Praise be to Jesus Christ
Today is Easter Sunday the Resurrection of the Lord. “I feel good! I just feel good.” Just as when the daylight lengthens during winter. ☺ “Happy Easter to you!” Please greet one another by saying “Happy Easter.”
Today is a truly joyful day. Jesus has risen by defeating death and sin. The gospel of Mark proclaims the good news: “Do not become frightened. You are seeking Jesus of Nazareth, the Crucified One. He has risen.” (Mark 16:6) May the joy and peace of resurrected Jesus be in our hearts, in our families, and all over the world.
Nature embraces spring. The winter man (Jack Frost) tries to hold on to the cold but cannot stop the spring princess’ arrival. I have walked many trails around Taku Lake; the winter scenery is absolutely beautiful. The lake and surrounding trails are still covered by heavy snow. But snow around the parking lot is continuously melting little by little. Daylight has lengthened and is full of spring energy. We experience seasonal cycles continuously; we gradually learn to overcome cold winter wisely and greet spring naturally. Please enjoy the spring warmth.
Church embraces Easter. Despite the pandemic and many challenges we encounter, Easter has arrived in our midst. I was especially pleased to spend this year’s Paschal with our community. I was able to see and experience religious fervor. In fact, we were already experiencing Easter even on the first day, Ash Wednesday; the church was full of parishioners with enthusiasm. In a battle, momentum is quite important and our spirits were high even on the first day.
In fact, we had many who completed scripture transcribing even before Lent and asked for more; there were more than 40 parishioners who completed the task. Also, the participation in the station of the cross, as well as one-heart prayer on Fridays, exceeded my expectation. In particular, the number of confessions was much higher than in previous years. Through confessions, we are able to repent and cleanse our hearts. We were able to battle the sins and darkness during Lent and welcome Easter with joy.
Easter is the essence of our faith. Without Christ’s resurrection, our faith is a useless belief. In our religious journey, we experience numerous Paschal. As we experience the successions of Lent and Easter, our faith gradually matures and we are one step closer to resurrection.
I hope we can experience our daily lives with the same Lenten fervor. May the renewed joy and peace of Easter live within us to console and give us hope. May the joy and peace of risen Jesus Christ be with all of us.
Let us meditate for a moment.