As we approach the holiest days of our liturgical year, the terrible fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris holds emotional and spiritual resonance with the sacred story of life, death, and resurrection we celebrate. As people around the world watched this icon of our church burn, it seemed to echo the shock, grief, and devastation the followers of Jesus must have felt as he was arrested, tried, and crucified. So much hope, beauty, and goodness lost in such a brief time! Yet even as many struggle to comprehend what has been lost, a community has emerged pledging to rebuild the cathedral. We shall see it rise again, perhaps not the same as what it was before the transforming fire, but as a glorious expression of the commitment to what this structure has represented for so long. Our journey as members of Dignity has taught us that church is not a building, but the community of believers. Our faith cannot be constrained by stone and wooden structures and each of us has a role in shaping and carrying forward the Christian tradition. The salvation story continues to unfold. The events of our time and our lives are as much a part of making God present in the world as were the events of Jesus’ day. Our faithfulness in living with integrity granted by our Creator, in community dedicated to justice for all people, makes us part of the lineage of those who enflesh the Easter miracle. May your celebration of the Triduum and the glorious season of Easter bring unimagined graces, and to our Jewish kin, we wish you a most sacred Passover. The Board and Staff of DignityUSA |