Beloved Brothers and Sisters in the Lord,

The proclamation that Christ is Risen is first heard by the Myrrhbearing women as they go to the tomb of Christ to anoint His body with spices. As they approach the tomb, they wonder who will roll away the stone. Much to their astonishment, the stone has already been removed and they are greeted by an angel. Then, these miraculous words are spoken to them, "He is risen! He is not here." What joyful news they heard, and what a joyful message we will receive on the celebration of Pascha.  These women went to the tomb of Christ, but they did not find Him — at least not in the physical sense. How often do we look for Christ and think "He is not here" during our times of trial and tribulation? In fact, Jesus Christ is here and everywhere, and is present in every aspect of our daily lives. Moreover, we have the gift of Christ's presence through the Holy Eucharist offered at each Liturgy. Through His Body and Blood we receive forgiveness for our sins and the promise of everlasting life. Let us remember the Myrrhbearing women who came upon the empty tomb and whose faith was magnified by what they did not see, and let us jubilantly proclaim Christ is Risen!  The Metropolis is blessed with 65 parishes and three monasteries which are filled with good works, both seen and unseen. There are many more exciting and innovative possibilities; and now with the implementation of our Strategic Plan, we have something tangible and visible to chart the course for the future of our Metropolis. Through dedicated efforts in areas such as philanthropic outreach, missions and evangelism, education, stewardship, wellness, youth ministry, communications, and liturgical life, the Strategic Plan is poised to help us achieve our goal to welcome all people with joy, peace and love on their journey to theosis and salvation through churches that save, heal, preach the Gospel and guide the faithful.  The work of the Strategic Plan begins now and will require considerable resources to bring all its components to reality. Your generous gift in honor of the Lord's Resurrection will help us make our Metropolis a vibrant source of spiritual renewal and a beacon of Christ's love. From the darkness of the empty tomb comes the light of Christ's eternal Resurrection. May this light be your constant guide on your personal journey to salvation and may the empty tomb of Christ be filled with the hope of eternal life for all!  Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!  With Love in Our Risen Lord,  Metropolitan Gerasimos of San Francisco

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