Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Jesus Christ is truly risen, Alleluia! It is with great joy that I wish you a blessed Easter.
On that first Easter morning, the angel asks the women who had come to the empty tomb: “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here but has risen” (Lk 24:5). This proclamation continues to echo in the world today. These words remind us that Christ is alive and present, enlightening every darkness.
Easter is the fulfillment of God’s promise. Through his Passion, death and Resurrection, our Lord has opened the way to new life. The cross reveals the depth of God’s love, and the empty tomb reveals God’s saving power. No burden is too heavy, no wound too deep, that our Lord cannot divinely heal and so transform our lives.
Easter, of course, is not a single day but a sacred season. I encourage you to begin each day with renewed faith. He is alive and with you and will lead, guide and protect you. With abiding trust, commit your life to him and consistently and enthusiastically practice, live and love your Catholic faith.
May Our Risen Lord Jesus bless you with his peace throughout the Easter season and always.
Sincerely in Christ,
Most Reverend Michael F. Burbidge
Bishop of Arlington
