Easter gives us reasons to be hopeful

The Solemnity of Easter, the Sunday of Sundays as the Fathers of the Church so aptly called it, occurs for us in the midst of suffering, death, worry and uncertainty. Our days are not unlike those days when the Lord of Glory had been crucified for our sakes and then, as He promised, rose triumphant over sin and death on that first Easter day.
 
I do not minimize this current health crisis nor do I want anyone not to do everything possible to keep free of this virus and to assist others to do the same, and to help others who are struggling, but we cannot lose sight of the enduring reason for our faith, our hope and our charity. Simply put, it is the Resurrection of our Crucified Lord and Savior. 
 
The first Easter Sunday after he was elected the Successor of Peter, Pope Benedict XVI proclaimed to the Church and the world in his message that Easter reveals to us the eternal truth that “God lives!” Because of Easter, we not only have no reason to be afraid, but we have every reason to believe and to be hopeful and most especially in the midst of our sufferings, death, worries and uncertainties. 
 
Because it is an absolute truth that God lives and He lives for us so that we may have life in abundance, let us respond to Him with our minds and hearts renewed. Chastened by the fact of this virus and relying on Him for our strength, may we approach the empty tomb this Easter Sunday with a joyful and humbled heart, knowing that the Passion and Death of the Lord endured by Him for us had to happen in order to bring us to the joy and peace of Easter Sunday.
 
Truly, every Easter Sunday and this Easter Sunday especially, let us express in word and in action our joy that “God lives!” Let us be resolved to live our hope in Him every day and not be afraid to be His faithful disciples.
 
We have Our Blessed Mother, Saint Joseph and the entire host of Heaven to pray for us and to show us the way of true discipleship.
 
Be assured of my daily prayers for all of you and I ask that you please remember our priests, seminarians and deacons in yours. Have a most blessed Easter and Easter season!