To watch Fr. Joe’s homily from Easter Morning: CLICK HERE!
For Jesus, ABBA – Father, God our Father – was his constant source of strength and purpose that he needed in order to do what he did and to say what he said.
And his trust in ABBA was most evident when Jesus in the garden “pleaded” with his ABBA to “take away this cup from him?” This road to suffering and death on a cross.
For Jesus knew that death on a cross was not the end. For the cross is but a symbol reminding us that, God never abandons his people, that death leads to life; Eternal Life.
In what seems almost unbelievable, amid the destruction and ashes of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France, images of the golden altar cross were seen glowing, with the cross intact.
Just maybe a symbol, a reminder, to look at and beyond the cross for it ALL leads to life, to resurrection, to eternal life…
And that is what we celebrate this Easter: life, resurrection, eternal life…
Not the Easter Bunny, marshmallow peeps, or helicopter egg drops. (As enjoyable as these may be…)
But the power of God who offers us, again and again and again, as he did his son, the grace, the power, “to do what God asks us to do,” as his sons and daughters. “To say what God asks us to say,” as his sons and daughters.
In the shadows of a smoldering Cathedral in Paris this week, people gathered to cry, to sing songs, to pray and to resolve to raise up this church, this Cathedral to its original splendor.
As persons, families, a church, there often are times when we need to be raised up” and may be more times than we would like to admit.
But resurrection, new life is not a dream, it is for real! (Have your heard?)
We pray this Easter that as person, family and Parish, we will grow in an ever deepening relationship with God, our ABBA, our Father, that is supported in prayer and the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist.
Resurrection is not just something that happened once 2,000 years ago, rather Resurrection – Easter, if you will is happening all around us. Witness the season of spring, witness the miracle Mets of 50 years ago; witness the rise to the top by Tiger Woods at August, last weekend; witness the many people who come together, time and time again, to assist individuals or peoples around the world.
This Easter as we renew our Baptismal promises to grow in love of God and others and in being Faithful Disciples, may our words be seen in all that is NEW, all that is life giving, all that gives hope, all that gives joy” to our brothers and sisters – at home, at work, at school, in the community and around the world.
If Easter says anything, maybe it is never underestimate the power of the God… Not just the power of God to raise us up to Eternal Life, but the power of God to raise us up as His sons and daughters in ways that bring about a new heaven and a new Earth in our time of lived faith, hope and love…