Today begins the Easter season. It is a season in which we celebrate the triumph of Jesus Christ over sin, suffering and death in the glory of his resurrection. We celebrate, as well, our hope that one day we too will share in the glory of the Risen Christ.
            It is a tragedy that Christians focus so much attention on Lent and so little attention on Easter. We invest great energy and attention on special prayers, disciplines and devotion during Lent but do not bring that same level of attention and energy to our celebration of the Easter season. The Easter season lasts for fifty days until the great celebration of Pentecost – the celebration of the gift of God’s Spirit to individual believers and to the Church. During these fifty days, we need to pray and reflect over the central truth of our Christian faith that death will yield to eternal life for those who put their faith in Jesus Christ. We need to pray and reflect over our firm belief that we are pilgrims in this world who are journeying to a new, more glorious world, but who have a responsibility to cooperate with God to transform this world so that it is a world in which all can live in the dignity with which God has blessed us.
            This is a season in which each one of us must reflect on the hope that defines us as Christians. We live in the hope that one day we will share in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ – we will share in the divine life itself. Think of that! How extraordinary that is! The special intercession for the deceased in Eucharistic Prayer number three tells us that one day we will see God as God is and we will be like God for all ages. The first Eucharistic Prayer of Reconciliation proclaims that we will stand before God as “Saints among the Saints in the halls of heaven.” Wow! This is what we celebrate in the Easter season. We celebrate the great hope that has been given to us by God through the resurrection of God’s Son, Jesus Christ. Every day in this Easter season, pray that God will give you the grace, strength and mercy that you need to realize the beautiful hope that is ours as Christians, disciples of Christ.
                            Fr. Mark Hallinan, S.J