Dear Parishioners and Visitors,

You might have noticed that the sanctuary screens before Mass, as well as our bulletin and the signs in the narthex, all contain the words “Living Hope” in large letters.  It’s a beautiful phrase, and it captures the meaning of Jesus’ resurrection in a way that could really guide our daily lives.  You might wonder who thought up this wonderful expression.

This weekend’s Scripture readings contain the answer.  Check out our second reading, from the first letter of Peter; it says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead…” (1 Pt. 1:3)  That’s right; good old St. Peter (or someone close to him) gave us this awesome expression.  Through our union with Jesus Christ, who has risen from the dead, we have a hope that lives within us.  It moves us always forward, towards the fullness of the Lord’s Kingdom.

And then in our gospel this weekend we have another awesome expression.  Three times—in this reading alone—the Risen Lord greets his disciples with the words, “Peace be with you.”  Clearly Jesus has a strong desire to give peace to his followers.  These words, spoken after he rose from the dead, echo what he said to the Apostles the night before he died: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.” (Jn. 14:27) These passages, coming so close to the death and resurrection of Christ, show us that there is a strong relationship between the Paschal Mystery and the communication of God’s gift of peace to us.

We’ve got a lot to think about, and a lot to pray about.  It’s a good thing that the Easter season lasts a full fifty days in the Catholic Church.  We need this much time to internalize the living hope and the peace that the Risen Lord gives to us.  We need this much time to put these gifts into practice and to share them with others.  If Easter hope and Easter peace are part of our prayer and practice every day during the Easter season, they will have become habitual by the time the season ends.  They will overflow the Easter season and fill the entire year. 

Blessings,

Fr. Philip