Easter: Life doesn’t stop here, Enugu Catholic bishop reminds Christian
The Catholic Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Most Rev. Callistus Onaga has reminded Christians that life does not stop here, noting, that is what the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is teaching us.
Bishop Onaga made this submission in Enugu while delivering his Easter message saying that without the single act of resurrection, Christian faith would have been in vain.
While stating that without the resurrection of Christ, the believers and followers of Jesus Christ would not have hope of eternity, the cleric opined that Easter represents the biggest feast of the hope in Christianity.
He noted that Christians are a privileged few because “we have that experience of history and experience of hope.”
Bishop Onaga explained that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the symbol of Easter celebration, which said has laid solid foundation for Christianity and offered believers hope of eternal life.
He stated further that Lenten season was a period when Christians do some internal and external purifications.
“Internal and spiritual in the sense that we pray, fast and give alms. So, we have prayed, we have fasted and given alms. It is now time for celebration”.
He noted that Easter exposed the mystery of redemption, revealing that Christ passed through the hardship of suffering and death, at the took glorification of resurrection.
“Without the resurrection, one would be wondering if actually we will become Christians. If Christ had not risen, in vain is our faith and hope. It is this hope of resurrection that sustains the lives of Christians.
“It means that after these earthly vicissitudes and sufferings, there is a kind of remuneration in terms of internalizing life and surmounting the idea of eternal death and annihilation.
“Life doesn’t stop here. Life continues after death. That’s what the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is teaching us. It takes faith to understand that.
“If someone has gone through this history and experience, why should we doubt him? Even St. Peter in the Acts of the Apostles, was preaching in Cornelius’ house, saying, ‘my dear brothers, what we are preaching is what we experienced’ but they condemned him; he died and God resurrected him. We are talking because we experienced it; we saw it”.