Easter is Not Over!
Those 50 days after the Lord’s
resurrection were amazing. Jesus
appeared to Mary Magdalene (Mt. 28:9-10, Jn. 20:11-17 – an “idle tale” Peter
says, Lk. 24:11), to Simon Peter (who must have swallowed his words; Lk. 24:34;
I Cor. 15:5), to the 11 apostles (Lk 24:36-49; Jn. 20:19-23, 26-29; I Cor.
15:5), even rebuking them for their unbelief and hardness of heart (Mk. 16:14),
to James (I Cor. 15:7), to seven disciples, including Peter and John, fishing
on the Sea of Tiberius (Jn. 21:1-23), and to 500 people at once (I Cor. 15:6).
In fact, Acts 1:3 says that during those days Jesus was appearing to people all
over.
Well, Easter is over. Back to normal. Half-priced chocolate bunnies and eggs in the
store.
No, no, no! Easter is not over! The Easter season continues until Pentecost,
this year on May 31st, 50 days after Easter.
Easter is the most important celebration for a Christian, and we need a
lot of time to absorb the richness, and the grace. We need to journey with the apostles (Peter,
John, James, Thomas), men and women disciples, Mary Magdalene, Jesus’ mother,
the two disciples on the way to Emmaus (Mk. 16:12-13; Lk. 24:13-35), the
centurion converted at the foot of the cross (Mt. 27:54). Or how about the people of Jerusalem who saw
the resuscitated dead who had come out from their tombs after the earthquake
when Jesus died on Good Friday (Mt. 27:53)?
They must have stayed around for some time as it says they were still
appearing after Easter Sunday when Jesus was resurrected. Jesus descended to the dead (Apostles Creed)
and preached to souls (I Pet. 3:19) waiting for Heaven, closed until Jesus’
atonement and ascension. Imagine that
you are one of these Jerusalem residents and your auntie who had died some years
before came to you to tell you about Jesus’ appearance to the dead, his
resurrection on earth, and challenging you to amend your ways and to believe in
Jesus Christ before it is too late.
Imagine that! It would give you
the woollies!
Don’t let Easter slip away with chocolate
bunnies and eggs. You were made for
more. Go into your imagination. Who are you:
Thomas, holding out for better proof?
Mary Magdalene with an open heart?
A resident of Jerusalem to whom the dead appears? Or that (imaginary) deceased auntie to whom
Jesus preached when he descended to the dead?
Were you in that fishing boat with Peter and John? Or were you one of the 500, listening to
Jesus teach once again, coming to understand the meaning of his death, and the
scriptures about the Christ, like you never could before?
Easter is a wonderful time to start over
and begin again. It's never too late!
Dibby Green
Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church is located in California City, CA. Visit our website at ollcalcity.org.