Let Me Count the Ways … Nothing represents God’s never- ending abundance to His children like a nest of bunnies! Although not biblical, bun- nies, chicks, ducks, jelly beans and mounds of chocolate are traditional signs of God’s goodness to us!

How Can We Show Our Goodness to God and Others? Season of Easter Here are some ideas! On the Run Visit the Sick: An important Work of by Mercy which brightens a sick person’s day and lets them know that they are still im- Beth Belcher portant. That they are loved! ave you ever longed to spend H time in nature after being inside dur- Give to the poor: Gather up out- ing a particularly cold winter? Or en- grown toys and clothing to give to joyed the twittering of birds as the those in need. Share the joy of giving! trees begin to blossom and the days grow longer? We seem to become Plant a garden: Help plant a garden more cheerful as springtime slowly with flowers or vegetables in your brings the warmth of the sun, flowers community, at your school or in your own blooming and new life in nature. And yard. God calls us to help care for the we joyfully anticipate the springtime earth! holy day, Easter, which brings to mind the Easter Bunny, colored eggs and the empty tomb as Jesus has ris- Pick up trash: Work with an adult to en from the dead. At Eastertime the keep the community clean and tidy. phrase, ‘Alleluia, He is Risen!’ re- Don’t forget to recycle! minds believers that not only has Christ risen from the dead, but that Light a candle at church: Remember He has conquered sin and death. We to put a donation in the collection can live in confidence that the gates box when you light a candle for someone of heaven have been opened for us you love or a favorite intention. by the love of God through His Son, Jesus and his ultimate sacrifice! How wonderful that God has offered us Make a sun catcher together: Follow Jesus to save us and give us Himself the link for some craft ideas you can through Holy Communion! We are do with your children! graced by God’s goodness through http://tinyurl.com/q4emyul this most important feast day in our Church! Easter!

©Beth Belcher, 2015 Highest Holy Days What’s Happening? days The Triduum, Latin for “three The Easter Season: 50 days 3 days,” are special holy days in Considered the “Great Fifty Days” from that they are not officially part of Lent, but Easter Sunday to Pentecost, where we re- lead us into the holy day of Easter, then … member that we are a Resurrection People and strive to be happy and grateful for the sacrifice of Our Lord! Happy Easter!

Now that the 40 days of Lenten Easter Week: sacrifice are over, and the RCIA candidates have been initiated at The week directly after Easter which is a the Easter Vigil, we are ready to celebrate continuation of the Easter celebration, and new life through the Resurrection of Jesus hopefully your child will have candy from from the dead! their Easter basket left by the end of the week!

Modern Easter Traditions Divine Mercy Sunday: We may see girls and boys in new Easter clothes, Easter baskets in the morn- Called the 2nd Sunday of Easter, ing and Easter egg hunts or ‘rolls’ and celebrated the Sunday after after Mass and maybe an Easter pa- Easter, it is St. John Paul the rade. Perhaps spring flowers and Great’s invitation for all believers Easter lilies will be on the altar, or given as to experience God’s mercy through gifts to family members—all representing this feast day. new life in Christ. Ascension of Our Lord: Christian or Pagan? Once celebrated on a Thursday, ten days before Pentecost, this feast day reminds us The day of Eostre, the traditional pagan of Jesus ascending to His Father and giving springtime feast of new life was us the Advocate, the Holy Spirit. overshadowed by the Resurrection of Jesus. Many pagans began to un- derstand that only Jesus could bring Pentecost: New Life! Conversions took place The day that the Holy Spirit descend- and the term Eostre became the ed upon the apostles, in the form of new word, Easter, helping to show that the tongues of fire, giving them Gifts, in- Truth transforms feast days and their cluding courage. Due to this grace, this is names. the day the Church was born! Happy Birth- day, don’t forget to wear red to Mass! Timing is Everything Easter’s date is determined by the first full Every Sunday: moon after the vernal equinox (when the All Sundays in the Church calendar are con- sun is directly over the equator) each year. sidered a mini-Easter! We should celebrate Determined by the Council of Nicaea in the Resurrection of Jesus each week with 325, this helped pilgrims to special family time, just like we do at East- travel by the light of the moon ertime! for Easter festivities!