Nothing about our faith makes sense if Jesus is not at the centre, says Perth Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB in his 2022 Easter Message.
Referring to the words of St Paul in Romans 8, verse 38, Archbishop Costelloe said that it is Jesus who can give us the courage to face all our challenges, because He draws us into communion with Him.
“So that we share in His courage and face our difficulties with Him beside us,” he said.
The message was released to the Perth Catholic community in Issue 35 of The Record Magazine on 2 April and this week via The eRecord accompanied by a video, filmed at St Mary’s Cathedral.
In publishing his 2022 Easter message, Archbishop Costelloe turned his thoughts towards the COVID-19 pandemic and its significant impact across Perth and the surrounding region since the Western Australian borders opened, the floods in New South Wales and Queensland, as well as the crises in Ukraine.
While the Western Australian borders opened on 3 March, thousands of residents and businesses were hit with COVID-19 in the weeks following, particularly schools and nursing homes. As at 10 April, there were more than 43,000 cases, 80 deaths and more than 200 hospitalised.
Speaking exclusively to The Record, Archbishop Costelloe conveyed that while this year has already been particularly distressing, he wanted the community to know the Church has heard the many people who are suffering and alone.
“Despite these situations and the many more that lead people to loose hope, know that the Church is with you in this journey,” Archbishop Costelloe said.
“Remember there is a Church community that can help you to see that Christ exists and will do what it can to support you,” he said.
New South Wales and Queensland have both experienced severe flooding since mid-February, with 23 people dead. The situation has been deemed Australia’s recorded flood disasters, with more than 400mm recorded in Brisbane in the three days to 28 February. Thousands were told to evacuate in Sydney after more than 1000mm fell on 3 March.
On 24 February 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an invasion of Ukraine by Russian armed forces previously concentrated along the border. The invasion included attacks across the Belarus-Ukraine border and was followed by targeted airstrikes on military buildings in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in response, enacted martial law and general mobilisation throughout Ukraine.
“As Christians, one of our instinctive, and very sound, responses, is to turn to God in prayer,” Archbishop Costelloe explained, in response to the situation.
“We are disciples of the one who told us to ask, to seek and to knock, believing that in doing so God would respond.”
Pope Francis, explains Archbishop Costelloe, has often reminded us that faith does not spare us the burdens and sufferings of life.
“What faith can do is enable us to bear these painful realities, sometimes with great difficulty, in union with Christ.
“What we cannot do alone we can hope to be able to accomplish if we cling to Him.”