He Is Not Here, for He Is Risen, As He Said!

“He is not here, for He is risen, as He said!” (Mt 28:6). This beautiful proclamation from St. Matthew’s Gospel reminds me of a story I heard many years ago from a priest friend. He shared with me a homily that an elderly pastor had preached one Easter Sunday morning. After the proclamation of the Gospel account of the Resurrection, he said, “Jesus Christ is risen from the dead! Do you believe it?” Then he sat down.

Every time I think of this story, I myself am challenged again. Do I really believe that Jesus Christ is truly risen from the dead? And do I live my life out of this belief? Well, in answer to these questions I say first: Yes, with all my heart I believe that Jesus rose bodily on that first Easter Sunday. Now, concerning living my life out of an ardent faith in the Resurrection of Jesus, I say this:  I am working on it every day of my life.

Here are some points to ponder about believing in and living out of Our Lord’s Resurrection:

• When I pray, do I pray with faith, with real faith in the victory of Jesus’ Resurrection?
• When I am confronted with the death of a loved one or the inevitability of my own death, do I see death in relationship to the reality of Jesus’ Resurrection that He will share with us?
• When I consider how we should treat the human body, do I see that destruction or mutilation of any human body flies in the face of Jesus’ Resurrection, since He wants to share the glory of His Resurrected Body with us?
• When I look at the brokenness of the world because of violence, bloodshed, abortion, wars, immorality, and the disregard of the human person, do I believe that the Resurrection of the Lord is the remedy for all that ails the world, giving hope to the soul?
• When I come to Mass, do I believe that I am immersed in the Mystery of Christ’s Passion, Death and Resurrection? And when I receive Holy Communion, do I believe that I am receiving the glorified, resurrected Body of Jesus Christ, who has just made His Sacrifice present for all the baptized through the unworthy ministry of the priest?
• When I face the many challenges and heartaches of life, do I believe that through His victory over sin and death, I, too, can arise from all that keeps me down and have renewed hope in Resurrection?

So, again this Holy Week, as we hold in our hearts the great love story of the ultimate Sacrifice of Our Lord on the Cross and His Resurrection from the dead, are we willing to live out of this great Mystery every day of our life?

Jesus Christ is risen from the dead! Do we believe it?

Most Reverend William J. Waltersheid
Auxiliary Bishop of Pittsburgh