Easter 2012 Letter from Bishop Hicks

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

The Epistle for Easter Sunday, taken from Colossians 3, reads, “If you then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God.”

 St. Paul’s exhortation to seek heavenly things is based upon the premise that we indeed are risen with Christ. What a wonderful, awe-inspiring and humbling thought! The resurrection of Jesus Christ is not simply the subject matter of an historical discussion about something that happened two millennia ago, nor is it merely the happy conclusion of an ancient story. Rather, that unique historical event continues to impact lives, today, in a very real and powerful way. We, who are in Christ, have risen with him and share in his eternal life. For this reason, the church historically has conducted baptisms in the Easter season, so that the sacrament of new life was connected to the celebration of new life that comes through the resurrection of Jesus. As the Scripture says, “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death; that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:4).

 I pray that our celebration of the resurrection of our Lord will be one in which the reality of Christ’s resurrection is a source of joy and motivation to seek those things which are above and walk in newness of life.

Christ is risen, indeed! Alleluia!