We made it! It is over, we crossed the finish line...time to CELEBRATE!
The past forty days of Lent we “wandered the desert with Jesus” through our fasting,penance, alms giving and works of charity. For the last three days, we entered the mystery of the Passion of Jesus: ate our last supper with The Lord; listened to his final words; carried his cross and grieved as He lay dead in the tomb. But today we CELEBRATE! Today is the first day of a new chapter in our lives. Lent is over and we can go back to our regular lives, business as usual. Or can we?
Something has happened today that should preclude us from EVER returning to our regular (“old”) way of living. Today something has occurred that has never happened before. Today THE TOMB IS EMPTY! Not because the body was moved as some surmised, but because as was promised by God for eons through the prophets, and as Jesus Himself told His Apostles: the love of God RESURRECTED Jesus from the dead and given Him NEW LIFE. Jesus defeated Satan and defeated our ultimate enemy: death.
This first day of the week, Easter Sunday, Jesus rose in glory and has promised that those of us who commit our lives to this event, and to Jesus personally, will also conquer sin and RISE TO ETERNAL LIFE WITH HIM AND THE FATHER. Because the tomb is empty we can never go back to our old way of life nor should we.
Since the beginning of Lent, have we recognized any changes? With giving up certain foods, have we
gained more self- control? Have those extra prayers, or going to mass regularly or more frequently created a stronger sense of hope and trust? If so, then why go back to business as usual? Why return to those things we recognized we needed to give up? What would next Lent look like if we keep what we have achieved and build on it next year? Easter really shouldn’t be an end. Rather it should be the first day of a more spiritualty tuned new life.
If going to mass more frequently or consistently was a Lenten resolution, please feel that you are always welcome here. Know that God loves you and we do too. Each Sunday we come together at mass and celebrate a mini-Easter. We commemorate the last supper, death and resurrection of Jesus who gives us the strength to deal with life and promises us everlasting life. Please come and join in our on-going Easter celebration on this first day and every day after...make it about EASTER WITH US.