Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Today we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus – acclaiming with the psalmist: “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad” (Ps 118:24).
Jesus has died for our salvation, conquering death so that we may hope to have eternal life with God in heaven.
Easter truly is a gift from God, a time for great rejoicing.
And it is an occasion that we await each year with anticipation – particularly this year in light of the loss and challenges caused by the pandemic and conflicts around the world. Throughout the season of Lent, we have prepared for this day by purifying our hearts, purifying our minds and purifying our souls through prayer, fasting, penance, and almsgiving. Now, with the help of God’s grace, we are properly prepared to enter the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection and the hope and new life into which He has called us.
But what are we to do now? Is Easter just a day to celebrate before we return to our usual routines?
Not at all! No, Easter is a call to action: a call to love, and a call to missionary discipleship.
First, we are called to love one another as Jesus loves us.
Through His passion, death and resurrection, Jesus demonstrated His great love for us. And through the continuing gift of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, we are filled with His grace and called to love others.
It is our vocation as Catholic Christians to demonstrate the love of God through our words and our actions. As Jesus tells us: “This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).
Second, we are called to share the good news of Jesus’ resurrection.
Just like the holy women who found Jesus’ tomb empty and ran in haste to tell the other disciples, we should be moved to tell others what Easter, the resurrection of Jesus, is all about. The Resurrection is an amazing and tangible sign of God’s boundless love for us – and the hope it bestows on our lives. It is the culmination of His saving work – calling us back to Him through the sacrifice of His only Son and freeing us from the slavery to sin (see John 3:16 and Romans 6:6).
Now we are to share Jesus’ gift by being witnesses to the Gospel, witnessing to our experience of the love of God in Jesus. Filled with the joy of His love, we are called to extend that love to others as missionary disciples of Jesus.
How we go about this work can take many forms and it is up to us, with much prayer and the help of God’s grace. Yet no matter what our situation in life, we all have a role to play in proclaiming the Kingdom of Christ. The Holy Father, Pope Francis, tells us, “Being a disciple means being constantly ready to bring the love of Jesus to others, and this can happen unexpectedly and in any place: on the street, in a city square, during work, on a journey” (“Evangelii Gaudium,” 127).
Especially as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Diocese of Charlotte this year, under the protective mantle of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, let us be inspired by her example.
Like Mary, may the joy of the Resurrection dwell in our hearts – not just today, but every day. And let us share that Easter joy with our families, our friends and co-workers, and others we encounter. Let us strive to live every day as a gift from Jesus, proclaiming by our words and our actions, “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.”
Sincerely yours in Christ Jesus,
Most Rev. Peter J. Jugis, J.C.D.
Bishop of Charlotte
See Easter celebrations across the Diocese of Charlotte
