By Judie Brown
The Resurrection of Our Lord, Jesus Christ, is a remarkable moment of holiness for all of us who believe that Christ suffered, died, and rose again out of love for each of us. In the celebrated hymn “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee,” we sing
God of glory, Lord of love;
Hearts unfold like flow’rs before Thee,
Op’ning to the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness;
Drive the dark of doubt away;
Giver of immortal gladness,
Fill us with the light of day!
We are inspired by the miracle of Christ’s Resurrection in our efforts to bring about an end to the chilling, deadly practices embraced and promoted by the culture of death. We know that every human being’s life is precious, and we celebrate that truth every day, especially as we thank God for His Resurrected Son and the promise of life eternal for those who remain faithful to Him.
Christ’s Resurrection is the strength, the secret of Christianity. It is not a question of mythology or of mere symbolism, but of a concrete event. It is confirmed by sure and convincing proofs. The acceptance of this truth, although the fruit of the Holy Spirit’s grace, rests at the same time on a solid historical base. On the threshold of the third millennium, the new effort of evangelization can begin only from a renewed experience of this Mystery, accepted in faith and witnessed to in life.
While his words were spoken four years prior to the beginning of the new millennium, they are just as relevant today. Our devotion to the truth of Christ’s victory over death is celebrated by Saint Paul, who wrote, “Death is swallowed up in victory. . . . Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”
We live in a world today that aches for a reminder of this promise and the subsequent grace that assures us that death is not the end; it’s merely a chapter in our lives as children of God.
The violence and the degradation that human beings suffer at the hands of those who do not have faith stuns us. But in truth, this is why the Lord has placed us amid such sorrow. We bear our love for Christ in our lives and with our words because we know that by lighting the candle that shines a light on truth, we carry hope to others, praying that they will hear and understand the validity of Saint Paul’s words.
Pope Benedict XVI once explained that Jesus “knows that the Resurrection will be the last word.” By the same token, he reminded listeners that the crucifixion was necessary for the fulfillment of the promise of the Resurrection because “it is only by losing his life that (Jesus) will receive it new and eternal for all of us.”
The Holy Father then rhetorically asked, “What are the horrors of war, violence against the innocent, misery and injustice that are merciless to the weak, if not the opposition of evil to the kingdom of God?”
That is the crux of our struggle. At every moment of every day the evil one is on the prowl, casting seeds of doubt during everyday events in the hopes that he will draw faithful souls away from Truth and into his net of deception.
As we joyfully celebrate the truth of Christ risen among us, let us commit with even greater zeal to the task of standing in truth, scattering seeds, and knowing that through Him they will bloom in human hearts. Where these seeds take root, joyful anticipation of life in Christ for all eternity is the result.
Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee!