By Bishop Alberto Rojas
Dear sisters and brother in the Risen Lord, Happy Easter!
As we know, Easter is not just another date on the calendar; it is the “Feast of Feasts,” the essential fact by which the entire history of the universe recovers its true meaning. The Resurrection of the Lord Jesus confirms and affirms everything He said and did. This is the very moment when the silence of the tomb was shattered by the breath of God, pointing out that death—the ultimate wall—has been transformed into a doorway to new life. This is the heart of the Paschal Mystery: that suffering is not the final word, and that God’s love, when poured out completely, is more powerful than the darkness of a grave.
Dear friends, for those of us who believe in Christ Jesus, the meaning of Easter goes beyond the walls of any Christian Church. It offers a universal calling of hope and peace that speaks to every human heart, regardless of creed or culture. The Resurrection of Jesus is the celebration of New Life, the celebration of respect for every human being, created in the image and likeness of God. Just as God breathed life into the dust at the beginning of time, the Resurrection breathes new life into our fractioned and wounded world. This renewal reminds us that life is not a commodity to be used, but a gift to be cherished. This “new life” extends to the very earth we inhabit as our common home. If the Creator has chosen to redeem life through a physical resurrection, then the natural world itself is also sacred; and here is where we should be grateful and recognize that every forest, every creature, and every ecosystem is a reflection of the Divine. We can say that to celebrate Easter is also to commit ourselves to being stewards of creation, protecting the fragile beauty of our common home from exploitation and neglect, because in the end the creation is there for the benefit of every human being.
So, for the world, Easter also serves as a profound affirmation of human dignity. The Resurrection tells us that no human being is a “throwaway.” If God went to the furthest depths of human suffering and death to rescue us and bring us back, then every person possesses an infinite human dignity with a non-negotiable value. And this sacredness applies to everyone: the unborn, the elderly, the refugee, the immigrant and the marginalized. In a world that often measures worth by productivity or status, Easter stands as a defiant shout that every life is holy. It challenges us to look at the “other,” those who are different from us, or even those we consider enemies—and see in them a brother or sister worthy of unconditional respect and love.
Finally, the first words of the Risen Christ to his terrified disciples were: “Peace be with you.” In a global climate often defined by division, conflict, and a “globalization of indifference and self-centeredness,” the message of Easter is an urgent cry for peace, not a passive peace, but an active, “restless” peace that seeks justice. It is the peace that the world cannot give us; it must come from reconciliation through God’s love—the realization that we are all part of the same one human family.
Easter invites us to roll away the stones of hatred, prejudice, and greed that bury our shared humanity. It teaches us that true power is found not in the ability to take life, but in the courage to give it and nurture it; not in building walls, but in building bridges and washing feet. Whether viewed through the lens of faith or as a profound symbol of the human spirit’s resilience, Easter represents the triumph of light over darkness. It is a reminder that spring always follows winter, and that even in the darkest corners of our world—where war rages or despair takes root—the seeds of new life are waiting to break through the soil.
To live the “Easter meaning” is to become a person of hope. It is to choose life over death, kindness over cruelty, and peaceful service over power. It is an invitation to every person on earth to walk in the light of a new dawn, recognizing that we are all caretakers of a sacred creation and guardians of one another’s dignity. Thank you for reading this!
Happy Easter,
Bishop Rojas