A PRAYER FOR JOY, HOPE, PEACE AND GRACE

The Most Rev. Lawrence T. Persico
04/04/2023

DIOCESE OF ERIE — A blessed Easter to you, my Sisters and Brothers in Christ!

          Even as we revel in the glory and joy of this moment, let us embrace the lessons evident in Holy Week. 

          It is our willingness to humbly turn to Jesus as the source of our true and lasting hope that has the power to open our lives to the mystery of God’s saving grace and his promise of life and peace.  

          While he was with us on earth, Jesus asked his disciples: “And who do you say that I am?” To some, he was the Lord. To others, he was a prophet. Still others considered him an instigator or criminal.

          For us, the answer is clearer.

          At Easter, Jesus speaks to us individually. He says: “I lived with you. I know what you are experiencing. Follow me.”
         
          It is up to us to continue the conversation with Jesus. May we all commit to deepening our relationship with him through prayer, the Eucharist and the sacraments. We must learn from Jesus as he speaks to us through the Gospels. Our lives reflect both the selfless, merciful love of Jesus and the all-too-human, broken lives of his disciples. In the midst of both worlds, Jesus sends us forth — especially at Easter — to continue his presence in the world.

          May God bless you and your loved ones with joy, hope and peace and the grace and desire for a deeper, stronger relationship with Christ.

 Sincerely yours in Christ,

 +The Most Rev. Lawrence T. Persico
   Bishop of Erie

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