Easter Fills Every Moment of Every Day - Even When We Bear Our Crosses
Our Easter was decidedly a mixed bag. It was a family matter.
Our sons have grown and some moved away. It's part of life to be sure. But it can be a cross. No way around it. It's a cross not having them here for a great day like Easter.
One lives far away and can't really make it home most of the time. We missed him terribly at Easter. The other lives closer, but has a demanding grad school schedule. Still he would have been here, except that he was sick and not able to make the drive. We may see him as soon as next weekend. But we missed him terribly.
But these are the little crosses most of us bear in life. It's part of life. Being Catholics, we know all about the Cross. Of course, most of us would prefer not having any crosses. But if we really know our faith, we know that's not possible.
It's not so much that we just accept the cross and shrug our shoulders. We know that God uses our crosses to help us rely on Him. And as we get older, the number of crosses grows. With each one, if we live as we ought to, we grow closer to God by relying more on Him.
Some of us have big crosses; for most of us, it's more a lot of little ones. Either way, God wants us to turn to Him.
So now that it's Easter, we don't just forget the Cross or our own crosses. They don't just go away. Even if we celebrate, even if all of our family is with us, there's some cross somewhere that probably pricks us amidst all the joy.
That's OK. It's God's way. He keeps letting us know He's there. He keeps reminding us now to rely on ourselves, to rely on Him.
Why Him? Because the more we rely on ourselves, the more our ego grows, the more "self-centered" we become. The less we think we need God.
That's why it's not only OK, but really good to remember the Cross even during Easter week. The Cross should be the very center of our lives. Easter without the Cross makes no sense.
So celebrate, sing out the Alleluia's at Mass, enjoy the beauty of our Easter liturgies. Eat those special foods you gave up for Lent and enjoy them too. Feel the glory of Our Lord's triumph over the Cross.
But when those crosses we all bear show up at the front door, don't despair, don't feel so bad. That's Our Lord Himself reminding us that growing closer to Him is the most important part of Easter day, Easter week, every day of every week.
We spoke to our sons who weren't here at Easter. Thank God for the telephone. Our other sons were with us for a great feast - fun times. The crosses in my life didn't go away. They were there mixed in with all the celebration. And - by the grace of God - I thanked Our Lord for those crosses.
I'm hoping that with more grace, I'll grow closer to Him day by day. And now that I'm back at work, I'm hoping that His grace will help me to be closer to Him throughout this and every work day - from now until the day I die. Alleluia!
Happy Easter!
Our sons have grown and some moved away. It's part of life to be sure. But it can be a cross. No way around it. It's a cross not having them here for a great day like Easter.
One lives far away and can't really make it home most of the time. We missed him terribly at Easter. The other lives closer, but has a demanding grad school schedule. Still he would have been here, except that he was sick and not able to make the drive. We may see him as soon as next weekend. But we missed him terribly.
But these are the little crosses most of us bear in life. It's part of life. Being Catholics, we know all about the Cross. Of course, most of us would prefer not having any crosses. But if we really know our faith, we know that's not possible.
It's not so much that we just accept the cross and shrug our shoulders. We know that God uses our crosses to help us rely on Him. And as we get older, the number of crosses grows. With each one, if we live as we ought to, we grow closer to God by relying more on Him.
Some of us have big crosses; for most of us, it's more a lot of little ones. Either way, God wants us to turn to Him.
So now that it's Easter, we don't just forget the Cross or our own crosses. They don't just go away. Even if we celebrate, even if all of our family is with us, there's some cross somewhere that probably pricks us amidst all the joy.
That's OK. It's God's way. He keeps letting us know He's there. He keeps reminding us now to rely on ourselves, to rely on Him.
Why Him? Because the more we rely on ourselves, the more our ego grows, the more "self-centered" we become. The less we think we need God.
That's why it's not only OK, but really good to remember the Cross even during Easter week. The Cross should be the very center of our lives. Easter without the Cross makes no sense.
So celebrate, sing out the Alleluia's at Mass, enjoy the beauty of our Easter liturgies. Eat those special foods you gave up for Lent and enjoy them too. Feel the glory of Our Lord's triumph over the Cross.
But when those crosses we all bear show up at the front door, don't despair, don't feel so bad. That's Our Lord Himself reminding us that growing closer to Him is the most important part of Easter day, Easter week, every day of every week.
We spoke to our sons who weren't here at Easter. Thank God for the telephone. Our other sons were with us for a great feast - fun times. The crosses in my life didn't go away. They were there mixed in with all the celebration. And - by the grace of God - I thanked Our Lord for those crosses.
I'm hoping that with more grace, I'll grow closer to Him day by day. And now that I'm back at work, I'm hoping that His grace will help me to be closer to Him throughout this and every work day - from now until the day I die. Alleluia!
Happy Easter!
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