Solemnity of Easter

Solemnity of Ea ster Without having seen him you love him; though you do not now see him you believe in him and rejoice with unutterable and exalted joy. ~ 1 Peter 1:8

ASTER, the celebration of Je- struck by the splendor of the Ex- sus’ Resurrection from the sultet and the daring of its words: dead, is the highest feast and “O happy fault, O necessary sin of Egreatest of solemnities in the Adam, which gained for us so great Church. It ushers in its most ex- a Redeemer!” (The Roman Missal, tended season of rejoicing, the fifty- Mass of Easter Vigil, Easter Proc- day period from Easter Sunday to lamation). This “happy fault” (felix Pentecost. All Sundays are feasts culpa in Latin) is a bold declaration, a because Jesus’ Resurrection, the cry of hope and optimism confirming “great feast,” occurred on a Sun- that the power of God is so incredi- day. It is the Passover of Christ (see ble that he can turn sin into a means CCC 1168), and is always celebrat- for his own glory and our good. ed very near the date of the Jewish The Church seems unable to re- Passover, although the method of strain its joy at the Resurrection: calculation is not exactly the same “Rejoice, O earth,” it sings, “in shin- and, of course, Easter must always ing splendor, radiant in the bright- fall on a Sunday. (The method of Mary Magdalene witnesses the risen Lord, by ness of your King! Christ has con- Domenico Mastroianni, 1876-1962 calculation also differs between the quered! Glory fills you! Darkness Catholic and Orthodox Churches, a problem that it can vanishes forever!” It continues: “The power of this holy be hoped will be resolved soon.) night dispels all evil, washes guilt away, restores lost in- Of all days, Easter is the day of which the Psalmist nocence, brings mourners joy; it casts out hatred, brings sings: “This is the day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice us peace, and humbles earthly pride” (The Roman Mis- and be glad in it” (Ps 118:24). We shout for joy, for our sal, Mass of Easter Vigil, Easter Proclamation). Savior has risen; he has conquered death, and he dwells A 2nd- or 3rd-century Christian writer sang thus: “O in glory. Truly he is great, he is “the Son of the Most High” spiritual feast! O divine Passover!… O festival of the (Lk 1:32). He possesses “the throne of his father David, and whole cosmos! O joy of the universe, its honor, its ban- he [reigns] over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his Kingdom quet and delight!… Heaven’s gates have opened; God there will be no end” (Lk 1:32-33). “The Lord has risen in- has appeared as a human being and human beings have deed” (Lk 24:34). risen as God.… O divine Passover, to us you have spir- Christ was born, suffered, died, and rose from the itually united the God whom the Heavens cannot con- dead; these are historical events. The Resurrection of tain” (Ancient Paschal homily 62). Jesus was a real event, one that is at the very core of A Father of the Church, St. Gregory Nazianzen, the mystery of faith “that transcends and surpasses his- carried away by the glory of Easter, cried out: “O tory” (CCC 647). His Resurrection confirms his divin- great and holy Easter, I speak of you as of a living be- ity and our expectation of rising with him. This is the ing” (Oratio XLV). Easter is the glorious feast of faith. significance of Easter for the Church and all its faith- The Risen Jesus says to each of us, as he said to Mar- ful members. tha: “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, The triumphant Exsultet in the Church’s Easter though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes proclamation is sung at the Easter Vigil Mass. From in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” ( Jn 11:25-26). the moment that the Exsultet is begun, the liturgy of Blessed will be we who can reply, inspired by God’s Easter resounds with joy, jubilation, and shouts of “Al- goodness and grace, “Yes, Risen Lord, I believe.” This leluia!” The joy of Eas- belief will merit an eter- ter bursts like a long- “The joy of Easter bursts like a long- nal Easter. awaited flood upon the (CCC 647, 655, Christian soul. One is awaited flood upon the Christian soul.” 1168-1170)

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