Reflecting on Easter, just two weeks past; "where are we now as we reflect?"

Reflecting on Easter, just two weeks past,”where are we now?”

Many of us often put ourselves into a spiritual adherence during these holy days and reach some semblance of holiness and their duration.  Two weeks later, in our present period of time, do we still retain the blessedness we were surrounded with and have the memory of that morning when Mary of Magdala saw the risen Christ.  Her experience should have placed an imaginary vision of our being there as well and hearing the words of our name being spoken from Christ calling us to him.  The three hours Jesus suffered through his crucifixion was not just a justifiable sacrifice to destroy the sin we created, it also stands as a call to each one to turn back to God and the glory that he IS.  

The mystery of Christ’s resurrection is a real event, with manifestations that were historically verified, as the New Testament bears witness.  In about a.d. 56, St. Paul could already write to the Corinthians: “I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve…”  The Apostle speaks here of the living tradition of the Resurrection which he had learned after his conversion at the gates of Damascus.   (CCC 639.

It is here that we all have heard over and over many times.  Therefore Easter is not simply one feast among others, but the “Feast of feasts,” the” Solemnity of solemnities,” just as the Eucharist is the “Sacrament of sacraments” (the Great Sacrament).  St. Athanasius calls Easter “the Great Sunday” and the Eastern Churches call Holy Week “the Great Week.”  The mystery of the Resurrection, in which Christ crushed death, permeates with its powerful energy our old time, until all is subjected to him.  (CCC 1169).

However, as often we hear this theological premise it will never be enough to move on with our lives waiting for the next spiritual event that will enhance our Christian ideals and belief in Christ.  The question I asked in the heading, “where are we now?” places the very mandate at our feet the words of Christ as the disciples’ heard, “go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”  (Mt 28: 19 - 20).  

This is the one example that our witness to Christ's Resurrection should mean to you and I.  We will all be expected to answer the question at our judgement if we tried, as our ability taught us, if we evangelized to as many as possible, we adhered to the words of Christ.  This also is our commission to assist in growing the kingdom for God.  This is where we are, now at Easter and the rest of the spiritual year.

Ralph B; Hathaway