This Sunday we celebrate Easter and the gift of Eternal Salvation for all who choose to follow Christ. As the Apostolic Church on earth, the Catholic faith avails to every believer the Sacramental Life of Jesus Christ. From our beginnings—Jesus and His twelve apostles—we have received every spiritual blessing from the God of the universe; and, we as His Apostolic Church, have been called to guard and transmit that Sacramental Life unto the world.

This is an awesome gift and it is equally an awesome responsibility. That is why, to the chagrin of some people, they feel the Church is out of touch in its ancient traditions, its rituals, and its beliefs. But, and that is one of the most important words in the English language, but this gift and responsibility has been given to us by Christ Himself as He founded, instituted and blessed His Church on earth. From Christ, Peter, and Paul to Francis, we have an unbroken line (apostolic) or lineage through which we have been commanded to pass on the Truths of Christ.

His Truths are absolute and are comprised of Truth, Goodness and Beauty. Truth in that His Word is absolute and for the excellence of all. Goodness in that God will only do that which is logical, He will not put a square peg in a round hole, and His Goodness is for our Eternal Joy. Beauty in that all that He creates—every person, the entire universe, is filled with His Image and Likeness and thus His Beauty. Moreover, that especially includes each person created, as we share in His Divine attributes—and when those divine attributes are nourished and fed by His Grace—i.e., Love—in the Sacramental Life of the Church, then we are able to be His Image to the world around us. In our families and marriages, in our communities, at work or school—wherever sadness, sorrow and fear abound, we can be present in faith to sooth the world, the family, ourselves.

Easter is wrapped up in Trust, faith, and God shall prevail. We can trust in this because of His Power, which is Love, for our good. As I mentioned at Holy Thursday’s Mass of the Lord’s Supper, we must see God as the solution to our woes, not the cause. I noted that ancient man—from the Resurrection forward until about 100 years ago, humankind saw God as the savior of the world, the hope for all that is ill in our communities, world, and ourselves. Today, “modern man” sees Him as the cause of sadness, cancer, anxiety and confusion. By Way of example, just a few weeks ago, a local newspaper carried a story on faith, and the social media response was beyond bazaar; the writers wrote of hateful, cruel and absurd thoughts of “how can a good God allow…” Some of those ills are caused by our choices, both personal and collective; it is much like the Last Supper account of Judas—where not all choose God, not all will make righteous decisions. Even the words of Consecration note this: “Will be poured out for you and for many…” as not all will follow Him.

However, the lifesaving constant in all of this is Love: God’s Love, which shows itself in His healing power in body, mind and spirit. It shows itself in His concern for the hungry and His call to us to do something. It shows itself in His forgiveness in the Sacrament of Confession, and He shows it to us in His call to follow Him, as He died on the Cross, was Raised from the dead, and Ascended into Heaven. Why? Because He loves you. It is all about Truth, Goodness and Beauty.

Blessed and Happy Easter Season, fifty days until Pentecost when we shall celebrate Love once again— the Love between the Father and the Son, which is the Holy Spirit, sent to guide, heal and lead us to His Truths.