In Christ, we are freed from Bondage

LUKE 24:12 “But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.”

Brothers and Sisters, greetings in the matchless name of Jesus Christ, our Risen Lord! At this joyous Easter, having a personal experience of Jesus Christ is essential to meaningfully celebrate his Resurrection and victory over death and the grave. St. Augustine said, “The joyful news that He is Risen does not change the contemporary world. Still before us lie work, discipline, sacrifice. But the fact of Easter gives us the spiritual power to do the work, accept the discipline and make the sacrifice.”

Indeed, each able-bodied person must work, be disciplined and make the sacrifice. God has made each of us unique, with a special purpose for living that finds its fulfilment in Jesus Christ. Peer pressure is experienced in all walks of life and may even have the negative effect of stifling our individuality and making us mere clones of others. Intended and desirable is for each of us to be so grounded in Christ, that we can be a part of the group and yet retain our uniqueness. That uniqueness ought to be driven by godliness, rather than arrogance, rudeness, disrespect or lewdness. In living committedly to Jesus, we may have to resist peer pressure and if necessary, journey alone. In this regard, Luke’s gospel presents an interesting Easter narrative.

The women’s group consisting of Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James and others, went to the tomb on the morning after their Jewish Sabbath, to carry out the last acts of love to their dearly departed, and at the same time use the spices to embalm the dead body of Jesus. To their surprise, they saw that the large stone at the entrance of the tomb had already been rolled away, and on entering no body of Jesus was found. Afterwards, two unknown persons told them that Jesus was not there but had risen; and they reminded the women of what Jesus had previously told them about himself. The women returned from the tomb and told Jesus’ eleven disciples, “but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.”

From all indications, amid peer pressure, the group of disciples stayed put and ignored the women’s story about the most important event in history and one which Jesus previously explained would have occurred. But wait a minute! Someone has left the group and is journeying alone to the tomb.Yes, it is Peter who three times denied Jesus before his crucifi xion and then wept bitterly. Yes, Peter is running to the tomb, for indeed he believed the women and took a stand. Luke 24:12 records his experience thus, “But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.” Furthermore, in Luke 24:34 we read this about the group of disciples by the end of that day – “They were saying, the Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!”

The conviction of Simon Peter to withstand the pressure of his peers and journey alone when it was required, afforded him the tremendous honour of being an eyewitness to the empty tomb that indicated Jesus was risen from the dead. Even though others would have known that he denied Jesus, Peter demonstrated the moral courage to face those who knew his shame, and certainly Jesus knew. Journeying alone in Christ takes conviction and courage, and today, faithful Christians are those with conviction and courage, who if necessary are prepared to journey alone.

But what about this journeying alone? In our modern world, we are constantly bombarded by so many situations; and must stoutly resist doubts of the truth about Jesus, turning our backs on living morally upright, or believing that material gains are all that matter in life. In Christ we are freed from the bondage and penalty of sin, and him being raised from the dead guarantees our resurrection if we commit our lives to him. As such, if necessary, we must journey alone on the road of righteousness; of justice, love and respect towards all persons; of committed discipleship, worship, and service; of facing up to our shame; and of remaining on the road to full redemption.

Fellow citizens and residents of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Easter 2025 is occurring against the background of the Church’s leadership in promoting righteous living; our Police Force gallantly fighting to stem the scourge of crime and violence; preparation for General Elections; the advancing of Government projects; and the steadfastness of educating our children.Yet, we continue to be very concerned about the prevailing social ills and must unite to address poverty, unemployment, unhealthy consumption practices, and political divisiveness. Let God be glorified.

So, brothers and sisters, in this season of new life, let us strive for love, hospitality, generosity, compassion, and embracing community life to intensify goodwill, harmony and good over evil. May we be motivated to commit to living faithfully and wholesomely, and may our present and future reflect the power of God, the grace of Jesus Christ, and the indwelling Holy Spirit.

A Very Happy and Holy Easter to everyone man, woman, boy and girl!

Bishop Gerard County, Roman Catholic Church, and President of the SVG Christian Council; Bishop C. Leopold Friday, Anglican Church; Rev’d. Philbert S. Delaney, Methodist Church; Captain Wilkings Buissereth, Salvation Army.