EASTER PASTORAL LETTER: The Risen Christ is everywhere (04/19/98)

EASTER PASTORAL LETTER

The Risen Christ is everywhere

The following Easter message was issued by the primate of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, Cardinal Myroslav Ivan Lubachivsky, together with his special auxiliary, Bishop Lubomyr Husar, and the auxiliary Bishop Yulian Gbur of Lviv. The text below was translated from the Ukrainian original.

Reverend fathers, men and women religious, dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

Christ is Risen!

Two disciples are traveling from Jerusalem to Emmaus. A third person joins them, but their eyes do not recognize Him (Lk. 24:14-16). The two were not the only ones to see the resurrected Christ and not recognize Him.

Eleven apostles saw Him among them and heard as He said, "Peace be with you", but they thought it was a phantom (Lk. 24:36-37). Mary Magdalene saw Him, but thought it was a gardener (Jn. 20:14-15). Again the eleven Apostles saw Him early in the morning on the beach, but didn't understand that this was Jesus (Jn. 21:4).

Easter approaches - the Feast of the Resurrection of Christ. We will be awaiting the One Who is Risen, but the great danger exists that although we see Him, we will not recognize Him. This is because we will look for Him in such a manner or in such places where we believe He should be and not where He truly is. The apostles and disciples of Christ did not recognize Him, because he appeared to them in the most auspicious moments in life. Perhaps it would have been easier for them to recognize and believe if He had appeared to them in the midst of thunder and lightning or surrounded by a choir of angels. However, He did not appear to them in that manner.

Nor will he appear to us in such a manner, but only in the usual non-dramatic moments of everyday life. We cannot indicate, even approximately, where to seek Him, because in fact, He is everywhere: in our churches, in our homes, in our places of work, in our schools, in our hospitals, in our prisons, on our roads - everywhere where we are.

With the holy feast of the Resurrection of Christ we wish you the gift of being strengthened in the holy faith, which opens our eyes to the presence of the One Who is Resurrected in our present day and which warms our hearts as it once did those of the disciples in Emmaus.

CHRIST IS RISEN!

Ý Myroslav Ivan Cardinal Lubachivsky
Primate of the Ukrainian
Greek-Catholic Church

Ý Lubomyr
Auxiliary Bishop to the Primate of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church

Ý Yulian
Auxiliary Bishop of Lviv