If Christ be not risen, our faith is in vain. (I Corinthians 15:14) But he is risen. The tomb is empty. . .It is the emptiness that matters. He is not here. He has risen. All the chambers of my heart, of my being, need to be emptied, even of beautiful images, of holy images, if the reality is going to enter in and wholly possess me. But I can’t empty myself by any of my efforts. My very efforts fail me. I need to let the risen Lord come in with all his radiance, his enlightenment, which will disperse all my dark shadows and homemade images and totally fill me with the reality. . .Christ is risen.
–Father Basil Pennington, O.C.S.O.
