Easter Season
Happy Easter Season! The resurrection of Jesus Christ is such a pivotal event in the liturgical year – in human history! – that we do not celebrate it on one day only. So the Church gives us the Easter Season, roughly 50 days between Easter Sunday and Pentecost, so we can ponder and put into action the transformation that the Risen Christ has brought into our lives.
The Easter season is also known as the period of mystagogia, a time for the mysteries of our faith to deepen in the hearts and lives of the new members of our Church who were baptized or received in full communion at the Easter Vigil. The early Church understood that these sacred mysteries needed time to “sink in” and mature. This is why parish RCIA programs continue during the Easter season, to support the newly initiated into the full life of their parish community.
There are seven Sundays in the Easter season, more than Lent. That should tell us how much credence the Church gives to the importance of this season. The First Readings of mystagogia are generally from the Acts of the Apostles, and that helps us to understand how the early Church took their experience of the Risen Christ to transform the world. The Gospels of this season tell the stories of the various resurrection appearances of Jesus. Later in the season, we hear almost exclusively from Jesus’ Last Discourse in John’s gospel to prepare us for the Ascension, and for the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
The Easter season is also known as the period of mystagogia, a time for the mysteries of our faith to deepen in the hearts and lives of the new members of our Church who were baptized or received in full communion at the Easter Vigil. The early Church understood that these sacred mysteries needed time to “sink in” and mature. This is why parish RCIA programs continue during the Easter season, to support the newly initiated into the full life of their parish community.
There are seven Sundays in the Easter season, more than Lent. That should tell us how much credence the Church gives to the importance of this season. The First Readings of mystagogia are generally from the Acts of the Apostles, and that helps us to understand how the early Church took their experience of the Risen Christ to transform the world. The Gospels of this season tell the stories of the various resurrection appearances of Jesus. Later in the season, we hear almost exclusively from Jesus’ Last Discourse in John’s gospel to prepare us for the Ascension, and for the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
We Believe in the Resurrection
from AmericanCatholic.org
We Have Stories to Tell
Easter Sunday reflection by Mary Jo Tully, Chancellor, Archdiocese of Portland
Celebrating Easter
from Creighton University Online Ministries
Easter Joy Is Everywhere
from spiritandsong.com
from AmericanCatholic.org
We Have Stories to Tell
Easter Sunday reflection by Mary Jo Tully, Chancellor, Archdiocese of Portland
Celebrating Easter
from Creighton University Online Ministries
Easter Joy Is Everywhere
from spiritandsong.com
