Do not abandon yourselves to despair. We are the Easter people and hallelujah is our song.
Pope John Paul II
The resurrection of Jesus Christ. The one essential celebration in history that brings out chocolate bunnies, colored eggs, and marshmallow peeps. I like chocolate and joyously display wonderfully painted eggs and decorations we acquired during our years living in Europe in our formal dining room.
It is, however, rather jolting to put those two things in the same sentence: Jesus, the resurrected One, alongside sugared treats and brightly painted eggs.
He is Risen! He said He would Rise
Yet, as I display these symbols each year for our essential celebration, they serve to remind us of the new life truly made possible. Access to that life made real due to the fact, the truth, that a Man, Jesus was not just resuscitated, but resurrected from the dead.
Those words spoken by the angels in scripture: “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, He is Risen!, as He said He would”, are the culmination of history’s path. Even St. Paul stated that “if Christ be not Risen…then we are of all men most miserable”.
Wow. That puts the truth of this essential celebration of Christ’s resurrection right in the middle of everything. Everything. I hope this truth is at the center of your life, your daily activities, and your choices. I know it is mine.
This historical fact, this truth is the foundation for all I do. From foundation-raising house renovation to the joy of flight to family relationships, it would be without substance and hope but for Jesus.
I invite you to join me in proclaiming: He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!What are the ways you celebrate this time of year? Please comment below.