This year, the solemnity of Easter has been observed in the Order of Augustinian Recollects with a clear and direct call to mission. In his message to the entire Augustinian Recollect Family, the Prior General, Fray Miguel Ángel Hernández, highlighted a statement that encapsulates the heart of the Christian proclamation:
“Easter, from the very first moment, takes the form of a mission”.
With these words, he sought to position the Resurrection not only as a source of joy, but as the origin of all evangelizing outreach. “Christ is risen. This is the great news that today fills the heart of the Church with joy,” he affirms, reminding us that Easter is not a memory of the past, but new life breaking into history.
An Easter that Sends Forth
The Prior General emphasizes that missionary dynamism is an essential part of the Paschal event. The Gospel shows how women were the first to receive the announcement of the Resurrection and also the first to be sent to communicate it.
From that very first moment, Easter is not confined to personal experience, but becomes a proclamation. In this sense, the message gains particular strength within the context of the Missionary Year being observed by the Order.
“To be a missionary is, above all, to proclaim that Christ lives, that His love is stronger than death, and that hope is possible,” he states.
Mission is Born in Daily Life
Inspired by Saint Augustine, the Prior General invites all members of the Augustinian Recollect Family to make their lives a space for evangelization.
“Proclaim Christ wherever we can,” he reminds us, pointing to the many areas where mission becomes concrete: religious communities, parishes, educational centers, missions, contemplative monasteries, families, and workplaces.
Easter, in this sense, does not separate us from reality, but illuminates and propels it from within.
Witnesses of Hope
The Paschal message is also an invitation to renew faith and commitment. “May this Easter renew in all of us the joy of believing and the courage to proclaim,” exhorts the Prior General.
Following the example of the women in the Gospel, the call is clear: go out, communicate, share. Faith in the Resurrection thus becomes a visible testimony and hope offered to the world.
Christ Lives and Walks with Us
The message concludes with a statement that synthesizes the core of Christian faith: “Christ lives and walks with us,” along with an Easter greeting addressed to the entire Augustinian Recollect Family.
In a context marked by uncertainty and the need for meaning, Easter presents itself as a transformative force that sends believers to proclaim life, hope, and love.
