Suffered, Died and Rose from the Dead

A young man from a small village named Nazareth suffered and died for our sins and rose again from the dead.  This man was, also, God incarnate.  All of these are mysteries which are hard to fathom and to comprehend.

We have faith in it and are very grateful to this Jesus who opened the way for our salvation and who opened the door to heaven for us.

The gospel readings of Palm Sunday tell us the story of His suffering and death.  The gospel readings of Easter tell us of his resurrection from his death.  The story is retold many times but what is very important is its real meaning for each of us and for all of us.  We ought to pray and reflect upon this great gift and mystery of salvaton.

The Messiah or the Christ later told the doubting Apostle Thomas blessed are those who believe but did not see His wounds and the resurrected Christ.  We believers some 2,000 years later fall into this category and are grateful for the grace of Christ in believing in this miracle of salvation. 

Every Holy Week and every Good Friday, we remember the events of our Lord’s days just before his suffering, crucifixion and death.  We Catholics, also, revel in His gift to us of the Eucharist on Holy Thursday.  This is so profound to us in our spiritual life that it is beyond real comprehension but not of our appreciation.  It is so wonderful to think that this lamb of God gave His body and blood to us during a most meaningful and holy time of the Passover and He instructed us to do it in memory of Him.  We believe at each Mass that the consecrated bread and wine become His real presence. We are invited and allowed to consume it as the Jews consumed the unblemished lamb at the seder meal as instructed by God through Moses and Aaron for their physical salvation on the night of terror when the first born sons in Egypt were killed by the angel of death.  Contemplate that - Jesus, the Christ, as the real paschal lamb. 

On Easter Sunday, as we remember and celebrate the resurrection of our Lord, let us do so with great reverence and joy not only that He has returned from the death but for our salvation.  Celebrate Easter with great happiness and enthusiasm for He is risen and all that means!  Remember what He  was called at birth - Emmanuel - God is with us.  After His resurrection God is still with us.

Now, you know what I think and I would very much like to know what you think about this subject.   

Let the light of our Lord shine upon you!

Ray Makowski, Co-Founder, Director and Secretary-Treasurer