The message of Easter forms the cornerstone of Christianity, the resurrection and triumph over death of the gentle savior of mankind, Jesus Christ.
The humble man from Nazareth lived a simple and powerful life which led to his ultimate sacrifice on that cold, wind-driven hill called Calvary. His sacrifice was about peace, hope and love. It was also about triumph for a world which, especially today, seems to be filled deep with problems.
Teens are bringing guns to school and killing their classmates. Terrorism is escalating around the globe.
Just last week terrorists killed innocent people in suicide missions in Belgium when attackers struck a subway train and airport. The death toll is listed at 31.
It was only a few months ago in November when terrorists unleashed a fury of bullets and bombs in Paris, killing 130 and injuring around 350.
The violence is senseless. This is not the loving world Jesus had hopes of fostering with his death. Instead, it is the same mindset that resulted in his execution on the Cross of Calvary.
We have awakened from Good Friday to the glow of Easter morning. For those of the Christian faith, the true wonder of this day lies in Almighty God's ultimate gift to his children.
Easter is the day Jesus Christ rose from the dead. With it, Christ proved he was the Son of God and the second person of the Trinity. Christ's life is our greatest example in a world filled with so much aggression and malice.
The resurrection, as described in the Bible, means that just as Jesus rose from his stone grave, Christians also can receive new life after death. They can rise above sin and despair. The Easter holiday both affirms and celebrates that great belief.
According to the Bible, friends of Jesus arrived weeping at his grave only to find the stones were moved. They were astonished to find an angel standing nearby, saying that His body was no longer there and he had been raised from the dead.
Thanks to the example of firm believers and their unwavering faith, Christianity has grown despite harsh persecution and rejection. Today then becomes a feast for all witnesses to the power of the cross through the resurrection of Christ crucified.
Easter is so much more than the childhood delights of brightly colored eggs or furry-tailed bunny rabbits.
The message of Easter, the great feast of redemption, asks we be drawn out of ourselves into the ever-unfolding mystery of life, death and the afterworld.
May we have the strength to seek its full power to transform, reconcile and make whole our world.