The journal. (Caldwell, Ohio) 1934-1961, 1957-04-18

the bishops Easter sermon:
He who truly loves accepts
without question the fact of the
Resurrection of Jesus Christ. To
him the empty tomb is the full
flllment of loves expectation
Love and life without end are
two blossoms of the same stock
to those who know mans high
est calling. For the Creator so
formed our nature that its per-
fection can be reached only as
1t embraces the Love that is
God. Now such love is meaning
less unless its spirit is forever
ness"
"St. Paul tells us that if Christ
be not risen again our faith is
in vain. The resurrection, then
is the crown of the entire mis-
sion of the Redeemer, it is the
seal of His Word, the evidence
of His love. Historically the fact
of the resurrection is unaSSail-
able; logically it is the final
proof of a Divine Mission. And
yet out of that empty tomb our
faith must walk with firm
step. For Christ rose again that
we might know Him in truth
as the Word of God. But only
they walk in faith who live in
love.
Love is the burden of Christs
teaching. He Himself has said
that the greatest and the first
commandment is that of love of
God. And the second, like to the
first, is the love of neighbor.
This is My commandment that
you love one another as l have
loved YOU John XIV, 12). Such
love is that born of God, not of
the flesh. 1t is a love untouched
by the selfishnesS of the flesh,
a stranger to personal lusts and
greed, far removed from the
envies, jealousies, the hates and
lies of an all-consuming pride.
Love born of God is the force
that moves us towards the
Divine. The desire born of the
flesh, however, is doomed with
the flesh to rot in the grave Of
its very nature it cannot last
forever. Only he who shares in
the life of God can settle him
self in the hope of never-ending
love.
ITO know Jesus is to love
Him. To know Him is to see in
Him truth, goodness, mercy and
gentleness, the strength of patti
ence the power of restraint, the
courage of fidelity, the depth of
understanding. To know Him is
know forgiveness and yet right
eous indignation, humility and
yet an innplacable hatred for all
that is evil. This is the spirit of
Christ; this is that for which we
were made from the very be-
ginning. Knowing Christ is to
love this Divine Spirit. In that
love we become another Christ,
we are transformed into the like
ness Of Him who is Life itself
Who loses himself in his God
gives himself to eternal life. ST.
Augustine has written that God
is love, and he that dwelleth in
love. dwelleth in God. What a
wonderful way to fulfill our
purpose in life-to be remade by
love into the image of our
Saviour.
Never was there a time when
true lovers were not convinced
that love is eternal. This forever
ness is the very breath of their
mutual giving of self to the
other. To such as these the grave
is but womb that gives birth
to fuller and better life where
love will find its full expression.
This conviction of Immortality
is an essential note of true love.
1t is God spelling out for us our
destiny as love transforms our
loWly nature.
Easter is everything we hope
for. 1t is the promise of love
fulfilled, it is life in its true
perspective. For Christ himself
made love the core of His teach
ing. 1t was necessary, then, that