Rome (Italy). The Mother General of the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, Sr. Chiara Cazzuola, sends a message to the FMA, the Educating Communities, and the Salesian Family, wishing a Holy Easter of Hope.
Dearest Sisters,
the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus, victorious over suffering and death, is a call to hope, especially in this historical moment in which humanity seems to have lost its bearings on the path of life.
Sometimes, we too are seized almost by a sense of bewilderment and helplessness in the face of violence, war, the dramatic consequences of climate change, the increase in poverty…
My attention pauses this Easter on Mary of Magdala, a woman who, after meeting Jesus, follows Him faithfully to the point of making Him her only reason for living.
John places her at the center of Chapter XX of his Gospel: on the day after the Sabbath, a woman goes alone to the tomb, before dawn, when it was still dark, made intrepid by her love and yearning desire for the Beloved. It is she who sees the stone rolled away from the sepulcher and runs to alert the apostles. We know the following text: Peter and John run together, enter the empty tomb, see and believe, but return home again.
Mary still remains alone in front of the empty sepulcher and weeps. Her personal suffered and passionate itinerary is accomplished through these tears. “Woman why are you crying? Who are you looking for?”.
Mary seeks the One she believes she has lost.
Only at the sound of the voice calling her by name does she shake off her pain, “Teacher! My Lord!”.
But the call immediately becomes an invitation to the mission: “Do not hold on to me; go to my brothers”.
It seems to me that this text is a good guide for us. In the moments in which we have the impression of being immersed in the darkness and grayness of things that are always the same, the hope of life pierces our uncertainties and gives us back the joy of the journey. It redeems us from the ‘shadows’ of history and illuminates our face; it sends us back to life to make it a place of resurrection. The encounter with the Risen Jesus transforms darkness into light, tears into hope, fear into courage; go to my brothers and proclaim…
Cardinal Kasper wrote, “The response to the ‘signs of the times’ will be prophetic, charismatic, holy women whom we hope God will give us. Charisms cannot be planned and organized; most of the time they arrive unexpectedly and often differently from how we had imagined them. Perhaps today, we again need a woman like Mary of Magdala, who on Easter morning woke the Apostles from their lethargy and set them in motion”.
We too are called like Mary of Magdala to wake up the world, to proclaim that Jesus is Risen, and with Him everything has a meaning, a reason, a hope. “I have seen the Lord!” (Jn 20:18).
With these sentiments, I wish a holy Easter to you dear sisters, to your family members, the Rector Major Fr. Ángel Fernández Artime, the Salesian confreres, the young people, the lay people and lay collaborators and friends, also on behalf of the Councilors.
I greet you with affection and assure you all of our prayers.
Roma, 9 April 2023
Sr. Chiara Cazzuola
Superior General of the FMA Institute
Grazie mille Madre Chiara, che la luce di Cristo Risorto resti nelle nostre vite. Fateci sapere annunciate le belle notizie!!
Grazie Madre per gli auguri pieni di speranza che ci spingono ad andare avanti nonostante tutto.
Possa Cristo risorto rinovarci nel nostro quotidiano. Con affetto!
Buona Pasqua da l’Ispettoria AFO
Grazie Madre Chiara per il bellissimo messaggio. Al mio augurio, unisco quello delle sorelle della mia Comunita’ della Casa Ispettoriale (del Sud Africa-Lesotho-Zambia), anziane e ammalate, con la promessa della preghiera continua per le sue intenzioni, i bisogni dell’Ístituto e di ogni consorella.
Thank you Mother Happy Easter 🐣 to you
Feliz Pascua de Resurrección! Querida Madre Chiara, Jesús nuestra Paz y nuestra Esperanza ha resucitado y camina con su pueblo, con él la vida tiene sentido a pesar de las oscuridades que quieren opacar el mundo.
Querida Madre,
A Comunidade Maria Auxiliadora de Campo Grande, MS, Brasil, agradece a significativa mensagem de Páscoa! Com esperança por um mundo melhor!
Feliz Pascoa!
Grazie Madre del tuo messaggio, il Signore ci doni di annunciare con la nostra vita la Sua Risurrezione e di dare speranza a tanti giovani. Tanti auguri anche a nome delle sorelle dell’Ispettoria sicula “Madre Morano”, il nostro augurio è preghiera riconoscente per te e per le sorelle del Consiglio Generale. BUONA PASQUA!
Con affetto Sr Angela Maria
Carissima Madre,
anche se siamo molto avanti negli anni e non conosciamo tanto il web, non può mancare il nostro augurio di gratitudine nel sito dell’Istituto. Abbia sempre la certezza di avere un titolo bancario di preghiera e di sacrificio intestato a suo nome presso la nostra comunità di suore anziane ed ammalate della Casa don Bosco, Barriera – Catania. Cristo Risorto la ricolmi di ogni tenerezza per continuare a governare e ad animare con saggezza ed audacia la Congregazione. Le vogliamo bene!
Sr Maria Orlando e Comunità
Grazie Madre Chiara per il bellissimo pensiero Pasquale che ci dona, sono Anna Paola moglie e mamma, e da tanti anni frequento l’istituto Salesiano e quello di Maria Ausiliatrice di Parma e in diverse occasioni la luce della speranza mi ha accompagnata.
Ho avuto la fortuna di conoscerla a Roma durante un convegno con la PGS, le auguro una serena Pasqua.
Muito Obrigada Madre Chiara pela sua mensagem,
Feliz Páscoa!