Jesus is Risen! He is truly Risen!
The Lord’s consistent greeting to his disciples after His resurrection is simply, “Peace be with you.” Locked in a room, gripped by fear, wallowing in disappointment, shame and grief, they imagine life could not get much worse. Then Jesus, risen from the dead, is standing before them. “Peace be with you.”
Yes, He truly died on the cross. Yes, he was buried in the tomb, his body resting three days. But He was raised up. He was alive – He is alive. He lives today and stands in our midst greeting us with the same words. Peace be with you. He knows us well. He knows what gives joy to our lives but He knows the sorrows and burdens we bear. “Peace be with you,” He says.
The Jewish concept of Shalom is so much more than the absence of war or tension. It is the expression of deep friendship and the most sincere wish of well-being. Peace, my very good friend. Jesus meets us on this Easter Sunday, as he did with that first generation of disciples bestowing peace, friendship, mercy, healing, courage and new hope. Please read the accounts of the resurrection in the four Gospels. See how he meets us in our fears and disappointments, in our hopes and pleas, even in the ordinary activities of our life. And we can recognize him because he appears to us in the breaking of the bread, in the Holy Eucharist.
Wishing you a Happy Easter, I do so with sincere gratitude for the ways you inspire me by your witness to the Real Presence of our Risen Lord in our midst. In a special way I want to thank all of you and all the parishes who participated in the 40 Days of Adoration this Lent and all our priests for the generosity of Reconciliation Monday. I hope these were moments of profound grace for you as they were for me. The Disciple Maker Index, too, was an opportunity to reflect on our relationship with Jesus Christ. All of this was preparation for us to spend the next 50 days of the Easter Season living and rejoicing in His presence.
Easter reminds us of the boundless horizons that are afforded us as followers of Christ. The logo of our Real Presence, Real Future initiative reflects that. We are one body of Christ in the Diocese of Columbus, and as one we look to the Risen Lord as the source of our peace and joy. Like with those early disciples of Jesus, may our encounter with the Risen Lord renew us, fill us with hope and impel us to bear joyful witness to his Resurrection in a world that so desperately needs to hear him say, “Peace be with you.”
Most Reverend Robert J. Brennan
Bishop of Columbus
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We are now enrolling new families to St. Mary School for the 2021-22 school year! Please call us at 740-654-1632 to schedule a visit and get more information! 
