From the Pastor's Desk - April 19 and 20, 2025
Tired? What a crazy way for your Pastor to start off his Easter bulletin article, right? Why not start off with “Hallelujah” or “He is risen?”
I have a point to this madness.
Tired, more like exhausted, is how most clergy and many parish staff feel by Easter Sunday. The effort that goes into preparing, rehearsing, and celebrating all of the beautiful liturgies that we have during Holy Week, can truly take a toll on the body. By Easter Sunday afternoon, most of us are ready to go back into the tomb and resurrect about Wednesday of Easter week.
Let’s think of how Jesus felt for a minute on Good Friday. He had been up the entire night before, agonizing in the Garden of Gethsemane while in prayer and supplication to his Father. Then he was whipped to the point where his skin was tearing, given a crown of thorns that was placed upon his head, which tore into his scalp causing even more intense bleeding and pain. He then was handed an incredibly heavy wooden cross that he had to carry throughout the streets of Jerusalem, until he reached the Hill of Golgotha. He then climbed up the steep hill and was nailed upon the cross.
Jesus was and is God, yet while he walked this earth he experienced everything that was part of the human condition except sin. That means that he experienced physical pain, he experienced emotional pain and suffering, and he experienced tiredness and exhaustion. Yes, these things are all consequences of original sin, of which Jesus did not have, however, he allowed himself to experience these consequences so to identify with us. Then, he endured the most horrible pain and suffering known to humankind in order to pay the price for the forgiveness of our sins. This is true love beyond all measure.
When Jesus rose from the dead on Sunday morning, all his pain and suffering were gone. By rising from the dead, he has given us a foretaste of what lies ahead for us as well, if we are willing to trust him, believe in him, walk with him, and yes, at times, suffer with Him. When he comes back on the last day, those who are alive and saved by Him will cease to suffer or sin. Those who have died before with saving faith in Him will rise out of their graves, be reunited with their purified souls which have been in Heaven and live for all eternity the way that God originally intended, both body and soul, without sin, suffering or death.
This is why we celebrate Easter. This is why we sing “Alleluia,” this is why we exclaim “He is risen,” and this is why we are filled with joy on Easter Sunday! If we’re tired or even exhausted, whether it’s because of Holy Week or for any other reason, or we’re weighed down because of stress or all the war and sadness in our world, let’s never forget that Jesus endured all these things and so much more, so that we could be forgiven and rise like him to eternal life. If we turn to him in prayer when we feel weighed down, he will refresh us. The Gospels promise us this.
Let’s remember too, that Good Friday and Jesus in the tomb were only for two days. Easter Sunday can be for all eternity if we commit our lives to Him and receive his gift of salvation.
Happy Easter,
Father Rich