Archbishop of Sydney

2008 Easter Message

By + Cardinal George Pell
Archbishop of Sydney
21/3/2008

As we celebrate Easter the news is once again mixed.  The drought is not over throughout all New South Wales, although Sydney has done well, while the southern Australian states badly need rain.  Our economy continues to be strong, but interest rate rises are increasing mortgage pressures, the poor continue to be squeezed and the USA economy is in convulsions.  We hope their efforts to avoid a meltdown are successful.

The Christian celebration of Easter cuts across this good and bad news.  While Christ taught us to pray for our daily bread, and we certainly pray for all those under pressure and suffering, the mystery of Easter is also working at a deeper and ultimate level.

Christians do not see Easter as another consoling piece of mythology, not simply as an ancient ritual to strengthen our resolve or an antidote to depression.

Jesus Christ was a Jew, a man who lived between 5 BC and 30-35 AD and whose suffering, death and resurrection were historical events.  Only the claim to resurrection is out of the ordinary.

Even more extraordinary are the Christian claims about the consequences of Christ's resurrection.

Christians see the resurrection of this Jewish prophet as ensuring the ultimate triumph of good over evil and asserting the existence of a coherent rational pattern under the wonders, muddle and disasters of human life.

Christians also see the resurrection as repairing the damage caused by human self-love.  Scripture says Jesus took the sins of the world on Himself.

In other words, Jesus offers us the balm of Godly forgiveness but only for wounds cleansed by personal repentance.  This alone is a good reason for rejoicing.

Easter greetings and Easter peace to everyone.

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