Kua ara a Te Karaiti! He pono tonu kua ara a Ia!
Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!

In this Easter season our hearts and minds are very much with the whānau and communities who were devastated by Cyclone Gabrielle, and with all those who are suffering and mourning at this time. When the storms of life come our way we can lose hope, and find it hard to imagine a future for ourselves and for the ones we love.

In the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle we saw whānau and communities come together to help each other. We saw people willing to give what little they had to help others less fortunate than themselves. In these acts, both great and small, we saw so many of the words of our faith come to life. Slowly but surely we’ve seen a new hope return, even among those who thought there was no hope at all.

The story of Easter is ultimately a story of hope against all odds. The story of Easter shows us that even in our darkest hour, even when it seems like all else is lost, we can find new hope and new life. Sometimes all it takes is a small act of kindness, a caring smile, or an encouraging word. We all know how important those things are when we really need them. How much more should we be prepared to offer those same things to others?

The story of Easter is simply this: Jesus lived, Jesus died, Jesus lived again. The story of Easter tells us that death does not need to be defeat, and loss does not need to be the last word. We can hope again, and we can live again, if together we are willing to see the story through to a better ending.

May you and your loved ones find new hope in this Easter season and, through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, may you find enough courage to give hope to others as well.

May you live a resurrected life!

Archbishop Don Tamihere, Pīhopa o Aotearoa

Archbishop Philip Richardson, Senior Bishop of the New Zealand Dioceses

Archbishop Sione Uluilakepa, Bishop of Polynesia