The Easter sermon is by The Most Rev. Joseph J. Raffaele, Archbishop of the AOCC. Archbishop Raffaele is also the Rector of the Cathedral of St. Gregory the Great in Long Island and is also part of the Chevaliers de Notre Dame.
Friends:
Take a ride with me back several centuries to an ancient land, specifically to a garden, which was not far away from a hillside where there stood three crosses. The weather on that first Good Friday was variable, with lightning, heavy rains, and even some quaking of the earth. People in the area thought it was the end of the world.
This morning, however, seems different. It's a pleasant, sunny, though quiet morning. You can hear birds chirping, singing their songs happily. You and I are standing behind this huge boulder in the garden. We are watching a young woman dressed in mourning clothes, a bit disheveled, hair undone and messy. She looks worn out like she hasn't had any sleep in two days. Her facial features
tell us she's been crying alot. Oops! Stay behind the boulder with me, we don't want to be seen!
What's this!? There 's a man there suddenly showing up from no where. He's outside a rolled back stone from what appears to be a tomb. The woman sees him and calls out to him....Hmmm.....interesting dialogue.....she thinks he knows something about the man who was buried in the tomb. She's upset that the body isn't there. She begs this man for help to find her dead friend. The man just turned around to her and called her by name: Mary! Wow, look at her...what a transformation, she is so happy. It is the Lord ! He tells her to go to his disciples and tell them he is alive and will see them soon.
Oops, too late, we've been spotted! The man turns around to us. He looks at us, He smiles, He winks, and suddenly vanishes. You and I know who that is: it is Jesus. He is truly risen just as he said. Our salvation has been secured. Heaven is now ours again, thanks to our Savior and our King!
Happy Easter!
Friends:
Take a ride with me back several centuries to an ancient land, specifically to a garden, which was not far away from a hillside where there stood three crosses. The weather on that first Good Friday was variable, with lightning, heavy rains, and even some quaking of the earth. People in the area thought it was the end of the world.
This morning, however, seems different. It's a pleasant, sunny, though quiet morning. You can hear birds chirping, singing their songs happily. You and I are standing behind this huge boulder in the garden. We are watching a young woman dressed in mourning clothes, a bit disheveled, hair undone and messy. She looks worn out like she hasn't had any sleep in two days. Her facial features
tell us she's been crying alot. Oops! Stay behind the boulder with me, we don't want to be seen!
What's this!? There 's a man there suddenly showing up from no where. He's outside a rolled back stone from what appears to be a tomb. The woman sees him and calls out to him....Hmmm.....interesting dialogue.....she thinks he knows something about the man who was buried in the tomb. She's upset that the body isn't there. She begs this man for help to find her dead friend. The man just turned around to her and called her by name: Mary! Wow, look at her...what a transformation, she is so happy. It is the Lord ! He tells her to go to his disciples and tell them he is alive and will see them soon.
Oops, too late, we've been spotted! The man turns around to us. He looks at us, He smiles, He winks, and suddenly vanishes. You and I know who that is: it is Jesus. He is truly risen just as he said. Our salvation has been secured. Heaven is now ours again, thanks to our Savior and our King!
Happy Easter!
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