My
Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Faith and to all people of good will
Over
the course of the last several weeks much of the grip of winter has slowly
faded and the new life associated with the arrival of spring begins to slowly
show forth -- leaving behind the coldness and darkness of winter. Flowers are
beginning to peek out of the earth; many trees are showing the tiny buds of
their leaves and the air is fresh with the scent of new life. It is with this
promise of new life we again celebrate the approaching joy of Easter.
The earliest of the disciples --
Mary Magdalene, Peter, John, along with the two on the road to Emmaus and his
mother, The Blessed Virgin Mary -- were overcome by the knowledge of Jesus
rising from the dead on Easter morn. Suddenly all of their grief, tears,
anxiety, uncertainty and heaviness of heart from the events of Good Friday were
replaced with incomparable joy, exhilaration and an everlasting freedom that
could only be won by the empty tomb of Easter.
As Christians we also join in with joy in our hearts as we celebrate the
resurrection of our Lord.
Yet with the joy of Easter soon to
quickly be with us there is a veil of sadness that covers our Christian
Brothers and Sisters in the Middle East and Africa where many are to become
martyrs due to their faith. There is a loss of life, their homes, with many
mothers and their children being sold as slaves in an area where there was once
a glimmer of hope for peaceful coexistence among people of all faiths. As Old
Roman Catholics, we must pray daily that this global madness will quickly come
to an end. Additionally we must join in
conjunction with other relief agencies to help by furnishing our time, talent
and treasures as each of our individual circumstances will permit. In so doing
let us not forget those around us who are in need within our own local areas.
Throughout the year, within our
local communities and abroad, we pray there will be a continual loving effort
to bridge the chasm of misunderstanding that may exist between other Catholic
entities. Only the bright lite of truth can remove the fog of any
misunderstanding.
My prayer for each of you and all
you hold dear is that whatever grief, tears, anxiety, uncertainty or heaviness
of heart that may be in your life at this time, it will be replaced by never
ending joy as we celebrate once again the resurrection of our Lord and Savior,
Jesus Christ. It is the eternal promise of that empty tomb that gives mankind
forever the hope of life everlasting.
And as cited in the Gospel of Matthew (28:6), the angel gave the message to
Mary Magdalene at the tomb on Easter -- "Jesus is truly risen as he
promised." That message is meant for each of us, too! And it makes all the
difference in your life and mine. At this Easter, it is my hope that each of
you may know that wondrous difference and embrace the Risen One with a faith
that is firm, a hope that is real and a love that is eternal.
May God bless and forever keep
you.
In Christ,
+ Bobby C. Hall
Most Rev. Bobby C.
Hall, DD
Auxiliary Bishop
