This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad. (see Psalm 118)
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Our Easter celebration has begun! Happy Easter!
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In many parts of the world, Easter comes in spring. It’s the time of year when nature itself brings forth the beginnings of new life. The tulips begin to rise from the cold and dormant earth, the leaves begin to bud on the trees, transforming the forest into a sea of green, and the Sun begins to shine with a new radiance, sending warmth at its rising each morning. Creation itself reflects the glory and splendor of the Resurrection of Christ in many ways.
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The death of winter reflects the death of Christ and the silence of the tomb experienced on Holy Saturday. Everything goes dormant. Vegetation appears to die, and even the animals and insects retreat into various forms of hibernation and immobility. However, at the appointed time, as the warmth of the sun rises anew, nature itself is called forth from the death of winter into the new life of spring.
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The cold winter would be deeply depressing if it were to remain forever. Just imagine if scientists were to tell us that the forthcoming winter was a unique one in that it would now remain forever. Never again would we see the warmth of spring or summer. Never again would we see the insects, plants and leaves on the trees. What a hopeless situation that would be!
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But God speaks to us in many and varied ways, and one such way is through the cycle of nature. New life is certain! The warmth will return after the winter freeze, nature will rise and the earth will sing again.
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If the Father in Heaven is so diligent about caring for the natural creation, how much more does He care for the re-creation of humanity? How much more would He have cared for the Resurrection of His own divine Son? How much more does He care for our entrance into the new life won for each of us by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead?!
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Allow the beauty of creation to be a sign to you of a reality that is infinitely greater. Allow yourself to be drawn into the newness of life that is bestowed upon you by your sharing in the Resurrection of Christ. To rise with Him means you are to become a new creation.
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Reflect, today, upon the above line from the Responsorial Psalm for today’s Mass. “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.” The “day” we rejoice in is the new life God wants to bestow upon your soul here and now. It’s a new day, a glorious one, a transformed one, a resurrected one. New life must begin now and must become continually new and glorious as we journey deeper and deeper into the glory of the Resurrection. Ponder this “new day” and allow our Lord to bestow it upon you through the power of His glorious Resurrection from the dead.
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My resurrected Lord, my hope is in You! Alleluia, You are alive and You have conquered all sin, all death, all evil. You bring forth new life to all who turn to You in their need. My Jesus, I do turn to You and abandon myself to You in Your death so that I may rise with You in Your Resurrection to new life. Breathe into me this gift of new life and allow me to begin anew. Jesus, I trust in You.
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