The Only Firm Foundation for True Joy

“It seemed like false hope, too good to be true after all we had been through.” The foundations on which they had built their trust were suddenly taken from them. After spending years together, one of them had died and the rest have been scattered apart in fear.  Now some are claiming the strife was over, that victory is right around the corner... They had experienced so many disappointments, did they dare believe this new hope was real? This was the Apostles’ and other close friends’ experience of Jesus’ death and resurrection, and it feels like our recent experience too.

That paragraph was the introduction to this column for Easter in 2020 - a column only read online since we could not gather together at Easter that year.  After two months of no public Masses (with caution, fear, or other reasons keeping many away much longer), most of us got out of the habit of going to church on Sundays, as well as regular community gatherings to support each other, and the like. If you are not feeling as good as you would hope, you are not alone! While we have recovered a feeling of “normalcy,” we haven’t fully recovered our sense of wellbeing and the tried-and-true values and habits we made the effort to pursue. Other circumstances in our world, our country, and our personal lives can lead us to share these feelings of the early disciples when the Savior was taken from them - lost and alone, uncertain about our future, without a firm foundation for our hope and joy in our lives.

Yet today we celebrate Victory! Our true victory is not found in winning our March Madness pool, outdoing the neighbor’s home renovations, nor hiding from the news or our feelings by flipping through our phones. Our true victory is the same one the disciples hesitantly discovered on that first Easter: the power of Jesus Christ to overcome evil, sin and death! Since Jesus rose victorious even over these worst enemies, we can be even more confident that his power and compassion will carry us through whatever struggles we encounter!

Truly believing and trusting in Jesus’ victory is what will keep our spirits strong. But how do we experience this victory in our daily lives? Most importantly, we need to turn to Jesus each day in humble and honest prayer - sharing our disappointments and our gratitude. This is what opens our hearts and minds to God’s grace to help, guide and strengthen us. Blessed by the faith that Jesus carries us, we are called to share our love for God by the way we love and reach out to others - especially those who are in need or are hurting inside. If we remain divided, isolated, and more often critical than empathizing with one another, the less we will share in His victory setting us truly free this Easter. United in one faith, together following the one Good Shepherd, we become a sign of hope for those around us and the whole world!

Together, we are the Church, the living body of Christ, and the Holy Spirit continues to guide and strengthen us and our faith communities - together. May our celebration of the Victory of Christ throughout the fifty days of the Easter season help us all to stake our peace and joy on the firm foundation of God’s saving love through Christ. You are an important part of our future in St. Martha Parish and St. Mary Parish - a future filled with Resurrection hope and joy!