Easter is a season of peace!

04-14-2024Pastor's LetterVery Rev. Richard C. Wilson, VF, Pastor

Dear Friends in Christ,

The risen Christ appears to the Apostles with a presence other than what he was in his mortal life. The apostles are surprised at Jesus' sudden appearance, his brief and substantial messages, and his goodbye. The light of the Resurrection helps them to understand the scriptures - the bread at Emmaus and the fish in Jerusalem make their presence tangible, and especially given the gift of peace as the fruit of the Resurrection.

Easter has real consequences in our lives: It leads us to accept that Christ is risen and has dramatically defeated the evil in this world. It's true that Easter is joy and poetry, but also commitment. Sin is always going to be there, inside and outside us. To celebrate Easter means that we believe in the risen Christ and will try to sin no more. We must choose to live the law of the commandments and lead a new life of justice and charity.

The question is whether this experience of the encounter with the risen Christ is clearly lived in our daily lives. Easter is not an anniversary. It is a grace, a path that we are committed to.

Peace is the great ideal of mankind and yet is largely absent from our world. We can barely live in peace. We are constantly agitated, disappointed, tired of everything. We are not satisfied with ourselves, do not live happy lives, do not enjoy the little things that mark the existence that brings light and color to the world. But we can embark on the great adventure that can transform our lives into something great. Why then do we decide not to accept the peace of that the resurrected Christ brings? It's the mystery of sin. The greeting of the risen Christ, “Peace be with you,” brought hope to the disciples after they had suffered so much anxiety, been so afraid, and doubted. These words should illuminate our hearts with hope too.

“Blessed are the peacemakers.” This is one of the Beatitudes that challenges us most in the twenty-first century. Are you reconciled with yourself? What about with others? What about with God? What are you doing to promote peace and to defend it in your community? Remember that there is an equation that does not fail: When God is in our soul peace reigns, but when we do not have peace in our hearts and souls, this is a sign that God is not there. If every Christian living promoted the peace of Christ, the world would soon change. May we do our part!

All the best…in Christ,

Father Wilson