The Church celebrates the “Easter-event” for an Octave of days, each day reading a different Gospel passage from that first Easter Sunday.
In the early Church, those baptized at the Easter Vigil would attend Mass every day this week, to continue to joyfully celebrate their new life in Christ, and meet for post-baptismal catechesis.
This is why the opening collect prays especially for the newly initiated. Listen to these words again: “O God, who give constant increase to your Church by new offspring, grant that your servants may hold fast in their lives to the Sacrament they have received in faith.”
Just as the Easter Sacraments brought new life to the newly initiated, Easter rejuvenates the entire Church. These Easter days are to renew in us that conviction that Jesus rose from the dead. Like St. Peter bursting out of the Upper Room, filled with the Spirit, Easter is to energize us into bursting into the world to preach with our lives.
The Lord sends us anew, as he did Mary Magdalene, to bolster the faith of the brethren, to our fellow Christians, who don’t quite get it, right? Who have not allowed the Good News to change them, to convert them, who continue to trust in the ways of the world rather in the ways of God. We do well, like the Magdalene, to fall to the Lord's feet in homage, to deepen our love for him, and to plead for souls who are lukewarm.
And perhaps there are dark corners of our own hearts that the light of Christ has yet to penetrate, cold areas of our hearts that the fire of the resurrection has yet to set-aflame.
May our Easter celebrations rejuvenate, renew, and set-us aflame with zeal for the good news. For “He is Risen! Indeed, He is Risen” for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
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Filled with Paschal joy, let us turn to earnestly to God, to graciously hear our prayers and supplications.
For the shepherds of our souls, that they may have the strength to govern wisely the flock entrusted to them by the Good Shepherd.
For the whole world, that it may truly know the peace of the Risen Christ.
For our own community, that it may bear witness with great confidence to the Resurrection of Christ, and that the newly initiated hold fast to the faith they have received.
For our brothers and sisters who suffer, that their sorrow may be turned to gladness through the Christian faith.
That all of our beloved dead and all the souls in purgatory may come to the glory of the Resurrection.
O God, you know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the desires of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our lord.
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