Easter Joy however covered all the grieving of the Good Friday. Christ the light of the world overcam the darkness of Good Friday. The Easter Vigil celebration started at 19h00 at St. Gabriel, Sada. The church was packed, faces of the people of God filled with the Joy of Easter; singing the song of the victory – the Gloria. The message to take home was ‘Christ is the Light of the world and as followers of Christ we ought to have our lights lit to dispel darkness in the world.’ Each one of us should always as themselves if their Easter light is still lighting.
