With St. Peter Chanel we live the Easter of Jesus

Day One: lowering oneself to be raised

Let me introduce myself: I was born on 12 July 1803 in a farmstead called La Potière, a hamlet of Cuet, a small village in Bresse, about 80 km from Lyon to Claude François and Marie-Anne. I am the fifth of eight children. I was baptised with the name Peter Louis Marie Chanel. I am not going to tell you my whole life story, but I can tell you that the humble but serene life in the family with the sacrifices it required made me experience the value of service and care for people from an early age. Having then met Fr Colin and joined the Marist Fathers, I absorbed ‘the spirit of Mary’ and this made self-effacement and humility the hallmarks of my life.

Let us listen to the Word of God: Phil 2:5-11

‘In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore, God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.’

Let us pray with Psalm 117

Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good, his love is everlasting!
Let the House of Israel say it, ‘His love is everlasting!’
Let the House of Aaron say it, ‘His love is everlasting!’
Let those who fear Yahweh say it, ‘His love is everlasting!’

Hard-pressed, I invoked Yahweh, he heard me and came to my relief.
With Yahweh on my side, I fear nothing: what can man do to me?
With Yahweh on my side, best help of all, I can triumph over my enemies.
I would rather take refuge in Yahweh than rely on men;
I would rather take refuge in Yahweh than rely on princes.

The pagans were swarming round me, in the name of Yahweh I cut them down;
they swarmed round me closer and closer, in the name of Yahweh I cut them down;
they swarmed round me like bees, they blazed like a thorn-fire,
in the name of Yahweh I cut them down.

I was pressed, pressed, about to fall, but Yahweh came to my help;
Yahweh is my strength and my song, he has been my saviour.
Shouts of joy and safety in the tents of the virtuous: Yahweh’s right hand is wreaking havoc,
Yahweh’s right hand is winning, Yahweh’s right hand is wreaking havoc!

No, I shall not die, I shall live to recite the deeds of Yahweh;
though Yahweh has punished me often, he has not abandoned me to Death.
Open the gates of virtue to me, I will come in and give thanks to Yahweh.
This is Yahweh’s gateway, through which the virtuous may enter.

I thank you for having heard me, you have been my saviour.
It was the stone rejected by the builders that proved to be the keystone;
this is Yahweh’s doing and it is wonderful to see.

This is the day made memorable by Yahweh, what immense joy for us!
Please, Yahweh, please save us. Please, Yahweh, please give us prosperity.
Blessings on him who comes in the name of Yahweh!
We bless you from the house of Yahweh.
Yahweh is God, he smiles on us.
With branches in your hands draw up in procession as far as the horns of the altar,

You are my God, I give you thanks, I extol you, my God;
I give you thanks for having heard me, you have been my saviour.
Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good, his love is everlasting!

Queen of heaven, rejoice, hallelujah. Christ, whom you carried in your womb, hallelujah,
he is risen, as he promised, hallelujah. Pray to the Lord for us, hallelujah.
Rejoice, Virgin Mary, hallelujah. The Lord is truly risen, alleluia

Prayer: O God, who for the spread of your Church have crowned Saint Peter Chanel with martyrdom, grant that, in these days of Easter joy, we may celebrate the mysteries of Christ’s death and resurrection in such a way as to bear worthy witness to newness of life.

Day Two: Losing to gain

I too lost and gave up things, advantageous living conditions or prestigious and rewarding assignments. They said I had wonderful qualities. The pupils at the boarding school in Belley appreciated and loved me very much. Despite all this, I followed my heart and its desires. A deep desire was to bring the proclamation of God’s love to people far away who knew nothing about Jesus and the Virgin Mary. When Fr Colin suggested that I leave for the new continent, I immediately agreed. I discovered this desire was so deep that the mission on the island of Futuna became the Lord’s will for me.

Let us listen to the Word of God: Phil. 3:8-14

‘Even more, I consider everything to be nothing compared to knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. To know him is worth much more than anything else. Because of him I have lost everything. But I consider all of it to be garbage so I can know Christ better. I want to be joined to him. Being right with God does not come from my obeying the law. It comes because I believe in Christ. It comes from God because of faith. I want to know Christ better. Yes, I want to know the power that raised him from the dead. I want to join him in his sufferings. I want to become like him by sharing in his death. Then by God’s grace I will rise from the dead.

