The meaning of Easter, according to area ministers

Keith Gushard, The Meadville Tribune, Pa.
·2 min read
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Mar. 29—Easter is a time of redemption, celebration and hope, according to area ministers.

On Sunday, Christians around the world will celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead — the third day after his crucifixion.

"It is God's completion of Jesus' work of redemption," said Father Jeffrey Lucas of Epiphany of the Lord Parish of Meadville. "We're saved by the cross and the resurrection."

Easter offers a hope for the future — for a destiny with God in eternity, according to Lucas, who has been a Roman Catholic priest for more than 40 years.

"It's a goal that I look forward to and I look forward to helping other people find it, too," he said.

Bishop Designate Cameron Bowman Sr. of St. John's Missionary Baptist Church of Meadville agrees.

"We have a chance — no matter what we've done wrong — to have another chance," Bowman said of Easter. "We celebrate another chance. We celebrate redemption. We celebrate new beginnings."

Both men say the message of Easter is repentance with hope to be renewed.

"Repentance is recognizing you did it," Bowman said. "Saying 'God forgive me,' turning away (from sin) and asking for help not to do it again."

"God would not have given us the option to repent if he didn't know that despite our best efforts, we at times fail," Lucas said. "We have to look at it that way. We have to look at it as God wants us to succeed."

Jesus Christ came to earth as a common man to spread the message of the redemption of sin.

"He came for a common purpose," Bowman said. "He came for the common man — for those who made mistakes. God understands that we're flesh. Many think you've got to be perfect to be Christian. That's not the case."

Holy Week leading up to Easter Sunday shows how God's love is both reflected and refracted like light, according to Lucas.

"Each day shows a different part of the spectrum of God's love," he said. "The generosity of love, the strength of love and the triumph of love."

"The key is not to give up, but have endurance to the end," Bowman said.

Keith Gushard can be reached at (814) 724-6370 or by email at kgushard@meadvilletribune.com.