Scripture Reflection, April 20, 2025, Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord

(Note: Depending upon which Easter Liturgy you attend, you will hear various sets of readings.)

Happy Easter! May the joy of the risen Lord fill your soul with gladness today. This is the day to celebrate - like no other day in our liturgical calendar. Today we commemorate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, his eternal life, and the eternal life of happiness he promises to all who believe in him. Today marks the pinnacle of our Christian faith. Even Christmas, with its pageantry and beauty, is but a precursor to the feast of Easter!

Today I feel like singing…and dancing. If you are a senior citizen like I am, you are probably familiar with a famous rock band from the 1960’s and 70’s known as: Three Dog Night. In one of their most famous songs they sing this refrain: “Celebrate, celebrate, dance to the music!” They sing it over and over again, until it becomes a chant. The melody, the harmony, and the power of the lyrics can be electrifying! Today I want to sing that song, adding two small but very significant words to the end of the refrain, so that it reads: “Celebrate, celebrate, dance to the music of God!”

In God’s infinite love and unparalleled power, God has given us a reason beyond all earthly reasons to celebrate. Jesus is alive and well, and he beckons us to live our lives here on earth with faith, hope and love…so that we may reside with him for all eternity in the absolute bliss that is heaven. The hints about what awaits us there are woven throughout today’s readings. Read them carefully for yourself, savor them, and give thanks to God with all the passion your heart can muster. Celebrate, celebrate, dance to the music of God!

And then......it's time to get back to work! As Christians we have a lot of work to do. We are living in a country and a world where many seem to have lost their moral compass - and some of us may be among them. Violence is ever more present in many countries (including our own), and in the wars raging around the world; injustice is rampant; dictators are striving to overwhelm democracies; and even the very rights that we hold sacred as part of our commitment to the constitution are under attack. We are divided by hate and fear - emotions that should never be at the forefront of a religion such as Christianity, a religion based on love and the ever-echoing refrain: "What would Jesus do?" I can only imagine that Jesus' first act, if he were to come back today would be to ask us all a question: "What happened? This does not look like the world I have been trying to help you create!"

Some may call me naive, others may say I am arrogant - by presuming to put words in the mouth of God. But I think most of us would agree: There are some things that are terribly wrong... things that completely contradict the Seven Principles of Catholic Social Teaching (principles that are generally embraced in the teachings of the major world religions). If you don't know about these teachings, I urge you to look them up!

So, today I celebrate! The Lord wants us to take time for joy, relaxation and celebration. But tomorrow I am compelled to go back to work. The practice of our faith requires us to be well and accurately informed about what is going on the the world, to pray/reflect on what is happening, and then to act, based on our faith. It will take courage and hard work; but the Lord has been, is, and always will be with us in our attempts to bring about God's Reign right here on earth.

A blessed and joyous Easter to each and every one of you!