[NFBF-L] FW: Message from Fr. Paul

[PLipovsky]

For those of us who are Christians, I'm passing this along.

May you all have a blessed Easter.-----


Fr. George McKenna, a priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago, was one of my
teachers when I was a student at Quigley High School Seminary South. He
wrote a book in 2007 entitled Wisdom from the Pulpit. In it he shared a
story entitled, "What Was in Jeremy's Egg?" I was deeply moved by the story.
It brought tears to my eyes when I first read it. I would like to share that
story with you this Easter. It is a true story.

Jeremy was born with a twisted body, a slow mind and a chronic terminal
illness that had been slowly killing him all his young life. His parents
tried to give him a life as normal as possible and had sent him to St.
Theresa's Elementary School. At the age of 12, Jeremy was only in Grade 2,
seemingly unable to learn.

His teacher often became exasperated with him. He would squirm in his seat,
drool and make grunting noises. At other times, he spoke clearly. One day
his teacher called his parents for a consultation and told them, "Jeremy
belongs in a special school. It isn't fair to the other children." As
Jeremy's mother cried softly, her husband spoke, "There isn't any school of
that kind nearby. We know Jeremy likes it here." The teacher reluctantly
agreed to let Jeremy remain in the class.

>From that day on, his teacher tried to ignore Jeremy's noises and his blank
stares. One day he limped to her desk, dragging his bad leg behind him and
told her. "I love you." It was loud enough for all the children to hear, and
they snickered at him.

In Spring, his teacher told her students the story of Easter. She gave each
of them an empty plastic egg and told them, "Take the egg home and bring it
back tomorrow with some sign of new life in it." She wondered if Jeremy
understood her instructions.

The next morning, 19 children came to school and placed their eggs in the
large basket on the teacher's desk. In one was a flower, in another a
plastic butterfly, both signs of new life. She then opened the next egg and
realized it was empty. She guessed that it was Jeremy's and that he had not
understood her instructions. So as to not embarrass Jeremy, she put the egg
to the side. Suddenly Jeremy spoke up. "Aren't you going to talk about my
egg?" "But your egg is empty," the teacher replied. He looked into her eyes
and said softly, "Yes, but Jesus' tomb was empty too."

Recess came, and the teacher cried. Three months later, Jeremy died. Those
who paid their respects at the funeral home were surprised to see 19 plastic
eggs on his casket. All of them were empty.

This Easter we reflect on another Resurrection story - the original story -
the greatest story ever told, a story about an empty tomb. It is a story
full of life, hope, consolation and joy. What that empty egg meant to Jeremy
and to his teacher and classmates, the empty tomb represents for us today.
Each and every year, as we listen to the Resurrection story, we are meant to
understand and appreciate more deeply in our lives the hope, the meaning and
the joy of the Resurrection. As we reflect on the empty tomb, we are
reminded that although we cannot see Jesus and do not know exactly where he
is, he is alive and risen from the dead. We are reminded that where Jesus
has gone, we will one day follow. This is what the empty eggs on the casket
of Jeremy so powerfully signified for his family and friends.

God worked through Jeremy to give his teacher and fellow classmates a deeper
understanding of the meaning of the Resurrection. As we are about to enter
into the Easter season this year, God wants to work through each and every
one of us to become the good news of the Resurrection to one another by the
witness of our lives of faith, hope, love and service. The Resurrection of
Jesus invites us to open our hearts to the miracle of life after life and to
love, to trust and to believe more faithfully than we have ever loved,
trusted and believed before. The good news of Easter is that the tomb is
empty and that Jesus is alive and in our midst. Sin and death have been
conquered forever. Let us rejoice and be glad. Let us cling to this powerful
Easter message as we continue to come to terms with the challenges we are
all facing as a result of the coronavirus.

God bless all of you, stay safe and well, and have a joyful and blessed
Easter. - Fr. Paul