Happy Easter!
The whole Catholic church is in jubilation today. Commemorating the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ is like celebrating a new year!
Easter magnifies God’s power over life and death. We were all dead in sin but God sent His Son Jesus to save us and His death on the cross gave us life again. Our debts have been paid. We have a new life –new hope ahead because of Jesus’ death.
In the evening of Good Friday, I was humming a song of joy and thanksgiving and my daughter asked me why I am singing. Shouldn’t I not be quiet and sober because it was Good Friday?
I smiled. I said that yes, it is right to be meditative and reflective on that day and we did it when we visited 14 churches that morning, prayed the rosary, did the Way of the Cross and spend adoration moments. And at 3pm, when our Lord Jesus died, we went down on our knees and honored His death by once again, surrendering our sins and asked for His grace not to commit them again.
But after that, after Jesus expired on the cross, for me that was the beginning of celebration. It begins with the death of our Lord and Savior. And we call it good! Good Friday, that’s why. How can this be?
We can rejoice because Jesus’ one death won life for all of us. God’s power triumphed over death, and not just triumph to raise Jesus again but to raise us all. That’s why I was singing that afternoon. I rejoice because Jesus died on Good Friday, all my sins died with Him. And all future sins will be forgiven through Christ, as long as I truly repent for it.
Before Good Friday, I’m dead meat– a sinner and will continue to be a sinner as long as I live. Everyday, I may displease God in one way or another. But because there is a Good Friday, there is hope for a new life, a new beginning. This is the day when my sins get buried with Christ.
So even before today, Easter Sunday, I already celebrate! Jesus’ death on the cross paved the way for our new life. And so Good Friday for me is really good! After 3pm, I start rejoicing already. There will not be an Easter Sunday without the Good Friday!
But of course today is the ultimate celebration of the church—that is us Christians. Today is a magnificent illustration not only of God’s power over death but also His power to give life. This is God saying, “There is no separation between us anymore. I love you so much that I want to be with you forever, all day, every day.”
Christ’s death and resurrection leads us away from an old life of death and sin to a new life of forgiveness and fullness.
So it is with excitement that I came across a prayer of St. Paul to the Thessalonians that can be a perfect prayer for us as we celebrate our new life in Christ today.
He said – “May God himself, the God who makes everything holy and whole, make you holy and whole, put you together – spirit, soul, and body – and keep you fit for the coming of our Master, Jesus Christ.”
This is a great Easter Day prayer (wish) from me to you and it should be a prayer from all of us for one another as an expression of brotherly love.
If in January 1, we proclaim our New Year’s resolutions, today Easter Sunday, a new year granted to us by God let us claim St. Paul’s prayer that we can begin to turn a new leaf, make everything in us holy and whole so that we can be worthy to be taken by Jesus when He comes on that day of Judgement.
Have the previous years been a struggle to you? Have you carried so much despair and hopelessness that you wanted to give up?
You can use the power of Easter today. You can start a new life right now. Think about what Christ’s death on Good Friday won over and today, His resurrection is gifting you. Believe that God is making you holy and whole again—that you’re forgiven from sin, no matter how big it is. I know that old habits are strong, but Jesus is stronger.
Temptations will always be masterful, but Jesus can overpower them. Problems will come and go, but Jesus is above them.
Good Friday saved us from death. And today, Easter has transformed us from death to life in eternity.
After 3 o’clock of Good Friday, I was already humming a new song. I am confident that Jesus is most powerful in his death. My heart was already crying out “Hallelujah”. And today, it just bursts in jubilation!.
You should, too. Shout “Hallelujah!!”
Jesus is risen! Let’s embrace a new life in Him and look forward to joining Him in heaven. One day.
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