Easter message from the Archbishop Marcel Damphousse
Dear friends in Christ,
After forty days of Lent, our journey leads us to the celebration of the mystery that is at the heart of our Catholic faith: the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul reminds his readers that “if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.” (15:17) “But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died.” (v. 20)
The Resurrection of Christ is reason for great joy. We rejoice in the simple fact that he is alive again, but his victory over death and evil gives hope for all of us who continue the journey of faith in the midst of a world often in chaos and therefore quite challenging. Jesus paved the way and offers all believers reason to hope for a better world. Let us never forget the words of Jesus to Lazarus’ sister Mary: “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live.” (Jn 11:25)
It is clear that Christ’s resurrection is not meant to be an experience of pure personal gratification in which Jesus is the only one to reap the blessing of his Father’s love. The purpose of his victory is for the salvation of the world. It is for the forgiveness of our sins. It is to grant us eternal life. It provides for all the possibility of living today within the Kingdom of God.
The grace of Easter morning is renewed every day when we come together in faith and renew our life in Christ in whom we were baptized. Configured to the risen Christ, we have reason to believe our life has great potential. Let us give Him permission to reign over our lives, to chase away darkness and to experience the power of freedom as we embrace the Truth. This is key if we are the live the mission in transforming the world into a place where peace, justice, mercy and love is experienced by all.
I pray you enjoy the beauty of the Paschal season and share the joy of Easter blessings to all who surround you.
✠ Marcel Damphousse
Archbishop of Ottawa-Cornwall