We all know the wonderful story The Wizard of Oz.  Every spring it reappears on TV to delight audiences both young and old.

 What if this year we tinkered a little with the story?  Instead of Kansas, young Dorothy can click the heels of her bright red shoes three times and land in a cornfield in Iowa.  And what if she decided to stay growing corn and raising cattle.  What if she became a rich woman and lived there happily ever after?  Wouldn’t this be a totally different ending to a well-loved story?

 The Easter story is not about What ifs. It’s about What is!  Dorothy did return to her happy home in Kansas and Jesus did rise from His death and appeared to His disciples.  Easter is the celebration of this marvelous and glorious event.  Jesus Christ is raised from the dead and He goes before His disciples to Galilee!  It is not a what if, but a what is. Christ lives and sits at the right hand of His Father where He waits for us!

 Easter means we live Christ’s glory in ourselves.  God calls each of us and we follow in Christ's footsteps. The gift is for all who accept Jesus as the risen Son of the Father.  Through Jesus' teachings we walk faithfully in our good times and even in our disappointing moments. Why? Because faith is about what is and not about what if!

 Whether we experience Christ's Passion or His resurrection we say the same thing: “Yes, I believe you are God’s Son in whom He is well pleased.”  Even if we struggle in following Jesus’ way, we rise up and try again so that our last days will lead to our final home with Jesus.

 Our journey, lived well each day, is a tribute to Jesus' glory all over again.  St. Francis de Sales said it this way: “The rule for our happy death is to lead a good life placing our trust in the merits of the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ without whom everyday would be a fearful and unhappy event.”  That’s a true what is!

 Happy Easter to you, your family, and friends.