April 8, 2007
Our Brother Bishops, Reverend Clergy, Religious, Seminarians, and Faithful,
CHRIST IS RISEN!
The women who ran to the empty tomb on that first Easter morning were met by an angel who told them to gather the apostles because the Risen Christ was to appear among them. Specifically, the angel asks that the apostles, “and Peter” be told to be there.
Peter was one of the apostles who could not stay awake with Jesus in those final painful prayerful hours at Gethsemane. Peter reacted with rage in defense of Jesus when the soldiers came to arrest Jesus, and cut off the ear of one of the temple guards. It was Peter who denied Jesus three times as Jesus was being interrogated by the chief rabbis. And yet, this apostle Peter is specifically invited by name to be present for Jesus’ appearance with the disciples.
We have journeyed through the Great Fast and are approaching our personal meeting with the Risen Christ at Pascha! Like Peter, many of us have probably not stayed awake or been faithful in our Great Fast promises of prayers and sacrifices. Some of us have undoubtedly even reacted to others in less than charitable ways, especially when “pushed” with our own limited personal resources. Like Peter, we too have failed to stand up for truths and teachings given by Jesus, and have denied Him in our words and in our manner of life. Have we responded in charitable and caring ways when invited to help? Have we been people of nurture to those in chaos and need? And yet, you and I are also specifically invited by name to be present for Jesus’ appearance at Easter.
Jesus Christ walked through solid walls to greet His disciples, and Peter, at the first Easter. The Risen Christ walks through our personal walls to come to you and to me, to us, at Easter. We, like Peter, are invited to make ourselves present to the Risen Christ this Easter. Jesus Christ thirsts to be present to you and to me, despite our failings, our sinful behavior, and our denials. Jesus Christ offers His forgiveness to you and to me through the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession), and comes to us fully alive in the Holy Eucharist.
It is the prayerful hope of the hierarchy of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in the United States of America that all our clergy, religious and faithful will hear God’s angels calling each of us by name to receive the forgiveness offered by the Risen Christ, and to receive the Risen Christ in the Holy Eucharist.
The disciples on the road to Emmaus came to recognize the Risen Christ amidst them “in the breaking of the bread” (Luke 24: 31, 35). Let us all gather in our parish communities and joyously celebrate the resurrections of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The Risen Christ is amidst us and wants to transform us like He transformed Peter and the early Christians. The Risen Christ wants us to meet Him amidst our parish community like He desired the disciples to gather. The Risen Christ is amidst us when we gather together in prayer as a spiritual family, a Church. Our faith in Jesus Christ becomes life giving and is nourished and stays alive when we gather together in community for prayer. We thank you for your prayerful participation within your parish family, in your spiritual family. We need one another in our journey of faith, and something is lost when some do not participate as regularly as needed.
Our Easter Blessings upon all of our brother bishops, clergy, religious, seminarians and faithful.
Most Reverend Stefan Soroka
Metropolitan of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in the U.S.A.
Archbishop of Philadelphia for Ukrainians
Most Reverend Robert M. Moskal
Bishop of the St. Josaphat Eparchy in Parma
Most Reverend Richard Seminack
Bishop of the St. Nicholas Eparchy in Chicago
Most Reverend Paul Chomnycky, OSBM
Bishop of the Eparchy of Stamford
Most Reverend John Bura
Auxiliary Bishop of the Archeparchy of Philadelphia
Easter, 2007
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