He Is Risen! 

   “For Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block for the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles, but to those who are called, Jew and Greek alike, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” (1 Cor 1: 22 – 24) 

   On Easter Sunday we celebrate the resurrection of a man who was hung on the cross and died.  A man who was placed in the tomb and the tomb sealed.  Yet, not just a man, but the God-man, the Son of God, the Messiah.  A stumbling block for many but salvation and joy to those who believe.

   Christians never have been and never will be in the mainstream.  The number of believers ebbs and flows but is never the majority.  We are and always will be the “remnant” spoken of so many times in the bible.

   For unbelievers we are a curiosity, people who believe in something that can’t be proven.  They can’t imagine how people could possibly believe in a Savior from a small, insignificant part of the world over two thousand years ago.  One who couldn’t even convince those who had been waiting for His arrival for years on end.  They don’t or won’t consider that faith is stronger than earthly proof.  The words of St. Paul when he wrote, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11: 1) doesn’t resonate within them.

   We are a minority, but a minority that has absolute confidence in the promises of Christ, absolute trust in God and His will.  We aren’t concerned with the disbelief of others except in the hope that they will come to believe and save their immortal soul.  We pray for them even though they don’t pray for themselves and because they don’t pray for themselves.

   This day is the most important day in Catholicism.  Not to disappoint, but Christmas is second behind Easter.  Today we celebrate the risen Lord who promises that we too will rise with Him and enjoy the pleasures of heaven for all eternity. 

From the tomb You arose.

From death You will raise us.

We await Your coming in glory.

Come soon, Lord Jesus. 

Amen