Bishop David, speaking to the Anglicanorum Coetibus SocietyDear Friends,

A Happy Eastertide to all. Christ is Risen. Alleluia!
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At the great Easter Vigil, following the lighting of the Paschal Candle and the singing of the Exultet, we hear a number of readings from the Old Testament. In some places (not, of course, in the Ordinariate) these readings are seen as an inconvenience — in one parish in which I served, I was told in no uncertain terms that it was inappropriate for Christians to read the Old Testament at all, let alone to dwell on it at Easter! However, the readings from the Old Testament at the Easter Vigil are there for a specific reason — we can only fully understand the Old Testament when read in the light of the risen Jesus.

The purposes of God in creation; the calling of a chosen people; deliverance from Egypt and entry into the promised land; the call of the prophets — all point towards, and are fulfilled by, the death and resurrection of Our Lord, whereby we are saved and set free. Human beings are created to be in a relationship with their creator; to know the God who acts in history and who will be seen in the glory of Heaven.

This Easter many people have come to the fulness of faith through the sacraments of initiation: some have been baptised, others had been baptised but lapsed and returned, others have lived their faith outside of the Communion of the Church and are now welcomed home. As part of their journey, these candidates have all reflected on their lives thus far; God has not been absent in their lives even if they have not been aware of his presence: he has been watching over them since their conception, yearning for them to come to know him better. As they look back, they can see times of despair and times of grace, times of blessing and hope and times of sin. Now, in the light of the Risen Jesus, they can read their lives as a history of search and discovery, a time of slowly realising their need for God, who keeps his promises and has never withdrawn his love in an individual journey which has led to the fulness of life in the Church and which will reach its climax in the beatific vision.

For all of us, Easter fills us with gladness in the Joy of the resurrection. Whilst the resurrection is most certainly a historical event, it is also the event that changes history — the lens through which we can see God’s purposes at work both universally and in our own lives. This Easter let us reflect on our individual histories: graces received and sins committed; let us know that, in the death and resurrection of Jesus, God has dealt with our failures by his victory. Let us pray in particular for those new to the faith. Let us be gentle and patient with the lapsed and those who have not yet heard the Good News, listening to their stories even when they are unpleasant or even just boring! Let us bear witness to God who, in Jesus, comes to human beings where they are and loves them and wants to draw them to himself so that their story will be complete and that they too may see their history in the light of Christ.

Finally, an announcement:

As part of our work to better share the life and mission of the Ordinariate, our website now includes a section called The Spring. As well as articles of interest to the Ordinariate, The Spring will feature news from Ordinariate missions across the country to help people discover who the Ordinariate is, where we can be found, and what God is doing among us. For its launch, Father Neil Chatfield shares something of life in the Eastbourne Mission as it prepares to host the Festival in October.

I hope that The Spring will be a valuable window on the Ordinariate at the grass roots, showcasing the richness and diversity of the Ordinariate across the country to those who may be curious or looking for a place to belong.

In the joy of the risen Christ,
+ David