A reflection on faith in Southern Nevada

As morning arrives, a small band of faithful have hiked into a desert canyon, dark and obscure. Along with their parish priest, they begin a special Mass in quiet awe and expectancy. As the minutes pass, the sun slowly rises, bathing the unknown, the indistinct, and the feared into an embracing glow, bringing them all into the rose of security, warmth and love.

It is the sunrise Mass for one of our parishes close to a desert mountain, close to a journey made this past Lent to deepen one's sense and awareness of a loving God. A God who offered his son to fill a thirsting world with life and happiness.

It is a time when there is a hiatus, a pause in life that is often traveled with too much frenetic energy. A time when one turns and experiences the light of life: Jesus Christ risen from the grave.

For each parish in the Diocese of Las Vegas, Easter Sunday is a defining moment of faith in that there is a God who has come and lived among us. A hope that there is a life that cannot be chained to the grave and a love of God that will last forever.

It is this experience of the Roman Catholics that traverses the world beyond the desert sands of Nevada, and joins people of diverse experiences, histories, cultures and lives, into a universal Body of Christ called the Church. This Church that is defined by its people, that brings the message of hope and light to the world.

For us here in Southern Nevada, the universality and diversity of our church takes on a global flavor in the many faces we call our parishioners.

Like a mini-map of the world and post-modern America, the ease of transportation and the opportunities for a better life attract and continue to draw Catholics from all over the world to Southern Nevada. Even in the midst of our most trying times, we still see people coming to be part of our community; a community that we feel represents a future of globalization and diversity. Las Vegas seeks and offers opportunity for searching peoples.

The light of the risen one shines on a rich Hispano-Latino Christianity that was forged in struggle, enslavement and eventual freedom that he, Jesus the Christ, can give to the yearning heart.

The message of peace, the gift of the spirit, he extended when he appeared risen from the dead to his disciples, has enriched the Asian culture with more profound depth and wider experiences of life, family and cross-cultural enrichment.

Christ's message as risen lord to do the will of his father and accomplish his work in the world has transformed and given hope and growth to many other people from the nations of Africa, and the subcontinent to the Pacific Rim.

The light of Christ and the message of life have given an inner energy to this worldwide community in the Diocese of Las Vegas that we experience day to day in our parishes, schools, institutions of health care and charity, and ministries to those in need.

When visiting Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada or a St. Rose Dominican hospital, the faces of many cultures are represented on both staff and volunteers, offering the rich vitality of faith that gives rise to compassion, concern and relief to many in need in our community at this time.

Whether it is a faith-based parish outreach to the poor, or unemployed or a devotional prayer group in the parish, the cultural diversity and universal love and communion of the risen one comes through.

This faith-filled energy of our parishioners is brought to industry, businesses and professions throughout the valley. Value-based and committed workers, teachers and professionals touch every aspect of commercial, economic, scientific, cultural and artistic endeavors in Southern Nevada. They transform by their industry and competence the future goals of a growing secular community and imbue their mark of appreciation for the dignity of each person regardless of age, gender, race or culture formed in the image of the living God.

Adults and youth, seniors and children all contribute to the message that Christ lives and touches many of them intimately through word and sacraments. Given life through the peace that the risen lord gave to his disciples on Easter evening, they extend the peace and inner joy of that gift to their family, friends and community.

Back at the sunrise Mass, the sun moves from valley floor to the walls of the canyon as the parishioners celebrate as a community, the light and life that gives hope and promise to a new tomorrow and brighter horizon in their lives because Christ is risen, alleluia.

We here in Southern Nevada are blessed with many opportunities and challenges. One of them being that our community is a reflection of the greater world and all of those that share God's bounty.

This is a time for renewal and the sharing of our faith. Now is a time that opens us all up to a greater understanding of each other and through that experience, an understanding of the message of the risen Christ.

The Most Reverend Joseph A. Pepe, D.D., J.C.D., is the bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Las Vegas.