In celebrating Jesus Christ’s resurrection in Easter, the Catholic faithful were urged to “seek out and live the truth” and stay away from lies and deceit.
In his Easter Sunday message, Cebu Archbishop emeritus Ricardo Cardinal Vidal urged people to renew their lives and reunite with Christ, “who lives to grant us forgiveness.”
“It is not death but life that has the final say; not anger nor envy but forgiveness…Jesus is alive. He lives to grant us forgiveness,” the 81-year-old prelate said in his homily.
Vidal said the disregard for truth has caused the corruption and poverty being experienced in the country.
He said people should continue walking the path of truth even if it’s difficult, wearisome and unprofitable.
“Why is it so easy to deceive people? It is because there is a belief that lies are more fun but truth is sometimes boring; that lies fit what we want to happen but truth opposes our plan…Truth is indispensable,” Vidal told the congregation in Cebuano.
Using palm branches, priests sprinkled holy water on the congregation.
The Easter rites included a renewal of baptismal vows where Catholics pledged to reject Satan and sin.
During his homily, Vidal talked about how Jesus’ resurrection reminds people about the importance of forgiveness.
“There were other instances wherein the oppressed were killed but rose up and took revenge. Our Lord, on the contrary, was oppressed, killed but lived, not to take revenge, but to grant forgiveness,” he said.
Vidal said forgiveness happens when one is humble enough to accept one’s shortcomings.
“In Christ’s resurrection, He proved His being Son of God. Witnessing to the truth that Jesus is alive reveals the truth that he is truly the Son of God; the God who stays with us—Emmanuel,” he said.
After his homily, Vidal led the people in renewing their baptismal promises, a vow to “reject Satan, his works, and all his empty promises” and to “believe” in the triune God and the teachings of the Church.
Before the Mass, a stage play was performed outside the cathedral that depicted Christ’s suffering, death and resurrection.
The night before, during Easter vigil mass, churchgoers witnessesed the blessing of “fire and water”, and inscribing of the symbols of Alpha and Omega on a large Easter candle by the priest.
At dawn, devotees and spectators woke up early to watch the “sugat” or processions depicting the encounter between the risen Christ and his mother, Mary.
Easter Sunday is the first of the 50-day joyful season of Easter which ends with the celebration of Pentecost on May 27. /Ador Vincent Mayol, Reporter