Dear Parishioners:
Happy Easter! "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad!" Easter is the feast of all feasts, as the saints have proclaimed throughout the ages. We rejoice for the new members of our Church baptized and received at the Easter Vigil. Easter is a great cause for rejoicing because it is the promise of eternal life fulfilled. Jesus, our Lord and Savior, has broken the bonds of death and restored us to life. Saints have announced the message unceasingly from past to present. Pope St. John Paul II said: "We are an Easter people, and Alleluia is our song!"
"Easter" comes from Old English, meaning the "East." The sun, which rises in the East, bringing light, warmth, and hope, is a symbol for the Christians of the rising Christ, the true Light of the world. The Paschal Candle, blessed at the Easter Vigil, with its Light breaks through the darkness of the night. It is a central symbol of this divine Light, which is Christ. It is kept near the ambo throughout the Easter Season.
The Easter Vigil is the "Mother of All Vigils," and Easter Sunday is the greatest of all Sundays. Easter is the principal feast of the Church year. Pope St. Leo the Great teaches that Easter is "the greatest feast" and Christmas is celebrated only in preparation for Easter. Therefore, the season of Easter is the most important of all liturgical times.
The octave of Easter comprises eight days which stretch from the first to the second Sunday of Easter. It is a way to prolong the joy of the initial day. There are 50 days of Easter, from the first Sunday to Pentecost. Our celebration of the joy of glorified life and the victory over death is expressed most fully in every Christian's great resounding cry: Alleluia!
The Catechism of the Church teaches: "The mystery of Christ's resurrection is a real event, with manifestations that were historically verified, as the New Testament bears witness." Thus, all faith flows from our faith in the resurrection of Christ from the dead. St. Paul teaches us: "If Christ has not been raised, then empty is our preaching; empty, too, is your faith."
If it truly happened, the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most extraordinary and amazing event in human history. If it did not, our religion is no more than singing happy songs, having wishful thinking, and being nice people.
It is easy to rejoice in Easter and focus only on the beauty of spring and the hope of eternal life. Still, these are only mere sentiments if Jesus didn't rise from the dead. But he did! So rejoice in the real reason for the season!
Let the crucified and risen Christ fill our lives with his Light as we begin this glorious season! What we hear in the Gospel and what we celebrate at Holy Mass are not simply a historical remembrance of things past. Scripture, the Sacraments, and the mysteries of redemption are living realities here and now. We sing "Alleluia" at Easter because the Risen Christ is alive and active, not some historical figure. Jesus is always "present" in both dimensions, having passed outside space and time. Therefore, Easter is "today" every bit as much as it was 2,000 years ago.
From the earliest centuries, Christians have always recognized that every first day of the week, every Sunday, is "a little Easter." St. Jerome writes: "Sunday is the day of the resurrection. It is the day of Christians; it is our day." The earliest Christians observed Sunday at all costs, even though it was a secular workday in the ancient world. Sometimes, they paid with their lives. The early martyrs of North Africa said to their Roman persecutors: "Without fear of any kind, we have celebrated the Lord's Supper because it cannot be missed; that is our law. We cannot live without the Lord's Supper."
As we continue to rejoice at Easter, may we echo the words of the martyrs: "We cannot live without the Lord's Supper." Sunday Mass is our true feast of faith! It would be a tremendous Easter gift and great spiritual kindness if we were to bring back our relatives, friends, and neighbors who do not regularly attend Sunday Mass. On this Easter Sunday, as you enjoy Easter Brunch or Dinner with them, ask God for the courage to invite them back!
Fr. Mahoney and I wish you and your families a blessed, joyful, grace-filled Easter. Be well. Do good. God Bless! A Happy and Holy Easter!