My Resurrection Story

Easter Season Mass
Kyle Morris
Salesianum School 2026

Good Morning, my name is Kyle Morris, and I am a member of the Class of 2026. Throughout the Easter season, we are presented with the image of the risen Christ on Easter Sunday, after his tomb is discovered empty. It is the source of my sister’s favorite Bible story, when John beats Peter in the race to the tomb. Jesus is betrayed, beaten, mocked, crucified, and killed, but God never abandons Him. He raises Him up from death on the third day, and all is right in the world. This leap of faith and trust in the Father is unlike any other in magnitude and importance throughout history and can seem kind of intimidating. I am here to tell everyone that you will, at some point in your life, have a resurrection story of your own. 

During November of my sophomore year, I began on my story. I went camping with my Scout Troop to Cape Henlopen State Park. A favorite of the many trips we take as a Troop, with extravagantly cooked Thanksgiving meals and long games of capture the flag in the dunes. This trip was the refresher I needed after a long week of school, and I was not eager to return. Once I got back from this trip, school continued like normal.

As I worked through the week, between tests and quizzes, I had a few things to look forward to. I was going on the sophomore retreat, Quo Vadis, at the end of the week. I wasn't incredibly religious, but it was a new experience, and my friends would be there, so I didn’t care. 

Tuesday, November 14th, first period. I got a note to come down to the CFJ. When I got down there, I was greeted with some tough news. Gus Sargent was dead. He was one of my scouts in the crew I had been leading the weekend previous. My world had been shattered, as if everything had come to a grinding halt. I could deny it as many times as I wanted, but nothing changed. No words or actions can describe such senseless loss. It’s one of those things that you can only come to understand through having been through it yourself.

Life moved on, as I stood still in that moment. There were announcements made, banners signed, but nothing could bring him back. I had no choice but to continue pushing. I went on Quo Vadis with a different perspective than many, but it made little difference. I went to his funeral, hugged his parents, sat with his cousin, Tomas, and mourned in my own way. I could only be locked in that upper room for so long. At some point, I had to continue my journey. I just didn’t know how.

I went to daily Mass, searching for that connection that I was longing for, but Gus was not at daily Mass. I focused on my grades, making myself appear as perfect as possible, but Gus was not in the classroom. I went to therapy and grief counseling, but Gus was not in those meetings. Everywhere I looked, Gus wasn’t there. Good Friday had passed, but Easter Sunday was nowhere to be seen. I was walking down that 7 mile road to Emmaus, not recognizing Jesus when He was walking right next to me. 

I didn’t find Gus until partway into my junior year. I had tried therapy, daily Mass, grief counseling, but eventually I found my way back to my troop. Over a meal on another camping trip, I realized that I was looking Jesus in the face as He was breaking bread in front of me. The younger guys had gone through the exact same thing I had, and they were looking for somewhere to turn with these feelings that they didn’t know how to deal with. They needed a role model as much as I needed somewhere to focus my effort. I realized that I had walked that 7 mile road the wrong way and began to run back to Jerusalem. I became the main leader in the troop, leading by example in both mental and spiritual healing. I participated in a training to become a Peer Counselor through Sean’s House, strengthening my skills in emotional literacy as if there was a tongue of fire above my head. I picked up where I left off with my faith, going on Encounter 111 in the spring of my junior year. I put my finger into His wounds and saw how He had been right beside me through my struggle. I did service projects, led Encounter, shared my story, cared for others, and dedicated my time towards things I know Gus would’ve supported if he were still with us. I finally found my Easter Sunday.

You can never know when exactly your resurrection story will begin or end, but trust that God will be beside you and you will never have to ask why He has abandoned you. Just because you have been crucified, does not mean your story is over. Turn the page and begin a new chapter, and soon enough, you will realise that you are divinely inspired. I leave you with a quote from St. Francis de Sales that I often repeat to myself when I am struggling day to day: “The same Everlasting Father who cares for you today will take care of you tomorrow and every day. Either he will shield you from suffering, or give you unfailing strength to bear it. Be at peace, then, put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginations.”

Claim the Name, Live Jesus!