An Easter Message 2026

• “Go quickly, and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead.” — Matthew 28:7

• “Do not abandon yourselves to despair. We are the Easter people and hallelujah is our song.” — Pope John Paul II

Today is Easter Sunday, a day of hope, freedom and triumph.  As Christians celebrate Easter, the Jewish people celebrate Passover, which this year began on April 1 and ends at nightfall April 9.  Passover is also a feast of hope, freedom and triumph,  Both faiths are forever entwined because Jesus was a Jew and the Last Supper was a Passover meal.  It should also be remembered that the Muslim faithful have recently observed the holy month of Ramadan.

Our world is a very troubled place right now, filled with violence and hatred.  It is a difficult time for humanity.  Sadly, there is war and strife in the Holy Land, Iran, Ukraine and other places.  There are cruel and tyrannical leaders in the world.  They profess to be of the Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu or other faiths.  There are really charlatans who do not adhere by the Golden Rule that binds people of true faith.  They do not respect human life.  They vilify immigrants and refugees.  They are religious nationalists.  They make a mockery of the teachings of their faith.  They are likely to worship at the altar of money and power.  The pretend to be pious, but they remind me of the hypocritical Pharisees of the New Testament who made a show of their piety.

The  Children of Abraham should not be killing each other because of greed, power and politics.  We know that these terrible times shall pass because all tyranny comes to an end.  The pendulum always swings.  We know that there are also many decent people in the world.  Death and evil were defeated on Easter Sunday.  For this, we believers are joyful.  Hallelujah is our song.  Faith should bring us together, not tear us apart.

- Joanne