Easter is God’s promise which his Son came to fulfill,
A promise of eternal life, for all who seek his will.
Season of the budding trees, the lily in its glory,
The greening hills, the daffodils, the holy Easter story.
Easter is the joy of spring, God’s gift and triumph, too,
Reminding us of Jesus’ love, in which we’re born anew.
-Tender thoughts greetings from an Easter card I received.
Easter - Blessed, to be able to bless...
While in the seminary, I once read a story about an elderly priest. It read: “Life is a series of Good Fridays, with an occasional Easter thrown in, just to keep us going.” “No!” We objected, since we were young. “Life is an endless Easter, with some Good Fridays thrown in to keep us on our toes!”
Without Good Fridays, there can be no Easter Sundays. They are really two sides of the same lost and found coin. Yes, the old priest was right. And yes, the young seminarians were right. One can forget their Good Friday experiences when loves dissolves our pain, suffering and sorrow. And one can experience Easter when we fall and rise again, and God gives us a new beginning. Life can often be cruel, but our Easter moments are more powerful than all the Good Fridays put together.
As I think of the death of my dear mother, which was almost three months ago, Easter takes on a whole new meaning in an intimate way. She now has a new body without the limitations of her former self. And as she goes before us, marked by the sign of faith in death, may she now share in the Paschal Feast of heaven. That is our hope, our peace and consolation. “Blessed are you, my Lord, my God. For you are unchangeable in all eternity! Whoever faithfully serves you until the end, shall enjoy life without end in all eternity.”
-St. Teresa of Avila
Each time I enter the cemetery grounds at Resurrection Cemetery in Moon Twp., and view the statue of the Risen Lord, it’s as if he lifts the entire world to himself. As Jesus told Mary and Martha when he came to comfort them at the death of their brother Lazarus: [God to my rescue.] “Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise.’ Martha said to him, ‘I know he will rise, in the Resurrection on the last day; Jesus told her ‘I am the Resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?’ She said to him, ‘Yes, Lord, I have come to believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.’” (John 11:23-27)
The Paschal Mystery has two aspects:
1. By His Death, Christ liberates us from sin;
2. By His Resurrection , He opens the way to new life.
In the book: “101 Things You Should do Before Going to Heaven.” (David Bordon and Tom Winters), it discusses that the deepest longing of the human story is for a new beginning. So one must make the most of every day that God has set aside for you on earth. We must take hold of His grace, forgiveness and unfailing love. To really live, and really love. Yes, there’s a wild and wonderful world that is longing to catch a glimpse of God and heaven—through you. Thought I’d share a few of these this Easter 2013 with you:
#24 - Live up to your name “Christian.”
#30 - Ask for directions
#33 - Let go of the grudge.
#35 - Pray your way through the news.
#38 - Walk in Jesus’ footsteps.
#44 - Bless an enemy.
#47 - Be silent for one whole day.
#48 - Walk in someone else’s shoes.
#50 - Make yourself at home in a cemetery.
#54 - Break a long-time habit.
#56 - Count your blessings.
#73 - Be an answer to prayer.
#90 - Greet the dawn.
Recently, I was asked to preach (along with a Methodist minister, for the occasion of the funeral of R.D. Copeland, longtime funeral director (over 6 decades), who is a pillar in this community and had served over 20,000 families in the death of their loved ones. I was humbly privileged to offer words of comfort. And since Mr. Copeland was Methodist, I thought I would borrow words from the Evangelist, John Wesley, English Clergyman and Evangelist—founder of Methodism (1703-1791) “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.”
It has been good to share the ‘Good News’ of Jesus Christ with the faith community of St. Joseph Parish for my 5th Easter. With my 25th Anniversary of Ordination to the priesthood on the horizon, I am grateful to my parents and my family, who planted the ‘seeds of faith’ in our home, and all those who have accompanied me on the way to God’s Kingdom. Wishing all of you the new life Easter brings! Peace, joy and love!
We Praise You, O Christ
We praise you, O risen Christ,
The true springtime of God that shines on the winter of the world.
Make the jonquils of eternal joy
bloom in the garden of our heart.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
We praise you, O risen Christ,
The new dawn of the day without end and the sun of joy.
Make the light of eternal life shine
on the darkness of our mornings.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
We praise you, O risen Christ,
the Paschal Lamb of the feast of spring
and our royal shepherd.
Lead us to the springs of living water,
to the pastures of eternal spring.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
We praise you, O risen Christ,
the true bread of God,
kneaded from the firstfruits of the new harvest.
Purify us from the old yeast
and fill us with your eternal youth.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
We praise you, O risen Christ,
The firstborn from the dead, splendor of paternal glory.
Open the tombs of our death into eternal peace.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
We praise you, O risen Christ,
the smile of heaven on our earth
and tenderness of the Lord our God.
Open for us the doors of paradise for the celebration
of the eternal Easter near to you,
in communion with the Spirit of love, forever and ever.
Amen. –Lucien Deiss C.S. Sp.
