WAR PUTS EXTRA EMPHASIS ON EASTER SERMONS' MESSAGE OF HOPE.

Byline: Sharline Chiang Daily News Staff Writer

From pulpits across the San Fernando Valley, this year's Easter message will convey familiar themes of redemption and the resurrection of Christ - and a topical one concerning the war over Kosovo.

Priests and pastors said they will take advantage of one of the best attended services of the year to reflect on the war in Yugoslavia and pray for all involved - especially the three captured U.S. soldiers.

``We will pray for our leadership that God will give them the wisdom, and above everything else we will pray for our soldiers,'' said Rev. David P. Espinoza of La Trinidad Church in San Fernando.

``We just have to have the assurance that somehow God is going to come through for us,'' said Espinoza, whose church serves about 1,000 members.

Cardinal Roger Mahony, leader of the nation's largest Roman Catholic archdiocese, will celebrate Easter service at St. Martin of Tours Church in Brentwood with an English-language Mass at 9 a.m. He will conduct a Spanish-language Mass at noon at St. Joan of Ark Church in West Los Angeles.

This year, Mahony's homily will emphasize the power of Christ's resurrection and how it transforms lives from old ways to new life.

In an advance version of his sermon, Mahony said he will call for worshippers to pray that the power helps bring new peace to their lives, creates ``a deeper and loving sense of commitment of all family members to each other,'' and dispels the evils of racism, discrimination and prejudice.

``That transforming spirit is exactly what our Risen Savior wishes to pour out upon each one of us as the fruitfulness of his Paschal Mystery,'' the advance says.

``And he urges us to open our hearts and lives to allow that spirit to flow into and over our lives, our families, our community, and our Church. Let us pray very deeply during this joyous Easter season.''

For Christians across Los Angeles and around the world, Easter is one of the most important sermons of the year this week, and pastors anticipate pews packed with worshippers and a day of prayers and hymns. Services will commence at sunrise and continuing through the day.

The war in Yugoslavia is a consistent theme.

``I look at it more as human tragedy. I don't like to pass along blame,'' said the Rev. Keith Hwang of the Valley United Methodist Church in Winnetka.

``It is that our human propensity for violence is being acted out. I believe that what our government is doing is the right action, but the fact that it is needed is regrettable,'' he said.

Concerning conflicts in Yugoslavia, the cardinal said he will encourage parishioners to pray ``that the misery and conflict throughout Kosovo be ended quickly, and that the transforming power of our Risen Lord renew the hearts of all peoples living in that troubled area of the world.''

Many area clerical leaders said they spend most of their sermons discussing Christ's resurrection, which is the foundation of Christian faith.

The title of Espinoza's sermon this year is ``Life is a Question Mark - Jesus is an Exclamation Point,'' referring to the puzzling discovery of Jesus' empty tomb and the affirmation of angels who exclaimed in response that he had risen.

``The whole point of the celebration of Easter and the Resurrection is that he is alive and how can you say that without using an exclamation?'' Espinoza said. ``The angels said it with excitement.''

The Rev. Peter A. O'Reilly will sound a similar theme of hope to about 2,300 parishioners of St. Maximilian Kolbe Catholic Community in Thousand Oaks. To accommodate the crowd, members of the storefront church will convene in a nearby school gymnasium.

After Christ's death, ``the disciples had given up all hope. They thought it was all over,'' O'Reilly said.

But as the story of the Resurrection teaches, ``it's often from some of the most unexpected corners that we begin to hope again,'' O'Reilly said. ``What I am saying is in life, when people go through traumatic things in life, not to give up and to stay on the course and above all be open to the possibility that hope may come from the most unexpected source.''

Rev. Bong Jae Yoo expects to deliver a sermon in Korean before 170 people at the Grace Korean Church of the Valley in Reseda. At his church it is traditional, as it is at many Korean churches, for parishioners to dress all in white.