After forty days of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, we arrive at last to Easter.
For those of us who were raised in the Catholic Faith, we might take this sequence of events for granted. Easter naturally follows Lent in the same way spring follows winter. Fasting gives way to feasting. Somber hymns recede into Alleluias. We might even find ourselves tempted to think of the celebration of Easter as a reward, of sorts, for our diligence throughout Lent.
But considered with greater scrutiny, the complete and unrivaled triumph of Easter represents something of a non-sequitur to the very difficult, very human season that precedes it.
The Paschal victory is nothing we merited; that could not possibly be the case. As we reflect on the past forty days, we can recall countless moments when we grumbled against our fasting or let the irritation of hunger eat away at our temper. We recall the times when we sped through our prayers or metered our almsgiving. We might even recall moments of weakness in which we abandoned our fast altogether.
We recall, in short, our failure. And yet, Easter has arrived anyway.
In this light, our failures are part of what makes Easter such a spectacular gift. Christ sanctifies even our fallen human nature. His Resurrection defeats even suffering and death. And Our Lord invites all of us to share in His Easter joy even if we have failed Him. We need only to confess our failures, receive absolution, and try again.
So, my friends, take heart: Easter is not a time to abandon our fasting, our prayers, or our pursuit of holiness. Easter is a reminder, plain as the empty tomb, that we are called to rise out of our failure and try again.
We remember that God’s invitation to grace and mercy is constant, and that we need only to accept it. We remember that our sin cannot quiet God’s love for us. And we remember that, in the words of the Apostle Paul, [we] can “delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties,” knowing all the while that God can do great things with imperfect vessels.
On Ash Wednesday, many of you heard the injunction to turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel. God is offering you the same invitation to you now—another chance. What an indescribable joy.
On behalf of Fr. Abbot and the entire Norbertine community of St. Michael’s Abbey, I pray that you and your family have a joyful and peaceful Easter.
The work of St. Michael's Abbey, including our ministerial efforts like the Abbot's Circle, relies on the Grace of God, the prayers of the faithful, and the generosity of others. To learn more about cooperating in this urgent and life-saving work, follow the link below.
