President Carter, am I a Christian?

In John chapter eleven Lazarus, the brother of Martha and Mary, had fallen ill and was about to die. These two good news messengers were in mid-sentence of their explanation when Jesus miraculously appeared in their midst! Most of us know the meaning, but I believe certain things are worth repeating. But then Jesus said, “No, I am the resurrection and the life”. – As the Church jumps into the Easter season, Pope Francis on Wednesday offered a reflection on Christ’s Resurrection and the start of Christianity, saying it’s not about us and what we do, but what the Lord has done for us. Because he lives, I will keep the faith, fulfill my destiny, forgive others as he forgives me, and love others as he loves me.

Now that’s an astounding statement.

In his April 15th piece in the New York Times entitled “President Carter, Am I a Christian?“.

People don’t rise from the dead every day. No one in all of history. “Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed”.

I think my answer surprised her: “Don’t worry, you won’t be the worst person there”.

We have just passed through the holiest of weeks in the Christian calendar: Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Do you share that, and if so, how do you account for contradictions within the Gospels? “But God commendeth (demonstrated) his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us”. We carry around in our souls sin, guilt, and shame. The Church is one in communion because of the risen Christ. How will that happen? How will you find it? She had been the first one to come to the tomb and run to Peter and the other disciple. Would you join us by making a donation today to this important work?

The pope said Christianity can’t be understood by “a closed heart, a rationalistic heart … incapable of wonder”, because “Christianity is grace, and grace can only be perceived, and it is mostly found in the wonder of the encounter”. Who are you looking for?’

I don’t write this as a ploy to get you to attend church more regularly.

When his friends excitedly told him that they had seen Jesus, he refused to believe it (see the whole account in John 20:24-29). You have within you a hunger for God – a hunger that God Himself has placed within you (even if you don’t see it this way right now).

Christian people around the planet stake their lives and eternal destinies on the message of Easter – the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We’d love a holy, “throne room” experience that convicts us to take the next significant spiritual step. My belief in the resurrection of Jesus comes from my Christian faith, and not from any need for scientific proof.

In his catechesis for his first general audience of the Easter season, Francis spoke about the “grace” and “surprise” found in our Christian faith, saying we need hearts able to wonder, because hearts that are closed-off can not understand the truth of what Christianity is. Throughout the life of Jesus, we know of no arrogance or self-importance in His behavior patterns.

In our parishes and all over the world, the faithful continue to gather together for prayer in our homes and communities.

The resurrection of Christ not only gives us the opportunity to spend eternity with God the Father, but it also gives us victory over sin and impacts our lives here on earth. However, instead of weeping over our lack of love, we typically make jokes about it, poking fun at our hard-hearted unwillingness to repent and seek Christ’s help to become the people He called us to be.