March 27, 2005

This year I find that Easter has a strange meaning for me. Easter was always a somewhat difficult holiday. None of us had risen from the dead. We have all known people who have been on the cross and in fact, most of us at least had had one or two Calvary’s in our lifetime already. Live long enough and you’ll go to Calvary more than once. Easter was strange. None of us has risen from the dead, nor have we met anybody who claims to have risen from the dead. Nowadays there are people claiming after life experiences and there is no reason not to believe them, but still in no way do they give you a glimpse of the fate of the immortal soul that has entered into it’s final rest in the Kingdom of God.
This year I’m very aware of at least having looked over the edge. Although I had no life after life experiences, saw no bright lights or tunnels; I have become very well aware from people telling me that I was medically dead. I should not have been able to come back and certainly not have been able to come back with normal psychological abilities, like being able to remember and think. There is in fact a period of three weeks for which I have no memory at all. I feel like a man who has looked over the edge.
My message for Easter is do not be afraid. This is the message that Our Divine Savior gives in the Gospel of John “let not your heart be troubled or be afraid. Believe in God and also in Me. In my Father’s house there are many rooms. If it were not so would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you and I will come back again and take you to Myself.” (John 14: 1-3).
Every Easter, even a snowy Easter like we’re having this year when the spring flowers have not come up yet, we should look forward to our eternal and blessed hope, even though we may be very well aware that we have some cleansing suffering to do at the end of this life in that mysterious reality called purgatory. Nonetheless we are called to everlasting life with God and the saints. We should do everything possible to see to it that those whom we love and those whom we care about are reminded gently but firmly, that this life is only a journey and that the destination is eternal life if we faithfully follow Jesus Christ Our Lord who has risen from the dead.

- Fr. Benedict Groeschel, CFR

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