Keeping the Easter Spirit Meaningful

Easter Season, a holy time that celebrates the resurrection of Lord Jesus Christ. His resurrection gives us Catholics proof that there is a paradise waiting for them, the fully concrete confirmation of everything the Son of God preached. If Jesus had not returned from the dead, many would have written him off as “just another prophet.”

As the children of God, we have a duty to keep the faith alive. We were the lambs that Jesus has saved, now we must uphold the farm He made for us. Like how Jesus conquered death,we, too, should conquer our inhibitions and temptations.

During His ministry, Jesus gave His two greatest commandments: “to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and to love others as we love ourselves.” Thus, three ideal ways to celebrate Easter Sunday would be the following:

Recalling the Passion of Jesus Christ through movies and Holy Scriptures.
For most people, the more immersive way to witness these events are through movies. It will be as if you’re seeing the Passion narratives unfold first-hand. One of the films that best demonstrate it is The Passion of the Christ, which portrays Jesus’ many sufferings to save mankind from sin. It shows everything from Christ being unjustly condemned, whipped until his back was red, being nailed to the cross, to His glorious resurrection.

On the other hand, the Bible, being the main source of spiritual information, is more descriptive, including other details and accounts from Jesus’ apostles. It also contains many prophecies of the Messiah’s fate, like in Isaiah 53:5, a verse that speaks of a “suffering servant.” In His own words, “the Son of Man came to serve, not to be served.” Reading the Scriptures can bring more of these connections to light and lead to a deeper understanding of the Christian faith.

Easter is a good time to reflect on his sacrifice, appreciate all other sacrifices that lead to us standing in the present day, and most of all, what can be done to give justice to Christ’s death to make his loving sacrifice be felt in the world.

Spending quality time with family.
Ordained by God, families are the core foundations of society. Even if sometimes conflicts arise, we should be there for each other through thick and thin, like how Mama Mary was there for Jesus during His birth, death on the cross, afterlife, and even now. As the saying goes, “Families are like branches on a tree. We grow in different directions yet our roots remain as one.” Simply playing board games around the dining room table, having movie marathons at midnight, eating together while talking about each other’s experiences can strengthen that sacred bond.

Visiting your hometown to reflect.
Sometimes, it can be difficult to reflect in our own homes because of busy streets, loud noises, and constant happenings from social media. To reflect, we need to temporarily disconnect from the modern world. In the Philippines, coming home to provinces is the primary choice in achieving inner peace. Upon reaching that destination, we reunite with relatives and talk to catch up to the times we’ve spent apart. With this tranquil environment, it becomes easier to think of solutions to ongoing problems, appreciate blessings we’ve been given, and see the bigger picture. Like how Jesus rose from the dead, this can lead us to have a clearer mind when we come back to our daily struggles.

Easter is a time of fulfillment, transformation, and revitalization. It symbolizes the payoff of God’s plan — salvation for all mankind. In the same way God selflessly sacrificed His only Son for us, we should also reciprocate those efforts to make our faith and personal bonds stronger through loving one’s self, loving our neighbors, and most importantly; loving God.