Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
The resurrection of Jesus stands at the center of our faith. We believe, as Saint Paul says, that Jesus “died for our sins and rose for our justification.” He entered the very darkest corners of human existence, took our pain, suffering, and death upon himself, and then drew us into the fullness of risen life. As we celebrate the Lord’s resurrection this Easter 2024, we are clearly aware of those dark corners of human existence that Jesus took upon himself. With troubled hearts, we watch war and violence unfold in the Holy Land, in Ukraine, in parts of
Africa, and in our own city of Chicago. We know the crippling effects of climate change and the natural disasters that have affected so many people throughout the world. We struggle with the social and political polarization that threatens our life together.
We step back from all of this, and we can surely affirm that we need the transforming and life-giving power of the Resurrection. We also stand together as a church, a synodal church, that journeys together and reclaim our faith and trust in the power of the Risen Lord who makes all things work for the good for those who love him. We stand together in our often broken and wounded world to witness hope to all humanity, to proclaim that God’s life and not death will have the last word.
May this feast of Easter be a graced moment to rediscover and reclaim our great faith and hope in Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, who goes before us and leads us home.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Blase Cardinal Cupich
Archbishop of Chicago