Alleluia! He is Risen

Monsignor James P. Shea President of the University of Mary

Easter brings us such glorious hope!

But of course no words are sufficient to encompass the transcendence of Easter, the utter enormity of the Resurrection, whose aftershocks continue to upend every human assumption.

When we consider Christ’s life, His death and resurrection, human language falls utterly short.

We are left simply to point to Christ and say “His Cross is our Hope. His life is His message.”

How He came into this world, what He did and spoke, how He died, how He returned to us with hope and healing in His pierced hands – embracing us with love – that is the message. His life is His message.

As we go about our lives, we like to believe that our message is obvious in our intentions, in our hopefulness, in our plans.

But while intentions and hopes are wonderful seeds, they are like a child in utero, still taking shape in the womb. It’s when we act upon those hopes and intentions – boots on the ground – that a message is truly born. Seen. Known.

Our message to the world at this very difficult time is, and should remain, filled with hope. As followers of Christ, we proceed as His disciples have always done. We proceed with gratitude for life, showing Who we follow by acting with compassion for others, indelibly marked by self-giving love, and recognized as Christians by simply responding to the question ‘how can we serve?’

We know that, in this time and always, we walk into an unknown future, but armed with the certainty of His grace and care. We are, always, at every time and every place, held in the strength of His arms.

God is eternal, and eternally the same, always loving us through any darkness into His marvelous light. From all of us at Mary, you’ve been so much in our prayers. Pray for us!

Nearly three years ago, benefactors of the University of Mary took health sciences faculty to Europe on what was named the Dignity of the Human Person pilgrimage. Faculty visited Dachau concentration camp; Nuremburg, Germany and the grotto of Lourdes in France.

Dr. Jodi Roller, Dean of the School of Health

Sciences, describes their experience that has only deepened the University of Mary’s dedication to forming ethical health care professionals with respect for the human person. A strong signal of this dedication is the university’s plan to rename its school the Saint Gianna School of Health Sciences.