Changed Hearts

During a summer break in college, I traveled with parents and high-school students to visit Catholic families in Mexico. The journey expanded my naïve horizons about poverty, simplicity and survival. One day, we traveled into mountain territory on narrow paths as we faced sick kids, gas shortage, and exhaustion. The next day, another chaperon turned to me with revelation and stated, “This journey has changed you.”  

Along with Jesus, the disciples were changed. Jesus’ presence, miracle-making and mercy, expanded the disciples’ imagination, courage and integrity. After Jesus’ resurrection, the disciples shook with fear as they recognized the reality of his new life. Some were foolish, slow to believe, while others proclaimed the unimaginable story of his rising from the dead.

The Risen Christ changes how we perceive our life journey. The Risen Christ reveals to us deeper courage than any scar we carry in our hearts or any wound that we consistently hold.  In Easter, we find our ease and our joy no matter how we stumble or fall, no matter our sin or heartache. Christ shows us the path to life, to deep resources of joy. In the Eucharist, the wounded and redeemed Body of Christ is present for us to taste and is shared with us as balm. Eucharist is our inheritance through baptism.

Jesus’ journey changes us. Our hearts burn with joy when we finally surrender our earthly sufferings to Christ’s love that is revealed among us who face hardship and narrow paths.   

Fr. Ronald Patrick Raab

Fr. Ronald Patrick Raab, CSC, serves as religious superior at Holy Cross House, a medical and retirement facility at Notre Dame, Indiana. He is an award-winning author and visual artist. Learn more at ronaldraab.com.