Easter Power

During the summer, I have a fan that keeps my office cool.  The fan is very good at what it does.  It has many features like variable speeds and a timer; it is a handsome grey color.  Obviously, I'm a fan of my fan.  No matter how much I like the fan or how nice the features, it is useless if it is not plugged in.  No power, no motion, no cool! 


Christians, we are like that fan.  No matter how charming, good-looking, or brilliant we are, if we are not plugged into the power of the Resurection we have no motion, we are lifeless, and the world is a little less cool.  On the cross, Christ freed us from sin!  Yea, Jesus!!  On Easter Sunday, Christ conquered death.  SIn and death were the two great enemies of humanity from the fall of Adam and Eve.  For thousands of years, God's people were slaves of sin and subjects of death, even though they were his people with the law and the temple.  Jesus came to bring redemption, to pay the price, for our sin.  Forgiveness is there for us now in a way that it never was before Jesus.  By the cross, we can ask for and receive forgiveness of our Father.  Plugging in to that power involves receiving the sacrament of Reconciliation regularly (monthly).  Freed from our slavery to sin, we can live in the joy and light of the life of God as his sons and daughters.


Death's defeat is truly amazing.  Human death is inevitable, but Jesus' resurrection reduces death to a gateway to eternal life.  For those who love God and live as his children, we are promised eternal life.  Death then, is no longer something to fear, it is not the end.  Plugging in to Christ's victory over death enables us to live free from the fear death, capable of living radically, boldly for God, choosing the challenging, believing in confidence in Christ's ultimate victory.  Again, we must plug in to the sacraments to be able to live this call.  The sacrament of the Eucharist is the bread of life, a foretaste of the eternal communion in heaven.  It is the glimpse into the heavenly banquet that Jesus gave us to fashion our taste and mold us into the image of the saints and angels that know how to worship God face to face.  A love for the Mass and the Eucharist are pre-requisites for the Eternal Celebration in heaven.  

During these last few weeks of Easter, plug into the Easter power of God available to you in the Sacraments.  Nothing could hold Jesus down.  Let us unleash that same holy power in our lives and become the true presence of Christ to the world around us.  "Preach constantly, when necessary, use words." (St. Francis of Assisi)  We love you and are praying for you everyday!  Plug IN!
   
In Jesus and Mary,
Doug Weisbruch