Jesus Christ is Risen!

“We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more; death no longer has power over him. As to his death, he died to sin once and for all; as to his life, he lives for God. Consequently, you too must think of yourselves as being dead to sin and living for God in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 6:9-11)

Happy Easter! The word “Easter” comes from Old English, meaning the “East.” The sun, which rises in the East, “bringing light, warmth and hope, is a symbol for the Christian of the rising Christ, who is the true light of the world.” This year Easter Sunday is celebrated on April 17. The greatest of all liturgical seasons, Easter is a time to rest in “the joy of glorified life and the victory over death, expressed most fully in the great resounding cry of the Christian: Alleluia!”  I  The Exsultet: The Proclamation of Easter

Easter Season Lasts 50 Days

“The word, ‘Pascha,’ or ‘Pasch,’ comes from the Greek word for the ‘Passover.’ The early Christians used the word to describe the resurrection of Jesus as the Christian Passover. Today, we sometimes refer to the death and resurrection of Jesus as the Paschal Mystery, which is derived from the word, ‘Pasch.’ Orthodox Christians still use the word, ‘Pascha’ when referring to Easter. Learn more from Simply Catholic.

The proclamation of Easter does not end with Easter Sunday: That is only the beginning. The Easter season, known as Easter Time, is celebrated for 50 days. It culminates with the celebration of Jesus’ ascension into heaven, and Pentecost, which marks the gift of the Holy Spirit to the Apostles and birthday of the Church. The Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord is Thursday, May 26, but since it is a moveable feast, it is transferred in many dioceses, including the Diocese of Little Rock, to Sunday, May 29. Pentecost will be celebrated Sunday, June 5.

Via Lucis (Way of Light) 

The “Via Lucis” (“Way of Light”) is a meditation on 14 stations that begin with Jesus rising from the dead and conclude with the celebration of Pentecost, the birthday of the Church. It was developed in 1988 and has become a popular devotion during the Easter Season. Unlike the Stations of the Cross, this mediation, also known as the Stations of the Resurrection, are all based on events recorded in Scripture. See this guide on how to pray these stations.