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After the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome went to anoint Jesus' body at sunrise Sunday morning. They discussed the problem of the sealed tomb: "Who will roll away the stone for us?"

During the season of Lent, we may have struggled with the same concern - rolling away these stones in our lives that entomb us by holding us prey to our human failures, shortcomings and sins. 

We know full well that rolling away these stones requires both physical and mental strength. We may have tried levers of various degrees to accomplish this task. We recognize both from the Scriptures and our own experiences that we cannot be successful by relying solely on our own energy and resolutions to heal the infidelities which drag us down. 

However, buried deep within the recess of every human heart rests the Resurrected One, the One who, working together with us, can free us from the darkness of our personal tombs and bring us into the radiant light of salvation and the freedom of a living relationship with God.

Jesus is the fulcrum upon which our levers turn, freeing us from the sinful inclinations which rob us of the power to become the person God has placed in this world to be. 

Endowed with the freedom to be God's priestly people, which Jesus earned for us by his life, death and resurrection, we are empowered to advance our Savior's mission in a world that continues to hunger for peace, justice, and the fostering of that solidarity which can and should exist among the members of the human family. 

May this sacred season of Eastertime bring you and your loved ones the blessings of our Risen Lord and the gift of his peace to our troubled and wounded world.

Faithfully yours in Christ,

Howard J. Hubbard
Bishop of Albany[[In-content Ad]]

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