3 minute read
Celebrating The Season Of Easter: An Opportunity To Foster Our Faith And Share The Good News
The season of Lent may sometimes feel long, but there are joys and celebrations soon to come as we approach the Easter season. But Easter is more than just a one-day event, as it stretches on for 50 days until Pentecost.
“Easter is the most important liturgy in the whole year, the culmination of our salvation,” Fr. Don Buhrman says. “It is a life-changing event for the eternal promise — to return to heaven, to be with God forever. Jesus’ faithfulness returns us to be with God forever. It’s the liturgy of the year that celebrates the passion, death, and resurrection of our Savior.”
Advertisement
As we proceed through the season of Lent, we practice fasting, prayer, and almsgiving. These practices are not all just for show, as they ultimately prepare us spiritually to celebrate Easter. Once we reach Easter, we hopefully have strengthened our faith with these practices and are ready to receive Jesus in His glorious resurrection.
“We take 50 days to rejoice and give glory to God for the gift of salvation,” Fr. Don says.
Easter ends with Pentecost, commemorating when the Holy Spirit came to the Apostles and entrusted them with gifts to spread the Gospel story with others. This commission is ours, as well — we, too, are encouraged and inspired when the Holy Spirit comes to us at Pentecost.
“The Easter season is a time for us to give glory to God and be strengthened and encouraged by God so we can go out and proclaim the Good News,” Fr. Don says. “Pentecost is when the gifts of the Holy Spirit encourage the Apostles to proclaim the Good News, living into Ordinary Time. The Easter season is a season of renewed life — we renew ourselves in the sacraments, then hopefully live out that faithfulness and proclaim it to the world around us.”
During Lent, Fr. Don has encouraged us to gather as small Christian communities in each other’s homes. For the Easter season, he suggests parishioners continue meeting with their small-group communities. Whether it’s once a week or month, Fr. Don hopes parishioners still connect and join in fellowship together. Ideas for these gatherings could include a video series from FORMED, watching The Chosen or Fr. Mike Schmitz’s videos, reading Scripture, or praying the Rosary. The parish will help any groups find resources as needed for these gatherings.
As for what else we might do during this time, Fr. Don emphasizes the importance of living the faith as being actively involved in parish life as possible.
“To be in attendance at Mass is one thing, but finding ways to participate and serving in various ways, I would encourage that — giving of ourselves for the glory of God and the support of one another,” he says.
