Bishop Solis' Easter Message

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Christ is Lord!  He has died and has risen! Alleluia, alleluia!

This is the joyful salutation of Easter as we celebrate the glorious resurrection of Christ. For 40 days of Lent we fasted, prayed and gave alms with our gaze on the Paschal Mystery of Christ – his Passion, death and Resurrection – to prepare ourselves to celebrate this holy day. We sought to repent of our sins and a conversion of our hearts so that we will conform ourselves more closely to God’s will. We strove to die to sin and be reconciled with God so that at Easter we can begin again a new life in Christ.

Like the seasons, our Lenten journey is a cycle. Each year we identify areas of our lives that are dead to God’s will. We open our hearts to the infinite love of God for us and strive to prepare a more fertile ground for the seeds of his Word to grow. Then, at Easter, we rejoice that we have taken yet another step toward a holier and new life with God. Next year, filled with hope, we will again examine our lives to see what more we can do.

Easter is a time of great celebration. The light of Christ brings hope in the midst of war and human suffering. The stone has been rolled away from the tomb and the risen Christ emerged alive. He has overcome darkness; God’s love has conquered hate, and he proved life is more powerful than death. So, we lift up our hearts to give thanks to the Lord and sing “Alleluia” because of the Good News. Christ brings new life to us and to the world.

For the next 50 days – from Easter Sunday to Pentecost – we will celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord. During the Easter season, the Church has many special occasions to reinforce the infinite love of God for us. At the Easter Vigil, we welcomed the newly baptized, who also received the Sacrament of Confirmation and the Holy Eucharist for the first time. In the weeks ahead are Divine Mercy Sunday, the Feast of the Ascension and the Feast of Pentecost, all of which celebrate the outpouring of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Our diocese also is joining the Church in the United States in celebrating the Eucharistic Revival, an initiative of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to “restore understanding and devotion” to the great mystery of the Holy Eucharist, which is the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ truly present in Holy Communion.

“This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad,” and proclaim the Easter message that the light of the Risen Lord may fill the world and our hearts with his blessings of joy and peace.

Happy Easter!