Dear brothers and sisters,
Easter is the most important solemnity of the entire liturgical year. It is not Christmas, Ash Wednesday or Palm Sunday, but Easter in conjunction with Good Friday. It is so important a celebration that the Catholic Church has designated the entire week for the celebration of Easter. Hence, from Easter Sunday to the following Sunday, known as the Divine Mercy Sunday, we celebrate the octave of Easter, during which every day we sing or recite the hymn of Gloria and we read the accounts of the encounters with the Risen Lord.
We do that because these are the days when we celebrate the greatest mysteries of our salvation, which now is not only for the Jews but for all peoples. We emphasize this truth each Sunday in the Creed we recite and profess: “I believe… in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God… for our sake He was crucified under Pontius Pilate, He suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.” Then the Creed continues: “I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.” Do we really believe what we profess? If we do, why are we so worried and preoccupied with this life only?
Easter reminds us that Jesus has conquered sin and death, and He has overcome the evil of unnecessary suffering. In His resurrection Jesus provides us with hope that all things will be transformed in Him, as we hear it in a very solemn way in the Easter Proclamation (the Exsultet), “The sanctifying power of this night dispels wickedness, washes faults away, restores innocence to the fallen, and joy to mourners, drives out hatred, fosters concord, and brings down the mighty.” Yes, the Resurrection of Christ brings joy to the fallen world. This joy consists not in having Easter eggs on our tables, bunnies in our gardens and yards, or eating a bountiful brunch or dinner on Easter Sunday, but in having authentic faith in the Risen Lord. It is the notion of faith that makes Easter a truly meaningful celebration. The celebration of Easter is also a reminder to all of us that we belong to Christ through baptism, through which we are now part of His family. This means that Jesus will take care of us and lead us to salvation as long as we follow Him like the disciples did after the Resurrection.
As we come to church to celebrate Holy Mass on Easter Sunday, let us renew our faith in Jesus and embrace it with our whole heart so that He may dispel the darkness of evil and fear, so that we may live in the freedom of the children of God destined for the life with God for ever.
Happy Easter to all !!!
Fr. Janusz Mocarski, pastor