Christians have been called to build strong faith in the risen Lord. This call was made by Rt. Rev. Callist Rubaramira, Bishop of Kabale Diocese while preaching during Mass to celebrate Easter Sunday in Our Lady of Good Shepherd Rushoroza Cathedral.
Easter Sunday’s Gospel of John, 20: 1-9 talks about the empty tomb of Jesus. Peter ran to the tomb, but John (the disciple whom the loved) entered, saw and believed. He believed because he remembered all that Jesus had said would happen. On this, Bishop Callist said that presently, Christians have no chance of seeing the empty tomb, but have an opportunity to believe that indeed Jesus is risen and he lives with them today and forever though invisible to our naked eyes.
Bishop Rubaramira further told the Congregation that as they celebrate this Easter season, it’s better that to remember God’s Love for them which is beyond all understanding According to 1 John 4:10, love consists in this: “not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.” It is God loved us first and therefore we too should love him and obey his commands.
He said that St. Paul reminds believers that in baptism they died with Christ and as Christ was raised from the dead, they too will rise with him in newness of life. When Christians continue walking with Christ their Lord in newness of life, they will reign with him and since he brought them new life, they should remove the ‘old yeast’ with old behavior and take on new behavior which befits the children of God. “And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you” (Romans 8:11).
Ask yourself if in your life you have resurrected with Christ. We just concluded the 5 weeks of lent which had 3 pillars of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. What did I not do right? What do I need to make right in my life so that Christ transforms me? – Bishop Callist Rubaramira.
We celebrate the day when Jesus defeated sin and death and is now alive, revealing himself to the apostles who were with him as read in Acts 10:40-41 that “God raised Him up on the third day and granted that He become visible, not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead.”
St. Paul reminds us that in baptism we died with Christ in our bodies and as Christ was raised from the dead, we too we rose with him in newness of life. When we continue walking with him in newness of life we shall reign with him. Christ brought us new life, remove the old yeast with old behavior and take on new behavior which befits the children of God. Where we have not opened for Christ, drop what’s hindering him from coming into your life, embrace him. Allow Christ to hold your hand and lead you, allow the power of the Holy Spirit to transform you into new person.
He prayed that the Holy Spirit should strengthen all in faith of the risen Christ and lead them to always doing good. The Congregation was led into renewal of baptismal promises and renewal of faith that was accompanied by sprinkling of the holy water which was blessed with Easter candle on Easter Vigil.