Easter Sunday

​Easter Sunday Reflection
Elizabeth Becerra
Director, Leadership Academy

The Resurrection of the Lord - 
Christ is Alive, Alleluia, Alleluia!

One Sunday morning, thirteen Easters ago, a younger version of me sat in a pew. I attended Mass alone. I strategically sat in the middle of the pew so as not to be bothered by others. My heart was heavy. My soul longed for a love that only One can fill. So many wrong turns, bad choices, selfish acts, and lies had left me feeling empty, worthless, and hopeless. I reluctantly sat, waiting for Mass to begin with the promise that, somehow, the Eucharist would heal my deep wounds.

The Mass cleansed my soul. From the moment the processional hymn began, I started to sob. Tears rolled down my face as I thought about all of the bad choices I had made. I asked for forgiveness and placed my life in God's hands, saying, "I have messed up my life in every way possible. I cannot live like this anymore. I surrender my life to you. Lead me." Suddenly, with that thought, I felt alive again!

I echo Pope Francis' words, "Christ is alive, and he wants you to be alive!" (Christus Vivit, §1)

Mary of Magdala, Simon Peter, and the other disciples visit Jesus' tomb to find only his burial clothes. Jesus did not remain on the cross nor in the tomb. Jesus is alive! Jesus lives in you! We, too, should not stay on the cross of our sins. We should choose life, a life led by God in service of others. "No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends (JN 15:13)." Jesus laid down his life so that we may live. How are you living? How do you bring life to others? How do you celebrate the mystery of Easter every day?"

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Easter Sunday Reflection
Ed Villaseñor
Board of Directors, Faith Formation and Evangelization Team

​Joy & Happiness.  These are such simple emotions, yet on this Resurrection Sunday, joy and happiness take on their most profound meaning, because our friend Jesus is alive and well.

Genesis tells us that God created human beings in Their likeness and image.  It continues with “the Lord God says it is not good for man to be alone”.  Being in a relationship with God is at the core of our existence, and Resurrection Sunday is when the emotion of that relationship is most deeply felt.  

As we journeyed with Jesus through his Passion, we experienced a sense of sadness and grief.  We internalize the loss and carry it through Good Friday and Holy Saturday.  I recently realized that during this time, I don’t pray.  I mean, really pray in a quiet contemplative way.  At first, I thought it was because I was so busy preparing the physical church space and practicing music, etc.  But then I realized that my hyperactivity was covering up the loss I was feeling.  A loss of a relationship, not just missing a friend that was temporarily away, but a profound feeling of loss.  I didn’t feel my friend was there and I was suffering a true emptiness in our relationship.  My feelings were selfishly directed inward.

However, on Resurrection Sunday, my feelings move outward, I want Jesus to know how much I missed Him.  I get a real sense of reconnection.  My friend has returned.  I can only imagine the feelings of joy and happiness the disciples in the upper room must have felt.  After they processed the shock of seeing their friend Jesus return from the dead, their joy must have been overwhelming. Resurrection Sunday gives all of us the chance to express to Jesus how happy we are to see him.

It is not good to be alone, and showing Jesus how important He is to us, on a visceral level, gives true meaning to our relationship.

The feelings of joy and happiness on Resurrection Sunday are made palpable by suffering through the contrasting emotion of the previous days of the Triduum.  On Easter, our feelings of joy and happiness bubble out of us, because the personal relationship that felt lost is restored.   Our friend Jesus is alive and well.