Wishing you and your loved ones a joyful
and grace-filled celebration of Easter!
The Lord is Risen, Alleluia! Truly He is Risen, Alleluia!
How do we keep the whole 50 days of Easter as a celebration? If we do penance for the 40 days of Lent, then it would be lopsided to not celebrate at least as much! Beyond the obvious candy and other treats, check out a few spiritual ways to celebrate!
TOP TEN WAYS TO CELEBRATE
THE EASTER SEASON
1.Greet each other every morning with the traditional Easter salutation:
"The Lord is Risen, Alleluia!"
"Truly He is Risen, Alleluia!"
2. Learn the "Regina Coeli" prayer which replaces the daily Angelus during Easter. (You can even search it on YouTube and learn the short Latin chant version!)
3. Attend daily Mass at least once per week or stop by the adoration chapel on your way to or from work. Adore the Risen Lord Jesus in our midst!
4. Hopefully you have a crucifix prominently displayed somewhere in your house--kiss it every day to say thank you to the Lord for His Merciful Love! "By His stripes, we are healed!"
5. Light a candle each evening and pray the first Glorious Mystery of the Rosary, "The Resurrection," asking the Blessed Virgin Mary to assist you to be a witness of the Risen Lord to those around you.
6. Visit a cemetery once per week and pray that those buried there will share in the glory of the Resurrection! The souls in Purgatory will be most grateful and assist you in your needs in return. Alternatively, at home you can make a list of deceased family and friends and say a "Hail Mary" for each one of them or dedicate the prayers of each day of the Easter season to one of them.
7. The 50 days of Easter culminate in the Pentecost celebration of the Descent of the Holy Spirit. Find a favorite prayer to the Holy Spirit and pray it each day as a family.
8. Continue your Lenten small group meetings weekly until Pentecost! Allow the Lord to continue to draw you together with other disciples. Six weeks was a good start... but that's all it is--a start!
9. Write an old-fashioned note each day to someone to whom you feel called to be the light of Christ. Maybe it is someone who is suffering and needs cheering up, or someone whom you haven't seen in a long time but cherish, or someone with you all the time to show that you don't take him/her for granted. Bring the light of Christ to others!
10. Make time for discipleship! Discern one way to contribute to the life of our parish community through your service. it doesn't have to take a lot of time but shows our unity as a spiritual family and assumes responsibility for our shared mission as the Lord's disciples. For example, become a greeter before Mass once per month. All it takes is arriving 15 minutes early and handing out a bulletin as you welcome people to church!
THE EASTER SEASON
1.Greet each other every morning with the traditional Easter salutation:
"The Lord is Risen, Alleluia!"
"Truly He is Risen, Alleluia!"
2. Learn the "Regina Coeli" prayer which replaces the daily Angelus during Easter. (You can even search it on YouTube and learn the short Latin chant version!)
3. Attend daily Mass at least once per week or stop by the adoration chapel on your way to or from work. Adore the Risen Lord Jesus in our midst!
4. Hopefully you have a crucifix prominently displayed somewhere in your house--kiss it every day to say thank you to the Lord for His Merciful Love! "By His stripes, we are healed!"
5. Light a candle each evening and pray the first Glorious Mystery of the Rosary, "The Resurrection," asking the Blessed Virgin Mary to assist you to be a witness of the Risen Lord to those around you.
6. Visit a cemetery once per week and pray that those buried there will share in the glory of the Resurrection! The souls in Purgatory will be most grateful and assist you in your needs in return. Alternatively, at home you can make a list of deceased family and friends and say a "Hail Mary" for each one of them or dedicate the prayers of each day of the Easter season to one of them.
7. The 50 days of Easter culminate in the Pentecost celebration of the Descent of the Holy Spirit. Find a favorite prayer to the Holy Spirit and pray it each day as a family.
8. Continue your Lenten small group meetings weekly until Pentecost! Allow the Lord to continue to draw you together with other disciples. Six weeks was a good start... but that's all it is--a start!
9. Write an old-fashioned note each day to someone to whom you feel called to be the light of Christ. Maybe it is someone who is suffering and needs cheering up, or someone whom you haven't seen in a long time but cherish, or someone with you all the time to show that you don't take him/her for granted. Bring the light of Christ to others!
10. Make time for discipleship! Discern one way to contribute to the life of our parish community through your service. it doesn't have to take a lot of time but shows our unity as a spiritual family and assumes responsibility for our shared mission as the Lord's disciples. For example, become a greeter before Mass once per month. All it takes is arriving 15 minutes early and handing out a bulletin as you welcome people to church!