Religious leaders gather to share Easter message of sacrifice and hope
For many, Easter Sunday offered a chance to celebrate the resurrection of Christ and this year the religious message was as strong as ever – open your mind to new possibilities.
In humble prayer, tens of thousands gathered at churches across the state as religious leaders shared their hopes for one of the holiest days on the Christian calendar.
At Melbourne’s St Patrick’s Cathedral Archbishop Peter Comensoli urged parishioners to continue to spread the message of Jesus Christ and celebrate his resurrection.
While acknowledging that the church itself was “wounded”, he encouraged his congregation to speak about their faith and continue to share the message of sacrifice and hope.
“We have been walking through loss and grief in the Church here in Melbourne, and we are so in need of the Lord who wants us to share his Easter joy,” he said.
“As shattered and as wounded as our local Church can seem, the Risen Lord, in his gloriously wounded body, is inviting us to share in his life and to walk with him.
“Jesus did not hide the wounds of his death from his friends. Instead, he carried them with him into the resurrected life.”
For Christians, Easter Sunday marks the day Christ rose from the dead on the third day after his burial and symbolises that eternal life is granted to all who believe.
At the city’s progressive Hillsong service, through the power of technology, founding pastor Brian Houston prayed alongside his parishioners for health, friendship, world peace and safe travels.
He urged followers of Christ to avoid living in the past and instead embrace the opportunities the future can hold.
His Easter message – stand still, see the salvation of the lord and hold your peace.
“To him, all things are possible,” he said.