Dear Friends,

Let us not keep our eyes fixed, gazing on the so many crosses erected around us. They are real, cruel, destructive, demeaning... In the country where I live for more than twelve years, these crosses are called misery, exploitation, exclusion, drugs, violence and murders, corruption... They destroy people, families and the society. Universally speaking, they have names such wars, exclusions, betrayals, illnesses and sufferings, jealousy, closure of heart, lack of simplicity, greed for power, and lack of compassion... Personally speaking, they too are my mistakes, my misjudgments, my faults and my sins that often God alone knows.

Raise the signs of life and of resurrection!

The strength of life already penetrates the darkness. It awakens love and self-giving... for those who accept to see and to be transformed. Together, let us also look, share and support the signs of life and resurrection around us. Here are some of them manifested in my daily life in the Philippines:

- More than 80 typhoon-affected families find a roof.

- Running water flows in front of the house, relieving the handicapped and the sick.

- In one of the neighboring squatters’ area, people come together regularly to share the Gospel and to take care of others, of the sick and the elders above all.

- People who stand up to denounce injustice and commit themselves to build a more human society.

- Nine of our twenty young scholars will graduate.

- Young people from all over Asia and from other parts of the world learn to live together, to understand each other, to share their lives and hopes while learning an international language in our language college.

- Volunteers dedicate several months of their lives to support these actions, to discover other ways of seeing, thinking and acting.

- At Assumption, we tackle to set up a Vicariate of Asia-Oceania to take root even more in this vast continent full of youth, cradle of millennial cultures and religions.

- Young people engage in religious life and are formed to become priests in the service of the people and especially the poorest. Soon we will celebrate an ordination and perpetual professions.

- In the French speaking Parish, we love to meet to celebrate life. The parishioners give their time and talents to prepare the celebrations: baptisms, communions, confirmations, marriages.

- And all these moments of meeting, exchange and celebration, all the time spent listening, sharing, caring for others, forgiving… and the smiles and laughter...

- How not to mention also the noble and generous gesture of Lieutenant-Colonel Arnaud Beltrame who gave his life to save a hostage in the South of France!

These are small seeds, of course, but they make up a colorful bouquet full of life!
These small seeds make the smiles of small and large, children and elders flourish!
It's already the Easter Joy!
We are indeed an Easter people!

Thanks to you and through you, let us all be sowers of hope.

Thank you for continuing to help us to bring forth these smiles and to bring life.
Thank you for sharing the signs of life that you see blooming around you...

Have a blessed and joyful Easter!
Christ is risen! Alleluia!

Rest assured of my friendship and my prayers.
Very cordially,
Bernard.

Assumptionists
17 C. Salvador Street
Loyola Heights – Varsity Hills
QUEZON CITY 1108 - Philippines

bernardholzeraa@gmail.com

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