Dear Parishioners, Pilgrims, Visitors and Faith Seekers,

We have begun the Fifty Days of Eastertide, or what the Church Fathers referred to as “The Queen of Seasons.” It is so called because of his spiritually royal character that has, at its core, the belief that Jesus of Nazareth, once crucified, has been raised from the dead. No other religion (that I know of) has ever made such claim. If one has, I doubt that it has sustained it for 2000 years.

The Easter Season is preceded by the solemn celebration of the Paschal Triduum – Thursday to Friday (Day 1), Friday to Saturday (Day 2), and Saturday to Sunday (Day 3). In the span of these three days, we commemorate the quintessential moments in the life of Jesus that began with his Last Supper, leading to his crucifixion and then crowned by his glorious resurrection. These three days comprise one essential Mystery that brings salvation to the whole world.

For us in the Northern Hemisphere, Easter unfolds in the spring when the earth rises to new life after the death of winter. This rebirth of creation is mirrored in the rebirth of all those who are born again in the waters of baptism at Easter. All these connections with, the natural world, the life of Jesus and the life of the church offer us the ongoing challenge to live, concretely, what we enact through our most sacred rituals. I offer the following reflection by Joyce Rupp that she has, so fittingly titled, “The Easter Challenge.”

The Easter Challenge

Every year it happens:
earth shake her sleepy head,
still a bit wintered and dull,
and feels new life stirring.  

Every year cocoons give up their treasures,
fresh shoots push through the brown leaves,
seemingly dead branches shine with green,
and singing birds find their way home.

Every year we hear the stories
empty tomb, surprised grievers,
runner with news and revelation,
unexpected encounters,
conversations on the road,
tales of nets filling with fish,

And every year
the dull and dead in us
meets our Easter challenge:
to be open to the unexpected,
to believe beyond our security,
to welcome God in every form,
and trust in our own greening

Please enjoy the following photographs that announce the celebration Easter and the cycle of rebirth on the campus of our own church and school.

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