Jesus' love is more powerful than death itself

Some years ago I was invited to a home of a very nice family outside of the Archdiocese of Mobile, so you do not know them. Their home was beautiful. It was decorated in a rustic early American style. The lady of the house took pride in how she decorated her home and it was obvious that she had an eye for it.
Over the fireplace in the den hung a large photo. The picture looked to be about 100 years old. It had an impressive frame around it.
I supposed that the picture was of a family relative and I asked the lady who the person was in the picture. She told me that she had no idea who it was! She had seen the photo in a shop and thought that it would look perfect for the wall above her fireplace, so she bought it and hung it there. 
She was correct. The picture looked great in her den, but it struck me as odd that she would prominently display a picture of someone whom she did not know. It reminded me of the old pictures one sees hanging on the walls of a Cracker Barrel restaurant. No one knows who they are but they fit the décor of the restaurant. 
This got me thinking. In our homes we may have a picture of Jesus, a crucifix, or a statue—at least I hope we do—perhaps we also might wear a cross on a chain or bracelet. But do we know who He is or do we have these items or wear such jewelry just because it looks good? 
Who is Jesus or, more importantly, who do we say He is?
That was the question which Jesus asked the Apostles one day, “Whom do people say that I am?” The Apostles gave Jesus many answers of what they had heard about Him, but Peter finally answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Each of us must answer that question, there is no escaping it. Even not to answer it is to answer it. The question is placed before us no more powerfully than at Easter. Who do we say that Jesus is?
There are many possible answers:
Would we say that He was a wise man who lived 2,000 years ago, did and taught some nice things, but I’m not sure that He rose from the dead.
We could say that He is God who rose from the dead as He promised, but now is so far above the heavens that He does not know what I am going through.
We could say that He is the risen Lord who knows me, but what He taught is too idealistic for me to live that way in a modern world.
Or we could say that He is God, risen from the dead, who knows me better than I know myself and whose wisdom is the only way to live in order to have purpose, meaning, peace of mind, peace of heart, and eternal life.
We know that God will judge us on the last day, but the truth is that we judge God here and know. We judge if He is truly Lord of all and that he rose from the dead. We judge if He is worth following even when it is challenging. We judge if He is worth committing our lives to. We judge if we believe that the tomb is empty, that the Lord is risen, that we are called to eternal life.
If we truly believe in the resurrection, truly believe He is more powerful than death itself and that we are called to live for all eternity and will one day stand before Him to give an accounting of our life, then it changes the way we live. 
If we intend to follow Him, then we must know Him. How do we get to know Him? We get to know Him by reading the word of God in scripture, receiving the sacraments, speaking with Him in prayer and listening to Him—by listening to that small voice inside of us that prompts us to trust God, to do good, and to care for neighbor. Otherwise, we do not know Him. Jesus is like that picture hanging on the wall of that den that no one knows who he is.
It is for us to believe in the Good News proclaimed at Easter, no matter who we are and how sinful we may be. Jesus always takes the initiative. “It was not you who chose me it was I who chose you.” Jesus always seeks us out like a lost sheep. He never gives up on us. He calls for us to believe that His power and love are more powerful than anything—even death itself.