The great gifts of Easter which we celebrate today are hope and faith. Hope, which gives us confidence in God and His goodness and Love which no one can take from us, and Faith which is the belief that God triumphs over evil. We take comfort in the resurrection when life is hard or when death draws near to us or to those we love. We need to remember that if we follow Christ’s examples and teachings we will be with Him in heaven. Pope Francis says we proclaim the resurrection of Christ when we smile with those who smile and weep with those who weep, and when we help those who are sad and in the risk of losing all hope. We do this in our own various ways of showing care and concern for the lives and troubles of others.
Today we are dealing with the Coronavirus which has exploded into a worldwide disaster, and we are scared, not knowing what the future holds for us. Let us put anger and blame aside and be willing to help in any way possible as we figure out how best to serve our risen Lord. The tough times of life can bring us closer to God or distance us. Suffering can make us better people or make us bitter. The empty tomb is the message that nothing is final in this life, not even death. God’s love is stronger than any human power, and Love conquers all. Let us pray for God’s help in this time of global crisis.
Lloyd Lapierre