Presiding Bishop’s Easter message 2013

'Easter celebrates the victory of light and life over darkness and death'

Posted Mar 19, 2013

[Episcopal Church Office of Public Affairs] “Easter celebrates the victory of light and life over darkness and death,” Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori rejoices in her Easter Message 2013.

The following is the Presiding Bishop’s Easter Message.

Easter Message 2013

Rejoice, rejoice and sing, rejoice and be glad… for earth and heaven are joined and humanity is reconciled to God! [1]

As the Lenten season ends in Easter rejoicing, note what has been wrought in you this year.  A remarkable cross-section of America has been practicing Lenten disciplines, even some who are not active Christians. [2]   There is a deep hunger in our collective psyche to re-orient our lives toward life and light, healing and peace.  We share a holy hunger for clarity about what is good and life-giving, and we yearn to re-focus on what is most central and important in life.

Easter celebrates the victory of light and life over darkness and death.  God re-creates and redeems all life from dead, dry, and destroyed bones.  We are released from the bonds of self-obsession, addiction, and whatever would steal away the radical freedom of God-with-us.  Our lives re-center in what is most holy and creative, the new thing God is continually doing in our midst.  Practicing vulnerability toward the need and hunger of others around us, we have cultivated compassionate hearts.  We join in baptismal rebirth in the midst of Jesus’ own passing-over.

The wonder of the resurrection is upon us once more.  May we embrace God’s ever-new life with every cell of our being, every yearning of our soul, and every muscle of our will.  Christ is risen, death is vanquished, humanity is restored to holy and creative relationship with God’s ongoing and eternal liveliness.  Praise God who brings light out of darkness, life out of death, and newness out of the stale and moribund.  Alleluia!  Christ is risen!

The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori
Presiding Bishop and Primate
The Episcopal Church

[1] From the Exsultet, Book of Common Prayer  pp 286-7
[2] http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/16/us/a-ritual-of-lent-attracts-nonbelievers.html?_r=0


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Comments (6)

  1. Julian Malakar says:

    And the light is our Lord Jesus Christ thru Him and in Him we overcome the darkness inside us and reconcile with Holy God obeying His commandment. Thank you Lord Jesus for your sorrowful passion thru which we have been saved and share your victory over death.

  2. Joyce Ann Edmondson says:

    The Resurrection brings us new life and hope for all humanity! Thank you God.

  3. Dcn. Howard Smith says:

    Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12, ESV)

  4. ALFRED IGBANGOHOL says:

    Easter is a promise
    God renews to us in each spring.
    May the promise of Easter
    fill your heart with peace and joy!
    Happy Easter to you brethrens

  5. stewart david wigdor says:

    Jesus Appears:
    Love is everything to God; Rejoice our love oh God
    What is love …
    Love leads us to His Wedding so Love has a Destination; Love comes from within so Love has an Origin; Love makes us learn and experience thus Love has Its own Knowledge; so Love is from Worship of God so Love is from Revelation; Love celebrates Life in ecstasy so Love is for Its Devotion; Love is the Living of God so Love is Life’s purpose; Love seeks to be for each moment so Love is beyond time being forever and never ending; Love wants to join us with God so Love has Its Own Perfect Master, Guru Maharaj Ji ;Love is from Jesus Christ who is Love; rejoice Love all Love rejoice. Happy Easter!

  6. Jimi James says:

    Thank you for your message of light and life. Easter’s celebration of Christ risen from the dead and our forgiveness of sins brings new hope for His light to shine through our fears. May this be the year that words replace guns and collaboration replaces bullish stances so that we might see God’s love flowing abundantly among us.

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