Dear Friends,

      Happy Easter!!!  As I write this, I am experiencing a kind of personal “resurrection” after having been ill the last few days.  For a couple of days, I was “dead to the world”.  Apparently, I picked up a virus that has been circulating around and ended up with laryngitis.  For most of you who attended Palm Sunday Mass last weekend, you heard for yourselves how badly my voice sounded.  As I mentioned during the Masses, every year I invariably come down with something during Holy Week that affects my voice and tests my resilience when discouragement might reign.  Not only did my illness affect my voice, but it also knocked me out for a couple of days in bed.  By the time you read this I should have “risen from the realm of death”, so to speak.  I’d like to thank you all for your wishes and prayers.  I also thank those of you who prepared food for me to help me recover.

   Enough about me, though.  This day is all about the resurrection of Our Lord!  This is the most joyful time in the Church, for we celebrate the death and resurrection of the Lord who has brought us our salvation!  With Jesus’ resurrection we can echo the words that St. Paul quotes from Scripture, “Death is swallowed up in victory.”  “O death, where is your victory?  O death, where is your sting?” (1 Cor 15:54-55)  Jesus has renewed all of creation and death no longer has its grip on us.  Therefore, death no is no longer something that we have to look to with trepidation.  Rather, we see death as liberation from the temptation and sin that exerts its influence upon us in this life.

   Christ’s victory is not just something that we experience only when we die.  The grace that flows forth from his cross and resurrection is something we experience here and now.  When we embrace the life of a true follower of Christ, we experience the inner revival of our souls.  Every experience of victory over personal weakness, every resistance against temptation and sin, and every instance of choice to attend church is accomplished through the power of Christ’s resurrection living within us.  The same can be said for those times when we are diligent with regard to our personal responsibilities, when we listen to the voice of reason that leads us to compassion rather than judgment, or when we lift up our hearts in prayer for another.

   Living this Christian life within brings great interior joy and spiritual satisfaction.  As we gather with our families this weekend or simply rest from our labors, let us sing praise to Christ for such a gift.  Most importantly, let us not fear the trials and tribulations of this life, for we know that we have been given the promise of eternal life!

My wish for you this Easter is the joy that springs up from the depth of your being.  It is the joy that the disciples of Jesus experienced when they discovered the incredible truth that Christ is risen!  He is risen indeed!  On behalf of Fr. John, the parish staff, and myself, I wish all of you a very blessed and happy Easter!   

Fr. Paul