My friends in Christ, when you hear continually of wars, terrorist attacks, plane crashes, earthquakes that kill thousands, tropical storms that threaten to wipe out small island nations, not to mention the breakup of marriages, the abandonment of children and their abuse, all kinds of scandals in civil society and the Church, human ideologies that divide even people of faith – do you wonder if things can ever change? The wisdom writer, Qoheleth, in the Old Testament said: What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again. There’s nothing new under the sun [Ecclesiastes 1:9]. The French say, “The more things change, the more they remain the same.” Is there any hope for real change in human affairs or is it déja vu all over again? Must we resign ourselves to a continual repetition of the calamitous news of the past?
Jesus Christ changes all that. He is absolutely new in the world’s history as the unique union of God and man. He lived among us for thirty-three years, he preached, worked miracles, suffered and died. Then something utterly unheard-of happened: he rose bodily from the dead. It was not a resuscitation back to natural life but a true overcoming of death by the power of his divinity, a rising to a new kind of life in which he can never again suffer or die. The Son of God has shown us that there is indeed something new under the sun.
The risen Lord was seen by many people before he ascended back to his Father (read I Corinthians 15:5-8). He reigns now in heaven as the invisible Head of his Body on earth, the Church. Although invisible to our eyes, he is with us in his Word, in his Sacraments – Baptism and especially the Eucharist – in our daily prayer, in the community of believers, in those in need with whom he personally identifies and teaches us to serve. He keeps his word.
If in your life there is still bad news, the old news of sin, betrayal, hardship, suffering, disappointment, put your trust in the risen Lord Jesus. He said: Come to me, all you who are weary and heavily burdened and I will refresh you. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls, for my yoke is easy and my burden light [Matthew 11:28-30]. If he could rise from the dead, he can help you. Accept the yoke of discipleship more willingly and find out how good the Lord is. No one who believes in him will be disappointed [Romans 5:5].
We who believe that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior rejoice as we celebrate at Easter his triumph over sin and death. But his resurrection to new life is not merely a historical reality but an ongoing promise to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help [Hebrews 4:16]. Be of glad heart, my brothers and sisters! We will have to put up with the old ways of the world while we live in it but already the principle of a new and glorious life has been introduced into creation by the coming in flesh and rising in that same flesh of the Person of Jesus Christ, our Lord and God. He will sustain us in faith and love until his second coming, when all his saving work will reach its fullness.
Meanwhile, let your Easter Alleluias sound loud and clear. We have good news to share with the world: there truly is something new under the sun: God has united Himself to human beings and a man has risen from the dead, promising to share his new life with us. In hope we were saved, says St. Paul [Romans 8:24]. Let this hope in Christ buoy you up and lead you to glory!
Sincerely in Christ,
+Mark E. Brennan
Bishop of Wheeling-Charleston