Tuesday of Easter Week

April 22, 2003

Last night I began speaking of Easter as a season of springtime, blossoming and new life. I often find it ironic that so many people come to Mass daily during Lent and then stop after Easter. In reality, Lent is merely a preparation for Easter, no where near as important, but as often happens, the cart gets put before the horse.

Easter is about the rest of our lives, on this earth and in the hereafter. The touching scene in today’s gospel where Mary recognizes Jesus only after he calls her by name, clearly demonstrates what I preach so many times. This faith is not about intellectual knowledge or do’s and don’ts. It is about relationship to Jesus Christ.

In the first reading we find Peter preaching the power of forgiveness. During this week, the readings are not chronological but developmental. The church sees this week or octave of eight days as if it were one. That is why we continue to hear in the gospels a variety of post resurrection accounts, and in the Acts a post Pentecostal proclamation; the empowerment which comes on the fiftieth and last day of the Easter season.

Peter’s preaching found in today’s first reading helps enable his listeners to move in a new direction. On the Octave Sunday this weekend, which we now call Divine Mercy Sunday, we hear Jesus proclaim the sacrament of reconciliation and the empowerment of his disciples to forgive sins. This same gospel will be repeated on Pentecost, the final day of Easter.

Many are familiar with the term Novena, which means nine days. The tradition began with Jesus command as he ascended to His Father from Bethany . Return to the upper room and wait for the Holy Spirit. Today there are numerous novenas of prayer.

But the octave is less familiar. It is not really eight days but one day celebrated over the course of eight. The Christmas Octave ends on January 1, with the Solemnity of Mary. The Easter Octave ends with Divine Mercy Sunday. The Feast of the Assumption on August 15 ends with the octave of the Coronation on August 22.

Perhaps in earlier times, the pace of life was more leisurely and the extension of time was used to demonstrate the significance of the celebration. It strikes me that many take their Christmas decorations down on December 26, while many others leave them up until Easter or at least Ash Wednesday.

If anything can be learned form these ancient scriptures and. liturgical practices perhaps it might be the value of slowing down. As someone once said, “Take time to smell the roses while you can!”