Living in the Resurrection

"But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him. For we know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. The death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus."
Romans 6: 8 - 11

With the Octave of Easter behind, though still in the Easter season, as Christians we look forward to the rest of the year with the Resurrection at the forefront of our minds. The Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ is an event that reshape the entire course of human history and future. It was the one event that every character of the Old Testament anticipated and the event that the Apostles spent the remainder of their lives giving witness to, even until the moment of their martyrdom.  

​While the Resurrection is a historical event, it should by no means be called to mind as "something of the past." Jesus' Life, Death, and Resurrection is why we live - to proclaim the truth that Jesus has redeemed us, each of us personally, and we can now have hope of living forever with God after our earthly life. The mystery of the Resurrection is something we should have in the forefront of our minds always. The Church even tells us this event is so great by giving 40 days of Easter. ​

So how does one live in the joy of the Resurrection? One small practical way is pray the Glorious mysteries during the Easter seasons. We use this practice for the octave of Easter, as it helps concentrate all our thoughts and sentiments towards the great act of love of God. If you can't find time for a rosary every day, pray a decade meditating on the Resurrection. The same can be done for the upcoming feasts of the Ascension, and Pentecost. 

On a spiritual level, our very lives give witness to the truth of the Resurrection. Through a life of prayer in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, we give witness that Jesus is alive and truly present in the Sacred Host. A life of continually conversing with the Triune God testifies that God is not dead, but rather alive and ever-attentive. As we gaze upon the monstrance at the Living Christ and He imprints His life into our hearts, we then go forth from our time with Him out into the world to manifest His very existence. When we receive Him in Holy Communion, the Risen Jesus lives in us and we, then, became a witness in today's world of His greatest mysteries. 

With this great apostolic mission bestowed upon us, let us, then - with the joy of Mother of the Risen Christ and the conviction of St. Paul - proclaim with our very lives that we have indeed died with Christ and we choose to die with Him everyday. But this death is not in vain because we know that we will live with Christ as God raised Him from the dead. We truly are alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Queen of Heaven, rejoice,
for He Whom thou didst merit to bear hath risen as He said
Alleluia!
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Triduum & Octave Slideshow