He Is Risen As He Said...Does it matter?

Tonight I had the honor of singing at Our Lady of Vernon's Easter Vigil Mass.  It was a night of great beauty.  We welcomed several new members into the Church, their sin being wiped away as they were reborn through Baptisim.  But we are getting ahead of ourselves a little here.  The night started with Father Joe and the Deacons outside, by the large windows that form the wall behind the altar.  They lit and blessed the New Fire and using the Pascal Candle brought it into the church where its flame was used to light the small candals that each person held in their hands. Those candals chased the darkness away and the Deacon sang "Christ our light."  We responded "Thanks be to God."  Then we were given the Word, several readings and a song that spelled out how the world was created by God.  The Church lights were turned on and after the long Lenten absense of the song, we praised God in the Gloria.  The choir sung and the congregation sang and rang small bells, it filled the church with joyful noise.  There were a couple of more readings and then we sang the Gospel acclamation which featured a word that was also absent during Lent, Alleluia. Again joy filled the air and the Gospel was proclaimed to us, we were told that Jesus has risen from the Dead.

Our Pastor's homily was a great one. The basic premise was that because of the resurrection of Jesus we need not fear death anymore.  He also told how for the Jewish people up to the present day in their Passover celebration speak of how they themselves were led out of bondage.  He said that we too should proclaim that the Resurrection did not happen years ago to a foreign people, but it happended for us today, it is a living thing not just something that happened in the past.

So does Easter mean anything? Alas for many in the world it is a day for Easter Bunnies and colored eggs and a ritual trip to church where they keep an eye on the clock hoping the pastor does not drag it out.  For the Christian, one that believes firmly in Jesus, Easter Day is the most important day of the year.  So yes, it means something and through the Love of the Father , Son, and Holy Spirit we know that the grave is but a portal into an eternity with God.  So yes, Easter means something.  It means that we have a God that has known the joys and sorrows of life on this little blue planet.  Our God knows what it is like to work, to sweat, to party, to laugh, to cry, and to die.  But death could not hold Jesus in it's icy grip.  It was defeated forever and becasue of this we will enjoy Eternal Life.  So yes Jesus won the victory because Jesus Christ is Lord!