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“Easter cannot happen without Good Friday”. It might seem rather obvious to make such a statement, as we hold very dear in our hearts this wonderful mystery of Jesus Christ, who came among us, suffered a cruel death, and rose from the dead. There are times in our life though, where, despite the good we do and the love we share with others, things just don’t always go well. We experience suffering, conflict, confusion or even feelings of abandonment, loneliness and betrayal. All very similar feelings to the reality of Jesus’ experiences on Good Friday. Amid his suffering, Jesus knew he was not alone. He trusted himself totally to God his Father and, putting all his hope in Him, through Him experienced the joy of new life on Easter Sunday. The disciples too all experienced the terrible realities of Good Friday, but when the dawn of Easter joy came their lives were transformed and their hearts became wide open to a new reality. Except Thomas, who clinging hopelessly to the crushing blows of Good Friday, was blind to the possibility of hope when he was told Jesus was alive and so he refused to believe Jesus had risen from the dead. “Unless I see the holes that the nails made in his hands and can put my finger into the holes they made, and unless I can put my hand into his side, I refuse to believe” (Jn20:25). Where then is the hope in the Good Friday moments in our lives? It can be found in the great gift of God the Father who sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to live in the midst of humanity, who walks with us in our highs and lows, offering a hope that’s always present and is often found in small but significant ways through relationships and connections with others. The joy of Easter reminds us, we too will rise when we place our hope in him, who has the power over death and our own personal despair. 
Easter reveals a new vision to see our life in a different way. Our hearts open wider to a new reality, a new way of seeing things. This often comes to us through family and friends who love and care for us no matter what happens in our life, or through the stranger who comes into our life. These moments can be surprising and unexpected as was the resurrection. This is Easter, this is new life! This is what Thomas eventually experienced when he saw the wounded risen Jesus just as his friends had told him, and he exclaimed, “My Lord and My God” (Jn 20:28). As we celebrate Easter in 2024, my hope for everyone is, despite the heavy weight of those Good Friday moments in life, there will be those moments and times where situations and answers can be seen in a new and surprising way with the joy of Easter. So, as you receive an Easter Egg, a symbol of new life and beginnings, may our community experience a happy and a blessed Easter, keeping safe and well cherishing the blessings received through with family, relationships and friends. |
