S.O.S ALIEME

Today, Christians, especially Catholic faithful all over the world celebrate Easter which symbolizes Christ’s resurrection from the dead.  After celebrating the Holy Week which seems to be the holiest week of the Christian year especially for Catholic faithful, we celebrate the rising to glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. The week starts on Palm Sunday with the commemoration of Christ’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem. So often the Holy Week is considered one of the beautiful traditions" or "customs", a self-evident "part" of our calendar.  We take it for granted and enjoy it as a cherished annual event which we have observed since our childhood. We admire the beauty of its services, the pageantry of its rites and, last but not least, we like the fuss about the Paschal table.

Jesus conquered death and there is no more fear. The meaning of Easter is Jesus Christ's victory over death. His resurrection symbolizes the eternal life that is granted to all who believe in Him. The meaning of Easter also symbolizes the complete verification of all that Jesus preached and taught during His three-year ministry. If He had not risen from the dead, if He had merely died and not been resurrected, He would have been considered just another teacher or Rabbi. However, His resurrection changed all that and gave final and irrefutable proof that He is really the Son of God and that He had conquered death once and for all.  Today, the meaning of Easter, for millions of Christians, is that of honoring and recognizing Jesus Christ's resurrection from the dead, and His glorious promises of eternal life for all who believe in Him.  Easter marks a Sunday on which life, good deeds, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is observed. This day brings an end to the Three Days or Easter Triduum which starts on Thursday evening and ends on Resurrection Sunday or Easter Sunday.

According to the New Testament, the foundation of Christian faith begins or comes to light with resurrection of Jesus Christ, and this very day is celebrated on Easter. Resurrection is actually proof of the belief that Jesus is the Son of God and he will judge the world in virtue. During the Last Supper, he prepared himself for his death and declared the same to his disciples. He held a glass of wine and identified the wine as his blood and the bread as his body which were soon to be sacrificed. This meal is termed as the Passover meal and the resurrection that followed his crucifixion marked the Easter Season.

Many of us today are quite unaware of what Easter actually means, as the true meaning of Easter has been lost. Today, Easter just like Christmas has become rather commercialized but we must bear in mind that Easter is not about wining and dining, nor does it have anything to do with Easter parties; However, today with all our busy schedules and all the fanfare associated with Easter, the real meaning has been forgotten. However for at least some Christians, we still understand what Easter really is all about. When Jesus came, He was a representation of the sacrificial lamb to take away the sins of the world. He was the final sacrifice. We no longer have to sacrifice animals to make atonement for our sins. Jesus has done this once and for all. It is the blood of the son of God himself that cleanses us from all sins. He was crucified on the cross. The sin of the world was upon Him, yet He was without sin and blameless. He bore it all. This is why Jesus is referred to as the ‘Lamb of God’.

Today many Christians only take the trouble to go to Church or attend Holy Mass only on the specific days such as Christmas, or Easter. On Easter and Christmas the Churches are full but on the other days the Churches are half-empty. This is because we have not properly understood the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, in the form that we need to understand as Christians and the followers of God. People do not need to be dazzled with big, churchy words, but they need the Church to talk to them plainly about love, and joy, and forgiveness, and death, and peace, and God, and they will be all ears. There are many religions in the world but we must remember that there is only one saviour. This does not mean that we demean other religions, but as Catholics we like to respect other religions in every way. Jesus has shown us that death is not the end but a beginning to eternal life.

Jesus Christ came to us in Human form and he taught us and performed miracles and eventually laid his life on the cross for us.  Easter is the most significant event for Christians because it turns the whole drama of Christian life into a new direction. So if there was no resurrection there would not be a Christian Church and Christians would not be. That is why Jesus said I am the resurrection and I am the life. The whole foundation of Catholicism rests upon the death and glorious resurrection of Jesus.   The Catholics are more inclined toward religious activities and engage in Lenten sacrifices.  Our Christian journey does not end with our death but we begin a new journey, a journey enjoying eternal life with Jesus.  

Today as we celebrate Easter we gaze at an empty cross.  This is the significance of Easter.  The empty cross symbolizes the victory over death.  As Catholics we respect all religions throughout the world. Though there may be many religions, it is one saviour, who gave his life for us. 

Death surely is not an enemy but a friend.  Jesus said: ‘I am the resurrection and the life:  he that believeth in me though he were dead, yet shall he live:  and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.  Death is banished; life eternal invisible, is in us.  Now we are a new creation, because ‘we are crucified with Christ: nevertheless we live; yet not we, but Christ liveth in us: and the life which we now live in the flesh we live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved us, and gave himself for us.’ (Galatians 2:20).   Jesus said ‘Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.’ (Luke 10:19).  This new creation is in the world, but is not of this world.  We shall be in heavenly places with Christ Jesus. 

Let us not be grumblers, complainers and weaklings.  Remember, we live because He lives in us.  We are His priceless possession.  He sacrificed all; He gave His very life for us.  The resurrected Christ in you sets you free from all the works of the devil, sin, sickness and death.  For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8).  HAPPY EASTER TO US ALL!!!

GOD BLESS NIGERIA!!!