Diocesan Programs

Easter 2009 message

After Easter, the world could never be the same. Such good news could not be hidden, and nor could that good news fail to change the attitudes and actions of those who trusted that message. Even those sceptics who refused (and still refuse) to believe about Jesus’ resurrection accept the fact that the belief of those who believed it dramatically changed the course of history.

During the Sundays of Easter the Church reads the Book of Acts at her daily celebrations of the Eucharist. This book chronicles how the message of the gospel spread during the years following our Lord’s resurrection, working like leaven in the dough of the Roman Empire.

But the story doesn’t stop there. The proclamation of the Gospel continues down to our own day, and still the message changes people’s hearts, attitudes and actions, thus affecting our present world.

Those who have been participating in the RCIA programme and were initiated into the church at the Easter Vigil are now in the period of mystagogy—at time when they look back on their experience of Easter and how it will affect their future.

All of us would do well to follow their example. Eastertide is a time for looking at our history. So, take a few moments during these weeks to consider how God has worked in the past. Our Diocesan Resource Centre has a number of items that might help you do this. If you want to know more about what happened after the last chapter of the Book of Acts, check out one of our videos on the church fathers, or the popes. Or, you might want to look at something on the lives of one of the saints. They accomplished what they did in response to the good news of Easter. Then again, if you are interested in social concerns, we have materials relating to many facets of social. It is the Easter message of forgiveness and hope that forms the basis for the church’s understanding of her role in working for social and economic justice in the world. Sr. Rose-Marie or Michael Averyt would be only too happy to assist you in finding something interesting and helpful to you.

In thinking about how the work and mission of the Gospel expanded over the centuries into our own generation, do not forget to make this personal. Think of your own parish. Ask one of the long-time members of your parish about the high points of parish life during their years as parishioners, about the challenges they have faced and how God has helped them to meet them. Finally, consider your own life and how it has changed because of the message of Easter. That can only be good news. Because Christ lives, so will we. After Easter, nothing can remain the same.