Easter greetings from Bishop Fliss
My brothers and sisters in Christ,
With the passing of winter and the arrival of spring (?), signs of new life emerge all around us. Hints of green appear on trees that only weeks ago seemed dead. And the cold hard earth softens so that dormant plants may sprout to adorn the earth with color and fragrance. These are all part of nature's resurrection song.
The Christian church joins in this hymn of praise as it celebrates the new creation brought about by the dying and rising of Jesus. In that singular event which crowned his life, Christ has passed from cross and tomb to the life-giving sacraments -- the sacred rites that initiate and perpetuate our communion with God.
On behalf of our local church, I heartily welcome all those who will celebrate these rites and join our Catholic community this Easter. Sharing fully in our sacramental life, these neophytes make visible to us the Risen Christ alive in his members. They are indispensable signs of hope for the entire church.
Yet in the midst of our Easter joy, may we not forget the suffering members of humanity especially our sisters and brothers in Iraq. We pray that resurrection may come to all people who must still walk the path from death to life, violence to peace and fear to freedom. We mourn, with heavy hearts, those who have died in this war. We entrust them to our merciful Savior who is the firstborn of all the dead.
My prayer for us all is that we hear and accept the message of Easter, proclaimed in the Gospels, echoed in creation, and manifested in the lives of countless men and women who have shown us that a life lived in fidelity to God's plan, is a life that will never end.
© Superior Catholic Herald, 2003