Mt 28:8-15 Eight Days Of Celebration!

Monday Of Easter Octave

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Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went away quickly from the tomb, fearful yet overjoyed, and ran to announce the news to his disciples.  And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them.  He said to them, “Do not be afraid.  Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”

Easter is such an important day in the Church that one day of celebrations is not enough.  We need eight days!  Who said the Church doesn’t know how to throw a party?

But let’s not forget why we are celebrating.  Let’s not forget the hope that comes to us from the Lord’s resurrection.  

Yesterday, between Masses, I was invited by a lovely family to a brunch.  We went to a beautiful restaurant and it was pretty much an “all you can eat” place.  Their oldest son came back with a plate full of sausage, bacon, ham, etc…  I asked him if he was hungry.  He told me, “Well, after forty-days of giving up meat.  I’m ready to go at it again.”

The idea of Lent is not to “go at it again.”  The idea is not to go back to our former ways of life.  No!  The idea of Lent is to become someone new.  The Apostles did not go back to their former ways of life.  Instead, they became stronger than ever, more forceful than ever and more convincing than ever.  They were changed men, different and distant from their past.  They were the new people of a new world.

Well, after forty days of fasting, prayer and penance, the hope of our Lord is that we too have risen with Him.  After forty days of self-denial and self-examination, the hope of our Lord is that our pride, vanity and sensuality, that once covered our skin like burial cloth, have been lifted and left behind as a memorial for the world to see. 

Yes, in a very meaningful way, we too have risen with the Lord!  And our mission now is to continue to grow through Him, with Him and in Him.

Resolution:  I will keep up with my daily devotions and continue to clear a path for the Lord in my life.