He is risen from the Dead!  Alleluia!  A Joyous and Blessed Easter to our parish family and friends!

My favorite theology professor used to say that Jesus came to earth to teach us to "grow up." It was a simple summary of Jesus' birth, life, and death. Initially, I thought it a very strange thing to say. Now I realize the major truth of that statement. To grow up—to mature—means ultimately to be willing to give up one's life, to pour out oneself completely for love of others—actually, to be willing to die for them in the model of Jesus. Unfortunately, not everyone grows up. Some understand the message early. Others remain self-centered into old age.

Our liturgical journey through Lent has brought us to today, Easter Sunday, the holiest day of the liturgical year, and hopefully we are a bit more grown up than when we started. We began Lent by going to the desert to be still and to contemplate. On the mountaintop, we saw Jesus transformed into a "member of the heavenly court" (Hearing the Word of God, Donahue, p. 43). We heard stories of friendship and forgiveness, healing and hospitality, comfort and compassion, and we traveled to Jerusalem where, during those three days, we learned what it really means to grow up: to wash each other's feet, to celebrate at table, to bear our cross, and to be willing to give up our lives for those we love.

"The final transformation in Mark is not another heavenly vision but a youth clothed in white announcing from a tomb: 'He has been raised; he is not here' (Mark 16:6). At the very door of death, a message of life is proclaimed" (Donahue, p. 44).

Go in peace, alleluia, alleluia!

Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord
By Elaine Rendler-McQueeney, from Today's Liturgy 2012

© 2011, OCP. All rights reserved.

Please enjoy these pictures of our Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday masses.

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