Easter brings us face-to-face with the Risen Jesus

(en Español)

	Bishop David Zubik

My dear sisters and brothers:

The splendor of Christ risen from the dead
has shone on the people redeemed by His blood,
Alleluia.

In my former home of Western Pennsylvania, there is a very popular family restaurant, "Eat 'n Park." For the last decade or so, the restaurant has broadcast via television a commercial at Christmas which actually I believe even more so applies to Easter.

At the base of an unadorned pine tree, there is a star that makes several attempts to jump high enough to land on the tree. All of its efforts prove unsuccessful. Finally the tree itself bends down and lifts up the star. Not only has the star become part of the tree, it rests glowing at the top.

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When St. Paul wrote to the Church at Rome, he recalled the profound effect of Jesus' Resurrection upon His followers. "Just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live a new life" (Romans 6:4). Using the image of the tree bending down to lift up the star, Jesus has bent down to us in our humanness so that we may become like Him, like God. By His life giving death and glorious resurrection, Jesus has given us new life, the promise of unending life with Him in heaven.

In another of his letters, this time to the Corinthians, Saint Paul also wrote: "For our sakes, God made Jesus who did not know sin, to be sin, so that in Jesus we might become the very holiness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21).

During the course of each one of our lives, one temptation which we all face from time to time is discouragement - a tool used by the devil to undermine our ability to know and have hope.

Easter brings us face-to-face with the Risen Jesus Who lifts us up beyond anything and everything that brings us discouragement, the Risen Jesus Who carries us across the threshold of hope.

As we begin the glorious 50-day celebration of the season of Easter, I wish you, my sisters and brothers of the Church of Green Bay, a deeper realization of Christ's gift of hope - a hope which Jesus won for us by the empty tomb; a hope which no one, not even the devil can take from us; a hope that reminds us how much we can become like God.

Because of the tree, the little star reached beyond its every hope.

Because of Jesus, so can we.

Grateful for our belief that "Nothing is Impossible with God," I am

Your brother in Christ,

[signed]

Most Reverend David A. Zubik
Bishop of Green Bay