Beginning on Easter Sunday and continuing for 50 days is an opportunity for us to cultivate a spirit that defines who we are as Christians. So what does living the spirit of the Easter season mean in practical terms? Here are three concrete suggestions.
Live with Joy - Joy is a deep-down gladness that cannot be taken away, even in the midst of sorrow. The Passion and Resurrection of Jesus teach us that suffering is transformed through faith in the Risen Christ. With this faith, we are able to hold on to an enduring sense of joy even in the midst of the sadness we experience from the loss of a loved one, a failure to achieve an important goal, or a setback during recovery from an illness.
Live without Fear - The Resurrection teaches us that God can overcome anything, even death. When the Risen Christ appears to the women at the tomb and later to his disciples, his first words are “Do not be afraid!” (Mt 28:5,10) These words speak to our hearts, helping us cope with the fear from the loss of a job, a serious illness, or a crumbling relationship. Our faith allows us to trust that God can overcome our most serious problems.
Live with New Eyes - Easter means to live with a sense of newness. Just as the return of spring lifts our spirits and makes us feel like the whole world is new, the Resurrection of Jesus makes “all things new.” (Rev. 21:5) The Easter spirit is a spirit of renewal that enables us to show up at work with a positive attitude, to renew relationships that have been taken for granted, and to express appreciation and affection to those closest to us. It means to see the world through new eyes—God's eyes.
So, practically speaking, one thing you could say of the Easter season is that every day, the promises of God to help me every minute of my life are secured by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, because the resurrection vindicates the cross when those promises were bought for me. The implications of Easter are simply staggering. They are personally precious for every day’s life of struggle, and they are globally precious because the resurrection guarantees that this whole created order is going to be made new.
In God’s great love, he created a way for you to be with him ... forever. Jesus took the penalty of sin and death so that you wouldn’t have to. It doesn’t mean life doesn’t get really hard at times. It means that the struggles you face in this life won’t last forever. God is with you today, and he wants to be with you always.
For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life. – John 3:16
We can use these 50 days to cultivate an Easter spirit that enables us to be truly Christian: embracing joy, living without fear, and seeing the world again—as if for the first time.
May this Easter Season now bring you closer to our Lord,