It is with great joy that I wish you and your families a Glorious Easter! May all of you experience the love, peace and joy of the Risen Lord! I am aware that this year’s Easter was special because after a two-year gap we have fully opened up our Churches and celebrated these Holy Days. All I can say is that Jesus has risen and He has liberated us and made a lasting peace and joy possible for our chaotic and troubled world.
Easter is glorious because Jesus has gone ahead of us and now he triumphantly reigns in glory, a glory that He promises, to each and every one of us. And it is this promise of sharing in that glorious state of being that we call heaven, that will sustain us in this passing world.
I would also like to remind you that Easter is not just for Easter Sunday but it is to be celebrated for the next 50 days (including today) till we celebrate Pentecost, the descent of the Holy Spirit and the Birthday of our Mother Church. Therefore, our celebration should be a spiritual preparation for the Birthday of our Mother Church.
I invite you to meditate and reflect on the Holy Spirit – The Spirit of God who loves you dearly; the promise of Jesus to send us an advocate to be our guide. Let us, therefore, take this opportunity to re-fortify or to re-discover our relationship with the Holy Spirit and ask Him to play a strong role in our lives. Some of the ways are reading the multiple Bible verses on the Holy Spirit; meditating on the gifts and the fruit of the Holy Spirit, something which we all possess by the virtue of our Baptism.
The tomb was empty but our hearts are filled with the love, peace and joy of the risen Lord Jesus, let us share it with others.
As I impart my blessings upon you, I assure you of my prayers!
+Bishop Alwyn Barreto