Many people think that Christmas is the most important day in the Catholic liturgical Calendar. However, from the earliest days of the Church, Easter has been considered the most important and central Christian feast. As St Paul teaches, “If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:14) Without Easter—without the Resurrection of Christ—there would be no Christian Faith. While Christ’s Christ’s incarnation is proof of His humanity, the Resurrection is the proof of His Divinity! The Church is a wise mother. Because Easter is so important, she has the 40-day season of Lent to prepare. But afterwards, she sets aside a seven-week season (50 days!) to rejoice in Christ’s victory over sin and death! So, as Catholics, we should take advantage of this great season of Easter! Here are some ways that you as an individual or family can “tap into” the power of Christ’s Resurrection during this space of 50 days:
- Prepare well for Holy Mass on each Sunday of Easter by reading beforehand the passages of Sacred Scripture that will be proclaimed.
- Recover the tradition of celebrating the Lord’s Day by gathering with the extended family around great food and fellowship each Sunday of Easter.
- Gather as a family on Sunday evenings of the Easter season (or any other day of the week) to read and discuss the passages of the Resurrection found at the end of each Gospel account.
- Redouble your efforts to keep the Lord’s Day holy…a day of prayer and relaxation. Think about ways that you may celebrate it together by family games, movies, discussions, etc.
Happy Easter! Let’s live this great season of joy!
