The Why of the Resurrection

“Oh dear mighty resurrected Lord, I stand in awe at the empty tomb. Why does this vision stop me in my tracks and take my breath away? You are God, who created everything and everyone, of course You would conquer death itself and yet I stand fixed in awe. What really cements my feet to the ground is not so much the how of Your Resurrection, but the why of Your Resurrection.

“You did this miraculous, horrible, wonderful thing simply out of love, love for the Father and love for all of humanity. You did this for all people, those who love You and for those who don’t; those who praise You and those who curse You, back then, now and in the future. It is the depth of this love that I can’t seem to wrap my head around and that is what locks my feet in place at the empty tomb.

“The truth and reality of this love is as blinding as the sun. I know it is there in all its immensity, power and beauty, yet I really can’t look directly at it. The light and heat are far too intense for my feeble body. I can feel the effects of the sun, but I can’t look directly at the source.

“Oh mighty risen Lord, I am extremely grateful for this great love and incredible mercy. No one truly deserves this beautiful gift and yet, You offer it freely to all, even to those who beat You, mocked You, spat at You and nailed Your loving hands and feet - the hands that healed so many and the feet that carried You to the doors of those in need throughout Your short time on earth.

“Oh my dear loving Lord, may I never forget the enormity of Your love and mercy for all of us. May I never turn away from Your will or Your loving gaze. May the image of Your burning Sacred Heart blaze into my eyes and soul and keep me forever transfixed on You. As I stand at the entrance of the empty tomb, may I always remember not so much the how of the Resurrection, but more the why of the Resurrection.”

Easter Vigil Reflection

                The joy of the light that shines in darkness fills my heart today. As we walked with Him throughout His Passion, we suffered and agonized with Him. Now, as the darkness is lifted, we see Him risen, conquering death itself. The light fills our tear-filled eyes and warms our souls as He reveals Himself as Christ, the risen Lord. The beauty of the Paschal candle brings the light of the risen Lord into the darkness of the night following the Crucifixion. Our hearts were broken at His Crucifixion and our hearts are healed and filled with joy at the empty tomb. The joy of Easter is the healing balm of the violent Passion in which our dear Lord suffered beyond what we can imagine. All is well and all is how He told us it would be. Now we rejoice and celebrate. Gone are the tears, the pain, the blood, and what has returned is a transformed hope for humanity. Our faith in His promise of defeating death for all of us brings us great joy and immense peace. We have been taken through the whole gamut of emotions and now we celebrate with joy His promise of mercy and love forever. Oh dear Lord, my heart leaps for joy at Your Resurrection!

My Peace I Give You

                “My Lord, my God, my heavenly King, I bow my head and rest here with You. I am filled with great peace, your peace, the peace You wish for all Your children. ‘Peace I leave you,’ You said to Your apostles, ‘My peace I give you (Jn. 14:27).’ We hear it at every Mass, ‘The peace of the Lord be with you always,’ and we answer, ‘And with your spirit.’ Our souls long for peace amidst a world of chaos, anxiety, confusion, fear, anger, frustration, controversy and pain. My soul clings to the comfort of Your peace at this moment, I feel safe, sheltered in this permeating peace.”

                “Be at peace my dear daughter. Your faith and trust in Me are so deep and genuine that I give You this gift of peace. I have a plan for this world, this world that has strayed so far from My creating hands. The chaos and rejection this world shows Me is very much the same as it was 2000 years ago. Even in Noah’s times, the world turned away from its Creator. It is all part of my ultimate plan. All will be set right. All that has been distorted will be beautiful once again. When I created the world and all the things in it, I saw that it was good. It still is, it is just transforming according to My plan.

                “Your trust and faith in Me give Me great joy. There is no need for anxiety, confusion, fear, anger or frustration. By faith, you may rest My child, knowing that all will be fine. My love for you and all My children is so deep and so vast that I will never let you be lost. You are My child forever and so, My peace I give you.”