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.
Violence seems to lurk around every corner. Relationships between many nations are combative.
Just last week, the United States dropped the largest, non-nuclear bomb in its arsenal on Afghanistan. This comes just days after America fired missiles at Syria.
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.
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 this 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 His body was no longer there and he had been raised from the dead.
Easter then becomes a feast for all witnesses to the power of the cross through the resurrection of Christ crucified. It is the feast for all those who live ordinary lives with a profound faith.
On this special day, throughout Warren County and the world, Christians will gather in churches to herald the spring time of new life gained through the resurrection.
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 what lies in the after world.
May we have the strength to hear this message and seek its full power to transform, reconcile and make whole our community and our world.