The joy of Easter

The journey of Easter begins with the season of Lent. This season is identified with placing of ash on the fore heads of the faithful (Ash Wednesday). The Ash Wednesday is the beginning of the Lenten season whereby the faithful are called to the consciousness of their state of life. It is a period of sober reflection and recollection that involves all forms of abstinence that can help the faithful to restrain the flesh and move closer to God. It reminds us of the imitation of Christ trying to prepare himself for the task ahead. The period of fasting gives us time to commune with God, it helps us to look deep into our lives and try to make amends where necessary. It is a period when God is calling us to a life of reconciliation with him as a father.  He says “Come now, and let us reason together, said the Lord though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow, though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” (Isaiah 1:18). From the above scriptural passage, we see that God took the position of a father calling us to settlement which means He is giving us another opportunity to come and reunite ourselves with Him. Sin is a serious barrier that we should really do away with because of its consequences. “The wages of sin is death, but the gifts of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). Sin has nothing to offer anyone because its end product is destruction. When sin enters a soul it leads the soul astray, its purpose is to separate the soul from sanctifying grace and also prevent it from seeing the face of God. It is very dangerous when a soul is not connected to God, such soul will die of starvation because God is the only author of our lives. Souls like these will suffer and at the end be condemned this is the more reason why God is calling us back so that we can be saved from destruction. Many a time when we feel that our sins are many, we will decide to run away and abandon God all because we have soiled our baptismal innocent but during this season, the Lord is calling us to repentance due to the fact that our sins cannot be greater than His love for us. That no matter what our past has been we can always begin anew.

Furthermore, our Lenten journey calls us to be conscious of our deeds and returning back to God who is a loving father. Once we are ready to reflect and recollect, we will feel light especially in our spiritual journey. But when we are heavy and find it difficult to pray, make sacrifices or too busy to look inward it is a sign of sin which is a red light to the soul. Our Christian journey at this time must help us to trace our footsteps back to God who is our creator. This practise is done every year helping the faithful to come closer to God. However, our Lenten observance should help us to mortify the flesh so that the joy of Easter would be a reality. This season is divided into sections and each section when fully participated will help us feel the presence of God. After fasting and abstinence for a period of five weeks, the church call  us to join our voices  with those in Jerusalem  shouting Hosanna  in the highest,  blessed is he who come in the name of the Lord Hosanna  in the highest (Matthew 21:9) . The triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem is very significant in the sense that as Christians we recognised him as our king and Lord. This solemnity usher us to the HOLY WEEK which calls us to attain holiness in every sphere of life, during this week the church avails us with a lot of privileges to attain holiness. This is a golden opportunity, opening doors of graces to those who are willing to participate in the sacred mysteries of Christ.

Good Friday is also part of the Lenten season in fact it is the peak of it. It is the last day to the closure of the Lenten season whereby the faithful engaged in fasting and abstinence. It is a special Friday because we belief that it was the day the sins of the world was wiped away. Different activities in the church help us to picture what took place on the very day our saviour died for us as a sign of love and liberation. The death of Jesus Christ on the cross was the most descent among the dead because a sinless man was willing to die for sinful people this made it to be more significant and valuable to all. The death of Jesus helped us to attain salvation. This salvation was not for a particular set of people but for all.

More often than not, the sufferings of Christ on Good Friday gave birth to the JOY OF EASTER. Easter celebration is all about the resurrection of Jesus from the grave. “And if Christ has not risen then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:14). From the above scriptural passage, we would see that the resurrection of Christ is a blessing to all Christians even when the Chief Priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers large sum of money, telling them “you are to say His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep. If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble”. So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely spread among the Jews till today (Matthew 28: 12-15). Our joy is that, their fake news did not stop the good news of the resurrection of Jesus. The mystery of the empty tomb is very significant showing us that God has the power to conquer sin, death and even the grave. Being the son of God, death has no power to detain him, because he now lives forever with his Saints to reign for all eternity.

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The main purpose of Easter is Christ resurrection from the dead. The joy of Easter is the glorification Christ gained after his sufferings and death on the cross. Easter gives a firm foundation to our Christian faith. The joy of Easter brought about happiness that knows no bound. The Easter season is a season of Alleluia, that Jesus have conquered death forever. After the resurrection, victory was gained. Death has no power to scare anyone because it has been conquered forever. This calls for great celebration that finally we have been set free from sin and death. “Oh death where is your sting? Oh grave where is your victory.” (1 Corinthians15:55). St. Paul now have the conviction to ask death where is it sting. The victory gained through Christ resurrection from the dead has broken the chains of death over man. Thanks be to our Lord Jesus Christ who underwent sufferings and death in other for us to have the assurance of an inheritance that can never be spoilt or soiled or even fade away. So let us with a joyful hearts and minds celebrate this great solemnity of Christ resurrection from the dead (Easter). We are Easter people and Alleluia is our song. HAPPY EASTER!

Sr Margret Ogbebor SSMA is a Catholic Nun, working in the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto. She is the Head Teacher of St Martin de Porres Nursery and Primary School Katsina. [email protected]