Created by Chris Carmody: jesusinsalem@yahoo.com and Stephanie Rangel: beverlyyouthministry@gmail.

com

Year Faith
of
2012-2013

31 March 2013

ALLELUIA! HE HAS RISEN!

Alleluia! He is Risen! He is Truly Risen! After what has been for many a long Lent, we can now shout Alleluia for we truly are an Easter People! We are an Easter People. What an interesting phrase! I wonder if we really are, or rather if we really understand what that means. Are we an Easter People, and People of the Resurrection? Absolutely! While we do celebrate forty days of fasting and penance during Lent, during the Easter season we celebrate for fifty days! Fifty days of joy and celebration, remembering what Christ has done for us and how the grace He won for us on the Cross makes our lives amazing. Jesus came that we might have life and have it abundantly! (John 10:10) The real question is Do we live in a way that lets others know the joy we have as Christians, the overwhelming joy of the Easter People? Sadly, the answer for many is no, we dont. My guess is that is because many Christians dont know the joy of being Christian, a child of God. Many see being a Christian as simply having to follow a lot of rules do this, dont do that. They are totally missing the point! Living a truly Christian life is about living life in abundance; living life with exuberance; taking joy in every moment because we know that Christ has filled each moment of our lives, even the difficult ones, with grace! Thank you Lord for Your Amazing Grace! As Christians, we are called to live as the Easter People a people of joy and hope. In His Resurrection Christ invites us to share in His glory. Not only in Heaven (which is going to be amazing!!), but now, in each moment of our lives! As Bl. Pope John Paul II said it, we have hope in every day; hope that today is going to be blessed by God the Father. We are invited to live that way with great joy and hope. My question is are you?

CHALLENGE
Many people, wondering why the pews at church are empty, say that it is because the Mass is boring, the homilies are long or the music is bad. Nope, nope, and nope. All wrong! If the pews are going to be filled on Sunday, we need to give people a reason to be there the rest of the week. This week Monday through Saturday live life with extra joy! Take pleasure in every good thing, each a blessing from God. Let people see your joy, and they will desire that joy too! When that happens, when Christians live joyful lives through the week, our churches will be overflowing on Sundays!