Signs of Easter will soon be present in our lives and this celebration of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ will fill us with a sense of new hope and new life.
There are two powerful symbols in the Easter Liturgy that speak the Resurrection message to us. First, there is the Easter candle. It is blessed on Holy Saturday and then carried into a darkened church. Everyone in the church has a candle and as the lighted Easter Candle is carried into the church, all the small candles are lit from it. Christ, the Light of the World, brings light into our lives. We are called to carry that light into our state, cities, communities, parishes and families. This light of Christ brings us hope.
The second powerful symbol of Easter is the water that is blessed for Baptism. The water becomes a rich symbol of Christ bringing new life to us. Through the waters of Baptism we have received the very life of God. Thus, our Christian vocation is for us to be life-givers. We are life-givers as we share our faith. We are life-givers when we bring comfort and consolation to those in need. We are life-givers when we bring peace, support, healing and forgiveness to people and to situations that might be marked by chaos, uncertainty or destructiveness.
The Mutual Support Group of the AUSCP would like to express to all our prayers for a joyous Easter. May Christ’s resurrection be a source of light and hope for each of us. May our Risen Lord, who brings the very life of God to us, nourish and strengthen all of
us on our journey of faith.
-Bill Nolan