Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!
As we celebrate Easter Sunday, we deepen our belief and understanding of its meaning on our lives. The events of Jesus’s death and resurrection show our path through this life leading to eternal life in heaven. Our perspective changes and deepens with each celebration during our lifetime.
Jesus explained to the Apostles many times everything that was going to happen. They were going to Jerusalem where He would be arrested, suffer, and be crucified. After three days, He would rise from death to new life. The resurrection of Jesus Christ would make it possible to follow him to the heaven.
However, even though the Apostles were told the plan of salvation, when the arrest, trial, and death of Jesus happened, most of the Apostles were afraid and scattered. Judas gave up his faith and turned against Jesus. And only the Apostle John remained with Jesus to the end.
Just like the Apostles, we know the story of the death and resurrection of Jesus. However, even though we know the story in our lives and the life of the Church, our faith is challenged. Scandals in the Church or problems in our personal lives or families hurt us and can cause us to question our faith.
We are called be like the faith-filled Apostle John. We are called to a faith in Jesus Christ that reveals the way to our resurrection. Through our faith in the resurrection and our cooperation with the Holy Spirit, the current darkness will be blown away with the light of Christ our Lord and Savior. Our faith compels us to spread the news that we believe that Christ is truly Risen.
As we prepare for the 50th Anniversary of the Metropolitan Church of Pittsburgh and the June Assembly, many people in our churches have begun the process of renewal in their lives and in their parish churches. We thank all who are praying and working for the renewal of our Archeparchy. We pray that this Easter Season helps us to continue to increase our faith and our good works for the Lord.
Our faith and our actions add to the light of Resurrected Christ. Each prayer and action helps brighten the way of our families, our churches, and our communities. We extend to all the proclamation that Christ is Risen!
“Christ is Risen.” And, they will answer, “Indeed He is Risen.”
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Most Reverend William C. Skurla, D.D.
Metropolitan Archbishop of Pittsburgh
