Easter Message from the Provincial Superior

By: Rev. Fr. Edilberto Cepe, C.Ss.R.

Dear brothers and sisters in the Risen Lord, a Blessed Easter to all of you!

The glorious cry of “Alleluia!” rises today, echoing through the silence of our Good Fridays and Black Saturdays.  Easter is not simply a day of joy; it is the triumph of light after darkness, of peace after pain.  It is God’s resounding “Yes” to life, to hope, to love.

But let us remember: Easter Peace did not come without a price. Jesus faced the terror of Good Friday—betrayal, suffering, and death. Holy Saturday brought a stillness that felt like defeat, a heavy silence where hope seemed buried. And yet, in that silence, something sacred was happening. God was not absent. He was preparing to move.

Today, the Risen Christ appears to His disciples—not with a rebuke, but with a gift. His first words are, “Peace be with you.” This peace, this shalom, is not simply the absence of conflict. It is a wholeness, a restoration, a harmony with God, with others, and within ourselves.

In a world filled with wars, division, and indifference, this Easter Peace is urgently needed. We live surrounded by noise – of anger, blame, fear, and distraction. And yet, Christ’s peace can only enter where hearts are open and still. Just as the tomb had to be silent for the resurrection to be revealed, our hearts must also be stilled to hear His voice and welcome His peace.

Let us, then, create space for silence in our lives. In that silence, let us allow the Risen Lord to enter the locked doors of our fears and doubts. Let us be moved by His wounds—not as signs of defeat, but of love that conquers all.

Easter calls us not just to receive Peace but to become messengers of Peace. The world longs for signs of hope. May we, as Easter people, bring peace where there is hate, compassion where there is indifference, and mercy where there is pain.

Christ is risen! And with His rising, He breathes peace upon the world. May this peace reign in our hearts, in our families, in our communities, and in our broken world.

SHALOM! May Christ’s Peace be with you.