You Raise Me Up!

By Fr. Christopher Foeckler, MJ • Phoenix, AZ

As we celebrate Easter, we marvel at God’s power and goodness in overcoming sin and death by the glorious resurrection of His beloved Son from death on a cross, and at the same time we revel in the fact that Christ’s resurrection is as St Paul says, “the first fruits of those to be raised with Him.” For just as Christ has been raised from the dead, so we await our own resurrection to eternal life with Him. This great Christian Hope emboldened by the triumph of Jesus resurrected is the basis of the Joy that surrounds our Easter celebration, and it is the basis of a song sung by Josh Groban that I find not only very uplifting emotionally but a deeply theological reflection of this great mystery.

When I am down and oh my soul so weary. When troubles come and my heart burdened be. Then I am still and wait here in the silence, until You come and sit awhile with me.

You raise me up so I can stand on mountains. You raise me up to walk on stormy seas. I am strong when I am on Your shoulders. You raise me up to more than I can be.

We all get down from time to time when troubles are many and our lives are touched by disappointments, sorrows, and even dangers. Then life can seem empty and harsh. These challenging times can drive us to  weariness and discouragement, and to our knees in prayer. Often times prayer is the only solution to our trials, so how good it is to wait in silence – not crying out or shouting in anger – for the Lord to come and be awhile with us. Waiting for the Lord “in the silence” is how prayer is described by Dcn. James Keating, a mentor of priestly prayer.

The resurrection of Jesus convinces us of His power to come to us as the consoler and “be with us for awhile”. To raise us up, not only on the last day when the victory will be universal, but each time the cross weighs us down in this vale of tears. You raise us up, Lord, to enjoy the consolation of Mt. Tabor contemplating Your divine glory that burst seal and stone at your grave! You raise us up, Lord, to walk with St. Peter and the Church on troubled seas that threaten to sink us and overwhelm us! I am strong indeed when I am on the merciful shoulders of the Good Shepherd as He carries me to the joy of His Kingdom! And You raise me up, dear Lord, to more than I can be by filling me with Your divine grace that will transform our lowly bodies into copies of Your glorified body and allow me to see You as You are in a place where eye has not seen, ear has not heard, nor has it even entered our imagination what You have prepared for those who love You – more than we can be by our own power and nature!

Happy Easter to all our friends and family!