Who would believe what we have heard?
To whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
(Isaiah 53:1)
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Who could believe what the first disciples reported? Those who were witnesses to the Lord’s Death were also the first to encounter the Risen Christ. Mary Magdalene met him in the garden; the Apostles, in the Upper Room; He appeared to Cleopas and his companion on the road to Emmaus.
Even in our time, the Good News that the Lord is risen continues to expand our imaginations, to fuel our faith and to offer hope to those who despair. While death may, at times, seem to be all around us, the promise of Resurrection transforms the fabric of human existence. Indeed, we are made for God, who is our beginning and our end, the Author of life and the fulfillment of all that we hope.
In this Year of Mercy, we reflect more deeply on the mercy of God. In announcing the Jubilee Year, Pope Francis wrote this: “Jesus Christ is the face of the Father’s mercy. These words might well sum up the mystery of the Christian faith.” Like those first witnesses of the Resurrection, we who have received God’s mercy are sent to be that same mercy to others.
As we near our celebration of the Sacred Triduum, I pray that you will experience the love that flows from the Crucified One who rose on the Third Day. And may the peace of the Risen Lord be with you and your loved ones.
With every best wish and kind regard, I remain,
Sincerely yours,
Patrick J. McGrath
Bishop of San Jose