Easter Sunday Thoughts April 12, 2020

The resurrection of Christ is a day of celebration, recalling an event that took place approximately 1,987 to 1,990 years ago. [1]

After dying on the cross, Jesus appeared to His disciples after emerging from His tomb, but on the 40th day following His resurrection, He left the world once more, until He comes again.

The present age is a continuation from that 40th day when Christ ascended into Heaven. [2]

Had Christ not resurrected, neither Christianity would have come into existence nor would Catholic Church.  While today is a day to rejoice an extraordinary event that changed the world, it is also a bit sad to realize that Christ's resurrected physical presence did not last.

Christ's disciples were left alone after Christ's ascension into Heaven.

Those who were born since Christ's ascension could only experience Christ through a spiritual rather than a interpersonal physical relationship.  This relationship is unique for every individual because each person is called to be with Christ in a different way.

Free Will allows each person to respond or not to respond to Christ's call.  Those who choose to respond do not necessarily respond with uniformity.  Even though all are called to pray or supplicate, not every prayer that is said is the same.  Differences include the depth of one's faith, of one's sincerity, of one's concentration (without the mind wandering), of one's gratitude, as well as the depth of one's love for God, His Son and the Blessed Virgin Mary, and of one's understanding of the Holy Spirit.

An Easter celebration is easy, especially since it is pretty much over with and forgotten in a day or two.  What is difficult is maintaining one's close relationship with the resurrected Lord continuously throughout life.  For those who want the relationship with the Lord to last an eternity, one ought to have eternity always at the forefront of one's mind, either an eternity in Heaven (having peace forever in the constant presence of the Lord ) or an eternity in Hell (regretting forever the torment from total absence of the Lord).


[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crucifixion_of_Jesus
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feast_of_the_Ascension