Our Easter proclamation is like a joyful chant that alternates between the good news that the Lord has risen, and the good news that we rise with him! Our Lord is the first to experience the fullness of God’s love for
humanity, as he does so, so do we.
What else can we alternate with “The Lord is Risen”? How about, “death where is your sting?” and “is there
anything that can separate us from the love of God?” How about, “the chains are broken, we are truly free”.
The depth and breadth of what it means for all of humanity to appropriate the good news of the resurrection is infinite. Reason enough for us to very deliberately spend the next fifty days savoring, digesting, praying,
rejoicing. Pentecost will arrive with us in tow, ready to announce to the whole world that we will be Christ’s
living witnesses as a Church, alive and willing to love as the Lord has loved us – with a love that is stronger
than death!
This is a wonderful phrase. In order for love to be love, it needs to be stronger than death. Or in the words of
the French philosopher, Gabriel Marcel, “To love someone is to say, ‘Thou shalt not die’” This is awesome and powerful. The Lord, looking at his disciples, looking at each of us, speaking to each of us, lets us know that we are loved and in the same breath, that we shall not die. His love is stronger than death. This is what makes our chant possible, YES: Death, where is your sting? There is NOTHING that can separate us from the love of God. The chains are broken, we are free.
Hence, there is so much that we can do. We can love a spouse with the love of God, stronger than death. We
can love a child, with the love of God, stronger than death. We can even love the person that stares back at us
in a mirror, with the love of God, stronger than death.
Let’s carry this forward for the next fifty days – as individuals and as Church, who else do we need to love with God’s love, stronger than death?
Happy Easter to each of you,
May almighty God bless you
through today’s Easter Solemnity
and, in his compassion,
be always your strength.
Father Francisco Gómez, S.T.