Easter Message, 2020
"For they did not yet understand the Scripture that He had to rise from the dead."
John 20:9
Dear brothers and sisters in the Risen Lord,
The passage from the Gospel of John cited above is the last verse proclaimed in the Gospel for the Mass of Easter Day. It speaks to us of a very interesting dimension that is common to many of the events and appearances surrounding the Resurrection: the disciples are confused. They do not yet understand all that the Scriptures had foretold and that Jesus Himself had revealed to them during His public ministry. This is not to say that they do not still have faith. The faith of the disciples was understandably shaken by the horror of the events of Good Friday, and the emotional highs and lows that they experienced that first Holy Week had taken their toll on them as well.
On the morning of the Resurrection, as the disciples stared into the cold, dark, but empty tomb, they simply were left with more questions than answers. Yet the seeds of faith and hope, planted deeply in their hearts, remained. In the days and weeks that followed, these seeds would grow exponentially as they both encountered and continued to be taught by the Risen Lord. It was only in the Lord’s time that they would come to understand, at a deeply profound level, what on that first Easter morning confused and even frightened them.
Dear brothers and sisters, it is clear to us all that the events of these past months surrounding the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic have greatly disrupted our lives. At a profoundly human level, even the greatest scientific minds are confused and our understanding of how we will move forward as a nation and as a global society is uncertain. These anxieties and so many more that we are experiencing have had profound effects on our lives of faith, and even on the manner in which that faith is practiced. This is, without question, among the most painful developments of these days for me as your Bishop, for your priests, as it is for all of you: that this Easter we are separated, physically. The pain you are experiencing by not being able to receive the Risen Lord in the Most Holy Eucharist is real and is a testament to your love and faith in His abiding presence among us.
But it is from the midst of the confusion, uncertainty, and pain of this time, that the Lord is continuing to call us on to deeper faith. As our Holy Father Pope Francis reflected in his meditation at the extraordinary Urbi et Orbi blessing on March 27: Lord, you are calling to us, calling us to faith. Which is not so much believing that you exist, but coming to you and trusting in you… You are calling on us to seize this time of trial as a time of choosing… a time to choose what matters and what passes away, a time to separate what is necessary from what is not. It is time to get our lives back on track with regard to you, Lord and to others…
We are once again confronted with the paradox of the Paschal Mystery – that from suffering, pain, and death come the hope and promise of happiness, peace and eternal life. Our faith teaches us clearly that God never allows evil to have the final word. The Lord, in His infinite wisdom and power, can and is using this time to bring about tremendous good by challenging us to understand, appreciate and rely upon our Christian faith more deeply. As Pope Francis teaches us: He is inviting us once again to choose Him and to cling to His love above all else in our lives.
And so, we continue our journey of faith together, confident that we too will rise with Him; not only from this present distress with deepened faith and renewed hope but unto life everlasting with Him and all the Saints in the kingdom of Heaven. Although this Easter will be celebrated in a manner unlike any of us have experienced in our lifetimes, we rejoice all the more because no matter what may befall us, nothing can take away the central truth upon which our faith is securely founded: Christ is risen; He is truly risen! Alleluia!!
Please be assured of my prayerful closeness to you all, particularly in these challenging times. A blessed and grace-filled Easter to you and your loved ones!
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Most Reverend Michael R. Cote
Bishop of Norwich