A Message from the Bishop – There is no feast greater than Easter

St. Athanasius, one of the great Eastern Doctors of the Church, writes about the Risen Lord, “He has come among us as our Feast and our Holy Day.”
There is no feast on the church’s calendar greater than Easter. There is no day more holy than Easter. The saint is right on target when he invites Christians to feast and rejoice.
Jesus Christ lives. He has beaten back death and conquered sin. His resurrection deserves our rejoicing. He rose from death to life. His resurrection makes us holy.
In the same Easter letter St. Athanasius reminds us that “we keep His feast by deeds rather than words.” Deeds that demonstrate that life in Christ is stronger than death and all the varieties of dealings of death that exist in our world and in our society; deeds that show that the power and attraction of evil are not stronger than the power and attraction of God; deeds that affirm that there is light in what can be darkened experiences for too many. It is the blazing light of Easter that scatters all darkness. Deeds that proclaim that the resurrection is central to our Christian faith.
Easter eggs, Easter flowers, Easter candy, Easter bunnies all speak of spring coming to birth after the cruel winter. While these may popularly symbolize Easter, they are not where we look to feast and to keep holy the Lord’s Resurrection. We look to the Cross. To Good Friday. To the One who died on the Cross and who returned to life. To the One who was buried in the tomb and burst out of its clutches.
The freshness of Easter is more fresh because of the bleakness of Good Friday. The feasting and holiness of Easter are possible because of the defeat and sadness of the Cross, which are reversed by the victory over death of the Crucified Saviour who is the Lord. He is the Lord of Easter who bids us to feast and keep holy this most sacred day.
At Easter Sunday Mass allow the Easter hymns, the Alleluias, the Word of God and the sacrament of His Body and Blood to be your feast. Let the Easter sacrament make you holy. Invite and bring along all the family, those who may be visiting and those who do not usually attend Sunday Mass. All are welcome. There is no better way to experience the feast and the holiness of Easter than through the prayer of the Mass, especially with your family. What a feast that can be. And, what a path to holiness for your family.
With my wishes and prayers for A Blessed Easter to all.