I have not yet received all these things. I have not yet reached my goal. Christ Jesus took hold of me so that I could reach that goal. So I keep pushing myself forward to reach it. Brothers and sisters, I don’t consider that I have taken hold of it yet. But here is the one thing I do. I forget what is behind me. I push hard towards what is ahead of me. I push myself forward towards the goal to win the prize. God has appointed me to win it. The heavenly prize is Christ Jesus himself.’

Let us pray with Psalm 125
Those who trust in Yahweh are like Mount Zion, unshakeable, standing for ever.
Jerusalem! Encircled by mountains, as Yahweh encircles his people now and for always.
No wicked sceptre shall rule this heritage of the virtuous, or the virtuous in their turn might take to evil.
Yahweh, be good to the good, to those of upright heart.
But the perverts, those who follow twisting paths – may Yahweh send them to join the evil-doers! Peace to Israel!

Queen of heaven, rejoice, hallelujah. Christ, whom you carried in your womb, hallelujah, he is risen, as he promised, hallelujah. Pray to the Lord for us, hallelujah. Rejoice, Virgin Mary, hallelujah. The Lord is truly risen, alleluia.

Prayer: Father, you called St Peter Chanel to work for your Church and gave him the crown of martyrdom. May our celebration of Christ’s death and resurrection make us faithful witnesses of the new life he brings, as he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Day Three: from losers to winners

And yes, in the eyes of many, my days on the island of Futuna seemed like a failure. There were no noteworthy results that missionaries have had in other places. I spent months trying to learn an unfamiliar and difficult language, so different from French, and making little progress. I had to eat strange food and get used to a way of life that seemed primitive. Not being able to do much, in the early days I scattered medals of the Virgin Mary on the beach, entrusting my mission and the island itself to her. Something, however, shifted with time, and made a breakthrough! It was the helpfulness, kindness and love of Brother Nizier and myself that found a place in the hearts of the youngest members of the tribe. On the other hand, it was the jealousy of the elders that made them plan my death. Finally, however, the Lord had his victory.  With the little breath I had left in my body, my last words were, ‘this is good for me’.  This victory was fully shown by the people of Futuna in the years after my death

Let us listen to the Word of God: Romans 8:35-39

‘Nothing therefore can come between us and the love of Christ, even if we are troubled or worried, or being persecuted, or lacking food or clothes, or being threatened or even attacked. As scripture promised: For your sake we are being massacred daily and reckoned as sheep for the slaughter. These are the trials through which we triumph, by the power of him who loved us. For I am certain of this: neither death nor life, no angel, no prince, nothing that exists, nothing still to come, not any power, or height or depth, nor any created thing, can ever come between us and the love of God made visible in Christ Jesus our Lord.’

Let us pray with Psalm 22
Yahweh is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
In meadows of green grass, he lets me lie. To the waters of repose, he leads me;
there he revives my soul. He guides me by paths of virtue for the sake of his name.
Though I pass through a gloomy Valley, beside me your rod and your staff are there, to hearten me.
You prepare a table before me under the eyes of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil, my cup brims over.
Ah, how goodness and kindness pursue me, every day of my life, my home, the house of Yahweh, as long as I live!

Queen of heaven, rejoice, hallelujah. Christ, whom you carried in your womb, hallelujah, he is risen, as he promised, hallelujah. Pray to the Lord for us, hallelujah. Rejoice, Virgin Mary, hallelujah. The Lord is truly risen, alleluia.

Prayer: St Peter Chanel, you left your homeland to go and proclaim to the peoples of Oceania Jesus, Saviour of the world. Guided by the Spirit of God, the strength of the meek, you were a witness of Love to the point of giving your life. Grant that, like you, we may live our daily commitment in peace, joy and fraternal charity. May your example inspire among us to become numerous workers for the Gospel, so that the Kingdom of God may extend to the ends of the earth. Amen.