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April 21, 2019
Easter 2019
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
"He is not here; He has been raised!" The angel’s Easter greeting echoes down through the centuries to bring hope, joy and courage to us all.
The Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is the single most significant event in the history of the world. It carries momentous meaning for each of our lives. For every widow who has wept at a grave, for every parent who has mourned a child and for all who grieve, their tears, mourning and grief will end. For all who have suffered injustice, betrayal or abandonment, Christ's triumph over sin, death and evil is cause for hope, inspiration to persevere, and reason to go on. Christ's Resurrection was not just for His own glory. It was for all of His followers that they might share in His glory not for a day or a season, but forever.
What we celebrate today is the reason we can always live for tomorrow. Whether we are 8, 18 or 88, it is literally true that our best days are ahead. This life, with all its great joys, beauty and wonder, is not always easy, happy or fair. It is a fallen world but Our Savior has risen. Hope grows in our hearts, confidence builds in our souls and joy lifts our spirits. The Easter sequence says, “Death and life have contended in that combat stupendous.” At times, like Good Friday, it seems that death and evil might prevail. But Easter shows that they do not. In time – God’s time – good will definitively triumph over evil, Redemption will wipe out sin, and life will conquer death for all who believe in and follow Jesus Christ. May Easter be the optic through which we view the whole of life.
Jesus Christ has risen from the dead. May the joy of Christ’s triumph resonate in your heart and may the realization of that victory guide you and your loved ones as you journey through this life on the way to Eternal Life.
With every prayerful best wish for a joyous Easter, I remain
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Most Reverend Robert J. McManus
Bishop of Worcester
