Happy Easter to you all!! Here is an Easter post from Brian.
Easter Sunday
Two men in dazzling garments, said: “Why do you seek the Living One among the dead? He is not here, He has been raised!” (Lk. 24:5-6).
Like the crucifixion, several of the stories surrounding the resurrection of Our Lord and Savior, communicate to all believers the three theological virtues of faith, hope and charity. These three pillars are the foundation of the spiritual life. According to the CCC, paragraph (#1812) the theological virtues “dispose Christians to live in a relationship with the Holy Trinity. They have the One and Triune God for their origin, motive and object.”
Faith: The resurrection story which communicates the theological virtue of faith is that of the Apostle Thomas. Thomas did not believe that Christ rose from the dead – “Unless I see the mark of the nails in His hands and put my finger into the nail marks and put my hand into his side I will not believe.” (Jn. 20) And when the risen Christ appears to him, his attitude is completely changed, “My Lord and my God!” We must remember what St. Paul wrote to the Corinthians in his second letter, “We walk by faith and not by sight.” (2Cor.5:7).
“Lord Jesus, I believe in You, help my unbelief.”
Hope: The second theological virtue, hope, can be found in the resurrection story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus. Downcast and confused the two disciples encounter a “stranger” along the road who asks them what they are discussing. They respond by telling this stranger about Jesus and how there have been reports about the tomb being empty. This stranger proceeds to talk to them about the Scriptures. It was later on at the breaking of bread that the disciples eyes are opened and they recognize that the “stranger” was the risen Christ. The disciples said, “Were not our hearts burning within us while He spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?” St. Paul again reminds us in his letter to Timothy, “We have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men.” (1Tim4:10)
“Lord Jesus, I hope in You, dispel my doubts, fears and anxieties.”
Charity: The last theological virtue, and according to St. Paul, “the greatest,” is that of charity which can be found in the resurrection story of Mary Magdalene, visiting the tomb. Mary wept because the body of Jesus had disappeared. She turned away from the tomb and saw a man standing there. After asking him if he knew where they had taken Jesus, the man said, “Mary!” Mary immediately knew the man was Jesus. Mary sought Christ, wept for Him and reached out and held onto Him. Mary loved Jesus and by this love her life was transformed. “Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love.” (Jn. 15)
“Jesus, I love You, help me to love you more and more each day and to love my neighbor as myself.”
God bless!
I don’t usually watch Oprah but for the Sisters, I am happy to make an exception.
