MESSAGE FOR EASTER 2022
from Archbishop Simon Poh
Dear brothers and sisters,
I take this opportunity to wish you a Blessed Easter. Alleluia! “Christ has risen as he said he would!” (Mt 28:6) He is with us until the end of time! (Matthew 28:20)
During Holy Week, I was interviewed by WaiFM Bidayuh, RTM to share about Easter. One of the questions asked was simply, “Why is Easter such an important feast to all Christians?” Though it seemed such a simple and straightforward question, I realised that this is the fundamental question of our Christian Faith.
In our Church calendar, we speak of seasons of Advent and Christmas, 40 days of Lent and 50 days of Easter which conclude with Pentecost Sunday. When I thought about it, I realised that there is actually more focus on Christmas than Easter Sunday. Isn’t it true that on Christmas, we have carolling, exchange of presents and for the older generation, writing and posting Christmas Cards? The younger generation would just send gif images and videos using social media. But, during Easter we hardly receive any Easter Cards.
It is true that Christmas has been commercialised with Santa Claus, with shopping malls decorated with Christmas trees and lights. Even schools and offices declare Christmas holiday seasons! Churches too, have nativity scenes, set with cute and adorable baby Jesus in a stable in Bethlehem. Come to think of it, we may have taken Easter for granted though we do have Easter bunny chocolates, hot cross buns and some easter egg-hunt activities for our children.
Back to the question above, we should actually give greater importance to Easter. The answer is from the Scriptures . St Paul who had proclaimed Christ crucified and died on the Cross, has this wonderful answer.
“… If Christ has not been raised from death, then we have nothing to preach and you have nothing to believe… And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is a delusion and you are still lost in your sins… If our hope in Christ is good for this life only and no more, then we deserve more pity than anyone else in all the world.” (see 1 Cor 15:12-19)
Chronologically, on Christmas a baby called Jesus was born in Bethlehem. He grew up in Nazareth and began preaching at age 30. Three years later, after gathering a group of disciples, he was executed and died on the Cross, the punishment due for a criminal! Thus, when he died his disciples lost their direction. Some went into hiding while others left Jerusalem for there was nothing more to hope for.
Thus, if Jesus did not rise from the dead, his birth at Christmas, everything that he taught and claimed as the Son of God, including everything we hold true as Christians, would amount to nothing. And if Jesus had died and never rose back to life, we can only say that Jesus was only a good human person who had healed many people and he died tragically, nothing more.
Praise the Lord that we have living witnesses who have met the risen Christ. St Paul testified that, “Christ died for our sins, in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter and later to the Twelve, and next he appeared to more than 500 of the brothers at the same time….” (1 Cor 15:3-6)
Thus, for us Christians Jesus’ resurrection from the dead on Easter Sunday is the assurance and proof that Christ is indeed the promised Son of God who had come into the world; born, lived and walked among us, and died to set us free from our sins! By his resurrection we believe that Jesus Christ our Lord is truly man and truly God. “God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
Now we believe and confidently declare at every Mass:
• We proclaim your Death O Lord and profess your Resurrection until you come again.
In faith, we implore:
• Save us Saviour of the world, for by your Cross and Resurrection, you have set us free!
We are grateful to have come to faith in the risen Christ and in the Catholic Church with the testimony and teaching that have been handed through the apostles to us today.
Indeed, I am proud to be a Catholic for we belong to the one, holy, Catholic and apostolic Church.
On behalf of Archbishops Emeriti Peter and John, Priests, Religious and leaders of our Archdiocesan Pastoral Council, I wish everyone Blessed Easter. May you and your families be raised up and blessed by the Risen Lord. Alleluia! Christ is Risen!
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