Fr Billy Swan, Editor
Dear friends. On behalf of all of us involved in ‘The Hook of Faith’ we take this opportunity to wish you all a very Happy Easter and to thank you for following us regularly.
Easter is a special time of year with signs in nature that confirm the promise of new life and hope – the longer evenings, warmer weather, the spring lambs, new buds on the trees. All around us, creation is bursting with the new life we welcome. In the Church’s liturgy that we have celebrated during the Easter Triduum, we recalled the saving works of God in history and reminded ourselves that the saving power of God’s love and mercy remains the most powerful force in the world. God sent his Son into the story of humankind. He has sent his Son into the story of our lives too. In that story he is present, alive and active. His light and hope reaches us in the intimacy of our being and reassures us that we are loved and that we matter.
To everyone who hungers for fulfilment and meaning, Christ’s choice of us and the vocation he gifts us, is the food that will satisfy. To anyone who is batting with the darkness of illness, treatment, loneliness, worry, addiction, pain or hurt, Christ reaches you and assures you that you are not alone. To families and the community of the Church, faith in the same Lord brings us together on the journey and it is He who leads us on the way. To the sick and the elderly we say: ‘Your dignity is greater than your abilities or your health. You are not a burden. You matter and we care’.
To all the people of the world suffering from war and displacement, we join with Pope Francis and the Irish bishops in shouting ‘STOP!’. Enough is enough. It is time for peace – the peace for which Christ suffered, died and rose again. And so friends, the Easter message is not just for ourselves but extends to the whole world. It is a hope that makes all things new. May the joy of the resurrection be yours this Easter. May it bring new hope and healing to those who need it most. Thank you for your commitment to your faith and the witness you give in so many ways. Special Easter greetings to all who follow us from America and from the Philippines. Thank you for your support. We hope our mission here at ‘the Hook of Faith’ supports your mission!! With every Easter blessing and peace.