Cardinal Dolan of New York reveals his Good Friday message: 'God has the last word'

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Cardinal Dolan pays tribute to slain NYPD officer, shares Easter message

Archbishop of New York Cardinal Dolan paid tribute to slain NYPD officer Jonathan Diller and shared his faith-filled message for the nation ahead of Easter Sunday. 

Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York, joined "Fox & Friends" on Friday morning to share a message of hope and resilience for this coming Easter Sunday.

Dolan mentioned the recent killing of NYPD Officer Jonathan Diller, acknowledging that there "seems to be darkness" in the world. 

Good Friday is the annual day observed by Christians as the anniversary of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. 

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"On Good Friday, we're going to remember what the Bible says — that from 12 to 3, darkness covered the whole earth. Things were so sad that literally the earth sobbed." 

That, said Dolan, is "sometimes how we feel." 

Cardinal Timothy Dolan, at far right, gave a Good Friday message on "Fox & Friends" on Friday morning, March 29. (Fox News)

There is, however, hope to be found in Christ, he said.

"Here's the scoop: Who has the last word? Is it going to be death or life? Is it going to be bad or good? Is it going to be despair or hope?" said Dolan.

When Jesus rose from the dead on the first Easter Sunday, humanity received an answer to these questions, he said. 

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"Easter, of course, tells us God has the last word, not Satan," he said.

"We have a Lord who is able to transform and to change, all right. He changed the horror, the darkness, the bleakness, the tremors of Good Friday — He can change that into life, and resurrection, and hope, and faith, and joy."

The cardinal also spoke of how he recently met a group of bishops from Ukraine — and how he was "amazed at their grit." 

Dolan theorized that people were "looking for God in all the wrong places" — including their own mirrors.  (Fox News)

The bishops gifted Dolan some shrapnel from a cluster bomb that was intended to kill the group.

Despite the obvious difficulties that come from living in a war zone, the bishops inspired Dolan with their attitudes.

"They're hopeful, they're resilient, they know this is going to work out. They said they've been through this before. That's the message of Easter. That's what we need now," he said. 

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Dolan also theorized that society's "darkness" and problems could stem from a lack of reliance on God and a lack of faith. 

"We're looking for love in all the wrong places, like that old country western song," said Dolan. 

He urged people to "get back to the very first of the Ten Commandments: ‘I am the Lord thy God, do not have strange Gods before me.’"

Dolan expressed concern that today, "we've forgotten about God."  (Fox News )

"We've forgotten about God, OK!" 

Dolan was similarly concerned that people are "looking for God in all the wrong places" — including in the mirror. 

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"We turn ourselves into God, and when that happens, it's over," he said. 

Christians, he said, "see our God on a cross." 

"Ultimately, the Lord is in charge," said Dolan. "If we're unaware of that and begin to think, ‘It all depends on me,' no wonder."

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"No wonder we're all depressed. No wonder we're on a shrink's couch," he said. 

"So, we've got to return to Him." 

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