Archbishop Jerome Listecki joined the Wisconsin’s Morning News crew to talk about the most sacred week in Christianity’s liturgical year. The Most Reverend also discussed why he rarely takes a break, why Easter is so important and even listens to some advice from WTMJ’s Erik Bilstad.
You can listen to the full conversation with the Archbishop in the player above, or read the full transcription below.
Vince Vitrano 0:00
His Excellency, Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome Listecki is with us this morning to offer Easter blessings. I wanted to start off with this because when you walked in our studios and you saw Erik, he said busy week? It is yes,
Archbishop Jerome Listecki 0:18
It’s a little bit of a little bit of an understatement. Right?
Vince Vitrano 0:21
Good Friday, Your Excellency, of course, a solemn holiday in the church and a day where we observe and focus on the Passion of Jesus Christ. And what’s interesting is that is that is with us through the year always, of course, but this is the day where we say those words out loud where we live that moment, and we focus entirely on it.
Archbishop Jerome Listecki 0:43
That’s right. And you know, when you take a look at Good Friday, Good Friday is the fulfillment of the Son of God and the mission that is given to him by his father. And that is the salvific act. You can’t get to the empty tomb unless you go through the cross you know, to many people kind of skirt the the aspect of the suffering and the crucifixion but it’s in following Christ and the suffering and crucifixion and it’s understanding that what he’s doing on the cross is actually saving us from our sin and offering us salvation. What does it mean you know that when you say Jesus is our Redeemer you say he’s, he’s taken us back. He’s, he’s given back to us. What, what, what was lost and now returning us to the pathway to his father,
Vince Vitrano 1:29
Archbishop Jerome Listecki is our guest here on this Good Friday, of course, then we get to Easter, it brings with it joy renewal celebration.
Archbishop Jerome Listecki 1:41
Yeah, right. Always. Right. Right. Right. Freeses is always my favorite candy shop. So it’s always a good one to share.
Vince Vitrano 1:48
But it’s been a tradition, on WTMJ, to, to have the archbishop here for for an Easter blessing. And I’d invite you to offer that.
Archbishop Jerome Listecki 1:58
Sure. And I’d be glad to. When we’re talking about Easter, there’s two words that really come to mind and shoot out. And that is, he lives he lives. And now these two words kind of say it all. When all seemed lost when the tomb was closed, and, and death seeming the end, he rose, as he had said, and the world was suddenly changed our direction to God was rediscovered, the tomb was empty. And our life was not ending. But just beginning. Even his own disciples found the revelation difficult to grasp, yet they couldn’t deny it. It was all through the transformative power of the love of Jesus. He gave His life for us so that we might live. And remember what John’s Gospel says, God so loved the world, that He sent His only Son so that all who believe in Him might have eternal life. Easter is the celebration of celebrations, because of Jesus’s resurrection, not death. But life awaits us. Blessings to all our listeners, and a blessed Easter to all.
Erik Bilstad 3:04
So you’re going to have a big sigh of relief on Easter Sunday evening when things have settled down a bit.
Vince Vitrano 3:10
Right? Do you relax and exhale
Archbishop Jerome Listecki 3:14
All the emphasis just shifts. So for you know, it’s not so much focus on Easter, but now the post Easter season with everybody wanting to get together to do the celebrations to do everything. So for me, my life has always been a shift. It’s it’s shifting the energies from this spot to another. But that’s great. Because I’m I’m able to help people understand, you know, God’s love and presence in their lives.
Erik Bilstad 3:38
You know what you should do? On Easter Sunday after mass when you’re shaking hands with folks and saying Happy Easter you say yeah, see you next week?
Archbishop Jerome Listecki 3:49
Well, that’s, that’s implied already, you know. So you know, that’s it. But you know, how many people will travel to be with family for the holidays? So you know, I won’t I won’t see them the next week. You know, there’ll be back in whatever territories they’re at.
Vince Vitrano 4:04
Well, I’m glad you came today. Milwaukee. Archbishop Jerome Listecki. Thank you.
Archbishop Jerome Listecki 4:12
Thank you very much. Thank you, God bless and same to you.
