A sharing…. On Easter Sunday 2014
Ever since the 11.15am EC on Easter Sunday, I’ve been recalling how looking through the eyes of the stranger seated in front of me: made the colour of the Easter celebration even more vibrant and alive.
At first what actually caught my eye about him was that he was dressed in a polo shirt and wore a pair of Bermuda shorts. Then I thought to myself how sad it is that he probably did not have a deep enough relationship with God, to dress a little bit more reverently especially since it was Easter. Then he started texting on his phone just as the celebration had begun. I began to suspect that he was not even a believer as I further noticed the extra long finger nail on one of his pinkies. And as I continued to observe him a little, I noticed that he did not follow the normal gestures during the EC except to stand and sit when appropriate. He continued to text in between the celebration, but at least he did so unobtrusively. But surprisingly during the consecration of the Eucharist he kept his phone and remained seated quietly. He stayed all the way to the end of the celebration.
I couldn’t help but wonder what drew him to attend the Easter celebration? Was it our Lord? How strange and yet wonderful it must have been for a stranger to witness the whole celebration? The priest and the altar servers together with some smartly dressed people in procession, the incense, the decorations and the flowers, the joyous singing, the bells, the reverance, the prayers and then the homily. Quite a lot to take in for at least one and a half hours.
Then it dawned on me what if like St Philip I asked him, “do you understand what you saw?” And he were to answer me, “how can I, when I have no one to instruct me?” what would I have done?
On hindsight, I am quite certain now that I would have at least introduced myself after the Eucharistic celebration and see how it progressed from there. I didn’t get the chance that day as he left swiftly just moments after the procession out.
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