Easter Message

Easter Message 
from the Coptic Orthodox Church

Our hearts rejoice and our souls delight as we celebrate the glorious Feast 
of the Resurrection.

The Resurrection is not merely a historical event, but is a living and dynamic act, which we experience and live by its power, as St. Paul wrote, “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain the resurrection from the dead.”  (Philippians 3:10-11).

Our Lord Jesus Christ rose from the dead and raised us with Him, “and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”  (Ephesians 2:6).  For us it is firstly in baptism that we experience death and resurrection with Christ, as St. Paul wrote, “Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.  For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection.”  (Romans 6:4-5).

Experiencing death and resurrection with Christ is dynamic and is experienced daily.  In our spiritual struggles, “we having died to sin, might live for righteousness.”  (1 Peter 2:24).  For Christ’s sake, we die every day, “For Your sake we are killed all day long.”  (Romans 8:36).  The person, who experiences death with Christ and for Christ’s sake, will also experience the resurrection with Christ and the power of the resurrection will become evident in his daily spiritual life.  Consequently, his joy in the resurrection of Christ will be one, which no one can take away from him.

We rejoice in the power of Christ’s resurrection as we face death.  By His death, Christ has trampled death and has bestowed eternal life to those in the tombs.  Therefore, in the departure of our loved ones, the main source of our comfort is Christ’s resurrection, as St. Paul wrote in comforting the Thessalonians, “But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.”  (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14).  Then he ended by saying, “Therefore comfort one another with these words.”  (1 Thessalonians 4:18).

May the Risen Lord bless our beloved country Australia, its people and Government.

Bishop Daniel