My brothers and sisters in Christ,
After the storm the sun comes out. After his crucifixion and burial, the Son of God came out of his tomb. He, the Sun of Justice, will never go dark. He is the Light of the World which gives light to every human being. When we walk in his light, we avoid pitfalls, and we see our way clear to our destination: the fullness of eternal life with our God and all His saints.
As our Easter season begins, I hope that you find joy in the firm conviction that we follow the Lord who has overcome the worst that his enemies could do to him and who holds out to us the promise of help now and glory later. Whatever our struggles and difficulties, the Lord Jesus walks with us, like the Good Shepherd who accompanies his sheep and leads them to good pasture.
We live in anxious times. It can seem as if the world is coming apart. We see division and conflict on all sides. We experience the tug-of-war inside ourselves between faith and doubt. Christ’s bodily resurrection from the dead assures us that all will end well for us if we keep faith with the Lord. In this life, we have no greater enemy than death, but our Savior has overcome it and, true to his boundless generosity, he chooses to share his new life with us, now by grace and later in eternity.
Rejoice, then, Christians, in your Lord’s triumph over sin and death! He has done it for you. Stay close to him and have confidence in your own final victory over sin and death. Let the sunlight of Easter illuminate your spirit and give a sprightly lilt to your step!
Christ is risen, he is truly risen!
Sincerely in Christ,
+Mark E. Brennan
Bishop of Wheeling-Charleston