Editor’s Note: The piece below takes the form of a letter from a teacher to his students and is published here as an original reflection, not as private correspondence to a particular classroom. In doing so, it aims to offer encouragement and edification for all readers in the New Testament tradition of epistolary literature.
To my students,
Happy Easter! These words likely hold a variety of meanings for each of you. For some they could announce the arrival of spring break, while for others they could evoke childhood memories of hunting for treasure stowed away in plastic eggs.
I am writing you this letter, in hopes of sharing with you what these words mean for me. In my own life, they have quite literally changed everything.
This might be unexpected coming from your economics and entrepreneurship teacher. Personal theological reflection is admittedly a pivot from externality graphs and minimum viable products. Nonetheless, I would fail as your teacher at Loyola Academy if I did not pass on to you the profound importance of the Resurrection in my life. I recognize that might sound overly pious. You might suspect I only say that because I am a Jesuit. But for any Christian, the Resurrection of Jesus should indeed change everything.
For me, the Resurrection is the most convincing sign that God exists, and thus an explanation for the existence of everything in our marvelous universe. Perhaps this is even more surprising given how incredulous it would sound if you heard the story as an adult for the first time. Imagine an alien who had never heard anything about Jesus Christ before. The sparknotes version is: a 30 year-old man claimed to be God, he performed incredible miracles, he was killed, and he rose from the dead after three days, then he ascended into the sky. It’s not hard for a skeptic to say, “so, umm, where is the proof?” The proof is the roughly 2.5 billion people who proclaim faith in Jesus.
More precisely, the proof lies in tracing the origins of our faith. Each Christian today comes to believe by encountering the story of Jesus. For myself, I think of my parents, my first teachers in faith, and the many priests, teachers, and friends who have accompanied me in my journey of faith. Not to mention the authors of various books and podcasts—and, obviously, the Bible itself!
From whom did they all inherit this story? We can trace the spreading of the story of Jesus Christ all the way back to the apostles. Back to those who saw Jesus heal the sick, offer his life, and yes, rise from the dead. Why does this matter? Our faith can be enriched by entering the mindset of Peter and the disciples. They followed Jesus for three years.
The apostles abandoned their families, left their jobs, and uprooted their homes to follow Jesus. I can only imagine that, as they gazed upon the dead Jesus on the cross, they felt more than sadness. I would feel lost—”where do I go next?” Scared—”what will people say about me for giving up everything to follow this man?” And perhaps even anger—”did I leave everything behind for a lie? I thought Jesus would be the one to save Israel!” I imagine I would return home dejected, and then, somehow, piece together a new life and find a new hope.
But that is not what happened. The apostles crisscrossed the Mediterranean on daring journeys. They preached that this Jesus rose from the dead, all under the very real risk of brutal execution. In fact, tradition maintains that all apostles, with the exception of John, suffered martyrdom. The ultimate price was worth it. Their stories got passed on from generation to generation until our church hears them again during these weeks of Easter.
That to me is the greatest proof that God exists. Why? One does not give up their life for a lie. How do I know this? Because I have also given up my life to follow Jesus. I left behind my dream job, my family, my circle of friends, and an admittedly cushy life to become a Jesuit. I have vowed myself to a life of poverty, chastity, and obedience because my own encounter with the risen Christ in prayer compelled me to take this leap of faith. During my discernment process, the decision was not always easy.
If I struggled to leave my life behind for something I had no reason to suspect was false, how could the apostles have risked their lives for something they knew was false? The apostles were there at the foot of the cross. They saw the dead Jesus. I trust no one wants to live out the rest of their days actively promoting and spreading a cover-up.
And the good news—the great news!—is that the Resurrection means SO MUCH MORE than just that God exists. It tells us about the nature of our God. The Resurrection tells us that human suffering, which our God shared on the cross, does not have the final say. It tells us that our God will break every barrier, including death, to be with his beloved children again. And it assures us that there is always hope for a brighter future, even when our limited human minds cannot imagine any way out.
The most skeptical of you might inquire as to whether the entire story of Jesus was fabricated. While there are many other logical and historical arguments for the existence of God, the gift of faith has transformed my life for the better. I find hope when despair may seem most logical. I know that my self-worth is not measured by my mistakes and weaknesses. So, I encourage you, take a chance on faith! Choose to believe that the Resurrection points to a loving God who created this marvelous universe for us to enjoy.
There is so much that I could say about the Resurrection. This mystery invites a lifetime of exploration and wonder. To close, you know well the purpose of Jesuit education is to form women and men for others. I fear we might shortchange you by using that paraphrase, when the full mission of Loyola Academy is: “To form women and men for meaningful lives of leadership and service in imitation of Jesus Christ through a college preparatory education in the Jesuit, Catholic tradition.”
The school’s ultimate hope for you is that you follow in the footsteps of Jesus who gave everything he had for the sake of others. Why? We Christians trust, like Jesus, that when we offer up everything we have, our story too ends in a new, glorified, and joyous life. I can hope for nothing better for you than to find the peace that new life in Christ bestows. It has changed everything for me. Know that I will always pray for the same for you.
All my best,
Mr. Wahlbrink, SJ