Easter Season

By Fr. Tom Zelinski, OFM Cap.

Each year as Easter comes along, it occurs to me that we know quite a bit about dealing with day-to-day problems, sickness, suffering of different kinds. But who among us can relate to Resurrection from our own experience?

And yet that is the high point of our liturgical walk through the Church year, the way we Catholic Christians mark our pilgrim journey. We are now called to celebrate fifty days of Easter Time.  Here “celebrate” does not mean jumping for joy or throwing lively parties. Though one could choose to do that! But we celebrate by allowing ourselves to be open to the presence of the Risen Christ.

The key to this, I believe, is in looking at what is in front of us and letting it reveal Christ, reveal new life. On the morning of the Resurrection in the Bible, Mary Magdalene sees Jesus and thinks he is the gardener. Then he speaks her name and the light of recognition goes on. What do we see? Whom do we see?

It is for us the ancient Christian task of recognizing the presence of God hidden in what we see and experience: the person we meet, the grocery clerk, the doctor or nurse, the little child, spring flowers, returning birds. The list could be endless. We gaze at what is ordinary and let it become amazing.

This is the work of poetry and music and all creativity, including cooking a good meal! We allow ourselves to be amazed as we look and look again at the “ordinary” things and people around us. Happy Easter!