Dear friends,

Turning to heaven as our ancestors did – in their churches, prayers and liturgies – looks to us like an escape, a retreat from the struggle with life's problems. But that’s a wrong impression. They did not long for heaven to avoid the challenges of earth, but to relativise them. Fears and insecurities seemed inevitable and overpowering, but viewing them from God's perspective made it possible to imagine a different world.

Looking into the future from our current European perspective does not go far. Instead of investing in solidarity with the poor and the protection of our common home, the world is intensively arming itself. For Europe, at least, this is partly the result of a reality check after a period of naive approach to trade and security. But we also need another reality check, one that relativises fear and self-centredness.

In the centre of the European Quarter in Brussels there is the Chapel for Europe, also called the Chapel of the Resurrection, run by the Jesuits. Interestingly, the chapel is not named after any patron saint of Europe who would recall its Christian past. It is dedicated to the Resurrection of Christ, which turns Europe's gaze to the future.

This symbolises our mission in the heart of Europe today. We proclaim the Absolute who relativised matter and mortality when he implanted in human beings the desire for eternity, and finally when he broke through the shell of time-space and revealed himself as the Father who raised Jesus Christ. Through Jesus, the Risen Lord, God gives us a vision for the future and the boldness to reach it.

As the beautiful Easter Proclamation or Exultet says, “The power of the Easter night dispels all evil, washes guilt away, restores lost innocence, brings mourners joy. The night will be clear as day, it will become my light, my joy.” I will add, Jesus, in this night your Resurrection looks like a dream, but it's in fact our reality check. 

The Jesuit Conference of European Provincials wishes you an Easter season filled with peace and hope!

Dalibor Renić SJ
President of JCEP

Photo credits:  Windows in the Chapel of the Resurrection, Brussels, Thomas Reinhold, 2002