begin easter now
"There shall always be rejoicing and happiness in what I create." —Isaiah 65:18
We are about halfway through Lent and joyfully anticipating Easter. The Lord promises us a now-Easter, not only a past memory or future hope but a present joy. Jesus promises: "Lo, I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; the things of the past shall not be remembered or come to mind. Instead, there shall always be rejoicing and happiness in what I create" (Is 65:17-18). This Easter, we will taste more deeply of the risen life. We will rejoice in Jesus and He in us (Is 65:18-19).
Some of you reading this may not relate to the mounting joy of Lent and the anticipation of Easter. You may be hurting, broken, and struggling to survive. Jesus is calling you to trust in His words (see Jn 4:50), in His promises of risen joy.
The moment you trust in Jesus' words will be the moment you enter more deeply into His risen life (see Jn 4:53). You may not notice any change at first, but you will be able to look back weeks or years from now and see that the moment of faith was the beginning of new life in the risen Christ. If we walk through this Lent by faith, we can walk in joyful anticipation, no matter what the circumstances (see 2 Cor 5:7). Therefore, believe, rejoice, and anticipate.
Prayer: Father, "keep us free from sin and protect us from all anxiety as we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ" (from the prayer after the "Our Father" in the Mass).
Promise: "He and his whole household thereupon became believers." —Jn 4:53
Praise: St. Turibius baptized and confirmed nearly a million people as bishop of Peru.
Reference: (For a related teaching, order our leaflet, Accepting Jesus as Lord, Savior, and God, or on audio AV 43-1 or video V-43.)
Rescript: †Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, August 11, 2008
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