Bishop Oscar A. Solis in homily at Easter Vigil: ‘We are here to be with Christ’

IC Photo/Linda Petersen

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Bishop Oscar A. Solis baptizes Joseph Kocherhans during the April 19 Easter vigil at the Cathedral of the Madeleine.

SALT LAKE CITY — During the Easter vigil celebration at the Cathedral of the Madeleine, Bishop Oscar A. Solis baptized 17 men and women, welcoming them as brothers and sisters in the faith.

In his homily before the Rite of Baptism, Bishop Solis welcomed those who were to receive the Sacraments of Initiation and spoke of the significance of the ritual for them. “They will profess their faith and renounce sin in the waters of baptism; they will be born again into new life with Christ,” he said. “In Confirmation they will be sealed with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and with the holy Eucharist they will be fed with the Body and Blood of Christ as full members of our faith community, the Catholic Church, the Body of Christ.”

Continuing with his homily, the bishop focused on the meaning of Christ’s Resurrection.

“Resurrection is a cornerstone of our faith and, as Pope Francis reminds us, the Resurrection is not only the greatest miracle of history; it is also the greatest act of God’s love,” he said. “It is the ultimate demonstration of God’s infinite love and power.”

He invited the congregation to focus all of their attention on Christ, “who rose from the dead to declare life’s victory over death, that love is stronger than hate, and hope has power over despair.”

As Catholics, “we are here to be with Christ, who invites us to rise with him, to get out from the darkness of our tomb and to rise with him in the newness of life,” he said.

The Savior is a beacon of hope to those who are suffering, Bishop Solis said. “He sends out his wonderful lessons to the world, to people who are struggling, who feel hopeless, to those who feel they will never be good or good enough, and to sinners who fear they cannot be forgiven. Resurrection means Christ rose again to restore the love and dignity that God intends for each and every one of us, a love and dignity that never ends as children of God. He did it for you, for me, for us and for the entire world.”