The Light Always Returns

One of our family teachers sent me a picture of a sign that they put up in their home during the Easter season. The sign reads “Easter is proof that light always returns no matter how dark the tomb.”  That sign sums up the message of Easter that we return to year after year. 

The reminder that Light has come into the world, and the darkness has not overcome it (John 1:5, NAB). Every day we witness our youth beginning to see light where they saw only darkness before.  We see the sacrifice of our staff, we see little miracles we call “Flanagan Moments”, we see light enter the dark tomb. We celebrate Easter because despite all these moments of Grace, it is easy to allow ourselves to focus on the darkness that surrounds our lives.  We can light candles, and turn on lights, we do what we can to make the world a better place, but very often it seems we are trying to climb a mountain with no top. 

Easter reminds us that we do these things not because we think we can overcome evil, we do them because we follow the One who can. Even the smallest acts of love can help others see the light of Christ’s Resurrection. The empty tomb shows us that light can enter even the darkest of places, and that there is no place we can’t bring the love and light of Christ. 

It is a joy to celebrate Easter here at Boys Town, we often have no choice but to acknowledge the darkness and evil of the world, but we carry on Fr. Flanagan’s legacy that we would be a place where we focus on the empty tomb, we look for light, we seek out Jesus in the lives of our youth and each other.  The Light always returns, and the darker the tomb the brighter it shines. From all of us here at Boys Town have a blessed and joyful Easter. 

Sincerely,

Father Jeff Mollner 

National Director of Mission and Spiritually