Beloved parishioners of SFX,

Happy Easter – again and again! Kierkegaard once remarked “why do Christians look so sad? Don’t they know they are redeemed?” This allegedly dour Dane makes a good point: Jesus has risen – triumphant over pain, suffering, and death. Why be distraught and de pressed? “Rejoice and be Glad!”

During the Easter season Gospels, we hear of Jesus’ appearances to his disciples, and how all of them are incredulous at his arrival. They want physical proof that he is not a ghost or a spirit. Thomas insists on putting is fingers in the nail-marks. Mary Magdalene clings to his feet. And this week, the disciples have to witness him eating in order to prove that Jesus is flesh and blood.

May the Joy and Glory of Easter continue to fill you with great Peace and Hope!

In today’s gospel, the Risen Jesus returns to visit with his friends, his disciples, to help them to better understand what happened at the Easter Event and to better understand how He wanted them to move forward. His friends were astonished when they first saw Jesus and it took a few moments for them to truly recognize Him. When they did, they were filled with joy! He said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” And then, He breathed the Holy Spirit upon them. He breathed upon them his love, strength and courage, all that they would need to continue His mission, for there was still much work to do!

The fourth and final week of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius is Jesus risen from the dead. Since we are always living in the time of Jesus resurrected, the retreat never really ends. During the retreat, the retreatant is asked to pray for a specific grace, one geared to the spirit of that particular week. The grace for the fourth week is to enter into the joy of Jesus raised from the dead. This is more difficult than one would image. (Most of us find it easier to remain in the third week of Jesus’s passion and death, especially after this past year because of all we have lost).