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April 2013 Volume 4, Number 8 Living The Paschal Mystery

“Do you not know All of us who have lived into adulthood and confronted the trials and tribulations which beset that we who were us, have struggled to make sense out of why trouble happens, both to us individually and to the world at large. We see a family member or friend with cancer, the loss of a job, senseless baptized into violence or natural disasters like tornados that claim lives and destroy peoples’ dreams. Christ Jesus were baptized into his The liturgy of the Church, the celebration of the sacraments, and the seasons of Lent and death?” Easter are particular times when we pay attention to what Jesus Christ has done for us through his passion, death, Resurrection, and Ascension. Yet these are not the only times when we experience the Paschal Mystery. It is a part of our everyday life; it is the undercurrent of all that we do and all that we are.

The Paschal Mystery is basically the process of dying and rising, death and new life. We see this all around us and in our own lives. For example, we experience the process of dying and

rising each year as we go through the different seasons. Summer is a time of vibrancy and life, In this Easter which then gives way to fall, when leaves on the trees die and fall away and many plants seem to die. Winter comes and with it the frost and chill that seem to halt all growth and life. But after season, consider winter, when it seemed as if everything had died away, spring arrives. New life surrounds us. these things: Daffodils and crocuses begin to push through the once-frozen ground. The bare branches of trees begin to show signs of new leaves.

We are a part of nature too. Not only do we experience the seasons and see the process of  Take a walk dying and rising, we also have our own dyings and risings. Sometimes these are obvious—for and savor the example, a grandparent dies or a baby is born. But other dyings and risings are less obvious. newness of An experience of dying might be when you have an argument with a friend that leaves you feeling upset, or you see a homeless mother and child and don't know what to do to help. An Spring. experience of rising might be reconciling with someone you hurt or who hurt you, talking with  Plant a garden. your family about the homeless mother and child and discovering that an organization like the St. Vincent de Paul Society has the people and the resources to care for people who are  Sit on the porch homeless. These are some of the dyings and risings that we experience every day. and read a Now when we look at the Paschal Mystery in the context of our religious beliefs and the life of book. Jesus Christ, we come to a deeper meaning of dying and rising. Jesus Christ's passion, death, Resurrection, and Ascension are the ultimate event of dying and rising, of death and new life.  Celebrate your We learn from Jesus that new life can come from death, that we can find meaning in tough family. times, that there really is light in the darkness. We learn that all life has this rhythm of dying and rising and that God is with us in good times and in bad. Christ's experience of suffering, death,  Pray and new life has forever changed us and given us a different way of living. Death no longer has the last word. Plus, when we encounter tough times, we have the comfort of knowing that God has “been there, done that” and the power of hope that new life will come from death. Becoming conscious of our own dyings and risings helps us have a greater sense of compassion for others and a greater willingness to reach out.

Think about your own life. What is a dying or rising that you have experienced today, this week, this year? Reflect on that experience in light of the event of Jesus Christ's passion, death, Resurrection, and Ascension.

Easter Traditions Easter Prayer of St. Hippolytus of Rome We celebrate Easter to commemorate the resurrection of Jesus. Some aspects of modern Easter celebrations, however, pre-date Christianity. Christ is Risen: The world below lies According to the Venerable Bede, one of the Church Fathers, Easter derives its name from Eostre, desolate an Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring. A month corresponding to April had been named "Eostremonat," Christ is Risen: The spirits of evil are or Eostre's month, leading to "Easter" becoming applied to the Christian holiday that usually took fallen place within it. Prior to that, the holiday had been called Pasch (Passover), which remains its name in Christ is Risen: most non-English languages. The angels of God are rejoicing It seems probable that around the second century A.D., Christian missionaries seeking to convert the Christ is Risen: The tombs of the dead are tribes of northern Europe noticed that the Christian holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus empty roughly coincided with the Teutonic springtime celebrations, which emphasized the triumph of life Christ is Risen indeed over death. Christian Easter gradually absorbed the traditional symbols. from the dead, the first of the sleepers, Glory and power are his Easter Eggs forever and ever. Amen In Medieval Europe, eggs were forbidden during Lent. Eggs laid during that time were often boiled or otherwise preserved. Eggs were thus a mainstay of Easter meals, and a prized Easter gift for children and servants.

In addition, eggs have been viewed as symbols of new life and fertility through the ages. It is believed that for this reason many ancient cultures, including the Ancient Egyptians, Persians, and These newsletters Romans, used eggs during their spring festivals. are a service of Mater Dei Campus Many traditions and practices have formed around Easter eggs. The coloring of eggs is an Ministry in an established art, and eggs are often dyed, painted, and otherwise decorated. Eggs were also used in attempt to: various holiday games: parents would hide eggs for children to find, and children would roll eggs down hills. These practices live on in Easter egg hunts and egg rolls. The most famous egg roll takes place on the White House lawn every year.

1. Share information The Easter Bunny about our Catholic faith to keep our Hares and rabbits have long been symbols of fertility. The inclusion of the hare into Easter customs community aware appears to have originated in Germany, where tales were told of an "Easter hare" who laid eggs for of some of the children to find. German immigrants to America -- particularly Pennsylvania -- brought the tradition teachings of our with them and spread it to a wider public. They also baked cakes for Easter in the shape of hares, tradition. and may have pioneered the practice of making chocolate bunnies and eggs.

2. Update our Easter Parades

community of After their baptisms, early Christians wore white robes all through Easter week to indicate their new changes in lives. Those had already been baptized wore new clothes instead to symbolize their sharing a new understandings life with Christ. and rituals In Medieval Europe, churchgoers would take a walk after Easter Mass, led by a crucifix or the Easter 3. Assist parents with candle. Today these walks endure as Easter Parades. People show off their spring finery, including the faith formation lovely bonnets decorated for spring. of their youth.

4. Provide links to sites with helpful Helpful Websites information on U.S.Conference of Catholic Bishops www.usccb.org faith and parenting. Center for Parent/Youth Understanding www.cpyu.org Diocese of Belleville www.diobelle.org

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