Rob Rizzo, SJ, is a Jesuit scholastic from the Euro-Mediterranean Province (EUM). He has spent the last four years in COVID-interrupted Theology studies in both Rome and the Philippines. This week, he returns to his homeland, the island of Malta, to be ordained as a priest.

By Rob Rizzo, SJ | EUM Province

Imagine this: you finally conquer that mountain you’ve been training for, the view from the peak is breathtaking, but then... you just pack up and go home? Easter can feel a bit like that sometimes. After the long period of lent, we celebrate the victory, the resurrection, and then... what? Just go back to our everyday lives?

Easter isn’t just a finish line, it’s a starting line for a whole new adventure. It’s the moment death is defeated, and the abundant life of the resurrection explodes back into the world. This year, as I prepare for my ordination, I’m struck by this truth more than ever. Lent is an intense preparation, but Easter Sunday is just the opening act to Eastertide, the 50-day season overflowing with the joy of the resurrection. It’s a period longer than lent itself, a testament to the transformative power of Easter.

I too begin a new period in my life this Eastertide. A period which had its own time of preparation. A period which brings with it its own joy and consolation. I will be ordained a priest in the Society of Jesus in the coming days. I wonder how my life will change. No matter how much the formation I’ve received has prepared me, there is nothing like living through it. Just like the apostles who had heard Jesus speaking of his passion, death and resurrection numerous times, when the time came, they were still lost, confused, scared... they had heard of the resurrection, but couldn’t comprehend what it was like. They had to experience it, to live it, to receive the Grace of the Good News - the joy and consolation it brought. God’s grace unfolds in the living, not just the planning.

Amidst the ordination festivities, it’s easy to forget the heart of it all: serving God and others. The true joy lies in using this priesthood to bridge the gap between people and God’s love. The Good News of sharing the sacraments of reconciliation and communion becomes the way to offer hope and connection in a world yearning for both.

My deepest desire as a priest is that God may use me as an instrument to show people how much He loves them, to be an instrument in God’s hands, a melody that draws others closer to the Artist. Knowing how God’s Love has transformed my own life, l can’t wait to share that music with the world.

The hope of the resurrection isn’t some fleeting rush. It’s an enduring consolation that carries us through darkness, offering courage and solace in the face of hardship. It’s a hope that builds bridges, inspires courage, and reminds us that God is with us always. This Eastertide, let’s move beyond the finish line and embrace the endless adventure of new life in Christ. How can you share the music of God’s love in your own context?