Easter Reflection by Father Phil Tracy

I extend to you our prayers for a happy and holy Easter season. We needed forty days to prepare for this great feast. This is truly the day that the Lord has made for us, to heal the wounds of sin and to destroy the power of death! We now need seven weeks to explore the richness of this mystery for our daily lives.

One image that speaks to me is the empty tomb of Easter morning. The disciples know that something has happened but are not sure exactly what they might be at first. What is clear is that the great stone has been moved away from the tomb. The barrier that separated them from Jesus is no more.

Many times, we expect our faith to provide immediate and clear answers to our problems. Easter informs us that we must live in mystery. God will reveal himself. God will provide answers, but in his own time. Our task must be to recognize the barriers that we encounter in life that hinder our access to God or our capacity to understand his word. Fear is a massive stone in our lives. The expectations and demands of others on how we are to think, and act can be another. Our failure to understand what has already been revealed to us often causes us to miss connections and conclusions in our relationship with Jesus. Easter is the ultimate assurance of God’s faithfulness and love. There may be many apparent barriers in our lives, but none is impenetrable.

I invite all of us to use this long Easter season to appreciate that we create for ourselves or that others impose upon us. Allow the joy filled songs of the season to fill us with holy anticipation. Allow the growing awareness of the resurrection’s importance in the early Church give us the confidence to wade more confidently into the mystery of God. Take the time to continue spiritual reading, making time for prayer, and seeking opportunities to become active in our parish. God is good. God is great. God is alive!!

- Father Phil Tracy, pastor of All Saints Parish in Brunswick