Celebration: An Essential Part of JC2033’s DNA
For Olivier Fleury, director of JC2033 International, celebration is a central element of the JC2033 vision. Preparing for the 2,000th anniversary of the Resurrection means responding to the invitation of the King of kings by offering him the most beautiful of gifts: our presence and our willingness to serve. This celebration is not only for believers but for all those who have not yet discovered the risen Christ. It must therefore take various forms depending on the culture, whether through popular festivals, meals, concerts, or more discreet gatherings in places where Christians are persecuted. Olivier Fleury invites us to dream big while starting with the resources at hand and to support those in leadership through prayer. Each of us is called to discern the contribution we can make so that, in 2033, the world may discover the joy of the living Christ.
Celebrating the Resurrection: Learning to Live in Communion
For Bishop Louis Corriveau of Joliette, celebrating the Resurrection is not merely about participating in a liturgy, but about learning to live in communion. Drawing on the First Letter to the Corinthians, he reminds us that even the early communities were already experiencing divisions. For Saint Paul, a divided assembly no longer truly celebrates the Lord’s Supper. Communion with Christ indeed implies communion among believers, who are called to recognize his presence in one another. The bishop highlights the apostle’s exhortation, “Wait for one another,” which calls for listening and hospitality. This attitude aligns with the “synodal journey,” where everyone seeks God’s will together. Through the vision of the prophet Isaiah and the image of a banquet open to all, he shows that the resurrection becomes visible when believers live in fellowship, welcome everyone without prejudice, and walk together toward the Kingdom.
Celebrating the Risen Christ: Together, Throughout All Creation
Baptist Pastor Jérémie Dupont presented celebration as a joy that is learned within the community. It rests on three essential realities: a people with whom to celebrate, a place to gather, and a reason to rejoice. Christians are called to form one body where differences fade in the face of their shared belonging to Christ. While places of gathering foster this communion, the coming of Jesus opens up a new perspective: all of creation becomes a space for praise, since believers themselves are the temple of the Spirit. The heart of the celebration, however, remains the victory of the risen Christ. Through his death and resurrection, he has conquered sin and death, opening up a future of hope for his people. To celebrate Easter, then, is to participate in this victory today and to joyfully proclaim that Christ reigns over all creation.
A Time for Lectio Divina: Celebrating Christ by Listening to His Word
Martin Hoegger, a staff member at JC2033 International, offered an introduction to lectio divina, a prayerful reading of the Bible that leads to a personal encounter with God. Drawing on the account of the Ascension (Acts 1:6–14), participants were invited to invoke the Holy Spirit, to embrace silence, and then to allow a word or phrase from the text to resonate with their own experience. Sharing in small groups then revealed the richness of the call that each person received from the same Word.
This approach highlights three dimensions connected to the vision of JC2033: becoming witnesses to Christ through words, deeds, and relationships; to carry the Gospel to the “ends of the earth,” near and far; and to persevere in prayer lived in communion, following the example of the disciples gathered in the Upper Room. Lectio divina thus emerges as a way to celebrate the risen Christ by allowing his Word to transform people and build unity.
By bringing these four approaches together, the Val de Paix gathering shows that celebrating the Resurrection is not merely a matter of organizing events. To celebrate Christ is to live in the joy of his presence, to grow in fraternal communion, to welcome his Word, and to bear witness together to his hope. It is within this framework that JC2033 invites Christians to prepare for the Jubilee of 2033.
Martin Hoegger
