Today, Easter Sunday, we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus. The suffering of the cross gives way to the glory of the Resurrection. Just as we share in the suffering of Christ in this life, we hope to one day share in his glory. Through his Resurrection, Jesus has conquered sin and death. This is the message of his Good News. This is the message of Easter, and Pope Francis invites us to embrace this message.
In a recent address, as reported in the media outlet “Catholic News Agency”, Our Holy Father stated, “Christ is alive and he remains with us. Risen, he shows us the light of his face, and he does not abandon all those experiencing hardship, pain and sorrow. Yet Easter is also the beginning of the new world, set free from the slavery of sin and death: the world open at last to the Kingdom of God, a Kingdom of love, peace and fraternity.”
He added, “May the Risen Christ, who flung open the doors of the tomb, open our hearts to the needs of the disadvantaged, the vulnerable, the poor, the unemployed, the marginalized, and all those who knock at our door in search of bread, refuge, and the recognition of their dignity.” As Christians, we are challenged to take the words of Our Holy Father to heart.
As we know, due to the impact of the coronavirus, we continue to struggle and sacrifice. And so, we cannot come together at this time to worship as a faith community. However, we still welcome all to our vibrant Parish community. We especially welcome those who participate in our Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) and Rite of Christian Initiation for Children (RCIC) programs as they continue to grow in their knowledge and understanding of the Catholic faith.
We also welcome all those who do not attend our Church on a regular basis. When the situation concerning the coronavirus stabilizes, we hope that you will choose to become more fully involved in our community of faith and to get spiritually closer to the Lord and trust in him. We invite you to join with us as we strive to embrace and truly live the faith we boldly proclaim.
As we celebrate this special day, I want to express my heartfelt thanks to all who serve our faith community. On behalf of our priests, deacons and staff, I wish you and your families a holy, happy and healthy Easter season.
Our Lord is risen! Let us rejoice and be glad.