Posted on abril 19, 2025 View all Gospel Reflection
“Alleluia, alleluia! He is Risen!”
Happy Easter! Today is the most important day of the Church year. Some like Christmas (we do get toys), others like other holy days (like Palm Sunday when we get palms to take home, or Ash Wednesday to get ashes to wear.) But today we get to put on Christ who is truly risen! The resurrection of Jesus Christ is what fulfills everything else that was promised under the covenant that God made with His people.
This changes everything. It is a new reality. When we celebrate the Easter vigil we are surrounded by the initial darkness, the single light of Christ, the richness of all of the readings from the Old Testament that walk us through the various times that the people of God wandered away from him, and yet how the Lord God was faithful to his promises throughout all of time.
During Lent many people made resolutions or adopted penitential practices, performed almsgiving, prayer and fasting. All of these practices were to call us to repent of our sinfulness, but more importantly to hunger for God’s presence in our lives. On Holy Thursday, Our Lord Jesus Christ instituted the Sacrament of the Eucharist. He gave us his very body and blood so that we might have eternal life. He drank the cup of the New Covenant for us.
Today we see why this was all necessary. Jesus came to restore all of humanity into right relationship with God. He paid with his death on the cross for our Original Sin and for all our personal sins. He did so willingly and generously. He did this because there was no way for us to pay him back. In fact today is a bit like Christmas since today we have received the best gift ever – the gift of everlasting life.
As we go forth to celebrate Easter in our homes (and in fact for the next eight days – the Octave of Easter), how are we thankful for this gift? Do we join with the Apostles and go forth to preach to the people and testify that he is the one! Our Lady accompanied the disciples in these first days. She knew that they were still uncertain and afraid (for the Holy Spirit had not yet descended upon them). The apostles gathered around Our Lady in prayer.
We who call ourselves disciples of Jesus, should join the Apostles in that prayer. We should gather around our Lady, Queen of Apostles to help us fear not and trust in the Lord. Today is a glorious day for each of us for this is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad. Alleluia! Alleluia!
