Christ has conquered sin and death
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April 8, 2020
[Fra Angelico (1395-1455) painted this simple and beautiful fresco on the wall of Cell 6 of the Convento di San Marco in Florence.]
Bishop Arthur J. Serratelli
Jesus is transfigured in glory, giving his astonished disciples at his feet a glimpse of the glory of the Resurrection awaiting all who follow him.
Jesus’ outstretched arms in the form of the cross remind us that it is through the cross, Jesus comes to the unfading glory of heaven. Moses and Elias in the upper part of the fresco tell us that Jesus’ death and Resurrection are not an accident of history, but God’s plan already foreshadowed in the Law and the Prophets.
The Blessed Mother and St. Dominic on either side of Christ represent the faithful in every age called to share in the Resurrection.
The rock on which Jesus stands radiant and triumphant prefigures the tomb from whose darkness he rises brilliant with the light of heaven.
The rock also symbolizes the rock upon which Jesus builds his Church. For it is through the Church that Jesus founded on Peter that we come to share in the Paschal Mystery.
The Resurrection of Jesus has forever changed our relationship with God. Christ has conquered sin and death. He offers to all who believe in him a share in God’s own divine life through faith and the sacraments.
This Easter, may God fill your minds with the sure knowledge that in Christ your sins are forgiven. May he strengthen your hearts with the hope of the glory that awaits us beyond the grave.
