Happy Easter
04-07-2020Weekly ReflectionFr. Chauncey WinklerDear Parish Family,
Jesus' total victory over all sin and death is won today in His Resurrection. He defeated these enemies by looking them straight in the eye as He took them on in a battle for our lives. Jesus humbled Himself in our humanity and accepted death on a cross in order to conquer all death. Because of this ,God raised Him from the dead to new and eternal life. His Resurrection is our victory over the enemy of death.
There is a strong tendency in our culture to avoid dealing with death. We want to see the resurrection as God's easy answer to the problem of death. It is God's answer, but not an easy answer. At this time the human family is doing battle with a new and dangerous virus. The danger is that this virus can lead to death.
Jesus' total victory over death does not give us permission to take the enemy lightly. Instead, His resurrection is the source of our courage to fight bravely. Jesus is alive and with us. He calls us not to run in fear and self preservation but to actively block the spread of the virus for love of neighbor. Accepting hardship for the sake of others, we must deny this virus its particular power to be contagious and clandestine. Offer your isolation with generosity and pray to our victorious Lord Jesus Christ, that we will embrace this suffering for love of neighbor as he offered his passion for us. Then, having taken up this cross with him, we will witness the glory of God as he defeats our enemies.
Blessed Easter,
Fr. Chauncey