The Fast is Broken, Christ is Risen!

 

 "I break this fast with you."

On Saturday night, after the vigil I eat solid food for the first time in seven days. It is glorious.  I take my first bite, bread and butter melting in my mouth. I think, "How Blessed I am."  I chose to fast, chose it as a vehicle to build support for a world without hunger.  Development and Peace exists because for 1 billion people, hunger is not a choice. Poverty is not a choice. Suffering at the hands of others is not a choice. None of it is a choice. And so we must make the choice to stand with them.

We were founded over 40 years ago to "Renew the Spirit of Lent."  I pray that this Holy Week fast helped to do that.  I have been humbled by the support that was given to me. I started out with a goal of $250.  You helped me meet it more than ten times over. Every day I had to increase the goal until I gave up at $1500 - and the number kept rising.  Over fifty of you gave gifts of donations to our work. Thank-you, Thank-you, a million times Thank-you.

"He is not here; for he has risen, as he said."

These words from Matthew's Gospel, heard Saturday night at the Easter Vigil, evoke one emotion - HOPE.

This is what it is to commit oneself to international solidarity.  So often, we head to the tomb, expecting to find death.  But God breaks through - He is not Here.  There are a thousand stories from our work around the world that share in this HOPE.

In gratitude for your support of Development and Peace through your support of my Holy Week fast, I leave you with this message from Abilio Pena, a partner of Development and Peace from Colombia. His work to protect the rights of that country's most vulnerable is made possible by your support.  Listen to his words, "Jesus is a crucified person who did not remain on the cross. Jesus is a crucified person who has risen...that is also present in the communities we are assisting."

  

May God bless you all as we celebrate this Easter Season.