April 6, 2021
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Easter Week is a special time; we bask in the glory of the Resurrection. When all was seemingly lost, victory over sin and death was accomplished through the risen Lord. This fulfillment is so important that even the great evangelist, St. Paul, states:
But if Christ is preached as raised from the dead, how can some among you say there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then neither has Christ been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then empty too is our preaching; empty too, your faith …But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. (1 Cor 15:12-14, 20)
I have presided over several funerals recently. There is a deep sense of loss, but for those of faith, there is also a greater sense that the loved and cherished individual is with God. At the end of the funeral service, the presider makes a commendation that we shall all meet again. He says, “Merciful Lord, turn toward us and listen to our prayers: open the gates of paradise to your servant and help us who remain to comfort one another with assurances of faith until we all meet in Christ and are with you and our loved one forever.”
Perhaps my view of heaven is childlike; I know that the vastness of God is so far above any of my imaginings. God’s kingdom includes His love, which has been fully revealed through His Son and reflected in the lives of our relatives and friends. Hearing people talk of a heavenly banquet or celebration represents the longing that heaven fulfills, where our connectedness to God and each other is embraced for all eternity.
St. Paul was just one of many who professed his faith in the resurrected Jesus. Think of the saints who were martyred because they would not deny the Resurrection. Think of the missionaries who surrendered their lives and abandoned their native homes to profess the Lord and baptize in His name. There were the teachers who assisted their students in the understanding of the faith and the parents who introduced their children to a relationship with Jesus. Think also of the multitude who died with confidence that the Lord would receive them into His Kingdom.
These are all great witnesses to Christ and His power to transform our lives. God created us to be with Him, so we must live our lives in accord with the teachings of the Church and the ultimate law to love God above all things and, in Jesus’ name, to LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
Sincerely,
Most Reverend Jerome E. Listecki
Archbishop of Milwaukee
