Now What?

Easter Sunday was four days ago.  For many, life has already gone back to exactly whatever it was before.  Life goes on without change.

First, let me say that Easter is not over.  For Catholics, Easter is not a single day.  I began by saying “Easter Sunday was four days ago.”  I emphasis the Sunday because we celebrate Easter for 50 days until Pentecost.  Even more so, we are still in the octave of Easter.  “Octave” refers to eight days.  The Octave begins with Easter Sunday and continues until this coming Sunday (April 15th).    During the octave the Gloria is said even at Daily Mass as we celebrate the Resurrection.  Easter (seeing the Triduum as one event) is the most important time of the year.  It deserves not just a day but a season.  The Crucifixion and Resurrection are crucial to understanding our Catholic faith.

From the Crucifixion and Resurrection comes hope.  Hope that comes knowing that Jesus died so that our sins might be forgiven.  Hope that comes from knowing of the Resurrection to see that there is much more to life than what we know in this world.

What strikes you during this Easter Season?  For me, two things come to mind.  First, during the readings at the Easter Vigil I became very much aware of how God was present to all his people in the events from Salvation History that we heard in the readings.  It wasn’t any one reading.  (See my homily from the Easter Vigil).

The other moment of grace was celebrating the Sacraments with our RCIA participants that I had been working with over the last few months.  It was my privilege to preside as two were baptized, one received into the Church, and two completing their sacraments.  Our faith is not a dead faith.  It still speaks everyday to what is going on in our lives.

What difference does faith make in your life?  It might be a particular moment of grace during Lent, the Triduum, or Easter.  Has your life been changed by your faith?  Sometimes the change happens quickly and sometimes we barely notice any change because it happens over months or years.

Faith is not static.  We are called to deepen our relationship with Jesus throughout our entire lives.  Open your hearts and turn them over to Jesus.

Peace,

Fr. Jeff