Fr Denis’s Easter Message 2022

Posted on April 16, 2022

Easter Message 2022

It is great to be back. After an absence of two years, we have our Easter ceremonies back. It is wonderful to be able to gather over the last few days and celebrate all that is central to our faith. While online ceremonies have something to offer it is not the same as joining in person with our neighbours to reflect, to pray and to celebrate God’s love for us.

This day is made by the Lord let us rejoice and be glad is the response to the psalm on Easter Sunday. Easter Sunday is indeed a day to rejoice as we celebrate the fact that Christ by rising from the dead has changed the meaning of life and death forever. Easter Sunday is a day of hope and that is something we all need as we see the daily effect of war, violence, poverty and hunger in different parts of the world.

We see the effect of the war in Ukraine daily with many being killed, millions displaced, thousands coming to our own country. We also see that the rate of  inflation is rising and that effects everyone and we worry about what the future will bring So, we need hope more than ever. On this Easter Sunday God offers us that hope and for that we give thanks and rejoice.

We give thanks for the goodness and generosity that so many people have shown to those coming to our country . We welcome the Ukrainian children who have come to Balla and Belcarra schools. We hope that they will be happy.

While we witness great suffering on a daily basis we also see great love and care being shown by so many, our volunteers in the churches, and in the local communities continue to give witness to care and service and they are beacons of hope. May we always appreciate the great work that they do.

May Easter be a time of blessings for us all. May all who are sick, suffering or challenged in any way within our community feel loved and supported and may God bless us all as we continue on our pilgrim journey seeking to give witness to his living presence with us.

May you have a happy and peaceful Easter and may God fill your hearts with the joy, peace and hope that only he can give.  

Fr Denis