Via Lucis – The Way of Light

The Way of Light (Via Lucis) celebrates the most joyful time in the Christian liturgical calendar, the fifty days from Easter (Resurrection) to Pentecost (descent of the Holy Spirit). The Way of Light, also known as the Stations of the Resurrection) is 14 recollections during this period.

To encourage faith appreciation as envisaged by the Second Vatican Council, Fr. Magi Murzello felt it would be a good idea to conduct the Way of Light in St. Andrew Parish at the break of dawn. After discussion with Fr. Caesar D’Mello, Parish Priest, who was greatly enthused with the idea, Fr. Magi brainstormed with the Mission SONshine team to bring it to fruit as it was the first time in the Parish.

It was decided that the setting would be the Ascension of the Lord which incidentally is also the twelfth recollection. Announcements were made at Sunday mass and the entire Parish was invited. Since 2015 is also the Year of Consecrated Life, the 14 congregations in the Parish were each assigned a recollection to make it more participative.

On 17 May, the Feast of the Ascension of our Lord, Mass was held at 5.30 am in the Oratory to coincide with daybreak. The Mass was beautiful because as darkness changed to light, our minds were opened to the fuller meaning of the LIGHT of CHRIST. The readings of the day stressed HIS promise to send the Holy Spirit to guide us in HIS LIGHT – charging all to take forward the indwelling of his LIGHT with the gifts and fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT.

The Stations of the Resurrection followed as the sun rose beckoning a new day. The first recollection “Jesus rises from the dead” was held at the tomb of the risen Lord to build on the experience of the two women who went to the tomb at daybreak. The next three stations – the disciples find the tomb empty, the risen Christ appears to Mary Magdalene and the risen Christ on the road to Emmaus were held in the Church premises at appropriate pre-assigned locations. Then, to add some flair to the happenings, as on the road to Emmaus, all present were requested to buzz with a partner as they walked to Apostolic Carmel School Hall for the remaining 10 stations.

 A life-sized cut-out of JESUS on the stage beckoned all present to WAKE UP THE WORLD as each of the next 10 recollections were deliberated with the help of a digital projector. Thanks to Sr. Theodomira and Sr. Pearl-Anne, the hall became a special room making the experience really electrifying and fantastic – and all present zapped and inspired to believe as the last station.

In keeping with the theme, all were then invited to a Resurrection breakfast to make friends and meet and greet. A creative culinary display was set up by Ms. Penny Fonseca among which were an empty tomb of bread to signifying the resurrection, a special scramble egg display of hens and chicks (eggs are a symbol of Christ's Resurrection and hence seen at Easter), and yellow bananas with chocolate Nutties at the centre resembling sunflowers reinforced the message that we need to be SONshine people spreading the love and joy of the Lord.